Sometimes bible verses come into my mind.
Sometimes buddhist verses.
Did I get confused ?
What should I do?
Sometimes bible verses come to my mind.
What should I do?
this is habitous seed. difficult to rid. need time for it to go away. learn to know emptiness bah. see if it help.
Originally posted by sinweiy:this is habitous seed. difficult to rid. need time for it to go away. learn to know emptiness bah. see if it help.
Yah I used to read bible many times.
Also gt go bible study for a year.
I read psalms proverbs many times.
New testament I read many times too.
I just listened to worship songs. Maybe is habbitual too.
How to avoid confusion?
key is concentration. open wisdom. learn/listen more. then u can fit all the zigsaw puzzle to fit the whole picture. this is how i do it.
Sometimes I still think of Trinity.
remind me of three Saints from Amitabha PL. :D
It's ok to learn from both sides but eventually you have to make up your mind.
It's like Master Shen Kai used to study the bible so well he even wrote a book about it (the book I still have it, called 圣ç»�çš„ç ”ç©¶)... and he was a pastor at that time who feverntly preached the bible and denounced other religions.
After learning the Buddhist teachings, he was able to discern that it was what he truly wanted... and he became a monk instead.
Originally posted by Millenium Falcon:Sometimes bible verses come into my mind.
Sometimes buddhist verses.
Did I get confused ?
What should I do?
u r experiencing a paradigm shift especially when one has embrace a faith for a long time. it is quite normal. in fact, sometimes there will be challenging thoughts like what if my former faith is true and i might end up in hell etc.
well as the bible say, " faith comeby hearing, hearing the word of god" in the same manner, faith comeby hearing the Buddha dharma and experiencing it.
a knife can be used for preparing food for cooking and can also be used to kill a human being. it is how u used that knife that matter.
as a former christian, i would said it is normal process. in fact, my taoist mum used to worry about backsliding from my Christian faith. she fear that i would incur the warth of God especially i was a water baptize one. i turn around and ask her. if the kuan yin you worship is unable to protect me, why bother to worship her. u should embrace christianity too. being dumbfounded she let me be. after so many, i am still around, in fact i still enjoy the hippy worship tune and bible verse. however, I just view it from various angle, take the meat and throw away the bone.
if there is something I must highlight, it will be ....try not to rush and embrace any particular buddhist practice. take your time to explore and appreciate the differences.
gassho
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo
Originally posted by reborn76:
Hi Milleniumu r experiencing a paradigm shift especially when one has embrace a faith for a long time. it is quite normal. in fact, sometimes there will be challenging thoughts like what if my former faith is true and i might end up in hell etc.
well as the bible say, " faith comeby hearing, hearing the word of god" in the same manner, faith comeby hearing the Buddha dharma and experiencing it.
a knife can be used for preparing food for cooking and can also be used to kill a human being. it is how u used that knife that matter.
as a former christian, i would said it is normal process. in fact, my taoist mum used to worry about backsliding from my Christian faith. she fear that i would incur the warth of God especially i was a water baptize one. i turn around and ask her. if the kuan yin you worship is unable to protect me, why bother to worship her. u should embrace christianity too. being dumbfounded she let me be. after so many, i am still around, in fact i still enjoy the hippy worship tune and bible verse. however, I just view it from various angle, take the meat and throw away the bone.
if there is something I must highlight, it will be ....try not to rush and embrace any particular buddhist practice. take your time to explore and appreciate the differences.
gassho
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo
Thanks for ur advice.
Yesterday I listened to chanting and chanted myself.
The bible verses keep surfacing into my mind during the day.
At night I dreamt about Jesus too.
Thanks for the advice !
ya, HHDL also said before. http://hhdl.dharmakara.net/hhdlquotes2.html
Q: Do you think it is possible to be both Christian and Buddhist at the same time?
A: I ... [previoiusly--see later] replied to this question indirectly when I said that belief in a Creator could be associated with the understanding of emptiness. I believe it is possible to progress along a spiritual path and reconcile Christianity with Buddhism. But once a certain degree of realization has been reached, a choice between the two paths will become necessary. I recently gave a series of teachings in the United States and one of these teachings was about patience and tolerance. At the end there was a ceremony for taking the Bodhisattva Vows. A Christian priest who was in the audience wanted to take these vows. I asked him if he had the right to, and he replied that yes, of course, he could take these vows and still remain a Christian.
i also experience this transitional stage before. initially i learn about bible and jesus and faith and heaven and hell, i also a bit scare of the damnation when i wanted to be buddhist. but i find that buddhism better fit my whole picture of zigsaw puzzle queries and truth. in the transition, u also feel like keeping the faith of jesus incase the other side is fake or something. but the more i learn from MCK and other buddhist master, the idea of damnation will slowly go away. as truth will set u free said jesus, no? now i "believe" jesus as a pusa(or Guan Yin manifestation). he also "love" u and want u well. now is have faith in Amitabha will lead u to His Pureland. also out of damnation. :)
/\
dream about Jesus... quite normal. bcos our Eighth consciousness: "store-house consciousness". keep a record of our past karmanic experience.
sometime i still dream that i am in a church but i am chanting .....
well it is rather interesting for backslider christian like us who turn to embrace Buddhist.
i dreamt of Amitabha, bodhisattvas and jesus together before too.
ps: the forum like haywire in time system, funny my post suppose to be posted in the morning but become at the back.
On the night before my local dharma teacher was about to baptize, she dreamt of Jesus Christ, 10 storeys tall. Very brilliant. Upon approaching him, Jesus Christ turned into Shakyamuni Buddha and said, "my son!"
She didn't baptize after the dream and started searching for that person in the dream... after some years she finally found (strangely she had been searching for Buddha at the wrong places: various Chinese temples which her mom went with her in their attempt to find that 'person' in her dream, and those Chinese temples did not have the image of Shakyamuni Buddha) Buddhism and took refuge.
My Master later informed her that in her past lives, she had spent more lifetimes practicing with Shakyamuni Buddha than she had with my Master.
Originally posted by sinweiy:ya, HHDL also said before. http://hhdl.dharmakara.net/hhdlquotes2.html
i also experience this transitional stage before. initially i learn about bible and jesus and faith and heaven and hell, i also a bit scare of the damnation when i wanted to be buddhist. but i find that buddhism better fit my whole picture of zigsaw puzzle queries and truth. in the transition, u also feel like keeping the faith of jesus incase the other side is fake or something. but the more i learn from MCK and other buddhist master, the idea of damnation will slowly go away. as truth will set u free said jesus, no? now i "believe" jesus as a pusa(or Guan Yin manifestation). he also "love" u and want u well. now is have faith in Amitabha will lead u to His Pureland. also out of damnation. :)
/\
I have been observing christians and realise that god can neither punish nor reward us. Karma is more scary than god. I'm not afraid of god but I'm afraid of karma.
Originally posted by Millenium Falcon:
Thanks for ur advice.Yesterday I listened to chanting and chanted myself.
The bible verses keep surfacing into my mind during the day.
At night I dreamt about Jesus too.
I still can quote Bible verses. If you've learnt it, then it's not likely you will forget the verses just because you now practise something else. It's just memory and habit.
Agree with Reborn76 that you're experiencing a paradigm shift and old habits die hard. Old FEARS also die hard. However, if you believe in impermanence, then you will know that even hell is not eternal. Neither heaven.
Rather than go to any of these realms though, I'd rather aim for awakening.
Give yourself time and a chance to clearly see for yourself what Buddhism is about. Don't just take it at the say-so of others. Personally explore it.
Originally posted by Dawnfirstlight:I have been observing christians and realise that god can neither punish nor reward us. Karma is more scary than god. I'm not afraid of god but I'm afraid of karma.
:) ya, true.
i'm also thinking some gods can do something nasty to mankind too
think can learn something from HHDL regrading converting:-
A: As I often tell my Buddhist friends, if we want to keep the excellent tradition of Buddhism developed in Tibet alive, it will depend on the existence of freedom in Tibet. To that end, since you are already working together, I would like you to continue to work for the cause of Tibet's freedom with those who are already doing so.
...
I would like to share some of my thoughts with all of you gathered here, brothers and sisters in Buddhism. First of all, Buddhism corresponds to a new tradition, a religion which did not previously exist in the West. Consequently, it is normal that all those who are interested in Buddhism in its Tibetan form would also like to be informed about and continue to study other religions and traditions. This is perfectly natural. However, for those who are seriously thinking of converting to Buddhism, that is, of changing your religion, it is very important to take every precaution. This must not be done lightly. Indeed, if one converts without having thought about it in a mature way, this often creates difficulties and leads to great inner confusion. I would therefore advise all who would like to convert to Buddhism to think carefully before doing so.
Second, when an individual is convinced that Buddhist teachings are better adapted to his or her disposition, that they are more effective, it is quite right that this religion be chosen. However, human nature being what it is, after their conversion and in order to justify it, such a person may have a tendency to want to criticize his or her original religion. This must be avoided at all costs. Even if the previous religion does not seem as effective as he or she would have liked (and this is the reason for the change), this is not sufficient reason to claim that the old religion is ineffective for the human spirit. That religion continues to bring immense good to millions of people. For this reason, as Buddhists, we must respect the rights of others, for other religions help millions of people. In particular, we are in the process of trying to create and maintain a perfect harmony among all religions. In these circumstances it is absolutely essential to be aware of the need to respect other religions.
Third, in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition emphasis is always placed on the combination of study and practice. Of course, it may happen that you devote yourself more or less to study. Some people may pursue their studies very far, others may be satisfied with a more limited level of study. Whatever the case, at the foundation you must never separate study, reflection, and meditation. You must also preserve the tradition of practice in which study, reflection, and meditation are indivisible.
Fourth, I would like to insist upon the importance of non-sectarianism. It sometimes happens that people attribute an exaggerated importance to one or another of the different schools and different traditions within Buddhism, and this can lead to an accumulation of extremely negative acts with regard to the Dharma. The advantage of non-sectarianism is that after receiving the transmission of the instructions, initiations, and explanations pertinent to each different tradition, we will be able to have a better understanding of the different teachings. From my own experience, this is without doubt very beneficial. Consequently, if we keep a non-sectarian attitude, as we receive teachings from different traditions, think about them, and put them in practice, it is certain we will improve our understanding of the Dharma. This is why non-sectarianism is so important.
Traditionally in Tibet there have been two approaches used by the many great scholars and accomplished masters. Indeed, while some concentrated on the study and practice of their own tradition, their own spiritual heritage, others expanded the field of their study and their practice of Buddhism from a non-sectarian point of view. This tradition already existed in Tibet among the great masters, and I think that today this non-sectarianism is extremely important and is the best Tibetan custom to follow.
There is a fifth point I would like to go into. For just under thirty years, Tibetan Buddhism has been spreading through the different continents of our earth. Lamas, tulkus, and Geshes have made an enormous contribution to the flowering of Tibetan Buddhism all over the world, aided by hundreds of thousands of students and disciples. During the same period, some rather unhealthy situations have arisen, and this has led to difficulties. Initially this was due to an excess of blind faith on the part of the disciples and also to certain teachers who eventually took advantage of their disciples' weaknesses. There have been scandals, financial and sexual abuses. Such things happen! As a result I must insist at this point that it is absolute necessary that both disciples and teachers keep the goal in mind--to preserve a perfectly pure Dharma. It is the responsibility of us all to put an end to this type of unhealthy activity.
The Buddha taught the four ways to bring together the disciples, and this was to ensure the welfare of others. The six perfections (Sanskrit: paramita) are practised to achieve one's own good, and the four ways of bringing together the disciples to achieve the good of others. This involves, first of all, giving material gifts, then practising right speech, then providing help, and finally harmonizing one's words and acts. Above all, it is important to keep this last point in mind. If we do not master our own mind, it is impossible to master the minds of others. We do not know whether or not it is possible to master the mind of another, but it is what we are supposed to do! Whatever the case, it is essential for those who claim they wish to help others that they control their own minds. To do this it is very important nowadays for teachers to be reminded again and again of the teachings of Buddha on how to help others and harmonize words and acts.
As far as the disciple is concerned, to quote a Tibetan proverb: A disciple must not throw himself upon a spiritual master "as a dog throws itself upon a piece of meat." A disciple must not rush to place their trust immediately in a master, but must rather take the time to reflect carefully and examine the master's qualities before establishing a spiritual bond with them by receiving their teachings. It is preferable to receive the teachings of a master while viewing him or her first and foremost as a spiritual friend. We must not rush to hear their teachings and consider them our master at the same time. Little by little, if having observed them we are convinced that they are a true master, fully qualified and worthy of trust, we can follow their teachings by considering them our master. We must not hurry.
The sixth point which I would like to go into regarding Dharma centres concerns our oft-invoked prayer: "May all beings find happiness and its causes." This is something we should apply directly by doing something useful for society. engaging in social activity in the community, by trying to help those who are In difficulty, such as those with mental or other problems, for example. This does not necessarily mean we should teach them the Dharma, but rather use the teachings ourselves in order to help them. I think such activity directed toward others is something we should develop. It is the natural conclusion of another common prayer: "May all beings attain happiness and be free from suffering." On this principle, if we can bring good, even if only to one person, we are fulfilling in part the vow we have made. Moreover, the entire Buddhist community of these centres should participate in social engagement by assisting others, and I think this is something very important with regard to the operation of these centres.
A vegetarian diet is not obligatory for Buddhists. Still, for those of us who follow the teachings of the Great Vehicle, it is important. But the teachings of the Buddha were open and flexible on this subject, and each practitioner has the choice to be vegetarian or not. Large gatherings are sometimes held in Dharma centres and when there are such festivities, celebrations, or teachings, I think that if a great number of people are to be fed it is very important to serve only vegetarian food for the entire duration of the meeting.
Seventh point: we often say this prayer, "May the teachings of the Buddha (the Dharma) be propagated." If Tibet regains its freedom, this will certainly help to preserve the vast and profound teachings of Buddha, including the Lesser and Great Vehicles as well as all the Tantras. T here is therefore an obvious connection between the freedom of Tibet and the preservation of the teachings of Buddha in the world. If this were not the case, if the fundamental question of Tibet's freedom were solely a political issue, then as a monk and a disciple of the Buddha's tradition I would have no reason for such concern. But the two aspects are closely linked.
Even when I am advocating the demilitarization of Tibet, that it be made into a peace zone, although the term "demilitarization" is not strictly speaking a term from the Dharma, the project is nevertheless closely related to the Dharma. Many of you, representatives and members of the different centres, are among those who have already contributed to the cause of Tibet's freedom. I thank you for that and ask you to continue your efforts, bearing in mind the relation between the preservation of the teachings and the freedom of Tibet, in order to give practical expression to the vow that the Buddha's teachings be preserved and developed.
My last point--you must keep your mind happy and know how to laugh!
http://hhdl.dharmakara.net/hhdlquotes111.html
/\
when you write a poem of life
you discover passion
through all walks and creed -
its the commonality of human
than differences in beliefs
Open this you can get someting happy