Was Jesus a Buddhist? The Buddha wasn't even a Buddhist, he was born into a Hindu family. I don't think the great world teachers care about the labels we come up with.
Paramahansa Yogananda said...
Christ is not the property of either East or West - an East West bond is manifested in his life. He belongs to both, and to all the world. His universality is what makes him so wonderful. Jesus took the body of an Oriental so that in being accepted as guru by the Occidental he would thereby symbolically draw East and West together.
The ideals of Christ are the ideals of the scriptures of India. The precepts of Jesus are analogous to the highest Vedic teachings, which were in existence long before the advent of Jesus. This does not take away from the greatness of Christ; it shows the eternal nature of truth, and that Jesus incarnated on earth to give to the world a new expression of Sanatana Dharma.
The parallelisms of Christs teachings with Yoga-Vedanta doctrines strongly support the records known to exist in India, which state that Jesus lived and studied there during fifteen of the unaccounted-for years of his life - no mention is made of him in the New Testament from his twelfth to thirtieth year. Jesus journeyed to India to return the visit of the three wise men from the East who came to pay homage to him at his birth.
Even in the name and title of Jesus, we find Sanskrit words with a corresponding sound and meaning. The word Jesus and Isa (Pronounced 'Isha') are substantially the same. Is, Isa and Iswara all refer to the Lord or Supreme Being.
Why not take the Jesus out of Christianity? The world would be a better and less sectarian place. I like Energylz line, quote in post #2: "It is the pure teachings that remain the same in all."
I say, let's take the religiosity out of Christianity instead! Mary Baker Eddy said:
[COLOR="Blue"]
The truth is the centre of all religion. It commands sure entrance into the realm of Love. (Science and Health 20)
God is universal; confined to no spot, defined by no dogma, appropriated by no sect. Not more to one than to all, is God demonstrable as divine Life, Truth, and Love; and His people are they that reflect Him--that reflect Love. (Miscellaneous Writings 150)
Which is roughly what Barafundle was saying above! 😉
Love and peace
Judy
God is universal; confined to no spot, defined by no dogma, appropriated by no sect. Not more to one than to all, is God demonstrable as divine Life, Truth, and Love; and His people are they that reflect Him--that reflect Love. (Miscellaneous Writings 150)
I do like that very much, Judy. I don't think there could be a more perfect definition of the philosophy of Sanathana Dharma.
Eventhough I put this video on the Buddhist forum, I think Jesus' teachings are more similar to Hinduism than Buddhism, since Buddhists don't believe in God, don't believe the existence of an immortal soul, and don't believe in a savour as Buddha told his followers to sort it out themselves.
RP
Eventhough I put this video on the Buddhist forum, I think Jesus' teachings are more similar to Hinduism than Buddhism, since Buddhists don't believe in God, don't believe the existence of an immortal soul, and don't believe in a savour as Buddha told his followers to sort it out themselves.
RP
I imagine that Buddha taught in a very similar way to Ramana Maharshi. If one had to label him he would be said to be Hindu, though he would not have applied such a label to himself.
Ramana Maharshi's statements on the nature of God could seem to be contradictory as he spoke of a God in anthropomorphic terms and at other times as being beyond attributes. His comments though were phrased to suit the differing levels of understanding he encountered in his audience.
Question: Is God the same as Self?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: The Self is known to everyone, but not clearly. You always exist. The be-ing is the Self. I am is the name of God. Of all the definitions of God, none is indeed so well put as the Biblical statement I am that I am in Exodus 3. There are other statements, such as Brahmaivaham (Brahman am I), Aham Brahmasmi (I am Brahman) and Soham (I am he). But none is so direct as the name Jehovah which means I am. The absolute being is what is. It is the Self. It is God. Knowing the Self, God is known. In fact God is none other than the Self.
Is that Buddhism, Hinduism, or Christianity?