Kindest Regards, Mindfreak!
If I may,
Reality doesn't lie in the truth. reality is the truth, and truth is reality. If its not truth than it cant be real, therefore it cant be reality.
Truth is a sticky subject. We've touched on it in various threads here before. Truth tends to be subjective. What may appear true to you may not seem so to me, and vice-versa.
While I agree there
must be an underlying reality that can rightly be called objective truth, I sense each of the major world faiths and religions approach from somewhat different angles.
I have used the example of an ancient tree before, with you standing on one side, and me on another. While we both are looking at the same tree of truth, what you focus on and what I focus on may be entirely different. Perhaps you admire the birds nesting, perhaps I enjoy the shade. We both see the same truth, but from different perspectives, our subjective truths. Even if we both focus on the same part of the tree, even standing side by side, what you see will differ from what I see. We both have truth, but neither of us can see the entirety, and we cannot even if we move around the tree, because the tree changes every moment.
Then there is the old standby example of the elephant and the blind men...
As you know Im not christian in any way, but Buddha also taught not to set our minds on worldly things. To "wake up", achieve enlightenment, bodhi, awakening, call it what you will, you need to detach yourself from worldly things that are temporary and will not bring you any lasting happiness, and instead set your mind on spiritual things, set your mind on the higher reality, the truth.
As you know, I'm not Buddhist in any way, but Jesus also taught not to set our minds on worldly things. To "wake up," we need to detach ourselves from worldly things that are temporary and will not bring any lasting happiness, and instead set our minds on spiritual things, set our minds (and hearts) on the higher reality, the truth. Hmmm....
Buddhism is also a way of life but buddhism also teaches that you cannot and should not force someone to believe something . I don't believe that Christians are taught the same thing but correct me if Im wrong.
I believe you are referring to the commission to spread the Word. While I must admit, Buddhism
seems not to be quite as outwardly insistent in its zeal to spread, it is difficult to deny Buddhism also accepts those it might sway to its teachings. Your efforts on the Christianity board seem to me to be directed in just such a direction.
While I can understand your sentiment towards active Christian expansion, there are also Christians like myself who are content to allow whomever to believe as they will, encouraging by example rather than mere words which can often ring hollow and seem untrue. There is a wonderful thread around here somewhere that somebody took time to put together showing the basic moral constructs of the world religions...and every one of them, including Buddhism, had some version of the Golden Rule; "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you."
Like I said before, all the rest is merely to drive the basic points home.
Your truth is a truth, and is valid, for you. My truth is a truth, and it is valid, for me. Did not the Buddha say something quite similar, regarding the (what was it?) 88 doors or gates? (*I stand corrected, it is 84,000 doors*)
What is important is not which version of truth you hold to, but what you do with that truth in your possession. I might tell you all manner of how to act goodly and righteously, but if I cannot conduct my own earthly affairs in some manner pretty doggone close to what I preach, then my words are empty and hollow, are they not?
The menu is not the food. Have you eaten your rice gruel? Good! Now, go and clean your bowl.
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