(May 8, 2014 at 3:30 pm)Leo34 Wrote:(May 8, 2014 at 1:04 am)BlackSwordsman Wrote: Okay, so for those of you whom are not aware of Buddhism, there are three main schools of philosophy.
School One: The world has always been. There is no beginning - Atheistic
School Two: a creator created the world - theistic
School Three: Complex school, this one believes that the world never had a beginning but is a continuing cycle of rebirth (life, death, restart) by that I don't mean reincarnation but the cycle of life. It is Atheistic.
I am in the Third School, sorry to bore you.
I was raised christain, I even did a bit of preaching at a church and small community where I lived. I was very very active, not extreme but active.
After events in my life, I started reading the bible, I mean really reading the bible and studying it! ALL OF IT. I hated what I read.
I am Bisexual (I look at it as being able to view things through both sides of the spectrum).
My brother in law is Gay, and I grew up hating gays, again family values. Now after much study and internal conflict with morals and such I realized god is a myth.
I remember finding this video and this guy from MY Christian school who turned atheist said, I wasn't able to find non-biblical sources for a jesus, he never existed. I could not believe it. It was right!
I lost my faith. I became an Atheist. but I was always facinated by the peaceful nature of Buddhists. My friend being from India introduced me to the idea.
I started studying buddhism, and became Buddhist. I don't believe in a god, or a creator. I believe in being "awake".
It simply means to find peace within yourself by being the best you can be.
Karma was tough to understand, reincarnation was tough too, but once I grasped it, it just made sense.
Reincarnation doesn't refer to one being "reborn" it refers to the effect you have on others, and the world around you when you pass. If you live a good life and are a good person you leave a positive effect on those whom you knew (karma: good)
So I am buddhist, I know some of my post do not reflect or show it, but Buddhist can cuss, we can be upset, and we are not perfect, we just try to be better and live better.
But again Buddhists for the most part are Atheists.
The main buddhists schools are theravada , mahayana and Tibet "buddhism " or tantric buddhism. The 3 schools as you defined it don't exists . Lol I don't think you really know about the subject. The school number 2 doesn't exist. The creator god idea is rejected in all buddhist schools. The goal of theravada is the arhat . To end the circles of rebirths without beginning. The goal of mahayana buddhism is the bodhisattva. To help others beings attain liberation. The Tibet buddism promise fast liberation with some complex rituals. You should study the teachings of early buddhism with the nikayas to know what buddhism is really about. The original buddhism doesn't exists. Theravadins claim to teach the original teachings of the Buddha but this school is in reality a evolution of early buddhism. Mahayana buddhism is the second corruption of the Buddha teachings and the Tibet buddhism is the biggest corruption of the Buddha teachings. I'm not a buddhist because I can't buy some of their doctrines without evidence . I have read the 4 nikayas and I find the early buddhism teachings interesting.
I believe Venerable Dhammananda, would beg to differ on the thoughts of origin.
Study is a key part in understanding Buddhism, I love that you have interest in it, keep in mind that there are more than just the views of few. Some view things differently. There are even Christian Buddhists though in my opinion it does contradict the Buddha's teaching but I thought I would throw reference to the thoughts anyway.
K. Sri Dhammananda
