[Buddha-l] Vajrayana on buddha in the Buddha (Mitchell Ginsberg)

[Erik Hoogcarspel]

Op 13-1-2010 16:31, Katherine Masis schreef:
> A couple of years ago after a brief discussion on Buddha-L, there was an appeal for respect regarding Paul Williams’ conversion to Catholicism; on the other hand, I have seen no similar appeals regarding folks who might believe in rebirth or reincarnation, or use mantras and dharanis as part of their practice.  Even belief in miracles might have a place in some folks’ practice.  That is their right.  I would like to see more tolerance and respect for this on Buddha-L.
>
>    
I'm not a supporter of natural rights, but you could rephrase this as 
'it is what people do and there's no reason to hold that against them'. 
Here I agree. It is obvious that there's no God according to science, 
but some scientists still go to church every week. To me this proves 
that the existence of God is not at stake during prayer or mass. I 
seldom come in churches, but I've never heard of discussions about the 
existence of God taking place there.
There's a lot of pretending in religion, as there is in science and in 
all of human activity. This is not wrong or bad, but some make the 
mistake of mixing different discourses. If you're studying the life of 
the Buddha and you get your belief in the Buddha's eternal existence in 
the way of the research, or if you write that he became a Buddha after 
aeons of practicing good karma, you're a lousy buddhologist. So my 
dentist can believe in miracles if he must, but not while I'm in his chair!

-- 


Erik

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