Comments on: Contempories: Buddha and Enos of the Book of Mormon http://thoughtsofaseeker.net/contempories-buddha-and-enos-of-the-book-of-mormon/ Exploring the important religious questions from a Mormon (LDS) perspective. Focus on ancient history, early Christianity, and Mormon doctrine/practice. Tue, 23 Nov 2010 02:21:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ganzo http://thoughtsofaseeker.net/contempories-buddha-and-enos-of-the-book-of-mormon/comment-page-1/#comment-196 Ganzo Thu, 24 Sep 2009 06:24:15 +0000 http://thoughtsofaseeker.net/contempories-buddha-and-enos-of-the-book-of-mormon/#comment-196 Buddha , Jesus, Allah, Also before times many god are true Gods. You can know in the love and real knowledge. This is not difficult if you got into pure heart and pure mind. Buddha , Jesus, Allah, Also before times many god are true Gods.

You can know in the love and real knowledge. This is not difficult if you got into pure heart and pure mind.

]]> By: Julio http://thoughtsofaseeker.net/contempories-buddha-and-enos-of-the-book-of-mormon/comment-page-1/#comment-195 Julio Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:15:51 +0000 http://thoughtsofaseeker.net/contempories-buddha-and-enos-of-the-book-of-mormon/#comment-195 Theodore, nobody has ever said Buddha is God or a god. Not even Jesus and Allah are considered gods! The discussion is about the guideline of those religions. Read with more attention, in order to understand the core of the discussion, and not expressing misleading opinions. Theodore, nobody has ever said Buddha is God or a god. Not even Jesus and Allah are considered gods! The discussion is about the guideline of those religions. Read with more attention, in order to understand the core of the discussion, and not expressing misleading opinions.

]]> By: Theodor http://thoughtsofaseeker.net/contempories-buddha-and-enos-of-the-book-of-mormon/comment-page-1/#comment-191 Theodor Sun, 14 Jun 2009 12:58:48 +0000 http://thoughtsofaseeker.net/contempories-buddha-and-enos-of-the-book-of-mormon/#comment-191 I think Buddha is not a true god.He can`t stay alive 2500 years.The true gods are Jesus Christ and Allah.Buddha can`t have 6 arms, he can`t be the most powered gods because he have 6 arms he have a lot of people who belive in him. CONCLUSION:Buddha is NOT a true god I think Buddha is not a true god.He can`t stay alive 2500 years.The true gods are Jesus Christ and Allah.Buddha can`t have 6 arms, he can`t be the most powered gods because he have 6 arms he have a lot of people who belive in him.

CONCLUSION:Buddha is NOT a true god

]]> By: April http://thoughtsofaseeker.net/contempories-buddha-and-enos-of-the-book-of-mormon/comment-page-1/#comment-184 April Sat, 07 Mar 2009 15:41:46 +0000 http://thoughtsofaseeker.net/contempories-buddha-and-enos-of-the-book-of-mormon/#comment-184 In answer to your question, "Can your 'God' love you?" This question is the very point I was trying to address. Inherent in this question is the belief in duality. God is "out there" and you are some where else... trying to "get back to him." It has been my experience that there is only Oneness. God can't love me because I am love. God is love. We are one. The more the veils of ignorance dissolve in the face of THAT, the more love I feel. You refer to stillness as a misty kind of unintelligent, nothingness. And in a way, that is true. It is NO THING that the mind can think of. How can it conceive of something beyond itself? It can't. The best it can come up with is a 'misty nothingness.' A pretty shallow image, but that's the best it can do. And yes, the stillness very much understands me! It accepts me completely. I don't have to be a good girl or say my prayers to feel loved. I don't have to help an old lady across the street or tithe or anything. I have incredible freedom because I accept everything. And the everything accepts me. Is me. In turn, my heart opens ever more... making acts of kindness much easier. Or sometimes not. Stress and fear just point me deeper within. It's the concept of God that is limited. If you believe that God is everything, including you, then we are in agreement. In answer to your question, “Can your ‘God’ love you?”

This question is the very point I was trying to address. Inherent in this question is the belief in duality. God is “out there” and you are some where else… trying to “get back to him.”

It has been my experience that there is only Oneness. God can’t love me because I am love. God is love. We are one. The more the veils of ignorance dissolve in the face of THAT, the more love I feel.

You refer to stillness as a misty kind of unintelligent, nothingness. And in a way, that is true. It is NO THING that the mind can think of. How can it conceive of something beyond itself? It can’t. The best it can come up with is a ‘misty nothingness.’ A pretty shallow image, but that’s the best it can do.

And yes, the stillness very much understands me! It accepts me completely. I don’t have to be a good girl or say my prayers to feel loved. I don’t have to help an old lady across the street or tithe or anything. I have incredible freedom because I accept everything. And the everything accepts me. Is me.

In turn, my heart opens ever more… making acts of kindness much easier. Or sometimes not. Stress and fear just point me deeper within. It’s the concept of God that is limited. If you believe that God is everything, including you, then we are in agreement.

]]> By: Kfen9 http://thoughtsofaseeker.net/contempories-buddha-and-enos-of-the-book-of-mormon/comment-page-1/#comment-182 Kfen9 Mon, 02 Mar 2009 16:06:44 +0000 http://thoughtsofaseeker.net/contempories-buddha-and-enos-of-the-book-of-mormon/#comment-182 Oh but April.... God is soooooo musch more than that. God is not limited as you say. He is limitless, omnipotent, omniscient, and infinite. Yet, he can connect with us. How can you connect with a large misty something or whatever... the stillness inside... Can that understand you? Can that change to suit your needs at any given time? God created us in his own image... we are his children. He created everything. does your 'stillness' have any kind of intelligence to it? I cant fathom trying to live without the knowledge that God loves me, and understands me. THAT is what peace is... The greatest power in all the universes knows me, and loves me, and wants to bless me and help me to return to him. That is true peace. Peace in knowing that love can be exhorted by God for me. Love being the ultimate truth, as dave said. Can your "God" love you? Oh but April…. God is soooooo musch more than that. God is not limited as you say. He is limitless, omnipotent, omniscient, and infinite. Yet, he can connect with us. How can you connect with a large misty something or whatever… the stillness inside… Can that understand you? Can that change to suit your needs at any given time?

God created us in his own image… we are his children. He created everything. does your ‘stillness’ have any kind of intelligence to it?

I cant fathom trying to live without the knowledge that God loves me, and understands me. THAT is what peace is… The greatest power in all the universes knows me, and loves me, and wants to bless me and help me to return to him. That is true peace. Peace in knowing that love can be exhorted by God for me. Love being the ultimate truth, as dave said.

Can your “God” love you?

]]> By: April http://thoughtsofaseeker.net/contempories-buddha-and-enos-of-the-book-of-mormon/comment-page-1/#comment-181 April Thu, 22 Jan 2009 05:03:25 +0000 http://thoughtsofaseeker.net/contempories-buddha-and-enos-of-the-book-of-mormon/#comment-181 You're right - we are at a fundamental impasse. I am so blown away by your belief in God as a person, a personality, I cannot wrap my head around how to respond. Even as a young child, something deep told me otherwise - God could never be that small. That limited. It was as if the Universal finger was constantly pointing back at me... Turns out the "God" I sought "out there" was the fathomless perfect stillness "in here." Claiming that peace found in isolation is hollow and selfish is the HEIGHT of selfish thinking... this is how wars start. Why the Muslims fight the Christians, etc., etc.. It's the philosophy of: My way is better than your way. Good luck with that. You’re right – we are at a fundamental impasse. I am so blown away by your belief in God as a person, a personality, I cannot wrap my head around how to respond.

Even as a young child, something deep told me otherwise – God could never be that small. That limited. It was as if the Universal finger was constantly pointing back at me… Turns out the “God” I sought “out there” was the fathomless perfect stillness “in here.”

Claiming that peace found in isolation is hollow and selfish is the HEIGHT of selfish thinking… this is how wars start. Why the Muslims fight the Christians, etc., etc.. It’s the philosophy of: My way is better than your way.

Good luck with that.

]]> By: Dave http://thoughtsofaseeker.net/contempories-buddha-and-enos-of-the-book-of-mormon/comment-page-1/#comment-180 Dave Thu, 22 Jan 2009 03:21:03 +0000 http://thoughtsofaseeker.net/contempories-buddha-and-enos-of-the-book-of-mormon/#comment-180 Hi April, you're right that my treatment of Buddhism is not complete particularly in such a surface comparison. However, I would disagree with your statements about 'right', absence of concepts, and 'greatest sense of inner peace' as the highest ideal. There can be right and truth and I believe the teachings of Buddha preach right and wrong. I find the ideas of the Buddha to be just as much "concepts" as other interpretations of life and philosophers. And while I agree that inner peace is a universal desire and a common characteristic of truly enlightened individuals I find it to be an outcome of love rather than the goal itself. I believe if peace comes in isolation it is hollow and selfish. I therefore find love to be the ultimate truth. Fundamentally we are bound to disagree as our base assumption is so different, I personally do not believe God to be a concept but instead a being, a person, and personality. Hi April, you’re right that my treatment of Buddhism is not complete particularly in such a surface comparison. However, I would disagree with your statements about ‘right’, absence of concepts, and ‘greatest sense of inner peace’ as the highest ideal. There can be right and truth and I believe the teachings of Buddha preach right and wrong. I find the ideas of the Buddha to be just as much “concepts” as other interpretations of life and philosophers. And while I agree that inner peace is a universal desire and a common characteristic of truly enlightened individuals I find it to be an outcome of love rather than the goal itself. I believe if peace comes in isolation it is hollow and selfish. I therefore find love to be the ultimate truth. Fundamentally we are bound to disagree as our base assumption is so different, I personally do not believe God to be a concept but instead a being, a person, and personality.

]]> By: April http://thoughtsofaseeker.net/contempories-buddha-and-enos-of-the-book-of-mormon/comment-page-1/#comment-179 April Wed, 21 Jan 2009 18:51:35 +0000 http://thoughtsofaseeker.net/contempories-buddha-and-enos-of-the-book-of-mormon/#comment-179 Unfortunately, I think you misunderstand the Buddha's teaching and this comparison is ultimately, flawed. The "Middle Way," is so much more than simply "not going to extremes." It's about acceptance of the Now, the present, the Being-Awareness that exists in every moment - it is not something "bestowed" when one is "forgiven." Imo, that's what the Buddha discovered that day... he found bliss within and not from "effort." More importantly, a concept, no matter how profound is STILL just a concept. Inherently flawed by nature. Believing in any concept leads to imprisonment. At most, concepts can point the way. Ultimately, like the Buddha, you'll have to find your answers deep within. And, seriously, remember that there are many paths up the mountain - there is a place for the outward focus of the man you site, Enos. There is also a place for the inward journey, as advocated by the Buddha. Each person must determine which path leads to the greatest sense of inner peace. To say one way is better than the other is to remain bound in duality. Break free of all concepts and then see if any of them matter. Duality is the illusion that keeps suffering humming along. As Byron Katie says... you can be "right" or you can have peace. Which is more important? Unfortunately, I think you misunderstand the Buddha’s teaching and this comparison is ultimately, flawed. The “Middle Way,” is so much more than simply “not going to extremes.” It’s about acceptance of the Now, the present, the Being-Awareness that exists in every moment – it is not something “bestowed” when one is “forgiven.” Imo, that’s what the Buddha discovered that day… he found bliss within and not from “effort.”

More importantly, a concept, no matter how profound is STILL just a concept. Inherently flawed by nature. Believing in any concept leads to imprisonment. At most, concepts can point the way. Ultimately, like the Buddha, you’ll have to find your answers deep within.

And, seriously, remember that there are many paths up the mountain – there is a place for the outward focus of the man you site, Enos. There is also a place for the inward journey, as advocated by the Buddha. Each person must determine which path leads to the greatest sense of inner peace. To say one way is better than the other is to remain bound in duality.

Break free of all concepts and then see if any of them matter. Duality is the illusion that keeps suffering humming along. As Byron Katie says… you can be “right” or you can have peace. Which is more important?

]]> By: Dave http://thoughtsofaseeker.net/contempories-buddha-and-enos-of-the-book-of-mormon/comment-page-1/#comment-161 Dave Sun, 09 Nov 2008 23:57:36 +0000 http://thoughtsofaseeker.net/contempories-buddha-and-enos-of-the-book-of-mormon/#comment-161 Thanks for coming by Dan! There are some interesting parallels, a simple blog post does not do the comparison justice. Thanks for coming by Dan! There are some interesting parallels, a simple blog post does not do the comparison justice.

]]> By: Dan http://thoughtsofaseeker.net/contempories-buddha-and-enos-of-the-book-of-mormon/comment-page-1/#comment-160 Dan Tue, 04 Nov 2008 16:37:14 +0000 http://thoughtsofaseeker.net/contempories-buddha-and-enos-of-the-book-of-mormon/#comment-160 Very interesting post. I hadn't stopped to consider the parallels between these two people. Very interesting post. I hadn’t stopped to consider the parallels between these two people.

]]>