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 Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2010 10:00 pm
I went onto http://buddhanet.net/ and what it said made sense, completely. But, when it came to creation...I got stuck. I mean, the thought from science that atoms, molecules, particles, etc came together after an explosion, caused by nothing, then becoming everything just doesn't make sense to me; just to let you know, this is not hate, I love science and support it. I do believe that something created everything, but don't believe in the hogwash in the Bible. Do any of you have the same problem? Or do any of you just think that, like agnostics, that we simply cannot answer the question until death? Sorry if I sound...weird, or like I am trying to cause something bad; I just am filled with mixed emotions, you know? -Gefenier Cifer
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Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2010 10:30 pm
One thing about Buddhism is that it's not overly concerned with things like creation myths. I think some sects have them, but unlike other religions such as Christianity, it's not the main point.
The Buddha himself was once asked about where the world came from, and he compared the asker to a man who, having been shot with an arrow, refuses to have the arrow removed until he knows the name, caste, and motive of the man who shot him. If he wastes time inquiring about where the arrow came from and why, he'll be dead before he gets the answers. The first order of business, and the focus of the Buddha's teaching, is removing the arrow.
I suppose that Buddhist belief would generally fit into your "agnostic" category - that is, we have no way of knowing for sure if there's a creator, an afterlife, etc. There's an old joke about a Zen master being asked what happens to an enlightened man after death. The master says he doesn't know, and when the asker says "How can you not know? You're a Zen master!" he replies, "Yes, but I'm not a dead one."
As a former Christian, I understand your uneasiness at the thought of no creator. I found this prospect downright frightening at first. But the way I look at it now is, there's no way I can know for sure. There may be a creator, there may not, but concerning myself mainly with that would accomplish nothing.
Kind of a long post, sorry, but I hope that answers some of your questions. Anyway, hopefully Byaggha'll be in here soon to give a better response. wink
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Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 10:21 am
ZelRyu One thing about Buddhism is that it's not overly concerned with things like creation myths. I think some sects have them, but unlike other religions such as Christianity, it's not the main point. The Buddha himself was once asked about where the world came from, and he compared the asker to a man who, having been shot with an arrow, refuses to have the arrow removed until he knows the name, caste, and motive of the man who shot him. If he wastes time inquiring about where the arrow came from and why, he'll be dead before he gets the answers. The first order of business, and the focus of the Buddha's teaching, is removing the arrow. I suppose that Buddhist belief would generally fit into your "agnostic" category - that is, we have no way of knowing for sure if there's a creator, an afterlife, etc. There's an old joke about a Zen master being asked what happens to an enlightened man after death. The master says he doesn't know, and when the asker says "How can you not know? You're a Zen master!" he replies, "Yes, but I'm not a dead one." As a former Christian, I understand your uneasiness at the thought of no creator. I found this prospect downright frightening at first. But the way I look at it now is, there's no way I can know for sure. There may be a creator, there may not, but concerning myself mainly with that would accomplish nothing. Kind of a long post, sorry, but I hope that answers some of your questions. Anyway, hopefully Byaggha'll be in here soon to give a better response. wink Wow, thanks so much ZelRyu, you answered it completely. Thanks for th better understanding smile
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Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 11:12 am
 The Buddha said, in the Acintita Sutta: "Conjecture about [the origin, etc., of] the world is an unconjecturable that is not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness & vexation to anyone who conjectured about it."
Its quite funny I think, but also very true. Buddhism is not here to tell us where we came from or even why we are here, but to tell us how we can be happy and stop being.
 heart 4laugh
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