How Enlighten Was Buddha

[CynthiaCypher]

The Buddha left his wife and child to live in luxury in a palace. How terrible! How did they survive!

The Buddha went on a mission to seek enlightenment and end all suffering and you have nothing but scorn for him? If anyone was in the prefect position to do this it would be the Buddha. His family was taken care of. Also, he returned to his family, he didn't leave them forever. I bet you have nothing but scorn for the men who put their lives on the line in the battlefield in World War II because they left their wife and kids. It's not like the Buddha was a deadbeat dad, he left for a cause for the benefit of mankind.



.
.
.
.

What you are describing is a Superhero and not a human being.

Have we heard this narrative before, yes we have. In religion and comic books.

Buddha gave up a life of luxury so people could achieve enlightenment.

Jesus gave up his life so all may be freed from the bondage of sin.

Superman lost the planet Krypton so he could save earth from Lex Luthor

Peter Parker lost Uncle Ben so he could become Spider-Man and save us from the Green Goblin.

With great power comes great responsibility!

The difference between the fictional Superheroes and our Saviors is that the Superheroes tend to have flaws and weaknesses making them atleast a little bit more realistic than Jesus or Buddha, who have no flaws, who are perfect and make no mistakes.

 

[CynthiaCypher]

So what are you striving for?

Nothing. I don't do striving.

 

[George-ananda]

Nothing. I don't do striving.

You've done a lot of describing of what you don't believe and don't do.

I'm wondering what you do believe and do. Seriously. What's your short-version beliefs on things like god, what if anything happens after death, what philosophy you live your life by.

I haven't figured that out by following this thread.

 

[Jainarayan]

Nothing. I don't do striving.

So you live moment to moment? Nothing to look forward to, not even tomorrow?

 

[CynthiaCypher]

So you live moment to moment?

To the best of my abilities I try to.

Nothing to look forward to, not even tomorrow?

I like to leave tomorrow for tomorrow.

 

[CynthiaCypher]

You've done a lot of describing of what you don't believe and don't do.

I'm wondering what you do believe and do. Seriously. What's your short-version beliefs on things like god, what if anything happens after death, what philosophy you live your life by.

I haven't figured that out by following this thread.

I don't know if I can explain to people what I believe in a simple short version.

 

[nameless]

I don't believe in ultimate goals.

misogyny is not a sign of being enlightened

funny that you believe in 'enlightening' but not in ultimate goals.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I like to leave tomorrow for tomorrow.

Thats Buddhism in a nutshell. The rest is a sideshow.

 

[CynthiaCypher]

funny that you believe in 'enlightening' but not in ultimate goals.

Uh huh. You know what also surprises me? If this guy Buddha was a the ultimate enlighten being who is flawless and perfect; why didn't he have the sense not to eat the rotten pork that killed him?

 

[George-ananda]

I don't know if I can explain to people what I believe in a simple short version.

How about a one-word answer then: yes/no/unknown/maybe/probably/unlikely

Do you believe in any form of consciousness continuation after death?

 

[idav]

Uh huh. You know what also surprises me? If this guy Buddha was a the ultimate enlighten being who is flawless and perfect; why didn't he have the sense not to eat the rotten pork that killed him?

He wasn't perfect, even from his own admission.

 

[CynthiaCypher]

How about a one-word answer then: yes/no/unknown/maybe/probably/unlikely

Do you believe in any form of consciousness continuation after death?

Sure. Consciousness continues after death; just not yours.

 

[George-ananda]

Sure. Consciousness continues after death; just not yours.

I seriously don't understand the last part. Do you have me confused with someone else? Are you implying I had some negative tone? I was curious with no tone intended. That might just be the problem with quickly typed communications.

 

[Riverwolf]

He was a blatant misogynist in fact. I don't care were you come from...misogyny is not a sign of being enlightened.

Question: how would you define enlightenment?

 

[Riverwolf]

The difference between the fictional Superheroes and our Saviors is that the Superheroes tend to have flaws and weaknesses making them atleast a little bit more realistic than Jesus or Buddha, who have no flaws, who are perfect and make no mistakes.

Are you aware that the Buddha's first attempt at teaching was a failure?

 

[Riverwolf]

Uh huh. You know what also surprises me? If this guy Buddha was a the ultimate enlighten being who is flawless and perfect; why didn't he have the sense not to eat the rotten pork that killed him?

Because in India, not accepting a gift is a serious offense.

 

[idav]

Are you aware that the Buddha's first attempt at teaching was a failure?

His first religions were failures too. He didn't even reach enlightenment until his thirties, so they say.

 

[gnostic]

There is only one reality. And as far as I am consider the here and now to be the ultimate goal not the promise of heaven or nirvana.

I don't know if you are "gnostic" or not. I don't know what this ANARCHO-gnostic mean. So I'm going to assume that you are "gnostic". In any case, I'm sorry if I take us off-topic.

Doesn't Gnosticism teach that this reality of "the here and now" or earthly reality to be nothing more than illusion, created by the demiurge?

Isn't this illusion of earthly life used to trap our soul or the "spark" in earthly forms (our physical bodies) so that he could feed on it to gain power?

The gnostic gnosis - to avoid the trap of earthly body is sort like the Buddhist version of being tied to worldly attachments.

Isn't it the ultimate goal of Gnostics to reach gnosis, to escape the demiurge's trap, so that the human's soul or "spark" could rejoin the PERFECT FULLNESS - or the pleroma?

The pleroma being something like gnostic version of "heaven" or "nirvana"; the pleroma being the "ultimate reality" in Gnosticism?

I simply find it ironic that you would reject the Buddha's teaching or way of life when it is somewhat similar to the teaching of Gnosticism and what the Gnostics trying to achieve? (That is, if you're really are "gnostic"?)

 

[CynthiaCypher]

I don't know if you are "gnostic" or not. I don't know what this ANARCHO-gnostic mean. So I'm going to assume that you are "gnostic". In any case, I'm sorry if I take us off-topic.

Doesn't Gnosticism teach that this reality of "the here and now" or earthly reality to be nothing more than illusion, created by the demiurge?

Not really. The universe was created by blind and uninteligent nature (Demiurge or Saklas the Blind anf Foolish). It is how we percieve this reality that is illusion.

Isn't this illusion of earthly life used to trap our soul or the "spark" in earthly forms (our physical bodies) so that he could feed on it to gain power?

No it is our own illusions, our social conventions, our religions, our power constructs and our memes that parasitically feeding off our creativity or life force

Isn't it the ultimate goal of Gnostics to reach gnosis, to escape the demiurge's trap, so that the human's soul or "spark" could rejoin the PERFECT FULLNESS - or the pleroma?

The pleroma being something like gnostic version of "heaven" or "nirvana"; the pleroma being the "ultimate reality" in Gnosticism?

I simply find it ironic that you would reject the Buddha's teaching or way of life when it is somewhat similar to the teaching of Gnosticism and what the Gnostics trying to achieve? (That is, if you're really are "gnostic"?)

You don't "reach" gnosis, gnosis isn't something you strive for. It's intrinsic to everything. The only thing the human mind is trapped in is the illusion of own making. We are ready part of the Fulness, but not many can perceive that. It is only by grace that one can see beyond the illusion of self and the world and see the Fulness.

Does that answer your questions?

 

[CynthiaCypher]

Question: how would you define enlightenment?

Answer: usually with a dictionary.