Quote:
Originally Posted by daveyboy
Tibetan Buddhism is actually one of the newer versions of ethnic Buddhism. The oldest would be Theravada, which could probably be translated as "school of the elders".
I agree with you Tibetan Buddhism is very influenced by Bon (which I said) it is also influenced by Daoism among other things.
I stand by the claim that Buddhism, especially in its Theravada and Mahayana form is a non-theistic religion.
Buddha never said there wasn't a God or there was a god. It's irrelevent to ending Dukkha (suffering) and acheieving Nibana (englightenment). The Buddha was a non-theist and I'm quite confident that the majority of Buddhists and religious studies profs. would agree that Budddhism was a non-theistic religion.
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Once again the FACT that Buddhist philosophy believes in,
in some sects,
rebirth, Buddhic Awakening, omniscience, the miraculous powers of a Buddha (e.g. walking through walls and upon water, skywalking, mind-reading, knowledge of all beings' past lives), to what most scholars identify as worship practices (ceremonial reverence of saints), to the Buddha's repeated claim that his Dharma is "inconceivable" and cannot be fully apprehended by logic and reason, suggests to me a theistic approach and thought to the philosophy. It is not black and white. You must admit that even though your personal choice may not have a theistic leaning there are other sects that are very much theistic.
I will give the Buddhists credit for their teachings though...they are, of all major belief systems, far and above the best.
As an aside...why Buddhism and not Christianity?