Questions tagged [comparative-religion]
The comparison of the practices and doctrines of a given set of religions. In the context of this site this would be a comparison of an aspect of Buddhism with one or more other religions.
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Why is Vajrayana accepted as a valid school in Buddhism?
One of my main problems with Indian religions has always been cult-like and occult-like practices that is present in it, especially Hinduism. I thought Buddhism, given what Buddha taught, would be ...
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Bhaviveka and Buddhism
The Wikipedia article entitled "Buddhist influences on Advaita Vedanta" states:
A few Buddhist scholars made the opposite criticism in the medieval
era toward their Buddhist opponents. In ...
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How would the Buddha have replied to Arjuna, if he was in Krishna's place?
While reading Bhagavad Gita I just wondered what buddha would have done in this situation?
It's truly not good to ask such questions they may seem speculative to some but I want probabilities not ...
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What does Samsara mean to Buddhists? How is it meaningful?
The Buddhist way to see the Samsara, or the circle of life and death, is, according to my understanding:
Innumerable causes and effects.
Is this right?
Is there a special meaning conferred by this, to ...
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Is there a distinction made in any Buddhist texts between Religion and Philosophy?
In western philosophy the distinction primarily goes like this:
Philosophy - The rational investigation of human reason.
Religion - Similar but has its basis in faith rather than 'rationality'.
What I ...
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Plato's understanding of passion
What would Buddhists say in response to the statement by Plato in The Republic Book IV:
And are there not many other cases in which we observe that when a
man's desires violently prevail over his ...
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How does Buddhism relate to other religions? [duplicate]
Can you be a Buddhist and believe in another religion at the same time?
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Nibbana or the Kingdom?
Several years ago, One of my mates gave a book - 'Nibbana (Nirvana) or the Kingom'. I am trying to check any other recent prints. The last print was in 1964. Were there any rewrites?
Can someone give ...
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What is the difference between sin and karma in Buddhism?
Christianity says sin is when someone does something bad. In Buddhism, people are reincarnated for karmic reasons, but they say this without reference to sin causing bad karma. Does sin preclude karma?...
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What is Buddhism (in a nutshell)?
I have been trying to think about Buddhism, Scientology and Gaia religions. They do not focus on a God but rather the eternal inner spirit and reincarnation. The best so far I have come up with is “...
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How is it that everyone's cocksure of their own religion or spiritual path?
This question may not appear as exactly Buddhist or related to Buddhism but considering a bigger picture of Buddhism as a religion I want to know the answer to this.
We Buddhists consider 'Doubt' in ...
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Does Buddhism apply to this formula for Christianity?
In a discussion about suffering with my brother that got heated he said,
"Buddhism can't end suffering any more than Christianity or Islam, it's a great sales pitch though. Formula to religion: ...
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Is there a Buddhist equivalent to Lutheran doctrine of Justification?
I read on the internet Martin Luther said:
No sin can separate us from Him (Christ), even if we were to kill or commit
adultery thousands of times each day.
the Law shows us our inability to ...
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Call of duty during a Dharmic war : a Buddhist perspective [duplicate]
For a good Buddhist , is to always avoid any cause that will create bad effect, as we can see clearly in the 4 noble truths for example.
What is the Buddhist perspective during an hypotetic moment of ...
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What is the actual status of the Dalai Lama in regard of Dhamma-Vinaya?
Since a Tibetan religious leader is often counted in the West and under modern people (yet actually known just in Tibet and as far as western modern media reach, unknown or not regarded in 95% of the ...
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Nature of Enlightenment
How did different people with different philosophies and ideologies attain the same enlightenment or did they not? Buddha attained enlightenment and so did Adi Shankaracharya, but their philosophies ...
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Does depicting Jesus as an Arahant show that Buddhism is inclusive and compassionate?
I came across a book about the 500 Arahants, and it briefly mentioned that Jesus is depicted as an Arahant in a particular temple in China. After spending some time Googling, I found out that it's ...
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What are the Buddhist guidelines for choosing the true Dhamma?
With many traditions and teachers to choose from, how should one go about figuring out what is the true Dhamma?
I prefer answers based on Buddhist scriptute and references to Sutta, ideally to the ...
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A path to another university outside of Buddhism
This post is a revision of Buddhism Or Christ? which already closed.
I posted that Buddhism or Christ? question on a Christian forum too, and after quite a response from them, I felt I have some clues....
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What are the soteriological aims of different traditions?
From this answer ...
I would suggest dropping this line of inquiry or at least treading very carefully as you seem quite confused about what is being taught by the differing traditions and their ...
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Can a Buddhist mix Buddhism with other religions?
Is there any authoritative sourced that a man can have more than one religion if he pleases?
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Can super Buddhists eat bread?
Bread has flour and yeast. Therefore, a scientist can say that it is both an animal and a vegetable grain. Is there anything wrong with eating bread?
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Is the samadhi of Yoga the samadhi of Buddhism?
I was wondering if the samadhi of Patanjali Yoga meant the same thing as the samadhi of Buddhism?
A Buddhist friend told me that no, and that Buddhism had higher states after the nirvikalpa samadhi ...
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Which path might be appropriate for me? [closed]
I've been learning about Dharma traditions for a while now.
In short: I am attracted by the figure of Siddhartha Gautama and by the fact that Buddhism is not based on faith in the scriptures (nastika)...
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Are there any comparative studies done between Ashtavakra Gita and Buddhism?
I have been in search of a higher truth as far as I remember, like a stargazer looking for the brighter one and dropping the dimmer. I started from Christianity or generally from the Abrahamic ...
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How do you talk to someone whose loved one is dying?
What can you say to someone whose loved one (e.g. spouse or parent) is dying?
Assume if you can that in the West, e.g. Europe and America, although people (strangers) might have heard the first thing ...
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Psychology of 'flow'
I guess (perhaps I'm wrong) that humans and life in general tend toward homeostatis -- i.e. wanting to stay the same as before -- and not just physically but socially and mentally too, e.g. to keep ...
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What is the Buddhist view, if any, on witchcraft?
I don't think I've seen any talk about this on the Buddhism SE and I'm genuinely curious, since I've heard that Christianity takes a very dim view of the practice. Have any Buddhist texts or teachers ...
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Does Buddhist scripture mention Zoroastrianism?
Do any of the Buddhist texts mention anything about Zoroastrianism?
Has the Buddha ever met Zoroaster?
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How different is "joy of ownership" in the Dīgha,jānu Sutta from clinging onto one's wealth?
In the Dīgha,jānu Sutta, accomplishment of diligence leads to the joy of ownership. Isn't "joy of ownership" just clinging onto one's wealth? What do other Buddhist schools say about this?
A possible ...
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Is it possible to Take Refuge in the Three Jewels, but still learn spiritual wisdom from teachers in other religions?
I am quite fond and connect deeply to the Buddha's teachings. I have been a soft lay buddhist for almost a year now. I am sure that it is one of the best ways to develop as a being, as well as help ...
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Buddhism and Semiotics?
Does anyone know any research or publications on the intersection of Buddhism and semiotics/biosemiotics? I don't mean the study of Buddhist schools with the help of semiotics, but rather an ...
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What did the Buddha do, and what does a teacher do, to teach?
When the teachings of Buddha are crystal clear i.e 1+1=2, then no need to be labelled.
I humbly place my question as below.
When buddha gave diksha, what he did: is that was the imparting of ...
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Spontaneity in Zen
This Zen Buddhism article starts with,
Zen often seems paradoxical - it requires an intense discipline which, when practised properly, results in total spontaneity and ultimate freedom. This ...
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In what ways are the Advaita concept of 'Nirguna Brahman' and the Buddhist concept of Buddha Nature similar and different?
In what ways are the Advaita concept of 'Nirguna Brahman' similar, and/or different, to the Buddhist concept of Buddha Nature?
This is a good comparison, that is where the doubt arose:
Nonduality in ...
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Sutta advice on obstacles and insults, similar to Epictetus' (Stoic) advice?
Lately, I have been reading (again!), more and more, the workings of the roman stoic philosopher Epictetus: and I think Buddhism and Epictetan Stoicism share a bunch of similarities; and I would now ...
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Was Jesus a Buddhist monk named Issa? [closed]
As per BBC documentary Jesus Christ was a Buddhist monk named Issa. According to documentary Jesus was not crucified and he was trained as Buddhist monk.Further to that Jesus tomb situated in Kashmir ...
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Is it fair to say that Buddhism employ misology?
The question is straightforward as it read, but to elaborate I will give some examples.
I think most people will agree that reason is what is special about human beings, and most religions and ...
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Cessation of suffering is the main goal of Buddhism, but is cessation of suffering the end goal or does Buddhism pursue Joy beyond end of suffering?
I ask the above because Socrates in the Republic has proven that the cessation of suffering is a quietude of the mind, an illusion or a jugglery not real. What we should we aim according to him is not ...
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Is Buddhism a religion?
I want to know that what is Buddhism and is it a religion or just a philosophy or a exercise ?
I really want to know more about it , is there a book about learning Buddhism?
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What is the reason why Buddhist monks don't work to support themselves? Do the monastic rules prohibit them from working?
It may be hard to find a comparative monastic tradition in the west although there are some monastic in Christianity currently most are really assimilated and intertwine with the Church which bears ...
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Hesitation between Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta
I hesitate between Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta.
Buddhism pleases me very much for its willingness to seek an end to suffering, being depressed it speaks to me a lot.
But intellectually, ...
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Are there any prohibitions on participating in other religion's practices?
Does any Buddhist tradition have an explicit prohibition on participating in the rituals and practices of other religions? Are there any rules about entering other religions' holy places?
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What is the meaning of the "one mind" in the awakening of faith?
You can read that shastra here. I'm quite fond of it, though I don't have my own meditation practice.
If I had to narrow the question down, I'd ask if it contains different practices, of different ...
user2512
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Concept of Karma in Bhagwad Gita and Buddhism
In Hinduism, there are many philosophies developed regarding the concept of God and afterlife, and they all give their own interpretations. Regarding the Karmic approach, the main book that gives ...
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Is Buddhism a syncretic religion, and then what would they say on the Abrahamaic religions?
Syncretism is a union or attempted fusion of different religions,
cultures, or philosophies — like Halloween, which has both Christian
and pagan roots, or the combination of Aristotelian ...
user2512
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Can one follow Hinduism and Buddhism at the same time?
I am born Hindu and have been following Buddhism for more than a year. The change has been a life changing experience but now I find myself at the junction of two religions. I sometimes face ...
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How does the experience of "realisation of Sunyata" differ from "realisation of Anatta"?
In what ways does the experience of "realisation of Sunyata" differ from the experience of "realisation of Anatta", for the practitioner?
The two aims are apparently non confirming, as far as I know, ...
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Is it possible to adhere to the practices and beliefs of both Buddhist and Christianity?
What are the similarities and contrasts between Buddhism and Christianity? To what extent do they make it possible (or not) to practice in and hold the beliefs of both?
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Question about the contrast between Buddhist statements and Christian doctrine
In the Christian Bible (especially in the Book of John), Jesus often talked about Himself as using phrases like:
I am the light of the world
I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be ...
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