How do buddhist calculate their good deeds?
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Originally posted by An Eternal Now:
In Christianity, salvation is by faith, not works. In Buddhism, we do not believe in such thing as salvation and we do not aim for rebirth in heaven so there is no link. Therefore you should not discuss christian concepts here as there is no link. We aim for liberation and nirvana by realization and wisdom, achieved by many in the here and now even today, instead of in some unseen future or afterlife.
Evangelise lost souls. -
Originally posted by An Eternal Now:
I do things, donate things, without intentions for others to take notice. So it is not right to say that everyone does things for the wrong motives.
Besides the issues with motives there's another problem called sins.Even a lie can seperate us from God.
Like my pastor said do 1 thousand good deed a small bad deed spoilt everything.
Like play chess one wrong step whole game gone.
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No evangeism here thanks, no off topic posts are allowed, off topic posts will be deleted by moderators in future. Also it is as if we haven't already heard the gospel? I am almost certain all of us already understand the fundamental message christians are trying to bring across, I.e. The "good news". This is nothing new to us, we have heard it all before and it is not like you are going to make a difference here with your efforts, as this forum consists of people who are generally quite knowledgeable about religions. You should save your efforts elsewhere.
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the good news around is the Great Singapore Sale is coming!
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Originally posted by An Eternal Now:
No evangeism here thanks, no off topic posts are allowed, off topic posts will be deleted by moderators in future. Also it is as if we haven’t already heard the gospel? I am almost certain all of us already understand the fundamental message christians are trying to bring across, I.e. The “good news”. This is nothing new to us, we have heard it all before and it is not like you are going to make a difference here with your efforts, as this forum consists of people who are generally quite knowledgeable about religions. You should save your efforts elsewhere.
Trying to share the message around. There are people who go to church for a few years then be christian.
Sometimes share once they guy won't get touched/convinced by the holy spirit. The mind too hard.
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Originally posted by Mr Milo:
the good news around is the Great Singapore Sale is coming!
Yes even LEGO gt GSS. I just buy a few due to the discount. -
Thanks for sharing your stuff but we have to respectfully disagree as there is no such thing as God in Buddhism, therefore nothing that can separate or distance us from this imaginary figure.
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Originally posted by An Eternal Now:
No evangeism here thanks, no off topic posts are allowed, off topic posts will be deleted by moderators in future. Also it is as if we haven’t already heard the gospel? I am almost certain all of us already understand the fundamental message christians are trying to bring across, I.e. The “good news”. This is nothing new to us, we have heard it all before and it is not like you are going to make a difference here with your efforts, as this forum consists of people who are generally quite knowledgeable about religions. You should save your efforts elsewhere.
Knowledgable about religions don't be so full of urself. U know how many religions they are in this world? You guys at most know the common ones like Christianity,hinduism,islam for example.Of course I am not knowledgable abt religions too. Human should be humble. The religions I explored into are just Christianity and buddhism.
Don't underestimate Satan, he created lots of religions in the world.
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Originally posted by Almond Cookies:
Besides the issues with motives there's another problem called sins.Even a lie can seperate us from God.
Like my pastor said do 1 thousand good deed a small bad deed spoilt everything.
Like play chess one wrong step whole game gone.
‘Sins’ are acts against God’s commandments. There is no such in Buddhism. In Buddhism we have only precepts. Do good and it leads you towards final salvation, go the other way and you go round the cycle of birth and death. Simple laws of karma.
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No more evangelism here also, by forum rules. We appreciate your participation here but expect you to comply rules and stick to topic in discussions.
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Originally posted by Aik TC:
‘Sins’ are acts against God’s commandments. There is no such in Buddhism. In Buddhism we have only precepts. Do good and it leads you towards final salvation, go the other way and you go round the cycle of birth and death. Simple laws of karma.
I simply don't believe just by doing lots of good deeds I can go heaven.How can someone like me who sinned get to heaven by doing good deeds.
K no evengelism.
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By karma, simple. But going to heaven is not the aim of a Buddhist.
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Oh and since there is no such thing as God in Buddhism, naturally there is no such thing as Satan (adversary of God) in Buddhism either. We do think however that many religions are created out of superstitions and primitive beliefs, including monotheistic religions.
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Anyone who calculates their good deeds will not have any merits to their deeds.
One should endeavour to cultivate good actions instead.
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Oh and since you mentioned humility, I believe in being humble but stating facts. I do not believe in false, plastic humility. Therefore we practice open discussions of what is possible to be attained, realized and experienced (through our own experience and enlightenment) through Buddhist practice for the benefit of forummers, while not claiming loudly claims of attainments for the sake of showing off. When the Buddha proclaimed attainment of full and complete awakening, he was not being proud but stating facts humbly for the sake of all sentient beings so that we know what is achievable in the same way that piano teachers can proclaim mastery of piano so that others may learn or study under him. He humbly and factually states that all of us have the same buddha nature, not any less than buddha himself. Each of us can achieve complete awakening and liberation from all sufferings. Without belief in God and a higher being, we believe, and not just believe but experience that all humans have the potential of perfection, of perfect and complete awakening in each of us, and that source of intrinsic perfection can be experienced and realized in the here and now, not in an imagined and unseen afterlife.
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Originally posted by Almond Cookies:
I simply don't believe just by doing lots of good deeds I can go heaven.How can someone like me who sinned get to heaven by doing good deeds.
K no evengelism.
You are on a Buddhist Forum site. Terms used in your religion may not connote the same meaning or may not be applicable here which could also lead to miscommunication and misunderstanding as well. It is best to discuss the Christian teaching at a site where everyone knew exactly what each is referring to.
I believe also, in your religious belief, you will still go to heaven to be with your Saviour regardless of whatever you have done whilst on earth? It is just a natural progression in a teaching which believes in only one life on earth. Whereas religions which believe in rebirth due to different doctrinal teaching would naturally takes a different course altogether. It is just a matter which teaching you are comfortable with - and sticking to it.
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Buddha is teacher of god, cookies.
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Originally posted by 2009novice:
Buddha is teacher of god, cookies.
The god in buddhism not the creator God in Christianity. -
Is there such a thing as Karma Calculator ?
Who would keep track of that ? -
Will Buddhas be the judges to our fate afterlife ? Are there any sutras that explained all that? Advice needed....Thanks!
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The answer is no, no, and yes. No, there is no karmic calculator, karma is not a mathematical thing as each karmic cause can have complex karmic result, much more complex than chemical reactions in laboratories. But the basic truth is that wholesome deeds, speech and thought will result in a pleasant karmic effect either here and now, in the future, or in an afterlife, and unwholesome deeds, speech and thoughts result in an unwholesome karmic effect now, in future, or in an afterlife. You also attain complete freedom from mental suffering, you attain bliss and clarity in the here and now, in this life, so enlightenment and liberation is seen here, now, not as an afterlife state. No, Buddha is not a creator god, simply one who has fully awakened to the true nature of reality and obtained complete liberation from sufferings. Countless people before and after him, including even today, has achieved awakening and liberation. To attain enlightenment is the goal of all Buddhists. Once you are liberated, you are free from the uncontrolled cycle of rebirth in samsara. Karma is a natural law of cause and effect that plays itself out, it is an impersonal, causal process that requires and has no judge. Here is a sutra about karma: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.136.nymo.html
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Originally posted by An Eternal Now:
The answer is no, no, and yes.
No, there is no karmic calculator, karma is not a mathematical thing as each karmic cause can have complex karmic result, much more complex than chemical reactions in laboratories. But the basic truth is that wholesome deeds, speech and thought will result in a pleasant karmic effect either here and now, in the future, or in an afterlife, and unwholesome deeds, speech and thoughts result in an unwholesome karmic effect now, in future, or in an afterlife.
No, Buddha is not a creator god, simply one who has fully awakened to the true nature of reality and obtained complete liberation from sufferings. Countless people before and after him, including even today, has achieved awakening and liberation. To attain enlightenment is the goal of all Buddhists. Once you are liberated, you are free from the uncontrolled cycle of rebirth in samsara.
Karma is a natural law of cause and effect that plays itself out, it is an impersonal, causal process that requires and has no judge.
Here is a sutra about karma: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.1…
Wonderful insight ! Thanks !
Another question:
Since Buddhism supports the concept of past lives, why we dun remember our past lives?
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We don't remember our past lives after undergoing tremendous bodily, biological changes from the time we take birth to growing up. As a matter of fact, Dr Ian Stevensons and other scientists has done indepth research on hundreds to thousands of children who can remember past lives. He traced and proven that these are true, credible accounts - things the children could remember about their past lives turn out to be true. His research has been published in scientific and medical journals. This shows that if you can remember past lives, usually it is when you are very young which you will forget later in life, or you remember your past lives through meditation. Our moderator simpo told me many of his past lives remembered through meditation and how karmic causes from those lifetimes affected his present life. Many meditators can do this.
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Originally posted by Demon Bane:
Will Buddhas be the judges to our fate afterlife ? Are there any sutras that explained all that? Advice needed....Thanks!
God will judge us after we die based on what we have done.This is our beliefs.
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Originally posted by An Eternal Now:
We don’t remember our past lives after undergoing tremendous bodily, biological changes from the time we take birth to growing up.
As a matter of fact, Dr Ian Stevensons and other scientists has done indepth research on hundreds to thousands of children who can remember past lives. He traced and proven that these are true, credible accounts – things the children could remember about their past lives turn out to be true. His research has been published in scientific and medical journals.
This shows that if you can remember past lives, usually it is when you are very young which you will forget later in life, or you remember your past lives through meditation. Our moderator simpo told me many of his past lives remembered through meditation and how karmic causes from those lifetimes affected his present life. Many meditators can do this.
I've heard of those stories too ! So life in somewhat eternal ?