What to believe

[Griff]

Originally Posted by squirell nutkin

When I first started studying with my teacher I asked him "What about reincarnation?"
"What about it?"
"Do we die and get reincarnated?"
"Who is it that dies?"
and so on, always bringing you back to right now.

That is some good onion peeling there, something to ponder.

I do have to adjust my lens after all that Catholicism, it seems I'm as susceptible to that sort of thinking as the heaven and hell folks who helped force my eyes open in the Church.

[squirell nutkin]

Originally Posted by Griff

That is some good onion peeling there, something to ponder.

I do have to adjust my lens after all that Catholicism, it seems I'm as susceptible to that sort of thinking as the heaven and hell folks who helped force my eyes open in the Church.

It's bred in the bone and won't come out in the flesh.. easily.

As a former Catholic I still check myself, the more I peel though, the more I see similarities and differences. The key difference is the idea of union with God (two becoming one) vs The inherent oneness.

Another key difference is original sin vs. being born perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

In Buddhism, we are all Buddhas, all enlightened. Not everyone has realized it yet. Realized as in made real, not as in understood.

In Zen they are very big on "Don't take my word for it, find out, verify for yourself" This goes back to UT's original posting. Find out for yourself. Belief is wholly inadequate. Belief does nothing for you.

Personally knowing, for a fact, verifying. That is something else.