[quote="MerryTrees]You know, as I read about Buddhism and ponder Christianity.. I find that many of the things the bible preaches go hand in hand.. many, not all.[/quote]
MerryTrees made the above statement on another topic and I wanted to explore this here in more detail. There a lot of similarities in Jesus' teachings in the Gospels and Buddha's teachings about 500 years before Christ. There have been a number of books by Buddhist monks including the Dalai Lama about Jesus and the Gospels and in fact many people think that part of Jesus' missing years (about ages 12-30) in the Bible were spent in the East -some say he was St. Issa and spent time in Tibet.
Here are some similar sayings:
Christ:
“I give you a new commandment:
love one another.
As I have loved you,
so also should you love one another.
By this will all know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another.”
Jn 13:34-35
“You shall love your neighbor
as yourself.”
Mt 19:19
“Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’”
Mt 9:13
“But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from one who takes away your coat, do not withhold even your shirt. Give to all who ask of you, and from one who takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. As you wish others do to you, so also do to them.
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even wrongdoers lend to wrongdoers, that they may receive in kind. But love your enemies, do good, and lend hoping for nothing in return. Great will be your reward, and you will be children of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and to the wicked. So be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Lk 6:27-36
Buddha:
As a mother at the risk of her life
Watches over her own child, her only child,
So let one cultivate a loving heart
Towards all beings.
Sn 149
Conquer anger by love
Conquer evil by good
Conquer greed by giving
Conquer lies by truth.
Dh 223
Brethren, these things are memorable,
endearing, praiseworthy, and conduce to
helpfulness, peace, harmony, and unity.
What are they?
One serves others with deeds that are full of love, openly and when not seen.
One serves others with words that are full of love, openly and when not seen.
One serves others with thoughts that are full of love, openly and when not seen.
M 48.6
Brethren, I see no other single thing
that stops the arising of hatred,
or if already arisen causes its abandoning,
as a heart freed through love.
In a heart conscientiously freed through love,1
hatred does not arise,
or if already arisen it is abandoned.
A 1.2.4
I'll paste a lot more here as time goes on.
MerryTrees made the above statement on another topic and I wanted to explore this here in more detail. There a lot of similarities in Jesus' teachings in the Gospels and Buddha's teachings about 500 years before Christ. There have been a number of books by Buddhist monks including the Dalai Lama about Jesus and the Gospels and in fact many people think that part of Jesus' missing years (about ages 12-30) in the Bible were spent in the East -some say he was St. Issa and spent time in Tibet.
Here are some similar sayings:
Christ:
“I give you a new commandment:
love one another.
As I have loved you,
so also should you love one another.
By this will all know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another.”
Jn 13:34-35
“You shall love your neighbor
as yourself.”
Mt 19:19
“Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’”
Mt 9:13
“But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from one who takes away your coat, do not withhold even your shirt. Give to all who ask of you, and from one who takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. As you wish others do to you, so also do to them.
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even wrongdoers lend to wrongdoers, that they may receive in kind. But love your enemies, do good, and lend hoping for nothing in return. Great will be your reward, and you will be children of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and to the wicked. So be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Lk 6:27-36
Buddha:
As a mother at the risk of her life
Watches over her own child, her only child,
So let one cultivate a loving heart
Towards all beings.
Sn 149
Conquer anger by love
Conquer evil by good
Conquer greed by giving
Conquer lies by truth.
Dh 223
Brethren, these things are memorable,
endearing, praiseworthy, and conduce to
helpfulness, peace, harmony, and unity.
What are they?
One serves others with deeds that are full of love, openly and when not seen.
One serves others with words that are full of love, openly and when not seen.
One serves others with thoughts that are full of love, openly and when not seen.
M 48.6
Brethren, I see no other single thing
that stops the arising of hatred,
or if already arisen causes its abandoning,
as a heart freed through love.
In a heart conscientiously freed through love,1
hatred does not arise,
or if already arisen it is abandoned.
A 1.2.4
I'll paste a lot more here as time goes on.