From: kish@athos.rutgers.edu (Bill Kish)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.eastern
Subject: Re: Summary about Buddhism
Date: 11 Oct 1992 23:08:41 -0700
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NNTP-Posting-Host: sandman.caltech.edu

In article <1b1ntgINNa7j@sandman.caltech.edu>, igner@gmd.de (Peter Igner) writes:
> Hello,
> I am looking for a summary about Buddhism. I spend half a year in
> NewZealand and
> got a contact to the FWBO. Now I have to discuss with a christian about
> Buddhism.
> Please write some facts or aspects about the Buddhism. I only know
> somethings
> about meditation and I am very happy with it.
> Thank you for you answer in advance -- 
> Peter Igner
> --
> Peter Igner
> E-mail: igner@gmd.de
> German National Research Institute for Computer Science
> - St. Augustin (near Bonn)

Discussing Buddhism with a Christian can be a very difficult project,
depending on the person you are talking with.  I recently mentioned to
a Christian that a particular statement he made seemed very Buddhist,
and I asked him if he had ever studied Buddhism.  He was very quick to
deny any association with Buddhism since it was "a cult which is
designed to prevent people from accepting Christ."  Don't expect
miracles in cases like this.  On the other hand, if you are talking to
someone who likes St.  John of the Cross, St. Theresa of Avila, Master
Eckhart, Thomas Merton, etc., you might have a fruitful discussion.
Of course, most people would fall somewhere in between.
	The other point to consider is, of course, your own
understanding of Buddhism.  Since I don't know what the FWBO is, I
don't really know what you have been taught so far.  Also, I'm not at
all familiar with what's available already in German.  Two good
references in English are

	Insight Meditation - Jack Kornfield and Joseph Goldstein

	What the Buddha Taught - Walpola Rahula

I mention these since historically Buddhism was born and raised in
what I will loosely refer to as Asian cultures.  This introduces a
cultural barrier for non-Asians in addition to the ideological
adjustments which anyone new to Buddhism needs to work with.  The two
works mentioned above, especially the former, are very good at
presenting basic Buddhist teachings to "Westerners" without Asian
cultural trappings.  You won't read these and be left wondering how
Buddhism could possibly be relevant and fresh with respect to everyday
life in the 20th century, and *your* everyday life in particular.
	Don't get me wrong - the history of Buddhism is intimately
tied to the history of India, Tibet, China, Korea, Japan, Viet Nam,
etc, and this is a fascinating topic all by itself.  But this can be a
stumbling block for a "Westerner" - for some a source of fascination,
for others a complete turn off.  Buddhist teaching transcends cultural
considerations since everyone can learn to live more fully in the
present moment.  If you could live fully in the present moment, if you
could effortlessly remain mindful without flinching no matter what the
circumstances of your life (and death), you would be awake.  This is
why the Buddha is called the Buddha - "Buddha" means "awakened one".
But since most of us flinch, we need to practice being mindful.  Being
mindful is nothing other than paying attention - paying full attention
to all aspects of your experience. This is one working definition of
Buddhist practice - there are others, as I'm sure will become evident
if you continue to read this newsgroup.
	Getting back to your Christian friend, you might ask him or
her how they read the following scripture:

John 3:8  
    The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound
thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so
is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Galations 2:20  
    I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but
Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live
by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Galations 6:14  
    But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord
Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the
world.

A closed minded fundamentalist might say NO-WAY to a "Buddhist
reading" of the above scripture, but my Buddhist heart-mind says WAY !
Speaking of WAY, I have been told that the Greek word "logos" has been
translated into "Tao" in Chinese versions of the so-called New
Testament.  I think this makes explicit what I have felt to be
implicit in John 1:1 for a long time now.
	In closing, let me ask you - is Jesus Christ the Son of God ?
Before you answer, let me give you a hint: Don't use your mind !

Yours in Dharma,
-Bill