NAMO TASSA BHAGAVATO ARAHATO SAMMASAMBUDDHASSA
NAMO TASSA BHAGAVATO ARAHATO SAMMASAMBUDDHASSA
NAMO TASSA BHAGAVATO ARAHATO SAMMASAMBUDDHASSA
Translation: May veneration be presented to the exalted one who is a Buddha and who has achieved enlightenment by himself rightiously
“From Buddha To Jesus”
An Insiders View Of Buddhism and Christianity By Steve Cioccolanti
Published by Sweet Life International Pty.Ltd.
A Review
By Bhikkhu aggacitto
This is to advise Sweet life International Pty.Ltd.that the signed copy of this review is being sent via post to the office of Sweet life International Pty.Ltd.A copy of this review shall soon be published in as many a place online as possible.
I would like to express the fact that I can relate to a missionary’s sense of purpose, as a forest trained missionary bhikkhu I know that it takes a great deal of courage to bring a spiritual message to the world.Please do not perceive this as an attack on Christianity.I simply have a responsibility as a Buddhist missionary to do my very utmost to duly address the efforts that have been put forth with a book of this type.
It has come to my attention that there is a difference in the page placement regarding the U.S. edition and the one that I now possess. I regret any inconvenience.
I sincerely wish all of you at Sweet Life International the very best of all things spiritual.
UPDATE: AS OF FEBUARY THE 13TH 2009 SWEET LIFE INTERNATIONALHAS BEEN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN A MAILING ADDRESS FOR. WHILE PUBLISHING A BOOK OF THIS TYPE I DO BELIEVE I CAN UNDERSTAND IT IF THEY THINK IT IS BEST THAT IT SHOULD BE DIFFICULT TO AQUIRE A MAILING ADDRESS, OR EVEN AN E MAIL ADDRESS FOR THEM.I SHALL CONTINUE TO DO MY BEST TO MAIL THEM A COPY OF THIS REVIEW.IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO CONTACT ME MY E MAIL ADDRESS IS:revaggacitto7@gmail.com
I am a forest trained Theravada Buddhist monk who was recently given a copy of the book “From Buddha to Jesus” by Mr. Steve Cioccolanti. I am surprised that any publishing house that would seem to wish to be in some way morally responsible would print such a broad variety of slander, deception and outright lies about the Buddhist religion. I was going to highlight all of the lies and deceptions but then figured out that before long the whole book would be highlighted! I will just mention a few to give an idea of what I am discussing. I had to be very selective or I would have had to write a book in response to this book!I would like to start off with discussing something that is very typical of this book and an indicator that this book was designed with the intentional purpose to deceive people who do not know anything or much about the Buddhist religion.
The Four Noble Truths chapter 8 pg 45
On page 46 of this chapter Mr. Steve Cioccolanti writes: “Many Westerners have been taught that there is good Karma, bad Karma, and neutral Karma. This is not the normal understanding of the average Buddhist. Karma is nearly always synonymous with sin.It’s that simple. We referred to the Thai dictionary and under the word karma or gum,We found 3 definitions:”……You would think that he has never heard of the term “good karma”!On page 47 of the same chapter he writes: Sin (gum) is accumulated through…….Unless one were fluent enough in the Thai language, or on the lookout for such deception, one would easily think that the word sin (gam) and karma are recognized as being synonymous with one another simply because you could use the same word while employing a different context. The proper Thai word to use for kamma which of course Mr. Steve Cioccolanti fails to mention, would begi ri yaa which is a word which simply means an action or deed without necessarily any moral value judgment and is reserved specifically for the teachings of Buddha. A classic example of deceptive word play.Mr. Steve Cioccolanti plays the same sort of game with words such as heaven and nirvana (nibanna) as well.This type of three card monte styled word play huckster game is prevalent through out this entire book. I must ask myself, how can any credible publishing company publish this sort of material?“Buddha taught that human nature is a sinful nature”(pg 47)with a foot note he tries to rationalize this by discussing reincarnation, but forgets that there is a difference between saying that we have done moral wrong in a previous lifetime and that there will be consequences and saying that our nature is sinful.Mr. Cioccolanti discusses what he calls the 227 rules of a Buddhist monk (pg 51 and elsewhere).First off Venerable Gotama never declared that perfect obedience of these rules was necessary for nibbana (not nirvana Mr. Steve Cioccolanti), and as well someone might remind our ‘insider’ friend Mr. Steve Cioccolanti that there are actually 220 rules of training not 227, the last 7 are an a through g listing of different ways to resolve disputes within the Sangha. Many of these training precepts were simply considered training in politeness for the monk.“No bathing more than once every half a month, unless it is the last month of the hot season.”(pg 52) Our ‘insider’ friend Mr. Steve Cioccolanti needs to check his Patimokkha, there are actually 5 exceptions to this rule of training one being if you have done work around the temple that day etc.“If you can do all of the above (plus more!)consistently every day of your life, you may have hope of going to heaven. But if you can't you have absolutely no hope. It is hopeless according to Buddha!”(last paragraph pg 53).This is complete nonsense, this is never taught in the Tipataka, regarding the 220 precepts! Digha Nikaya sutta # 16 the Maha-Parinibbana sutta “After I am gone the Sangha if it wants, may abolish the lesser and minor training rules.”If anyone would like to know, the Patimokkha is the catechism of the Vinaya, our monastic code.If we then go to the Vinaya, regarding this matter you will see how this matter then played out after the Venerable Gotamas final nibanna. The Vinaya Pitaka Cullavagga XI.9 tells the story of how the monks of the first council could not come to an agreement on which were to be considered the lesser and minor precepts. Since many of the rules are rules that affect the laity there were concerns that the laity would resent the monastic Sangha for abolishing them. The monastic Sangha then decided that accordingly none of the precepts would be abolished.
The Polio Victim chapter 9 pg.57
May sound unfair, (I’m sure the reason why our ‘insider’ friend Mr. Steve Cioccolanti wrote this).This custom came about because there were people (perhaps many) who wanted to join the Sangha simply to be looked after instead of joining for more altruistic reasons. ( Vinaya Pitaka Mahavagga 1.39.1-6) There is also a prohibition against someone joining if they owe debts. Would you like to guess how that one came about?Why do people become monks? pg 57It states “because in Buddhism we believe that if we become a monk, we can go to Heaven. But if I can't be a monk, then I will go to hell.” This is a slick way of implying that this was The Venerable Gotama's teaching. It is not.It is not surprising that Mr. Steve Cioccolanti does not mention the fact that there are many who become Buddhist monks to seek a higher spiritual life.
The Five Commandments of Buddha Chapter 11 pg 72
“Don't kill” “also means you can't eat any meat, you must be a vegetarian” (pg 73). This is simply another of a long list of our ‘insider’ friend Mr. Steve Cioccolanti's lies. I will refer anyone who may be deceived to the 55th sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya where this lie will be quickly dispelled.In this chapter on page 71 and 72 Mr. Steve Cioccolanti states:” Technically speaking a Buddhist can’t even kill bacteria, and every time you take antibiotics, you kill not only bad bacteria, but probiotics (good bacteria) as well.”To state the matter as simply as possible, there is simply nothing in our Vinaya that would even remotely suggest this. Why this lie? I believe it becomes apparent that a tactic of this book is to misrepresent the Buddhist religion as so impossibly hard and impractical an approach. Therefore the message being, why not just take the “easy” Christian way out instead?As well on the same page (pg 72) Mr. Steve Cioccolanti regarding the first and second precepts (not ‘commandments’), quotes the Thai Dictionary of Buddhism.As altruistic as it all sounds the Thai Dictionary of Buddhism is not the Tipataka.Mr. Steve Cioccolanti seems willing to quote anything and everything but the Tipataka!The Tipataka which he himself has identified as our religious scripture.The Ten Karmas Chapter 14 pg 87 “Buddha said that if you break any one of these laws you will go straight to hell” More lying nonsense from our ‘insider’ friend.Is there a hell? (pg 91) Our ‘insider’ friend Mr. Ciuoccolanti forgets to talk about the fact that because one of the three characteristics of life in samsara is impermanence, unlike the Christian version our understanding of hell is not a thing to be endured for all eternity. Depending on the fruit of your kamma it could last for only a second.By the way, when working with the Pali the word is kamma not karma.Reincarnation Chapter 16 pg 101In his chapter on reincarnation Mr. Cioccolanti asks the question, “why don’t we see well behaved mosquitoes or cockroaches?” The answer is simple really, while working off bad kamma they suffer and do not have the volition to maliciously do wrongful evil; they are simply following their own nature. The second question, why babies can’t speak the language of their “former life”…”etcetera. The answer to these types of questions again is a very simple one. You think you have issues regarding this lifetime? Imagine having all of the memories (and issues) of all of your former lifetimes up front and constantly with you! Your sanity however much you could say that you had, certainly would not last very long!“Fourthly, what many westerners don't realize is that most believers in reincarnationare racist....” The word Aryan which Nazis used to refer to a “master race” actually comes from a Sanskrit word meaning noble.” Actually the word Aryan (ariya) becameto be known as “noble” not because of the Hindu caste system. The word referred to the goat herders who were considered noble because they were those who were considered to be “of means” and therefore “noble”.Whatever Adolph Hitler chose to do with it was simply of his own choosing.This is merely an opportunity for Mr. Steve Cioccolanti to associate the image of Adolph Hitler and the Nazis with reincarnation and Buddhism. This is nothing more than another cheap trick from Mr. Cioccolanti.In this chapter Mr. Cioccolanti writes “You are in an absolutely hopeless and viciousCycle according to Buddha himself. Isn’t that powerful?” This is simply yet another ofMr. Cioccolanti’s lies about the Venerable Gotama’s teaching.If this were true then the Venerable Gotama’s ministry would have been in vain for the sake of salvation, which is precisely what he would like to have others believe with such lies. This particular type of lie I will look at more closely after my comments on the “Our Source” section.
Mr. Cioccolanti may wish to use the Wikipedika for more than just a date reference or two, as he mentioned in one of his footnotes, instead he might actually find it productive to look up a few words and subjects like: Hindu or Aryan or Buddhist Councils or perhaps he should just start off with something like ‘Buddhism’ and gradually take it from there.
“Nearly all Hindus and Buddhists who believe in reincarnation desire to come back in the next life with whiter skin as Aryans are at the top of the caste system”It’s a rather nice thing for our ‘insider’ friend Mr.Cioccolanti to decide to speak for millions of people as to why we believe in reincarnation isn't it?To be sure there are millions of people in this world who subscribe to the notion of reincarnation, who know that there are far greater things to achieve rebirth as than a human being with white skin.It's also interesting to see that Mr. Cioccolanti considers the theory of evolution and Hinduism to be “anti Christian”. There are Christians whom I know whodon't think that the theory of evolution and the theory of creationism are exclusive. Hinduism anti Christian? No, I believe it won't take to much historyresearch to show that Christianity has been far more “anti Hinduism”. Of course themoment someone should wish to discuss this fact, we hear stuff like “well that’s not real Christianity!” My response? Oh really? “They were someone’s “real” Christian Weren’t they? Perhaps not yours or mine but someone’s! Read Mahatma Gandhi’s auto biography for just a taste. Although there will always be people individually who will do what they wish, as a mass movement against the liberties of others or as an actually declared war for no small reason do I know of none carried out in the name of Buddhism.I know of no other major religion that can honestly say this.“Until today we can see Buddha's wisdom in commanding to abstain from meat.”Tipataka :( not Tripataka) Sutta Pataka, Majjhima Nakaya Sutta # 55 teaches us whatThe Venerable Gotama's actual teaching was regarding this matter.The disciples come to him and ask;” Of what they put into our alms bowl what do we eat?” His response was “You will eat what they give you.” This is because the wordBhikkhu in Pali literally means “to beg”. Although to what degree the Bhikkhu begs can be subject to differing perspectives, never the less, if you say “Ill have the broccoli but I won't have the fish”, then that’s not much like a beggar now is it? The Venerable Gotama then went on to say that the three instances where animal flesh is not to be consumed by the monk are as follows; when the monk sees with the eyes or hears with the ears or suspects with the mind that the animal was killed specifically for the monk.Why? Because then there would be an actual kammic tie in to the death and suffering of the animal. This is why the only Buddhists in the world who are vegetarian are the Chinese Mahayana who prefer to be so.
Women In Buddhism chapter 17 pg 109...
“The doctrine of reincarnation is also sexist.”Presumably because we live now in a world that is more patriarchal inclined than not, we should deny that reincarnation exists because some men can have an advantage in some areas of life in this world? This of course makes no real sense but then again neither does this book, if your looking for something more factual than not.“Women do not have the same status as men. Buddhist nuns have 311 laws to keep, while monks have 227.Since women are considered inferior, they have 196 more laws to control their flesh than men!”First off, the word is Bhikkuni not nun. second, it's (once again) 220 not 227, and if we were to subtract 220 from 311 we get 91 not 196. (This simple math is an inaccurate way to discuss this matter but that we shall soon see.) “A menstruating woman can not enter a temple or go near a monk; she is unclean.” “A woman can never give food directly into a monks hands, nor can she receive anything directly from a monk. (A man can do both.)A woman has to pick things up from the floor, not from a monk. There is no gender equality in Buddhism.” On the later three comments, there is a difference between our Vinaya (monastic code) and what has developed as custom. The actual portion of our monastic code which would apply would be the Patimokkha precept: #2 of the precepts of the Sanghadisesa section. In brief it instructs us not to touch a woman with passion or desire on our mind. A woman does not have to pick anything up from the floor. Over a period of time the custom (more so in Thailand) is to try to avoid physical contact when at all possible. This avoids the possible accusation that the monk may have had such passion on his mind when doing so.It would interest those who are actually concerned about learning something factual about the Theravada Buddhist religion, that of the 311 rules that the Bhikkhuni Patimokkha contain, 181 of these are shared with the Bhikkhu Patimokkha: 4 parajikas, 7 sanghadisesas, 18 nissaggiya Pacittiyas (NP) 70 Pacittiyas, all 75 Sekhiyas, and all 7 Adhikaranasamatha rules. In addition, the Bhikkhuni Patimokkha contains 13 Pacifistic rules that are identical to rules for Bhikkhus that are contained in the Khandhakas;one Parajika rule similar to a Bhikkhus'Sanghadisesa rule; one Parajika rule similar to a Bhikkhus'Pacittiya;2 Sanghadisesa similar to Bhikkhus'Khandhaka rules 2 N P rules similar to Bhikkhus' NP rules;3 pacittiyas similar to a Bhikkhus' Sanghadisesa; 7 Pacittiyas similar to Bhikkhus'Pacittiyas and 8 Pacittiyas similar to rules for Bhikkhus'that are contained in the Khandhakas. As well the 8 Patidesaniya rules for the Bhikkhunis are elaborations of a single Bhikkhus Pacittiya rule.Therefore it would be correct to say that the Bhikkhuni Patimokkha contains 85 (Not 196) precepts for which there are no direct correspondences in the rules for Bhikkhu. In case someone like our “insider” friend Steve Cioccolanti would like to claim this as “sexist”, let us make a note of the fact that more than one third of these extra rules were constructed as a way to protect Bhikkhunis from being the direct recipients of abusive or careless behavior of other Bhikkhunis,two of the extra rules (Pacittiyas #6 and #44)prevent Bhikkhunis from putting themselves in a position of servitude to Bhikkhus or laypeople; and all but three of the extra rules (Pacittiyas 59,94,and 95)were indeed created only after Bhikkhunis complained to the Bhikkhu Sangha about an errant Bhikkhunis behavior. The last three exceptions were formulated after complaints by members of the Bhikkhu Sangha and deal with the formal subordination of the Bhikkhuni Sangha to the Bhikkhu Sangha .However, they are balanced out by two rules that are exclusive to the Bhikkhu Sangha(NP 4 and 17),that were created as a way to prevent the Bhikkhus from abusing their position in a way that would interfere with the Bhikkhunis practice of the Dhamma (Vinaya Suttavibhanga).Although there was a formal subordination of the Bhikkhuni Sangha to the Bhikkhu Sangha taken into context this was clearly a way of tempering what must have been nothing short of sheer outrage at the Venerable Gotama for having the courage to actually ordain women! The Venerable Gotama to this day remains known as the first spiritual master in recorded human history to ever have done so. Did Jesus of Nazareth? We know that there were women whom he showed compassion to, but were any of his direct disciples actually women? No., which is why the next lie of Mr. Cioccolanti’s that we shall now discuss demonstrates only that much more audacity. Why would he take a direct disciple who would periodically (no pun intended) be considered ‘unclean’?I sincerely mean this as no disrespect to the ministry of Jesus, whom I believe did a great deal of good for this world. This is only an attempt to honestly discuss such a matter, given the fact that Mr. Steve Cioccolanti has decided to make such a false claim regarding our religious scripture.Concerning the statement that “A menstruating woman can not enter a temple or go near a monk; she is unclean.” Now where would a lying Christian propagandist get the material for such a lie? Answer: The Christian Bible itself! The book of Leviticus Chapter 12 Vs.1; And the lord spake unto Moses saying, Vs.2 speak unto the children of Israel saying, If a woman have conceived seed and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.Vs.3: and in the eight day the flesh of the foreskin shall be circumcised. Vs.4: And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled. Leviticus Ch.15: And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days and whomso ever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even. Vs.30: And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her before the Lord for the issue of her uncleanliness. T wards the end of this paper I will be discussing the different reasons why it is highly unlikely that this book of slander, insults and outright lies was simply the product of simple ignorance, before then though, I would like to pose the question of just how likely it should be that Mr. Steve Cioccolanti would “confuse” the Tipataka and our teaching with that of his own scripture? A fair question, no?
I would like to end the discussion of this chapter by making mention of the fact that according to the Visuddhimagga, which is canonical literature, the fifth of twenty three types of cloth to be made into a robe permitted to the monks who practice “ciivaradhuta”nga (the highest austerity of the robe) is “cloth discarded after wiping birthing waste”. In Buddhism “blood from the womb” is not considered as something ‘sinful’ or ‘unclean’, but simply another bodily fluid amongst many types of bodily fluids and in this case, something to be given great respect.
The Last Words of Buddha chapter 22 pg 133
“Buddha’s prophecies of the Maitreya are scattered in many places. Some were passed down orally. Some were recorded on palm leaves. Buddha’s prophecy may have once been in the Thai Tripataka, but some have told me that this passage has been ripped out of the sacred texts, because it is all too clear who it is referring to. I can not confirm or deny this rumor.”“All I can say is the following version was found by former monk Tongsuk Siriruk in Kampee Khom meaning the Cambodian or Khmer Canon, so we have the Cambodians to thank for preserving this text for us”, even though he admits in the very same paragraph that “Thai Buddhism came from the Khmer (Cambodian) people,”…So… can the rumor be confirmed or not?
Let me state in case anybody has trouble figuring this out for themselves, that the reasonable evidence shows that this entire story of a sutta where the Buddha gives a prophecy about Jesus (presumably) being the one who will come and save the world is nothing but a complete lie.Allow me to explain; if I had any credible evidence that Jesus of the Christian Bible actually learned his lessons in spirituality from the teachings of the Buddha, (a popular theory) I would not simply tell someone a story or a rumor about it. No, I would hold a press conference, demonstrate the evidence and tell the entire world about it! This story about some sort of secret sutta hidden away from the rest of the world is simply complete nonsense. Would you like some more evidence of this being complete nonsense? O.K.! Here it is: in this chapter on the bottom of page 137 he writes: ”Buddha replied,” The holy one who will rescue the world in the near future will have scars in his hands and scars in his feet like the shape of a gongjak.” Then at the footnote at the bottom of the page (footnote #115) he then writes: “Thai: gongjak-a sharp cutting wheel with jagged edges, an ancient Weapon.” When writing this bodacious fairy tale of a lie, our ‘insider’ friend Mr.Cioccolanti forgot that this story was supposedly a part of the Khmer (Cambodian) canon not the Thai! I'm sure that the reason for this lie telling mistake of his is because of a propaganda technique that he uses through out this book; That of giving the Thai word for something in footnote or otherwise, as a way of trying to give some sort of academic look and feel in the absence of a single Tipataka scriptural reference! This is another reason why it is difficult to just presume that this sort of book, constructed of insults, slander and outright lies is simply the result of an innocent sort of ignorance.Let me ask you all something. What if I were to write a book about the teachings of Jesus, and although I mention the Bible, I fail through out the entire book to give a single scriptural reference to the Bible? A cause for suspicion would you not say?I’ve got an idea!, better yet how about if I write a book about Jesus and say that I know of scripture that comes from your Bible, that due to a conspiracy on the part of your church elders, you haven’t been told of! Page 148 as well as else where, Mr.Cioccolanti strongly suggests this of us!Then to make matters worse, I write that according to this “Biblical” scripture it has been “revealed” that the true name of your messiah is actually someone who went by the name of Peter Pan and also commanded his disciples to eat jelly beans for breakfast every Sabbath! To back up my claim I talk of scripture that has never been substantiated as if it were fact! Then to further “substantiate” my claim I give a footnote at the bottom of the page that says, The word for jelly bean in Peterpan Land is ……………............get the picture?
The Three Baskets (Tripitaka) Chapter 24 pg 157
“So the roots of all languages obviously go back to Babylon”Obvious to whom?Regardless of what the book of Genesis might read, we know today that most languages in the world today go back to the Egyptian hieroglyphics not Babylon.(Wikipedia: Egyptian Hieroglyphics)“No one is sure when the Tripitaka was written”. (Same chapter pg 160)Another lie. The Tipataka was first put down on palm leaves at the forth council(First Century C.E.)The occasion was because there was a famine at the time and the monastic Sangha was not sure if there would be enough monks left living to carry on the oral tradition. Wikipedia: “Buddhist Councils” would be a good place to start the research on this as well as the Pali Canon commentaries (canonical literature).Same chapter, page 162:“The Tripitaka is full of instructions for one to be a better person, but does not address questions like where we came from, where we are heading, or what is the purpose of life.”This is because when some call Buddhism a philosophy they are incorrect. This is because the Venerable Gotama considered such questions irrelevant to the purpose of nibanna. (Digha Nikaya sutta #9 Potthapada sutta and elsewhere.)
The Three Baskets Chapter 24 pg 165
“The number of letters in the Torah is 304,805…” “That’s how we know the bible was faithfully transmitted” Someone needs to remind Mr. Steve Cioccolanti that the Bible is something more than the Torah.Same page; “Fifthly unlike the Bible the Tripataka has undergone many major revisions and corrections.”I will point to the fact here that the New King James Version of the Bible (The version that the page opposite of the table of contents would suggest that Mr.Cioccolanti most enjoys using) is only one of about twenty eight different versions of the bible printed prior to the “New King James version.”There are those who say; “Those were translations not versions!”Too bad for such that most of them as a matter of record themselves do not agree!Starting with the “Wycliffe Version” (first published in 1384) on through to“The New King James Version” (first published in 1979) there have been twenty one self described versions of the Bible versus only three translations, those of course being “An American Translation” (first published in1923) “The New World Translation” (First published in 1950) and finally the “Good News Translation” (first published in1966).Of course then there is the “Challoner Revision” (first published in 1749) but that is a different story altogether!Such people who claim “translations not versions” lose that argument by the score of twenty one to three! The author’s claims here are simply laughable!The Six Buddhist Councils chapter 25 pg 167“The fact that the Tripataka was revised as recently as modern times means that modern monks had ample opportunity to “clean up” any resemblance between Buddha’s words and Jesus”.The fact of the matter actually is that there is simply no evidence to suggestthat from the Tipataka writing of the oral tradition anything at all has ever been revised anything near that which The King James Version experienced with the revision’s at Cambridge in 1629 and 1638, the 1762 Cambridge revision, the 1769 Oxford revision, or the revision done by Robert Aitken in the United States in 1782 which I believe is considered the most important revision to date.
He continues...“ I am not saying that it was done deliberately. It may have been done out of sincerity to prevent confusion.” This is nothing more than a transparent attempt to patronize his slander of the monastic sangha in a condescending way. Here as well as elsewhere in this book he actually finds such ways of accusing the Monastic Sangha of “cleaning up” or “purifying” our scripture by using assumptive language that assumes that this was ever done in the first place! The term “clean up” or the word “purify” can be used in a negative way or in a positive way. Mr. Steve Cioccolanti usually chooses to imply the negative.
Our Source pg 169
Actually gives no such thing! “We are privileged to be among the first group of people to translate and publish these Buddhist texts”...This implies that Mr. Steve Cioccolanti is actually in possession of such Buddhist Texts and should be able to demonstrate them to be authenticated.I and many others the world over to be sure, would love to see it!If this were true it would be a major find of great historical importance!Why then just merely resort to unsubstantiated story telling?
End Times Predictions of Buddha and Jesus chapter 28 pg 192
“Only Buddha never found a solution, he never came to a stage where he said, I’ve got it, do this and you’ll be free from karma.”
While we are looking at the topic of such lies….
The King & the Ungrateful Debtor chapter 20 pg 125
“Whereas Buddha offered no solution,”…..These have got to be as a matter of principal, the most outrageous lies of this entire book!Lets see what the Tipataka says shall we? In the Majjhima Nakaya sutta #36:“While my Sakyan father was busy and I (as a child) was sitting in the shade of a rose apple tree, then quite secluded from sensual desires, secluded from unprofitable ideas, I had direct acquaintance of entering on and abiding in the first jhana meditation, which is accompanied by thinking and exploring, with happiness and pleasure born of seclusion.Might that be the way to enlightenment?” And following that memory came the recognition “This is the path to enlightenment” (nibbana).Now let’s take a look at the Vinaya Pitaka, Mahavagga Chapter #11:And the blessed one said to the bhikkhus, “I am delivered O bhikkhus, from all fetters human and divine, You O bhikkhus are delivered from all fetters human and divine, Go now O bhikkhus and wander for the gain of the many, for the welfare of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, for the gain, and for the welfare of gods and men. Let not two of you go the same way. Preach O bhikkhus the doctrine which is glorious in the beginning, glorious in the middle, glorious in its completion. In the spirit and in the letter, proclaim a consummate, a perfect, and pure life of holiness. There are beings whose mental eyes are covered scarcely by dust, but if the doctrine is not preached to them,they can not attain salvation, they will understand the doctrine. And I will go also O Bhikkhus, to Uruvela, to Senaninigama, in order to preach the doctrine”.
The tactics that Mr. Steve Ciocccolanti uses in his book regarding the telling of slander, insults and outright lies about the Buddhist religion are quite varied. For the most part he just outright lies! The usage of assumptive language, and replacing Buddhist terminology with Christian terminology, such as the term heaven for nibanna , sin for karma (kamma).He mentions that most Buddhist don’t mind the different term heaven replacing Nibbana . This is because many who consider themselves Buddhist have either not been taught the Dhamma adequately or don’t mind the general reference of terminology. This becomes his excuse for replacing terms, and therefore misrepresenting the Buddha’s teaching. He gives what is reflective of Christian Biblical scripture for Buddhist teaching( Tipataka scripture), as well as giving the Thai definition for a word in footnotes and elsewhere instead of giving a single Tipataka scriptural reference through out this entire book, these are key things for anyone to look at. Different forms of the Tipataka? O.K., so pick one and give some Tipataka scriptural reference! Mr. Steve Cioccolanti apparently knows better with the framework of knowledge that he writes within. Much of his work I will admit though reveals an absolutely staggering amount of sheer ignorance. The combination of the two has produced a book wherein the ignorance is only matched by deceitful audacity. The fact as some may point out, that there are different types of Buddhism, as an excuse for this type of book, is no excuse. There are two schools of Buddhism, the Theravada (some would use the pejorative “Hinayana”) and the Mahayana. Aside from the Maha Nikaya and the Dhammayuttika of the Theravada, all other sects are Mahayana. The Mahayana also acknowledge the Tipataka as being the foundation of Buddhism. Furthermore, if the approach of this book was merely to write about “Buddhism as it is lived and practiced in the largest Theravada country in modern times.” as is written in the Which Denomination Chapter on pg 154, and these are just academic issues best saved for the academic or the professional or the person with a “Western perspective” as discussed at his “From Buddha to Jesus” book blog ,then why write so many things about the Venerable Gotama’s teaching that are simply not true and can be shown as such by referring to the Tipataka which he admits to be the scripture of Buddhism? The Three Baskets (Tripataka) chapter 24 first paragraph: “It should be accepted by all that what Buddha taught is recorded in a sacred text called the Tripataka…”The answer of course is that the purpose of this book is to lie about and slander the Venerable Gotama, his teaching, the monastic sangha, and Buddhism as a whole. If Mr. Steve Cioccolanti has any other suggestions to answer this question I would certainly be willing to listen! To say as well that this book was written as Buddhism is lived and practiced is not a correct reflection of Buddhists who know the teachings of Buddhism and practice it as such in their daily lives.There are many who know the teachings of the Tipataka.I will also remind Mr.Cioccolanti that the Tipataka is the same for the person with a ‘Western’ perspective as anyone else.
Question and Answers pg 137
“You have not yet mentioned the Buddhist concept of “No Soul” ”…….It is claimed here that the doctrine of “no soul” contradicts the premise of rebirth.The actual teaching here is called “not self” not “no soul”. The difference?The Venerable Gotama was denying the “self” as a permanent or stationary substance to be identified. Why? Because our spiritual potential is infinite!(Anguttara Nikaya 10.60 Girimanada sutta, the “second perception” and elsewhere)I believe that this time would be an appropriate one to discuss in brief the “Three Factors of Existence” as taught in the Tipataka.1. Impermanence 2. Unsatisfactoriness 3.Not selfImpermanence (Anicca) pertains to the fleeting nature of Samsara. (Majjhima Nikaya #109)2. Unsatisfactoriness (Dukkha) is self explanatory. This is often mistranslated as ‘suffering’.I have had people state to me; “Life is not suffering, life is precious”. This is because of this misunderstanding of the first noble truth. (Majjhima Nikaya #141 and Samutta Nikaya #56.11 would be two good places to start as a reference to this.)3. Not Self (Anattaa) Pertains to the insubstantiality or “infinite potential” of one’s “ego self”. (Majjhima Nikaya #22 Alagaddupama Sutta and elsewhere)No soul? The Buddhist name for it is called “mind”. I will reference you to the Majjhima Nikaya sutta #77(and elsewhere),where the Venerable Gotama refers to it as "the mind made body” notice, the Venerable Gotama’s description of it! In the medical community this is called an“Out Of Body Experience”(O.O.B.E.).For this discussion I would also advise a reading of the Khuddhaka Nikaya the last text titled “Questions Of King Milinda.”
Appendix pg 219
Here Mr. Cioccolanti makes many claims in the appendix that simply can’t beverified. Those that possibly can aren’t capable of actually verifying his claims about the scripture of the Tipataka presumably foretelling the future arrival of some one who apparently would fit the description of the Christian savior Jesus. Another final example: Question and Answer pg 132 Q: “Was Buddha sinless?”A: “Buddha abandoned his young wife and newborn child. If I abandoned my wife and child, would it not be considered a very bad sin?”
During this time in Hindu culture as well as for many still today, the forth and final part of your life was considered a time for “the going forth”, at such a timeyou would leave your wife and children (or “abandon” them as Mr. Cioccolanti put it) and live the holy life. Some one might counter:” But later on in life,the children are grown and capable of providing for the mother if she is still alive.” This would be true, but is balanced out here by the fact that this was Prince Siddhartha that we are talking about! He knew that they would be well taken care of! Now seriously, how can Mr. Cioccolanti not be in possession of such knowledge? If one were to research the matter just a bit, you would find that not only did he keep in touch with his family, but that his son Rahula became a disciple a few years later and I will add that the Venerable Gotama proved an excellent father figure. The Sutta Pitaka, Maha-Rahulovada Sutta found in the Majjhima Nikaya (Sutta #62) would be a good place to start for this.
As well, It would be good to mention here that Venerable Gotama's wife Yasodhara ,(usually referred to in the texts as Rahulamata) in the Apadana text of the Khuddhaka Nikaya as well as the Manorathapurani Anguttara Commentaries is recorded as becoming a disciple herself of the Buddha a few years later after the Bhikkhuni sangha (community) was established.
For more reasons than one I believe this to have been the worst mistake made by Mr. Cioccolanti in his book, that of slandering a Buddha and his forty five year ministry of which nothing but the sincere intention of compassion and the benefit of humanity was constantly striven for in every possible way.This book is simply one slander, insult and outright storytelling lie after the other! Can any one imagine the outrage that would occur if a comparable book were written about Jesus or the prophet Muhammad?
There are those who believe that simply because you follow a spiritual path in life, that this means that we should just bend over and lick up what ever someone has to offer, otherwise our refusal to do so they believe should be judged as some sort of mark against the sincerity of our spiritual conviction! I would beg to differ.Of course we should be kind and compassionate, as we do our best to demonstrate a genuine effort of spiritual maturity. There must be a balance though, or else the worthiness of our spiritual efforts will be in vain.
Please keep in mind that wherever there’s a “ying” there’s a pesky “yang” not too far away! Showing Mr. Cioccolanti's book of lies to a recently converted Christian woman and her recently converted Christian daughter, we all agreed that if you have something worthy to give that is of a good spiritual nature you should not have to seek to deceive others regarding someone else's religion.At the end of the day I was giving them the three refuges and five precepts as renewed members of the Buddhist laity.In case Mr. Steve Cioccolanti or others would like to consider this review an “attack against Christianity”, I will make a note of the fact here that after showing this book to several of my good Christian friends they all seemed quite embarrassed by it. After all Mr. Steve Cioccolanti himself in the Is There a Hell? chapter on pg. 97 of the Question & Answer section writes: The New Testament says, “…All liars will have their part in the lake of fire” (Revelation 21:8).
If this is true I would graciously suggest that Mr. Steve Cioccolanti get down on both knees and humbly ask his Christian savior Jesus to please forgive him for writing such a book of lies about the teaching of the Venerable Gotama (Buddha), for the sake of promoting the Christian religion.
I would like to make a statement here that is very clearly understood.If anyone can demonstrate and authenticate by objective and verifiable means,which is to be understood as a properly accredited and objective third party any Tipataka scripture that even remotely resembles what has been written in this book, alleging that the Venerable Gotama gave a prophecy that could in any reasonable way be interpreted as him having foretold of the one spoken of as Jesus in The New Testament of the Christian Bible, I will get on my knees in front of ANY and ALL and be glad to take the name of Jesus as my Lord and Savor. I have put this in writing and will sign my spiritual name to that effect.Before that happens of course, Mr.Steve Cioccolanti is going to have to come upwith the goods. Either he can do so, in which case I shall be glad to keep mypromise, or Mr. Steve Cioccolanti owes every Buddhist on this planet a sincere apology. After reading this book though, I doubt that he would ever be capable,Although who knows? He might surprise me.
Bhikkhu aggacitto
If anyone would like to contact me regarding this book review or anything else myE mail address is: rev.aggacitto7@gmail.com If any one is interested in a reliable source for Buddha Dhamma (teaching) I would Recommend: www. accesstoinsight.org and dhammaprotector.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
A Victory Over Death!
NAMO TASSA BHAGAVATO ARAHATO SAMMASAMBUDDHASSA
NAMO TASSA BHAGAVATO ARAHATO SAMMASAMBUDDHASSA
NAMO TASSA BHAGAVATO ARAHATO SAMMASAMBUDDHASSA
Translation:May veneration be presented to the exalted one who is a Buddha and has achieved enlightenment by himself rightiously.
I have received comments about this article stating that I have taken Biblical scripture "out of context". This makes me laugh! Compare this article to any "Victory Over Death" type of article with a typical Christian perspective and you will see that I give much more complete scripture from the First Book Of Corinthians than anyone! I don't just allude to certain verses, I give them in their entirety. Any italics that I use emphasize the context. It says what it says, OK! This is the standard response from those who simply don't like hearing or reading something that goes contrary to their current beliefs. Either you have the courage to expand the perimeter's of your spiritual knowledge or you don't. Don't believe me? Do not take my word for it! Hit the web and compare! You will see that what I say is true! It is a sad thing that most Christians that I know will never have the guts to do just that! I wish them the very spiritual best!
A Victory Over Death
By
Bhikkhu aggacitto
All scripture quoted is either from the King James Version of the Christian Bible Or the Pali Canon Version of the Tipataka , the oldest known extant writing from the oraltradition of what the Venerable Gotama (Buddha) taught as Dhamma (teaching).
The other day I was having a conversation with a man who was eating an ice cream cone on the street, and he told me; “ Well my savior Jesus was raised from the dead after three days and “conquered death” where’s yours?” “I’ll tell you where… up in smoke!” “It was Jesus who achieved victory over death not the Buddha!” He then proceeded to lick the melted chocolate ice cream off of the silver cross that he was wearing. I have seen many similar things written and I believe this would be a fine time to have a discussion on the topic of just what conquering death means to both the Christian and the Buddhist.You see, the conquering of death to the Buddhist does not mean that a deity that we worship has been raised or has raised him/herself from the grave and that by believing in that deity as our spiritual savior we gain absolution for our moral misdeeds. Furthermore, as some of my Christian friends have pointed out, according to the Bible, the resurrection of Jesus was possibly a spiritual one: 1 Cor.15: 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised. 1 Cor. 15: 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. 1 Cor.15: 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body.15:44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body there is also a spiritual body. 15:45 So also it is written,” The first man Adam became a living soul. The last Adam became a life giving spirit. However most Christians with good overall scriptural justification, will contend that the resurrection of Jesus was a physical one. For this one need only look at: John: 20:27: Then saith he to Thomas, reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless but believing.
Now lets look at the four different gospel stories regarding the story of the resurrection:
1.Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James go to the tomb and find guards and boulder which move after earthquake. One flying angel on the boulder tells what happened.
Matt.28
2.Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome go to the tomb, find no guards or boulder and one young man in the tomb tells what happened. But women told no one.
Mark 16
3.Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Joanna, and some other women go to the tomb, and two men in the tomb tell what happened.
Luke 24
4.Mary goes to the tomb to find nothing, she then tells the disciples that someone stole the body so they go back and again find nothing. The disciples then leave and Jesus appears to tell Mary what happened.
John 20
I have been told that the resurrection of Jesus is one of the most if not the most important event in human history, so.....
why couldn't the four apostle's who wrote the four gospels get such an important story straight?
I've heard Christian's say... "The stories are complementary"!
Complementary?
How could the other three apostles not remember such a thing, or not think that a FLYING ANGEL OF GOD as something relevant to at least mention?
Contemporary scholars regard it as the earliest of the canonical gospels (c 70)1, so how reasonable is it that the apostle Mark forgot about a flying angel of God, or simply did not think it worthy to mention along with Luke and John who did the same as well?
Were not talking about a fender bender of a car accident where one person might say that the car that sped off was light blue but someone else might say no, it was dark blue.....
No, what we are talking about here is a FLYING ANGEL OF GOD for cripes sake!!!
So was it one man in the tomb or two?
As well there is a discrepancy between stories regarding whether Mary Magdalene went by herself of with others and if others , the different stories here seem to disagree on just whom and how many she went with. In John's version of events Mary goes alone.
Complementary do they say?
Would it be correct to say, that either the Bible is the unerring word of an unerring perfect God who inspired the writers of the Bible to write what was written or not ?
To put it simply, there are those of us who need something to believe in and who naturally are only looking for that when they seek to convince others of the same thing that they have chosen to believe.
I believe that it takes more courage, but that there are those of us who are true spiritual seekers and as such are willing to ask the hard questions and seriously consider the hard answers, whether it's what we have come to believe so far or not.
Should our ego decide our spiritual fate? Not where I'm standing!
If we choose our belief based on faith alone then one person's faith becomes just as valid as any one else's."My chocolate milk tastes better to me than your soy milk"...If that is the case then how can anyone reasonably suggest that they would be better off with their belief as opposed to anyone else's?
O.K. Let's assume that there was a physical resurrection.
Just for the conversation's sake.......Let's do that.......
A physical resurrection. Let us take a good look at what this really means now shall we?A good place to that would be the Digha Nikaya sutta #22 of the Pali Canon Tipataka: The Maha- satipatthana sutta (The Great Frames of Reference.) …….
(4)“Furthermore…just as if a sack with openings at both ends were full of various kinds of grain-wheat, rice, mung beans, kidney beans, sesame seeds, husked rice-and a man with good eyesight, pouring it out were to reflect ‘This is wheat. This is rice. These are Mung beans. These are kidney beans. These are sesame seeds. This is husked rice,’ in the same way, monks, a monk reflects on this very body from the soles of the feet on up, from the crown of the head on down, surrounded by skin and full of various unclean things: In this body there are head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, tendons, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, large intestines, small intestines, gorge, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, skin-oil, saliva, mucus, fluid in the joints, urine.” – Venerable Gotama (Buddha)This is what the physical “victory over death” regarding the physical resurrection of Jesus represents.
According to Luke 24:51 all indications would suggest that all of this was taken with Jesus as he left for heaven…. “And it came to pass, when he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven”.However, whatever the crucifixion and resurrection might mean otherwise to some, regarding a “victory over death” this can only indicate a personal victory over death, and not one for the rest of humanity. Why? Let us take another look at the book of 1Cor.15: 23: But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at his coming.15: 24:then comes the end. When he hands over the kingdom to the God and father, when he has abolished all rule and all authority and power.15: 25:For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.15:26: “The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.” It is true that in the First Book Of Corinthians Ch.15:54, Paul quotes Isaiah 25:8: “Death has been swallowed up in victory” but lets look at this a bit closer shall we?1Cor.15:51: “Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed, 15:52: In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed.”1Cor.15:53: “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”1Cor.15:54: “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruptible and this mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory.” After this further on then we have 1Cor.15:57: “But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through the lord Jesus Christ.” Paul also quotes the prophet Hosea 13:14 at 1Cor.15:55 as Hosea seems to taunt death: “O death where is your victory O grave where is your sting?” Ha! Ha! Ha! Yeah that’s right! So where is that “bad ass” sting O Mac Daddy Death? Ha! Ha! Whew hue he he! Ha! Ha! Ha! … OPPS! Wait a minute! According to Paul, This is supposed to happen after the return of Jesus and the resurrection of humanity….. someday. Let us all make a careful note here of the fact that according to the First Book Of Corinthians unless Jesus has returned and has since won his “victory over death”, which would also mean of course that we have all missed that all important news flash, the victory being spoken about has yet someday to occur! When Christian evangelists discuss the victory over death topic and the First Book Of Corinthians this is what they are usually sure to ignore! I can understand how many may choose not to believe this…Fine! Check it out for yourself! There are those of course who will say “It does not matter, I believe I will go to paradise someday because I believe in Jesus, and that now is my victory over death!”Although people certainly have a right to believe whatever they wish, too bad for such that the First book of Corinthians Ch.15 would not seem to agree!Once we can acknowledge this, we can better understand the fact that the victory having yet to be won means that there is still an active spiritual war in progress.Think about it…can any of us who still live in this world today seriously doubt that fact?In case anyone is interested, The First Book of Corinthians was written by the apostle Paul at Ephesus, an ancient Greek city on the West coast Anatolia Greece, between 53-57 C.E.So just how can anyone regarding the presumed resurrection of Jesus, talk of a “victory over death”, when the disciple Paul discussing the second coming and return of Jesus tells us that the last enemy that will be destroyed is death? Does the Christian not read their own scripture?
If there is a distinction between victory over death and death being destroyed then what of 1 Cor.15:51-54? Has the last trumpet sounded? Have the dead been raised? How spiritually mature for the Christian to have such empathetic joy for what would seem the personal accomplishment of their savior! And what an accomplishment! From all present scriptural indications we can presume that Jesus is still wearing this physical body and all that goes with it after having been raised from the grave more than two thousand years ago! Thankfully, according to 1Cor.15: 42 -15:44 we can look forward to the Christian paradise as being something more than a 144,000 strong population of heavenly zombies, having been freshly brought forth from the grave. Remember that 1 Cor.15: 52 puts it pretty simply for them: in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. Their resurrection is (thankfully) the spiritual kind.
The Buddhist understanding of ………“Victory Over Death”
Before I get started with this I would like to point out a distinction between the Christian and Buddhist approach for “salvation”, something I believe to be very critical in such a discussion.Where as Christianity seeks to be subject to a God of whatever name might be to their choosing,to be rewarded or reprimanded as such said God deems desirable, Buddhism seeks to provoke by way of a methodical process one t wards a spiritual progression which culminates in one sharing consciousness and actual being with what is termed in monotheistic terms, “God”.“Samsara” and “Nibbana” are not a place but a process and cessation of that process.The whole purpose of Venerable Gotama’s teaching is what is referred to as “Nibbana”in Pali.(Sanskrit: Nirvana). Nibbana is often misinterpreted as some sort of “celestial suicide”, because the word is used in application to the extinguishment of fire. Actually because fire was thought to be in a state of “entrapment” when it burned, the “extinguishment” was actually considered a form of “unbinding”. The Venerable Gotama gives a very good illustrative example of this in
Samutarra Nikaya 12.64:
“Just as if there were a roofed house or a roofed hall having windows on the North, The South, or the East. When the sun rises, and a ray has entered by way of the window, where does it land?”
“On the Western wall lord.”
“And if there is no Western wall, where does it land?”
“On the ground, lord.”“And if there is no ground, where does it land?”
“ On the water lord.”“And if there is no water, where does it land?”
“It does not land, lord.”Notice that it does not say that with no place to land, the sunray ceases to exist.When the sunray “lands” in this analogy you have birth in “Samsara”, not a “place” really but a process of being identified or “binded” by ones circumstances as a consciousness of “this” or “that”.When you have such birth or becoming in the process of samsara it is because the consciousness has now become limited by its circumstance caused by attachment and grasping and is now defined by wherever it has “landed.”A true and lasting“ Victory over death”, is to therefore avoid this process.Lets look at Majjhima Nikaya # 72:“ Even so, Vaccha, any physical form by which one describing the Tathagata ( Pali:“One who has gone forth” a term used to describe a Buddha) would describe him:that the Tathagata has abandoned, its root destroyed… not destined for future arising (samsara).Freed from the classification of form (Samsara), ‘reappears’ does not apply. ‘does not reappear’ doesn’t apply. ‘both does and does not reappear’ doesn’t apply. ‘neither reappears nor does not reappear doesn’t apply.”In the Digha Nikaya sutta #22 The Maha – satipatthana Sutta The Venerable Gotama gives the formula for the methodical process as a sort of “road map- vehicle” approach with Vapassana as the roadmap and Jhana (concentration) meditation as the vehicle.
There are those who might say “ Well that’s a nice theory but what about the here and now?”The Anguttara Nikaya 3.55 has something for those who wonder about something more immediate...“Overwhelmed by desire anger and confusion one aims at ones own ruin, others ruin, at theruin of both, and one suffers much mental pain and frustration…If however, desire anger and confusion are eliminated, than one aims neither at ones own ruin,nor at others ruin, nor at the ruining of both, and one suffers neither any mental pain nor any frustration at all! Hence is Nibbana realizable right here and now, in this very lifetime, immediate, inviting, intriguing, and intelligible to each intelligence!Exactly in so far as anyone has made real the complete ceasing of all greed, hate and confusion,just in so far, to exactly that very degree- is Nibbana realizable, right here and now in this very life, immediate, inviting, instant, interesting and intelligible to each and every intelligent being.” If the issue of being born into the process of Samsara is resolved… then the issue of “victory over death” from that process has been well dealt with also.
There are those who might find topics such as mindfulness, meditation, contemplation etc., justa bit of hard work! Why do the hard work to find their own infinite potential for spiritual development when they can just take the name of some sort of deity (weather its officially called that or not) who presumably has risen from the grave as their Lord and savior, or perhaps if they “summit their will” to a name given to represent the “Lord of the universe” who we must as well summit to we are told, or else be punished and tortured for all of eternity for not doing so etcetera, etcetera…I exhort all to engage and embrace the challenge of learning new things and discovering their spiritual potential while still on this planet in their current physical form. What a truly precious opportunity we all have.There are those who say: “If I can’t see it, feel it, hear it, smell it or touch it… it doesn’t exist.”with all due respect to their approach, perhaps they have forgotten that science never would havemade much progress past the chiseling of the first wheel if they didn’t create tools like the magnifying glass, the microscope or the x ray machine to allow them to comprehend things that they would not normally otherwise be capable of comprehending.This is why meditation for the discovery of the spiritual self can be likened to a spiritual microscope. This is why it is such a useful tool for ones spiritual salvation, capable of unlocking ones own infinite spiritual potential. A victory over death … I am thankful that the Venerable Gotama (Buddha) both achieved that victory and showed others the path to do so as well.
After all, a spiritual victory by its own nature should concern that of the spiritual, termed by the First Book Of Corinthians the ‘imperishable’ not the ‘perishable’.
May you all be blessed with the best of all things spiritual.
Bhikkhu aggacitto
1. Harris, Stephen L., Understanding the Bible. Palo Alto: Mayfield. 1985.
If anyone would like to contact me regarding this article or anything else my e mail address is: rev.aggacitto7@gmail.com
NAMO TASSA BHAGAVATO ARAHATO SAMMASAMBUDDHASSA
NAMO TASSA BHAGAVATO ARAHATO SAMMASAMBUDDHASSA
Translation:May veneration be presented to the exalted one who is a Buddha and has achieved enlightenment by himself rightiously.
I have received comments about this article stating that I have taken Biblical scripture "out of context". This makes me laugh! Compare this article to any "Victory Over Death" type of article with a typical Christian perspective and you will see that I give much more complete scripture from the First Book Of Corinthians than anyone! I don't just allude to certain verses, I give them in their entirety. Any italics that I use emphasize the context. It says what it says, OK! This is the standard response from those who simply don't like hearing or reading something that goes contrary to their current beliefs. Either you have the courage to expand the perimeter's of your spiritual knowledge or you don't. Don't believe me? Do not take my word for it! Hit the web and compare! You will see that what I say is true! It is a sad thing that most Christians that I know will never have the guts to do just that! I wish them the very spiritual best!
A Victory Over Death
By
Bhikkhu aggacitto
All scripture quoted is either from the King James Version of the Christian Bible Or the Pali Canon Version of the Tipataka , the oldest known extant writing from the oraltradition of what the Venerable Gotama (Buddha) taught as Dhamma (teaching).
The other day I was having a conversation with a man who was eating an ice cream cone on the street, and he told me; “ Well my savior Jesus was raised from the dead after three days and “conquered death” where’s yours?” “I’ll tell you where… up in smoke!” “It was Jesus who achieved victory over death not the Buddha!” He then proceeded to lick the melted chocolate ice cream off of the silver cross that he was wearing. I have seen many similar things written and I believe this would be a fine time to have a discussion on the topic of just what conquering death means to both the Christian and the Buddhist.You see, the conquering of death to the Buddhist does not mean that a deity that we worship has been raised or has raised him/herself from the grave and that by believing in that deity as our spiritual savior we gain absolution for our moral misdeeds. Furthermore, as some of my Christian friends have pointed out, according to the Bible, the resurrection of Jesus was possibly a spiritual one: 1 Cor.15: 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised. 1 Cor. 15: 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. 1 Cor.15: 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body.15:44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body there is also a spiritual body. 15:45 So also it is written,” The first man Adam became a living soul. The last Adam became a life giving spirit. However most Christians with good overall scriptural justification, will contend that the resurrection of Jesus was a physical one. For this one need only look at: John: 20:27: Then saith he to Thomas, reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless but believing.
Now lets look at the four different gospel stories regarding the story of the resurrection:
1.Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James go to the tomb and find guards and boulder which move after earthquake. One flying angel on the boulder tells what happened.
Matt.28
2.Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome go to the tomb, find no guards or boulder and one young man in the tomb tells what happened. But women told no one.
Mark 16
3.Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Joanna, and some other women go to the tomb, and two men in the tomb tell what happened.
Luke 24
4.Mary goes to the tomb to find nothing, she then tells the disciples that someone stole the body so they go back and again find nothing. The disciples then leave and Jesus appears to tell Mary what happened.
John 20
I have been told that the resurrection of Jesus is one of the most if not the most important event in human history, so.....
why couldn't the four apostle's who wrote the four gospels get such an important story straight?
I've heard Christian's say... "The stories are complementary"!
Complementary?
How could the other three apostles not remember such a thing, or not think that a FLYING ANGEL OF GOD as something relevant to at least mention?
Contemporary scholars regard it as the earliest of the canonical gospels (c 70)1, so how reasonable is it that the apostle Mark forgot about a flying angel of God, or simply did not think it worthy to mention along with Luke and John who did the same as well?
Were not talking about a fender bender of a car accident where one person might say that the car that sped off was light blue but someone else might say no, it was dark blue.....
No, what we are talking about here is a FLYING ANGEL OF GOD for cripes sake!!!
So was it one man in the tomb or two?
As well there is a discrepancy between stories regarding whether Mary Magdalene went by herself of with others and if others , the different stories here seem to disagree on just whom and how many she went with. In John's version of events Mary goes alone.
Complementary do they say?
Would it be correct to say, that either the Bible is the unerring word of an unerring perfect God who inspired the writers of the Bible to write what was written or not ?
To put it simply, there are those of us who need something to believe in and who naturally are only looking for that when they seek to convince others of the same thing that they have chosen to believe.
I believe that it takes more courage, but that there are those of us who are true spiritual seekers and as such are willing to ask the hard questions and seriously consider the hard answers, whether it's what we have come to believe so far or not.
Should our ego decide our spiritual fate? Not where I'm standing!
If we choose our belief based on faith alone then one person's faith becomes just as valid as any one else's."My chocolate milk tastes better to me than your soy milk"...If that is the case then how can anyone reasonably suggest that they would be better off with their belief as opposed to anyone else's?
O.K. Let's assume that there was a physical resurrection.
Just for the conversation's sake.......Let's do that.......
A physical resurrection. Let us take a good look at what this really means now shall we?A good place to that would be the Digha Nikaya sutta #22 of the Pali Canon Tipataka: The Maha- satipatthana sutta (The Great Frames of Reference.) …….
(4)“Furthermore…just as if a sack with openings at both ends were full of various kinds of grain-wheat, rice, mung beans, kidney beans, sesame seeds, husked rice-and a man with good eyesight, pouring it out were to reflect ‘This is wheat. This is rice. These are Mung beans. These are kidney beans. These are sesame seeds. This is husked rice,’ in the same way, monks, a monk reflects on this very body from the soles of the feet on up, from the crown of the head on down, surrounded by skin and full of various unclean things: In this body there are head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, tendons, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, large intestines, small intestines, gorge, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, skin-oil, saliva, mucus, fluid in the joints, urine.” – Venerable Gotama (Buddha)This is what the physical “victory over death” regarding the physical resurrection of Jesus represents.
According to Luke 24:51 all indications would suggest that all of this was taken with Jesus as he left for heaven…. “And it came to pass, when he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven”.However, whatever the crucifixion and resurrection might mean otherwise to some, regarding a “victory over death” this can only indicate a personal victory over death, and not one for the rest of humanity. Why? Let us take another look at the book of 1Cor.15: 23: But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at his coming.15: 24:then comes the end. When he hands over the kingdom to the God and father, when he has abolished all rule and all authority and power.15: 25:For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.15:26: “The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.” It is true that in the First Book Of Corinthians Ch.15:54, Paul quotes Isaiah 25:8: “Death has been swallowed up in victory” but lets look at this a bit closer shall we?1Cor.15:51: “Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed, 15:52: In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed.”1Cor.15:53: “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”1Cor.15:54: “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruptible and this mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory.” After this further on then we have 1Cor.15:57: “But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through the lord Jesus Christ.” Paul also quotes the prophet Hosea 13:14 at 1Cor.15:55 as Hosea seems to taunt death: “O death where is your victory O grave where is your sting?” Ha! Ha! Ha! Yeah that’s right! So where is that “bad ass” sting O Mac Daddy Death? Ha! Ha! Whew hue he he! Ha! Ha! Ha! … OPPS! Wait a minute! According to Paul, This is supposed to happen after the return of Jesus and the resurrection of humanity….. someday. Let us all make a careful note here of the fact that according to the First Book Of Corinthians unless Jesus has returned and has since won his “victory over death”, which would also mean of course that we have all missed that all important news flash, the victory being spoken about has yet someday to occur! When Christian evangelists discuss the victory over death topic and the First Book Of Corinthians this is what they are usually sure to ignore! I can understand how many may choose not to believe this…Fine! Check it out for yourself! There are those of course who will say “It does not matter, I believe I will go to paradise someday because I believe in Jesus, and that now is my victory over death!”Although people certainly have a right to believe whatever they wish, too bad for such that the First book of Corinthians Ch.15 would not seem to agree!Once we can acknowledge this, we can better understand the fact that the victory having yet to be won means that there is still an active spiritual war in progress.Think about it…can any of us who still live in this world today seriously doubt that fact?In case anyone is interested, The First Book of Corinthians was written by the apostle Paul at Ephesus, an ancient Greek city on the West coast Anatolia Greece, between 53-57 C.E.So just how can anyone regarding the presumed resurrection of Jesus, talk of a “victory over death”, when the disciple Paul discussing the second coming and return of Jesus tells us that the last enemy that will be destroyed is death? Does the Christian not read their own scripture?
If there is a distinction between victory over death and death being destroyed then what of 1 Cor.15:51-54? Has the last trumpet sounded? Have the dead been raised? How spiritually mature for the Christian to have such empathetic joy for what would seem the personal accomplishment of their savior! And what an accomplishment! From all present scriptural indications we can presume that Jesus is still wearing this physical body and all that goes with it after having been raised from the grave more than two thousand years ago! Thankfully, according to 1Cor.15: 42 -15:44 we can look forward to the Christian paradise as being something more than a 144,000 strong population of heavenly zombies, having been freshly brought forth from the grave. Remember that 1 Cor.15: 52 puts it pretty simply for them: in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. Their resurrection is (thankfully) the spiritual kind.
The Buddhist understanding of ………“Victory Over Death”
Before I get started with this I would like to point out a distinction between the Christian and Buddhist approach for “salvation”, something I believe to be very critical in such a discussion.Where as Christianity seeks to be subject to a God of whatever name might be to their choosing,to be rewarded or reprimanded as such said God deems desirable, Buddhism seeks to provoke by way of a methodical process one t wards a spiritual progression which culminates in one sharing consciousness and actual being with what is termed in monotheistic terms, “God”.“Samsara” and “Nibbana” are not a place but a process and cessation of that process.The whole purpose of Venerable Gotama’s teaching is what is referred to as “Nibbana”in Pali.(Sanskrit: Nirvana). Nibbana is often misinterpreted as some sort of “celestial suicide”, because the word is used in application to the extinguishment of fire. Actually because fire was thought to be in a state of “entrapment” when it burned, the “extinguishment” was actually considered a form of “unbinding”. The Venerable Gotama gives a very good illustrative example of this in
Samutarra Nikaya 12.64:
“Just as if there were a roofed house or a roofed hall having windows on the North, The South, or the East. When the sun rises, and a ray has entered by way of the window, where does it land?”
“On the Western wall lord.”
“And if there is no Western wall, where does it land?”
“On the ground, lord.”“And if there is no ground, where does it land?”
“ On the water lord.”“And if there is no water, where does it land?”
“It does not land, lord.”Notice that it does not say that with no place to land, the sunray ceases to exist.When the sunray “lands” in this analogy you have birth in “Samsara”, not a “place” really but a process of being identified or “binded” by ones circumstances as a consciousness of “this” or “that”.When you have such birth or becoming in the process of samsara it is because the consciousness has now become limited by its circumstance caused by attachment and grasping and is now defined by wherever it has “landed.”A true and lasting“ Victory over death”, is to therefore avoid this process.Lets look at Majjhima Nikaya # 72:“ Even so, Vaccha, any physical form by which one describing the Tathagata ( Pali:“One who has gone forth” a term used to describe a Buddha) would describe him:that the Tathagata has abandoned, its root destroyed… not destined for future arising (samsara).Freed from the classification of form (Samsara), ‘reappears’ does not apply. ‘does not reappear’ doesn’t apply. ‘both does and does not reappear’ doesn’t apply. ‘neither reappears nor does not reappear doesn’t apply.”In the Digha Nikaya sutta #22 The Maha – satipatthana Sutta The Venerable Gotama gives the formula for the methodical process as a sort of “road map- vehicle” approach with Vapassana as the roadmap and Jhana (concentration) meditation as the vehicle.
There are those who might say “ Well that’s a nice theory but what about the here and now?”The Anguttara Nikaya 3.55 has something for those who wonder about something more immediate...“Overwhelmed by desire anger and confusion one aims at ones own ruin, others ruin, at theruin of both, and one suffers much mental pain and frustration…If however, desire anger and confusion are eliminated, than one aims neither at ones own ruin,nor at others ruin, nor at the ruining of both, and one suffers neither any mental pain nor any frustration at all! Hence is Nibbana realizable right here and now, in this very lifetime, immediate, inviting, intriguing, and intelligible to each intelligence!Exactly in so far as anyone has made real the complete ceasing of all greed, hate and confusion,just in so far, to exactly that very degree- is Nibbana realizable, right here and now in this very life, immediate, inviting, instant, interesting and intelligible to each and every intelligent being.” If the issue of being born into the process of Samsara is resolved… then the issue of “victory over death” from that process has been well dealt with also.
There are those who might find topics such as mindfulness, meditation, contemplation etc., justa bit of hard work! Why do the hard work to find their own infinite potential for spiritual development when they can just take the name of some sort of deity (weather its officially called that or not) who presumably has risen from the grave as their Lord and savior, or perhaps if they “summit their will” to a name given to represent the “Lord of the universe” who we must as well summit to we are told, or else be punished and tortured for all of eternity for not doing so etcetera, etcetera…I exhort all to engage and embrace the challenge of learning new things and discovering their spiritual potential while still on this planet in their current physical form. What a truly precious opportunity we all have.There are those who say: “If I can’t see it, feel it, hear it, smell it or touch it… it doesn’t exist.”with all due respect to their approach, perhaps they have forgotten that science never would havemade much progress past the chiseling of the first wheel if they didn’t create tools like the magnifying glass, the microscope or the x ray machine to allow them to comprehend things that they would not normally otherwise be capable of comprehending.This is why meditation for the discovery of the spiritual self can be likened to a spiritual microscope. This is why it is such a useful tool for ones spiritual salvation, capable of unlocking ones own infinite spiritual potential. A victory over death … I am thankful that the Venerable Gotama (Buddha) both achieved that victory and showed others the path to do so as well.
After all, a spiritual victory by its own nature should concern that of the spiritual, termed by the First Book Of Corinthians the ‘imperishable’ not the ‘perishable’.
May you all be blessed with the best of all things spiritual.
Bhikkhu aggacitto
1. Harris, Stephen L., Understanding the Bible. Palo Alto: Mayfield. 1985.
If anyone would like to contact me regarding this article or anything else my e mail address is: rev.aggacitto7@gmail.com
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