East and West
While exchanging the comments with formidable Theologian Irishanglican DPh ThD and others,
Stark contrast of, probably the best Epitome of the East and West emerged.
Christianity was based on the universality of the pain on the body and the Emotion.
As all the human has evolved from the single ancestor, all the physical system, brain, naval system,
function of hormone etc are all virtually identical.
And the upper system constructed on it, the Instinct, Emotion, most of the structure and function
and the tendency of the Subconscious is more-or-less the same to each other, in any race.
So that the depiction of the crucified Jesus and his pain strikes the Emotion straight, together with
the fear of death. On top of this, yet another Emotional topic of the Love appeals to anybody too.
Even it based on the instinctive fear though, to be as an attractive Religion it is necessary to have
an exit, Salvation and the Heaven.
——————–
In contrast, the Eastern Philosophies are based on the Notion of Supreme Power who controls
the fate of the individual, therefore leaving the matters of inequality,—– one may feel pain but
not others and accept the trouble of the life as an individually given fate or Karma.
Then went to find the solution in the mechanism of the Psyche —– to over come the trouble
by shifting the way to see the trouble, and the way to control the Emotion, by proposing
ideal personality and his life style.
The beauty of the Buddhism is, as they found the most effective way to deal with the troubles by
the technique of the Selflessness, which is effectively cut off the Emotion and its detrimental
effect to the life.
——————–
In short, The Christianity after Jesus is based on the universality of the Emotion,
In contrast the Buddhism is based on how to detach from the Emotion.
I have a D. Phil., and Th.D., but not the Ph.D. My doctorates are English. But that means nothing before God, they are human elements.
Indeed, the comparison by our Buddhist friend are simply his own (or Buddhist), they do not resonant with my own, or both the Scripture and the Churches definitions. Emotion is part of life, and in this life the only real detachment, is the life of another…”Christ in you, the hope of glory (or glorification).” (Col. 1:27, St. Paul)
Peace of Christ,
Fr. Robert +
This will be my last post here. But thank you.
Thank you Irishanglican
As I stated in the early post, this is the DIY approach to the Zen.
So that, those post may not even be a common Buddhist view.
I know Master Dogen would have horrified my view.
As I depicted the figure of Buddha in the shape of a skeleton, and
wrote somewhere ” without fat”
I don’t need to follow the formal elabolated view or so-called tradition
or the prescription of the establishment.
What I need is to find the critical core, the hidden principal of the human Psyche
by which the religion operates.
Yoshizen
(That “critical core, the hidden principal of the human Psyche” is Christ Jesus for us Christians. And herein is LOVE, between persons, His and ours. Also here is our fire and light!
Best Yoshizen!
Fr. R.
To Irishanglican
It is a very sharp insight.
The truth is not on the pretty decoration.
But all ways deep bottom inside.
As a sun of Priest I could have ordained with a process of formality in one year.
In stead I spend 30 years to search the core.
We might be the two bumped in the field.
Nam Rob
Yoshizen
Yoshizen,
I too was in ‘the Nam’..I was on loan to the 3rd Force Recon, out of Phu Bai (’68), though I saw little time there, since with CAP’s also. Yes, there was nothing like the Nam!
*That was with the USMC, I was a Royal Marine on loan
Oops, sorry I’ve caused confusion.
Nam is not Vietnam, it is a Buddhist equivalent of Haleluya.
To use such as, ” Nam Amitaba-Buddha”
———-
One of the contributor of the comments here (such as at “Selflessness
and Detachment “—— contoveros.wordpress.com seemed to be there.
As he is practicing Zen and having profound insight to the human life
I recommend you to see his blog and exchange the opinion.
Its worthwhile to click.
Yoshizen