What do Buddhists think of Jesus Christ?

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
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Jechbi
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Re: What do Buddhists think of Jesus Christ?

Post by Jechbi »

While there's some good discussion in this thread, I think it's unfortunate that some have chosen to make fun of Jesus Christ, the central figure in Christianity. Regardless of whether one agrees or disagrees with Christian viewpoints, from a Dhamma perspective, it's not helpful to make fun of other religions.

When the Buddha criticized other faith systems, he did so from the perspective of a perfectly enlightened being, understanding the faculties of his intended audience, and out of compassion. But many of us are more likely to criticize other faiths from the perspective of our own ignorance, or our own feelings of aversion toward those faiths, or our greed for our own belief systems.

We don't know the state of consciousness of people who identify as Christian or other faiths, so we don't know their capacity to hear the Dhamma in the context of where they are at this moment. But we do know that we can prompt states of consciousness that are not supportive of hearing the Dhamma, and that's what we do when we make fun of other faiths.
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Modus.Ponens
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Re: What do Buddhists think of Jesus Christ?

Post by Modus.Ponens »

This thread is becoming exactly what JesusLovesYou wants. Please close it so we don't have unnecessary disharmony among our members.

moderator note: good idea.
Last edited by DNS on Tue Jan 04, 2011 6:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: from the good idea by MP, closed by David N. Snyder
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Re: What do Buddhists think of Jesus Christ?

Post by Individual »

Modus.Ponens wrote:This thread is becoming exactly what JesusLovesYou wants. Please close it so we don't have unnecessary disharmony among our members.
:goodpost:
Last edited by Individual on Tue Jan 04, 2011 6:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Reductor
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Re: What do Buddhists think of Jesus Christ?

Post by Reductor »

To those that would defend JLY: "why?"

For many of us here on DW, DW is our temple. We don't have other places to go to discuss the Dhamma, to be around other Buddhists. So, for lack of a building in real space, we settle for a forum in the inter space.

As such it seems inappropriate, to me anyway, for a person of another religious system to walk through the door and start nudging us and preaching to us. It is very much akin to a Buddhist, Muslim, Seek, Hindu or what have you walking into another persons place of worship only to pester and cajole them into endorsing their own faith.

Even if conversion isn't JLY intent, he is still trying to bend our religion around in an attempt to justify his own. And by his own admission it is his intent to preach the gospel here among us.

So, to JLY: if I am one of those that mocked you, or insulted you, then I appologize. What was I thinking! I'm no more perfect than the many Christians I've know and have known. Heaven forbid.

But don't forget that a great many of us here on DW, the majority perhaps, are westerners, i.e, we have had a lifetime of exposure to the Loving Grace of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ of Nazareth. In fact, my sister spent nearly two hours witnessing to me the last time that we met. My mother witnesses to me at least once a week. My brother, wife and most everyone that I know is Christian.

But I'm not a lost lamb of the Lord who is apt to convert, oh, if only the right story comes my way; I am, in fact, a man who sees no redeeming power in the Lord Christ or his Church.
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Re: What do Buddhists think of Jesus Christ?

Post by Mawkish1983 »

:thumbsup:
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tiltbillings
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Re: What do Buddhists think of Jesus Christ?

Post by tiltbillings »

thereductor wrote:To those that would defend JLY: "why?"
By his own admission, he was here to troll, to stir up negativity. There is no defense for that. The insensitivity of that behavior is matched by the insensitivity of not recognizing how damaging Christianity can be and has been to some and that feelings coming out of that pain are sometimes going to be expressed, maybe not in the most skillful of ways, and we might be a bit forgiving of that.

This not to say that Christians and Buddhist cannot talk in a civil, collegial manner, but the OP of this thread did not really invite that nor did JLY's follow up msgs. He/she got honest answers to his OP, but the above criticism of this thread lacks any real insight into and sensitivity of the difficulty posed by the very question of the OP for some Westerners. Sometimes things are not going to be all nice warm and fuzzy and with good reason. It is all a growing/learning process.
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Re: What do Buddhists think of Jesus Christ?

Post by VeganLiz »

First of all, no one is scorning you because you asked for their honest opinion on Jesus Christ…them giving it, as shocking as it may be, is not an attempt to scorn you. Wondering what your motives are….also not an insult against you.

As for what I think about Jesus…Jesus was, as far as what I can tell from the bible, he was a good and decent person but his disciples (primarily Paul) were not so ideal.
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Re: What do Buddhists think of Jesus Christ?

Post by alan »

Not entirely correct. I, for one example, scorn him.
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Re: What do Buddhists think of Jesus Christ?

Post by Bodhisurfer »

alan wrote:Not entirely correct. I, for one example, scorn him.

from the Kakcupama Sutta (MN21)
...but we shall remain full of concern and pity, with a mind of love, and we shall not give in to hatred. On the contrary, we shall live projecting thoughts of universal love to that very person, making him as well as the whole world the object of our thoughts of universal love — thoughts that have grown great, exalted and measureless. We shall dwell radiating these thoughts which are void of hostility and ill will.' It is in this way, monks, that you should train yourselves.
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Orlando
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Re: What do Buddhists think of Jesus Christ?

Post by Orlando »

I admire some sayings attributed to Jesus, but don't believe he was God incarnate or died for humanity's sins. I also find some of his teachings objectionable or very improbable, like the existence of eternal hell or the idea that at some point humans who have died will be miraculously given back new, immortal bodies - I thought that studying the beliefs of the early Christians might help me find core truths that would satisfy me, but I found the belief in the Second Coming and the resurrection of the dead were very important, both of which seem to me unlikely.
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Re: What do Buddhists think of Jesus Christ?

Post by Fede »

It's easy to put words into a wise man's mouth, after he has died and cannot corroborate his own testimony.
It's the simplest thing in the world to insist that "so and so" said this, when in fact, they may well be opinions, views, critiques and statements from a different 'mouth' entirely.
And one which, to cap it all, would seem to contradict much of what the person in question seemed to stand for....

It's been done thousands of times.
it's been done with such names as Einstein, Gandhi and doubtless (certainly in my own personal opinion) with the Buddha too.

So why should Jesus Christ be exempt?
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Orlando
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Re: What do Buddhists think of Jesus Christ?

Post by Orlando »

Not sure if you were referring to my post, but I have read around Christianity pretty extensively, and it seems to me very likely a lot has been put into Jesus's mouth that he didn't say, however there seems to me a reasonable amount of evidence he believed in hell and plenty of evidence he believed in the resurrection of the dead - it was fundamental to early Christianity and is referred to a lot in the New Testament and other early Christian writings. The "kingdom" he was expecting was very likely one on Earth, when God was supposedly going to step in and create a paradise, and the virtuous dead would be resurrected to take part in it (and the non-virtuous sent away into punishment).
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Re: What do Buddhists think of Jesus Christ?

Post by Justsit »

In the interest of accuracy - Jesus specifically stated "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36). The Jewish people at that time were chafing under the rule of a Roman dictator, and were looking to Jesus as the "Messiah" who would bring political freedom; they expected him to establish paradise on earth. However, his insistence that he would liberate them only from sin, not the Romans, and his rebuke of Jewish authorities ultimately resulted their rejection of him and his teachings.

Sorry for off topic... :focus:
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Re: What do Buddhists think of Jesus Christ?

Post by Fede »

Orlando wrote:Not sure if you were referring to my post, but I have read around Christianity pretty extensively, and it seems to me very likely a lot has been put into Jesus's mouth that he didn't say, however there seems to me a reasonable amount of evidence he believed in hell and plenty of evidence he believed in the resurrection of the dead -
There's also an awful lot of evidence to corroborate the fact that he wasn't just one person, but possibly a composite of several gurus or teachers because examining historical documentation of events at the time, things simply don't add up.
The correct timeline of his birth, and the massacre of the innocents, to name but two.....
so while I'm prepared to agree that much of what is quoted as 'his teachings' I'm equally open to the fact that it might be 'their' teachings, and several added pithy words of wisdom from other sources too.....
"Samsara: The human condition's heartbreaking inability to sustain contentment." Elizabeth Gilbert, 'Eat, Pray, Love'.

Simplify: 17 into 1 WILL go: Mindfulness!

Quieta movere magna merces videbatur. (Sallust, c.86-c.35 BC)
Translation: Just to stir things up seemed a good reward in itself. ;)

I am sooooo happy - How on earth could I be otherwise?! :D


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pilgrim
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Re: What do Buddhists think of Jesus Christ?

Post by pilgrim »

If you gather The Sermon on the Mount and all the other snippets that Jesus is supposed to have said, it'll add up to a few pages only. Christianity should more accurately be called Paulism.
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