My thoughts and prayers have been with Aung San Suu Kyi and the monks of Myanmar (Burma) and all of the people involved fighting for JUSTICE on behalf of the people of Burma against the OPPRESSIVE Junta Military Regime! Darkness can NOT exist where there is LIGHT! God WILL give you JUSTICE! Help is on the way. If the Junta knows what's good for them they better re-think their actions and immediately RELEASE Aung San Suu Kyi and her two maidservants from prison. God PLEASE restore Burma to its RIGHTFUL leader Aung San Suu Kyi, in Jesus Mighty name AMEN!"Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” [Joshua 1:9 NKJV]
There is a common misguided teaching amongst religions regarding Buddhism. I've heard it preached incorrectlty many times and I would like to enlighten my readers to the truth. "It is often said that Buddhists worship statues, in the sense that they believe that Buddha statues actually are the Buddha or that they have some inherent power. But such ideas are quite incorrect. Buddhists do not 'worship' Buddha statues any more than Christians worship the cross or Muslims the Kabba, which they face when they pray. Like the cross etc. the Buddha statue is seen as a symbol that can be seen as helpful in creating devotion, uplifting the mind and focusing attention." [source: Buddhanet] Buddhism is NOT a religion, it is a way of life just the way Christianity is SUPPOSED to be.
With that being said, if you are SECURE in your walk with the LORD, then you will NOT FEAR expanding your level of awareness and understanding of others. Therefore, I would like to introduce my readers to the Buddhist teaching called 'The Four Noble Truths'. I have taken the following description of 'The Four Noble Truths' from the Buddhapia website.
The Buddha first preached the Four Noble Truths immediately after his enlightenment. These truths are accepted by all schools of Buddhism and are considered the essence of Buddhist doctrine. Understanding the Four Noble Truths is essential to understanding Buddhist doctrine and practice.
3. Cessation of Suffering (Nirvana) - The Third Noble Truth:
Nirvana literally means “extinction” or “quenching.” In Buddhism it refers to the complete cessation of suffering. Nirvana is the extinction of the fires of attachment, hatred and delusion which burn in the minds of sentient beings. It is freedom from birth, ageing and death and the cycle of reincarnation. Nirvana is a state in which suffering has been extinguished and complete freedom is attained. (this quote is does not directly address nirvana and may confuse reader. Will try to find a quote which fits in more directly. Perhaps can search on the computers at Buddhapia sometime soon.)
Seon Master Daehaeng said, “The thought of “I” results in anxiety and fear. If it ceases to exist, there will be no fear. Nor can death exist. From the viewpoint of the discriminating mind, birth and death appear to exist. But the truth is that neither birth nor death (or cessation) exists in reality. But they appear to exist in our eyes, because they manifest themselves from moment to moment. Everything is not fixed and always changing, thereby manifesting itself in different shapes and forms from moment to moment.
”Nirvana is difficult to fathom because it is beyond the limits of all ordinary categories of thought. It has been likened to an island amidst the flood of delusions. It is “unconditioned” and transcends both time and space. When delusions completely fade away, joy arises and there will be no sufferings. This is the Third Noble Truth of Cessation.
4. The Path - The Fourth Noble Truth:
The Path is the way leading to enlightenment and nirvana. The Buddha followed the Middle Path which transcends all extremes. Like the Buddha, practitioners of the Middle Path seek to maintain balance between body and mind by transcending self-indulgence and self-mortification. One can achieve this goal by gaining insight into impermanence. (would be nice to include a quote from Master Daehaeng about the inclusiveness of the Buddhist path.)
The path leading to the end of suffering is called the Eightfold Path.
The Buddha first preached the Four Noble Truths immediately after his enlightenment. These truths are accepted by all schools of Buddhism and are considered the essence of Buddhist doctrine. Understanding the Four Noble Truths is essential to understanding Buddhist doctrine and practice.
3. Cessation of Suffering (Nirvana) - The Third Noble Truth:
Nirvana literally means “extinction” or “quenching.” In Buddhism it refers to the complete cessation of suffering. Nirvana is the extinction of the fires of attachment, hatred and delusion which burn in the minds of sentient beings. It is freedom from birth, ageing and death and the cycle of reincarnation. Nirvana is a state in which suffering has been extinguished and complete freedom is attained. (this quote is does not directly address nirvana and may confuse reader. Will try to find a quote which fits in more directly. Perhaps can search on the computers at Buddhapia sometime soon.)
Seon Master Daehaeng said, “The thought of “I” results in anxiety and fear. If it ceases to exist, there will be no fear. Nor can death exist. From the viewpoint of the discriminating mind, birth and death appear to exist. But the truth is that neither birth nor death (or cessation) exists in reality. But they appear to exist in our eyes, because they manifest themselves from moment to moment. Everything is not fixed and always changing, thereby manifesting itself in different shapes and forms from moment to moment.
”Nirvana is difficult to fathom because it is beyond the limits of all ordinary categories of thought. It has been likened to an island amidst the flood of delusions. It is “unconditioned” and transcends both time and space. When delusions completely fade away, joy arises and there will be no sufferings. This is the Third Noble Truth of Cessation.
4. The Path - The Fourth Noble Truth:
The Path is the way leading to enlightenment and nirvana. The Buddha followed the Middle Path which transcends all extremes. Like the Buddha, practitioners of the Middle Path seek to maintain balance between body and mind by transcending self-indulgence and self-mortification. One can achieve this goal by gaining insight into impermanence. (would be nice to include a quote from Master Daehaeng about the inclusiveness of the Buddhist path.)
The path leading to the end of suffering is called the Eightfold Path.
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