Pure Land Buddhism - anyone?
Anyone here with an interest in Pure Land Buddhism...aka Shin Buddhism?
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Back again, continuing. Recently on another forum I was in debate with yet another "committed Christian". The usual stuff, that all "non-christians" were to be "tormented by demons" eternally. His words. To be honest, I'm sick of it. The guy said that he never knew any "buddha people". No, maybe he didn't.
I've had the fortune to know some in my travels who welcomed me and one "buddha person" on a train once in Myanmar (then Burma) actually shared what little food he had with me, saying he would not eat himself unless I shared it.
In Japan, the home of Pure Land Buddhism, they do not worship the Christian God, but speak of oya sama. A explanation of this term, this is D.T.Suzuki:-
we believe in Amida Buddha as our Oya-sama, or Oya-san, as it is sometimes called. It is the term used to express love and compassion. Oya means parent, but not either parent, rather both mother and father; not separate personalities, but both fatherly and motherly qualities united in one personality. The honorific san is the familiar form of sama. The latter, Oya-sama, is the standard form. In Christianity, God is addressed as the Father - "Our father who art in Heaven" - but Oya-sama is not in Heaven, nor is Oya-sama Father. It is incorrect to say "he" or "she," for no gender distinction is found. I don't like to say "it," so I don't know what to say. Oya-sama is a unique word, deeply endearing and at the same time rich with religious significance and warmth.
Whatever is thought of that, for much of Christian history the main idea is of " the heathen who bow down to wood and stone" (as a well known hymn has it)
Let "the heathen" speak for themselves, in the Vedas for instance, written prior to some of the Old Testament. In speaking of the ultimate, this:- Thou art formless. Your only form is our knowledge of You.
Wood and stone!
One can only speak of arrogance and ignorance when reading some of the posts here by so called "christians" speaking of the "only truth"...i.e. Theirs.
Well, enough for now.
I've had the fortune to know some in my travels who welcomed me and one "buddha person" on a train once in Myanmar (then Burma) actually shared what little food he had with me, saying he would not eat himself unless I shared it.
In Japan, the home of Pure Land Buddhism, they do not worship the Christian God, but speak of oya sama. A explanation of this term, this is D.T.Suzuki:-
we believe in Amida Buddha as our Oya-sama, or Oya-san, as it is sometimes called. It is the term used to express love and compassion. Oya means parent, but not either parent, rather both mother and father; not separate personalities, but both fatherly and motherly qualities united in one personality. The honorific san is the familiar form of sama. The latter, Oya-sama, is the standard form. In Christianity, God is addressed as the Father - "Our father who art in Heaven" - but Oya-sama is not in Heaven, nor is Oya-sama Father. It is incorrect to say "he" or "she," for no gender distinction is found. I don't like to say "it," so I don't know what to say. Oya-sama is a unique word, deeply endearing and at the same time rich with religious significance and warmth.
Whatever is thought of that, for much of Christian history the main idea is of " the heathen who bow down to wood and stone" (as a well known hymn has it)
Let "the heathen" speak for themselves, in the Vedas for instance, written prior to some of the Old Testament. In speaking of the ultimate, this:- Thou art formless. Your only form is our knowledge of You.
Wood and stone!
One can only speak of arrogance and ignorance when reading some of the posts here by so called "christians" speaking of the "only truth"...i.e. Theirs.
Well, enough for now.