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1. If there is no personal God, and if one can attain nirvana only as a result of the destruction of thirst (tanha) / desire, therefore the destruction of attachment, therefore the destruction of existence--from whence, do you suppose, did personality (or even the sense of personality) ever come? Exactly what is it, and where does it go when one ceases to exist?
Personality comes naturally/what influences you in life. "God" has no play in it.
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2. Without a personal God, on what basis can there ever exist any human moral standard or ethic--and therefore, in what sense do you mean for us to understand the terms noble and truth, i.e. The Four Noble Truths, or the term right in the eight-fold path of right views, resolve, speech, conduct, occupation, efforts, awareness, and meditation?
You really didn't read, did you?
Human moral standards and ethics don't have to come from a Bible. Buddha's teachings are remarkably similar to those of Jesus in terms of charity, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, etc...
Buddha did not mean for us to understand anything of what he said in terms of what he wanted us to do. All he wanted us to do was to make our own intelligent and though-out understanding of his teachings. This si what he aid on hsi death bed:
"Now, don´t believe my words because a Buddha told you, but examine them well. Be a light onto yourselves."
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3. If your teaching, which came on the scene in the sixth century B.C., alone represents truth and liberation--what provision was there for the millions who lived previous to the advent of your enlightenment and teaching? Why do you suppose that you, of all humankind, were the one to come on this insight when you did?
The exact same could be said for Christianity.
Buddha attempted to reform Hinduism, and the two are very similar if you had done any in depth research. Many Brahmin Caste Hindus fiercely defended Hinduism and attempted to discredit Buddhism. Eventually, like many other religions, Buddhism came about because of a failed reformation of a previous religion.
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4. If, as you are reported to have said, nirvana is "beyond...good and evil", then, in the ultimate sense, there is really no difference between Hitler and Mother Theresa, or between helping an old lady across the street and running her down--correct?
Nice spin.
Nirvana is beyond good and evil in the sense that all souls have the ability to be freed from the endless cycle. Some can do so faster than others.
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5. Thich Nhat Hanh, bodhisattva (holy man) and author of Living Buddha, Living Christ © 1995 by Riverhead Books, attempts to homogenize Buddhism and Christianity. Though you never knew of Jesus Christ, it would seem that you too might suggest that one could conceivably be a "Christian Buddhist". Yet how could that ever be possible given Christianity's categorical differences with Buddhism on matters like the nature of sin, reincarnation, and salvation--to name just a few. Jesus claimed to be the Truth. The Christian Scripture says that "there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12
I reference you to fatbasturd's posts and link to the Jesus in the Himalayas site. If you really took the time to get your head out of your ass, you would see that Christianity and Buddhism share many similarities. Many Buddhists also see Jesus as a Bodhisattva.
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6. How do you feel about the many variations of your teaching that have evolved down through the years? Please comment on Theravada (38%), Mahayana (56%), Tantrism or Vajranaya, Tibetan (6%; Dalai Lama), and Zen Buddhism?
He would not doubt be pissed off, as would Abraham, Jesus and Muhammad if they had seen what has become of their religions.
Logically, there should be no sects or even religion of Buddhism, since Buddha told everyone to be a light unto themselves. That is what seperates me from other Buddhists. I have maintained one of Buddha's most important and central teachings. You on the other hand, I think Jesus would like to have a good talk with you...
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7. Chuck Stanford says: "Like cloudy water, our minds are basically pure and clear, but sometimes they become cloudy from the storms of discursive thoughts. Just like water, if we let our minds sit undisturbed the mud and muck will eventually settle to the bottom. Once this happens we can begin to get in touch with our basic goodness. It is through this basic goodness that the Buddha discovered that we can lead sane lives." But, Mr. Gautama, what if you are wrong about our being basically good? The Bible says that we're conceived in sin. What if there is a personal God to whom we will all one day answer? What if your enlightenment (awakening) was really only a dream?
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But, Mr. Gautama, what if you are wrong about our being basically good? The Bible says that we're conceived in sin.
That is a difference in teaching. However, you neglect to mention about karma being accrued in a previous life, and how it affects us in this life. We are basically good, but have to carry the burden of karma, which is the same thing as: "what goes around comes around".
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What if there is a personal God to whom we will all one day answer? What if your enlightenment (awakening) was really only a dream?
And what if your wrong and he's right? This is a rather hypothetical question that has no right or wrong answer. Hell, he could be wrong, but I won't know unless I try.
It's a lot better than assuming that yours is right and everyone else's is wrong...
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8. Scene from 'Beyond Rangoon'In the film Beyond Rangoon Laura's guide says that the (Buddhist) Burmese expect suffering, not happiness. When happiness comes, it is to be enjoyed as a gift, but with the awareness that it will soon certainly pass. If the ultimate Buddhist hope is to just leave the present wheel of birth and rebirth and enter into the ineffable bliss of Nirvana, where is the motivation to do good, and to actively oppose injustice, in this present life?
The answer is staring you in the face, and yet you cannot see it.
To be good and oppose injustice and to help those less fortunate will help you acquire good karma, which will help to make your next life a better one. Also, you can begin to understand and discover how the world works.
You do all of this and more in hopes of achieving ultimate freedom and liberty. Wanting to achieve Nirvana is the motivation to make you live a good, honest, just, charitable life. I can't believe you couldn't see that.
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9. How do we reconcile the Dalai Lama's observation that "Every human being has the potential to create happiness", with your own teaching that suffering is caused by desire? If one sets out to resist desire, why would one ever then entertain the desire for happiness, and thus work to create it?
Desire for material goods=suffering. It is an endless cycle that can never truly satisfy you. It is not so much resisting desire, but achieving freedom from desire. Happiness can come in many forms, many of which are non-materialistic. You're trying to make it sound like Buddhists abhor happiness, which is complete and utter bullcrap.
I must say though, you're a pretty good spin doctor and you're pretty good at leaving out key bits of information.
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10.
Personal Trivia: Did you really sit under that bo tree for seven full days--without ever eating any figs? Did your remarkably sensitive, compassionate, nature come more from your mother or father? How did your son, left to grow up without a father, feel about your "Great Renunciation"?
You know, given your earlier post about the eightfold path, the four noble truths and such, I can't remember if you posted anything about the Four Sights of Siddhartha Gautama. His remarkably sensitive, compassionate nature came from the Four Sights he encountered on a trip trhough his city. He began to set out on a mission to free humanity from suffering. Also, it couldn't have been his mother, since she died shortly after his birth.
His son would have been proud of his father for achieving Nirvana, since no doubt the son of the Buddha would have been raised with Buddhist teachings.
I myself doubt that Buddha sat under that tree for seven days without eating any figs, since that would contradict the idea of the Middle-Path. It was probably written in by a Buddhist monk to glorify the Buddha.
I would like to note, that there are far too few grammatical errors and the punctuation si pretty good, which you obviously copied and pasted this information.
Is it at all possible for you to say your own intelligent words and thoughts?
CKA Uber 
