Are Buddhist and Hindu Scriptures Inaccurate?

[Skywalker]

I don't believe in sin. Christ (if he existed) is irrelevant to me.
But you're free to differ, but I hate to be the bringer of the bad news that there happen to be other religions besides Christianity on this planet. Not sure if you knew that.

If sin isn't real, why are there standards of right and wrong that apply to all people?

 

[Muffled]

Indeed the original Hindu texts have not been altered. Most are in Sanskrit, but there are a few in other more regional languages like Tamil. The problem comes about in the translations. Then they (by definition) have been altered. The BG, for example has at least 50 English translations, and another 100 at least into other languages. And those vary substantially.

I have the A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prahbhupada translation of the BG. I suspect that means a somewhat spiritually minded translator.

 

[Muffled]

I personally see God offers and never lures. But that is how I see it.

I do offer that, as all major Faiths are waiting for a promise in their scriptures to be fulfilled, then in the end, they find what they already Love, the attraction is inbuilt.

Regards Tony

I believe I love chocolate but it won't save me and can make me sick.

 

[Muffled]

Well, either you take one path and follow through, or analyse the paths and figure out which one makes sense.

I believe a lot of them make sense but will they take you where you want to go and is that place actually good for you.

 

[Vinayaka]

I have the A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prahbhupada translation of the BG. I suspect that means a somewhat spiritually minded translator.

That's the ISKCON translation, and by most Hindus other than from ISKCON, it's not considered very good. The translation is okay, but the commentary receives a lot of criticism. The translation by Eknath Eswaran is considered much better, by most Hindus. ISKCON, as a group, or school, is about the closest possible thing to Christianity of all schools. That's largely because the group consists of a lot of ex-Christians who retained their subconscious mind, and didn't want, or need to make a very large jump in paradigms. The Gita probably has over 50 English translations. For a non-Hindu, most likely any translation would give the reader a gist of it.

 

[firedragon]

I believe a lot of them make sense but will they take you where you want to go and is that place actually good for you.

Thats why there is a thing called "reason". One could try and use it. What you say?

 

[TransmutingSoul]

I believe I love chocolate but it won't save me and can make me sick.

A lot of Faith man has devised, does exaxtly the same thing.

Regards Tony

 

[Skywalker]

I don't believe in Christianity. Why do you keep preaching at me? This thread is about whether or not our Hindu and Buddhist scriptures are inaccurate. It has nothing to do with bible thumping. I will be out.

I don't think that Buddhist scriptures are accurate. While people desiring less would cause them to feel better, you don't need Buddha to know that. Desire & Suffering: Buddhism Vs Christianity | Reasons for Jesus

By Mike Shreve| Buddha’s main teaching focused on escape from suffering. When he claimed to experience Nirvana, one of the resulting insights was a concept labeled: “The Four Noble Truths.” These succinctly state that life is inevitably going to include suffering, and the cause of suffering is desire. To overcome suffering, therefore, we must overcome desire. This is accomplished through the “The Noble Eightfold Path”:

“The Noble Eightfold Path”

(1) Right Knowledge (2) Right Thought

(3) Right Speech (4) Right Conduct

(5) Right Livelihood (6) Right Effort

(7) Right Mindfulness (8) Right Meditation.

Is this true? Is this a correct appraisal of the solution to man’s dilemma? This list seems very convincing, but the interpretation of the words would be much different within a Christian worldview. For instance, “right meditation” for a Buddhist means emptying your mind of all thoughts while Christian meditation involves filling your mind with thoughts about truth as you ponder the mysteries of God’s Word. Buddhism teaches that the origin of suffering is ignorance, so the solution is a spiritual awakening of insights that empower us to rise above the suffering. Knowledge is power. But once again, “knowledge” in Buddhism differs greatly from “knowledge” in Christianity.

 

[metis]

I don't think that Buddhist scriptures are accurate. While people desiring less would cause them to feel better, you don't need Buddha to know that. Desire & Suffering: Buddhism Vs Christianity | Reasons for Jesus

That's a non-sequitur.

Also, what makes you believe the Bible is supposedly accurate but not the Tripitaka? Ever read the latter? Ever read the former objectively?

 

[Skywalker]

That's a non-sequitur.

Also, what makes you believe the Bible is supposedly accurate but not the Tripitaka? Ever read the latter? Ever read the former objectively?

The Bible's prophecies are coming true. Isaiah 5:20 says that what's wrong will be called right in the end times and what's right will be called wrong. Israel became a nation again in the 1940s.

 

[metis]

The Bible's prophecies are coming true. Isaiah 5:20 says that what's wrong will be called right in the end times and what's right will be called wrong. Israel became a nation again in the 1940s.

You didn't answer my question, but then I didn't expect you to.

 

[Vinayaka]

That's a non-sequitur.

Also, what makes you believe the Bible is supposedly accurate but not the Tripitaka? Ever read the latter? Ever read the former objectively?

To state that something is inaccurate without ever studying them is quite the leap of faith, lol.

 

[Vinayaka]

You didn't answer my question, but then I didn't expect you to.

Consider the source.

 

[metis]

Consider the source.

But the reality is it's what oh so many have been taught, and this is most common in fundamentalist churches nowadays. In Catholicism, were are now taught not to try and convert a member of another faith.

I teach adults who are seeking possible conversion into the Catholic Church, but right off the bat I tell them that it is not necessary for them to do that. And at no point is any other denomination or religion condemned or criticized, and this is an official Catholic teaching, btw.

It simply is not our role to judge.

 

[Vinayaka]

But the reality is it's what oh so many have been taught, and this is most common in fundamentalist churches nowadays. In Catholicism, were are now taught not to try and convert a member of another faith.

I teach adults who are seeking possible conversion into the Catholic Church, but right off the bat I tell them that it is not necessary for them to do that. And at no point is any other denomination or religion condemned or criticized, and this is an official Catholic teaching, btw.

It simply is not our role to judge.

A friend of mine, my old school's secretary, converted to Catholicism in adulthood.

 

[metis]

A friend of mine, my old school's secretary, converted to Catholicism in adulthood.

IMO, there are pros & cons in each and all religions.

BTW, I am currently reading the Upanishads.

 

[Secret Chief]

I don't think that Buddhist scriptures are accurate.

Do you mean accurate? As in an accurate record of his teachings?
I don't think you do. You seem to think it isn't insightful (fair enough) and then support this with a link to that same inaccurate Christian website. But that has no bearing on the issue of the accuracy or otherwise of Buddhist scriptures.

 

[Skywalker]

Do you mean accurate? As in an accurate record of his teachings?
I don't think you do. You seem to think it isn't insightful (fair enough) and then support this with a link to that same inaccurate Christian website. But that has no bearing on the issue of the accuracy or otherwise of Buddhist scriptures.

I don't doubt that the Buddhist scriptures are an accurate record of his teachings but I don't believe his teachings are true just because he says some truth. He said truth about desire but you could know that without Buddhism.

 

[Secret Chief]

I don't doubt that the Buddhist scriptures are an accurate record of his teachings but I don't believe his teachings are true just because he says some truth. He said truth about desire but you could know that without Buddhism.

I think we're in agreement then, regarding the question of the OP. I think the Tipitaka (if that's what we're on about) is likely to be a fair reflection of the words of the Buddha, although the Tipitaka is a vast body of work consisting of thousands of pages; originally it was memorised (because of the oral rather than written tradition) and passed down over a period of several hundred years before being written down.

 

[Skywalker]

I think we're in agreement then, regarding the question of the OP. I think the Tipitaka (if that's what we're on about) is likely to be a fair reflection of the words of the Buddha, although the Tipitaka is a vast body of work consisting of thousands of pages; originally it was memorised (because of the oral rather than written tradition) and passed down over a period of several hundred years before being written down.

The Tipitaka wasn't written by 66 different authors many years apart who didn't know each other with the consistent theme of God's love for his creation, redemption, and the sinful nature of human beings. I take the Bible seriously because it has prophecies that came true, like Israel becoming a nation again.