[Buddha-l] Watery dharma

[Richard Hayes]

On Saturday 15 December 2007 13:12, Erik Hoogcarspel schreef:

> I guess it depends on your definitions. If trying to get nirwana is your
> definition of Buddhism, then it would be pointless to mix it with
> Quakerism, which would by analogy be trying to get to heaven. But maybe
> Quakers have another idea of their version of Christianity.

Yes. There is very little talk of the afterlife in Quakerism. The goal is to 
life a life with moral standards as much like those of Jesus as possible. So 
perhaps the real question is whether living by Jesus's moral standards is 
likely to result in attaining nirvana. I doubt that it is a sufficient 
condition, but it is certainly not incompatible.

> The aquatic problem comes as far as I can see from losing
> sight of ones goals or doing things for the wrong reasons. I have always
> wondered how a Catholic priest could practice Zen or yoga for other reasons
> then health alone, since Christians are already saved by Jesus death and
> baptism. 

The Christians I know who have practiced Zen have reinterpreted Christianity 
considerably (some might say heretically).

-- 
Richard Hayes
Department of Philosophy
University of New Mexico