Trusting in Brahma?

[tiltbillings]

Since Buddha constantly speaks of heavens and gods, your question is inappropriate. In answer, you ought to trust Buddha.

Sorry, great brahma means great god, god the father.

And to the Buddha that is a joke, not to be taken seriously, as one can see in the texts I referenced above.

[Mkoll]

I fully agree and I would like to make a suggestion.

Just as we have a great anatta debate, great nibbana debate, and great rebirth debate, I think we should have a great god debate as well where all posts and topics related to this subject that arise or are resurrected can be stashed away.

I can't imagine how confused someone from a Judeo-Christian background with strong attachment to it would be when he comes to this forum for information on Theravada Buddhism and finds various threads about God this, god that on a Theravada Buddhist forum. They should be collected into one thread in one place, e.g. the Connections to Other Paths sub-forum, and kept there.

[cappuccino]

If Buddha is saying god is true, and he definitely is, why would you not trust in god?

How can you ignore the suttas? Maybe you never read them?

[tiltbillings]

Since Buddha constantly speaks of heavens and gods, your question is inappropriate. In answer, you ought to trust Buddha.

Sorry, great brahma means great god, god the father.

And I am still waiting for you to show us a sutta that supports your claim.

[cappuccino]

And I am still waiting for you to show us a sutta that supports your claim.

I assume you reject Buddhist cosmology to be talking like this. It is very much available to browse.

Brahma means god. Great brahma, great god, god the father. Why not search? You will find.

[tiltbillings]

If Buddha is saying god is true, and he definitely is, why would you not trust in god?

God is true. The Buddha said that? Show us by quoting a text, the full text.

How can you ignore the suttas? Maybe you never read them?

You obviously have not read them.

[The Thinker]

If God created man? then how can we trust a megalomaniac with an appetite for suffering?

[cappuccino]

God is true. The Buddha said that? Show us by quoting a text, the full text.

But sooner or later, bhikkhus, after the lapse of a long period, there comes a time when this world begins to expand once again. While the world is expanding, an empty palace of Brahmā appears. Then a certain being, due to the exhaustion of his life-span or the exhaustion of his merit, passes away from the Ābhassara plane and re-arises in the empty palace of Brahmā. There he dwells, mind made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, moving through the air, abiding in glory. And he continues thus for a long, long period of time.

2. Partial-Eternalism (Ekaccasassatavāda): Views 5–8
Brahmajāla Sutta: The All-embracing Net of Views
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .bodh.html

[cappuccino]

If God created man? then how can we trust a megalomaniac with an appetite for suffering?

We don't know our origin, it's too far back. God isn't responsible for suffering!

[tiltbillings]

God is true. The Buddha said that? Show us by quoting a text, the full text.

Very easy,

But sooner or later, bhikkhus, after the lapse of a long period, there comes a time when this world begins to expand once again. While the world is expanding, an empty palace of Brahmā appears. Then a certain being, due to the exhaustion of his life-span or the exhaustion of his merit, passes away from the Ābhassara plane and re-arises in the empty palace of Brahmā. There he dwells, mind made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, moving through the air, abiding in glory. And he continues thus for a long, long period of time.

2. Partial-Eternalism (Ekaccasassatavāda): Views 5–8
Brahmajāla Sutta: The All-embracing Net of Views

Quote the full text, but even this text shows that the Buddha regarded Brahma as a kammic (pun intended) being, and the full text shows that Buddha regarded Brahma not as a supreme being, but rather who imagines himself to be a supreme being -- that is to say, the Buddha regarded Brahma as a deluded being.

[The Thinker]

The creator and passer of final judgement not to blame? God: - well it's not my fault!

[Virgo]

God: you have been a very bad boy, you are sentenced to hell
Boy: is this how you get your kicks?

I suppose we should abolish all prisons? Because after all, punishment is somehow wrong?

So you approve of and wish to worship a God who creates beings who are flawed and bound to commit sin or wrongdoings and then punishes them with torment for doing those things. Interesting.

Kevin

[cappuccino]

Buddha has a very different perspective on the greatest god.
You and I, can regard him as infinitely powerful.

Although I never said he created us?

[tiltbillings]

Buddha has a very different perspective on the greatest god.
You and I, can regard him as infinitely powerful.

Although I never said he created us?

Now you are just making up stuff.

[Virgo]

Buddha has a very different perspective on the greatest god.
You and I, can regard him as infinitely powerful.

Although I never said he created us?

Buddy, he is a person who made very good kamma. The end.

Kevin