Buddha Dharma
Dharma Practitioner
I remember when I was watching a documentary on the life of DT Suzuki, who was not only a Buddhist, but an ecumenist.
A Catholic priest who had been a friend of Suzuki's made the statement on camera that Christianity and Buddhism agree on there being something awry in human nature. Obviously, he means original sin, as Christians are concerned.
What he's referring to about Buddhism is our view that ignorance misleads humanity. In Mahayana, this is ignorance to the fact of everything having one essential nature- an ignorance produced by the skandhas and false house of ego. This ignorance in turn produces the defilements of the base nature- like greed, anger, and hatred.
Buddhists practice virtues in order to purify the faculties of these poisons.
I did find it an interesting statement on that priest's part though, and it got me to thinking. Because I think Buddhists and Christians probably also agree that no person is capable of being perfect, because we all have the potential to do bad things. Christians should also ideally agree I think- that no one person or group of people can truly be blamed for evil in the world, which Buddhists tend to emphasize in our view of human nature.
What do you think friends? Is this an area where Christians and Buddhists agree, at least to some degree?
A Catholic priest who had been a friend of Suzuki's made the statement on camera that Christianity and Buddhism agree on there being something awry in human nature. Obviously, he means original sin, as Christians are concerned.
What he's referring to about Buddhism is our view that ignorance misleads humanity. In Mahayana, this is ignorance to the fact of everything having one essential nature- an ignorance produced by the skandhas and false house of ego. This ignorance in turn produces the defilements of the base nature- like greed, anger, and hatred.
Buddhists practice virtues in order to purify the faculties of these poisons.
I did find it an interesting statement on that priest's part though, and it got me to thinking. Because I think Buddhists and Christians probably also agree that no person is capable of being perfect, because we all have the potential to do bad things. Christians should also ideally agree I think- that no one person or group of people can truly be blamed for evil in the world, which Buddhists tend to emphasize in our view of human nature.
What do you think friends? Is this an area where Christians and Buddhists agree, at least to some degree?
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