Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Buddhism Doesn't Believe in God?

The Western World says this is true but I don't really agree. Just because Buddhist Hierarchy doesn't agree with the western version of what God is doesn't really mean they don't believe in God. It just means their hierarchy of what happens when people pass on is somewhat different than the western version. So, it isn't so much that there isn't God it is that there is a very complicated hierarchy instead. And then just like with Christianity there are many versions of Buddhism. Just to start with there is Mahayana, Hinayana, and Theraveda Buddhism. And then you have to break it down from there almost by country after that. And each version is different enough from the other that in some ways the only thing they absolutely have in common is the 8 fold path of the end of suffering and the practice of Compassion upon all sentient life in the past, present and future both here and in the after life(s). After life's because in most versions of Buddhism reincarnation is a part of it.

I haven't studied all the forms of Buddhism. I was drawn to study with Tibetan Lamas in the 1980s starting in 1980 which really changed my life starting in Ashland, Oregon and later in Berkeley, California and around Santa Cruz, California and later in India and Nepal.

So, in Tibetan Buddhism there are 4 basic schools which are all Mahayana which means going to enlightenment together. It was explained to me as everyone getting on a Boeing 747 and flying across the Pacific ocean rather than going by oneself in a rowboat. It is my experience that often it is exactly like that. It has always been in my experience to be very efficient for obtaining enlightenment based upon compassion.

The basic schools of Tibetan Buddhism are: Gelukpa (Dalai Lama), Kagyu(Mila Repa and Marpa), Nyingma(Padmasambhava), and Sakya. Of these 4 lineages I have received empowerments and initiations into Gelukpa (by the Dalai Lama of Kalachakra in Bodhgaya, India along with 500,000 others from all over the world). I have received Phowa from the Kagyu Lineage and also White and Green Tara initiation and empowerment from several lineages as well as Medicine Buddha empowerment from several lineages. And I also received many other empowerments and initiations along the way from very powerful Lamas along the way including Dzogchen. And I also received Hayagriva and Dorje Drollo from Lama Gonpo from Tibet in the early 1980s. He later returned to Tibet and is a very powerful Nyingma Lama. The initiations were given across from UC Berkeley in a Church there to about 100 of us including my wife and children.

So, here is what I think about Buddhism in regard to whether they believe in God. In regard to this there is Vajrasattva and Nyema who are described as the God and Goddess of the physical universe. They would be considerd Yab Yum which might mean they are consorts but also would mean that they are the most powerful Buddhas in the physical universe encompassing all Galaxies and all time and space. So, this means everything physical that exists anywhere they are the Lords over. So, to me, I find great Satisfaction in Vajrasattva and Nyema who have vowed not to go beyond the physical universe until all beings become enlightened. So, that would mean trillions and quadrillions of infinite beings incarnated on infinite Galaxies and Nebula anywhere and anywhen in Time and Space. And, for me if this isn't believing in God I don't know what is. So, this makes me think that Christian Scholars mostly were just too overwhelmed by the Buddhist Hierarchies of Buddhas and angels throughout ALL time and space and maybe just gave up when talking to Christian cultures and said, "Oh. Buddhists don't believe in God." Or you could just say I'm one of the 25% of Buddhists in the world who believe in God. So, I see myself as  Mystical Christian Tibetan Buddhist. But, because most Christians don't believe Buddhists have God in their religion it has always been acceptable in our western Cultures to be Buddhist and Christian at the same time. Otherwise it would be sort of like saying You can't practice Hatha Yoga and still be a Christian. Or, you can't do accupuncture and still be a Christian. So, in the case of Buddhism you can practice Buddhist Philosophy and be a Christian simply because to Christians Buddhism isn't a religion because they don't believe that Buddhists believe in God. What do you think?

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