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Interesting quote on comparative religions - Please reply with your thoughts.

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ayyub:
I found this question and answer at http://www.zen-deshimaru.com/EN/teaching/questions/question228.html

Question:
"I have the pleasure to write this message to you, because I would like to be informed about the comparison between zen and the Islam. I have wished so much to practice zen, but I have never found a master to learn from."

Answer:
"There is no zen, nor Islam, nor Christianism, nor Buddhism: the truth is the same for everyone, whether we want it or not. This type of complications have been created by humans. They have created sects, religions and churches, to manipulate people and to dominate them through fear and guiltiness. But, when we speak about the soul of zen and the soul of Islam, they are exactly the same, because God is unique and everything at the same time. So, from this point of view, there is no one who could distinguish one self from the others."

An interesting perspective on world religions. Please reply with your thoughts.

san:

Peace Ayyub,

I will reply with words since replying with "thoughts" requires telepathy which by the way, is not part of my repertoire at this moment :P

Personally, I have came to similar conclusion. "Fear" and "guilt" are part of our experiential freedom, which by one's own free will can be created and re-created continuously even though IMHO they serve no purpose for the creator. I know for sure that i will never be able to develop or progress in this life, spiritually, by indulging in fear and guilt. And i think, the same can be said for an entire society or nation.

On the other hand, full "knowledge" of one's act and its consequences leads one to "understanding", which will eventually lead to progress and development. A good understanding is always better than faith/belief in hell.

If you indulge in fear, you will need to overcome it. If you indulge in guilt, you will need to release it. The one you take as the saviour for your overcoming of the fear and releasing of the guilt is the one whom you admit to have will/power/control over you. However, in the first place, is there need for fear? Is there need for guilt?

For me the clue is in comparing "fear" to "understanding". And "guilt", to "self-correction". This isn't about faith or belief, but knowledge.

My question for those who have chosen the path of life/love is this:

Is God, the Creator, someone to be feared?

Does your understanding of the Source of life, love, and intelligence, echo with the image of someone who would control/possess you through fear and guilt?

Lastly, i think, the removal of fear and guilt will greatly accelerate human's development in either direction, positive or negative. In positive direction, it will accelerate humanity to a much more advanced civilization, and in negative direction it will bring the few who stubbornly choose the path of non-life, non-love and non-intelligence towards destruction.

muftisofti:
God is not everything. There is a dichotomy between Him and His creation. I believe that the concept of "God is everything" is a hindu concept. Obviously the Hindu concept and the Abrahamic concept are incompatible and therefore one may not say that there is a shared truth between the two. Zen is a form of Buddhism and does not usually believe that there is God. This is also incompatible with the Abrahamic religions, so one can't say there is a shared truth there either.

DekeM:
I'd be curious to know what Unitarians think about this. Don't Unitarians accept all religions including Buddhism and other non-Abrahamic religions? But the original question asked about practicing zen which is completely separate from Abrahamic religions.

Jafar:

--- Quote from: DekeM on June 20, 2011, 08:57:14 AM ---I'd be curious to know what Unitarians think about this. Don't Unitarians accept all religions including Buddhism and other non-Abrahamic religions? But the original question asked about practicing zen which is completely separate from Abrahamic religions.

--- End quote ---

Zen/Meditation? Why not??
There are many ways to reach Him...(or It) and one of those is within yourself..

Lao Tze said it best..
"Since before time and space were, the Tao is.
It is beyond is and is not. How do I know this is true?
I look inside myself and see."
-- Tao Te Ching..

Mind you that on the contrary to the western culture.. (Middle east included) .. within eastern culture.. God is not being personified...

In reality.. God is indeed everything and much more...
He sees from every angle.. yet within any angle you can't see Him.
He's within everything... yet.. everything is not Him..

That's why the Jews named Him (or It) YHVH.. which means "He Who Is"..

And Lao Tse choose the word "Tao" to describe Him/It.. '

'There was something formless and perfect before the universe was born.
It is serene. Empty. Solitary. Unchanging. Infinite. Eternally present.
It is the mother of the universe. For lack of a better name,
I call it the Tao.
The tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao
The name that can be named is not the eternal Name.'
-- Tao Te Ching

And George Lucas within his fictitious work Star Wars said it best.. "May THE FORCE Be With You my padawan.."



--- Quote from: ayyub on November 27, 2010, 05:16:43 AM ---"There is no zen, nor Islam, nor Christianism, nor Buddhism: the truth is the same for everyone, whether we want it or not. This type of complications have been created by humans. They have created sects, religions and churches, to manipulate people and to dominate them through fear and guiltiness. But, when we speak about the soul of zen and the soul of Islam, they are exactly the same, because God is unique and everything at the same time. So, from this point of view, there is no one who could distinguish one self from the others."

--- End quote ---

100% Agree...


Salam / Peace

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