Having a really hard time choosing between these: Logically I connect with Buddhism way more. I feel no contradictions or anything of the like in its core tenets - they all feel like incredibly natural points and follow one after the other based on the goal we are trying to achieve. I don't really have any gripes with nirvana because I don't think I'm going to get there in all honesty in this lifetime but if I can get one step closer then that's enough for me. It's practice feels like it produces a clear and immediate effect. It doesn't promise what it isn't. But I feel like I don't know something about Buddhism, like how can a philosophy be so perfect , I understand the diff branches and how weird it gets - but if you stay on Mahayana and stick to the basics / "solved buddhism" for the most common problems humans face - I haven't really encountered anything too weird. Christianity has a better culture in my opinion, advent , christmas, I love listening to christian conversations from Bishops/Priests and scholars. But the fundamental tenet of Jesus being God is riddled with holes imo - Jesus the man may have existed, but the degree to which the events were mythologized is probably sky high. I relate more to a monist emanationism - where Christ is essentially the holy spirit within the man Jesus (the mascot in some sense) and cultivating the holy spirit as much as possible. But this is heretical or highly confusing to the average christian / essentially I would be hiding my true feelings towards the issue. But there are mystics within christianity (like meister Eckhart) who saw the big picture that I more closely relate too so I feel some kinship/a sense that I can make it work. What should I do?
>>41502609>I connect with Buddhism way more. I feel stopped reading here, so you want something that suits you instead of seeking the truth.
>>41502631Buddhism is the truth. Christianity is yet another path of self-delusion.
>>41502609Try Sanatan Dharma
Why do you need a fuckin label? Wearing someone's symbol on your chest makes you a fool.
>>41502652I don't have the kind of Hubris to think I can pick and choose what I want and have it all work out nicely (quite frankly I'm a midwit - the boundaries are not going to be pushed by me). I don't mind following a tradition because it keeps the guardrails on, a clear sense of progression, etc
>>41502644>Buddhism is the truthI'm inclined to agree with you actually but why do you christianity is self delusion? feel free to elaborate
>>41502609There's truth in all religions, but it's usually hidden in the various mystical sects that don't get the limelight; what's popular is rarely correct. The real issue sounds to me like you still depend on external sources to do the thinking for you. Rather than seeking truth, you're seeking comfort and easy answers.>listening to Bishops and scholars instead of formulating your own opinions based on research, logic, and personal experience >not trusting your gut on what feels right and asking a basket weaving forum to choose for you >lack of confidence in your own ability to achieve illumination and falling back on the "maybe next lifetime" excuseMy advice is to sit alone and start looking inward. You have mental and emotional blocks that need sorted out before you worry about Nirvana.>>41502727I recommend studying the history of Christianity and looking for holes or things that don't add up. It shouldn't be too hard, it's filled with them.
It sounds like you don't really like christianity OP. It sounds like you like the cultural bells and whistles surrounding it. You sound like more of an individual than the average christian congregation would like to have around.You could probably look at Jesus as someone who achieved the things you wish to achieve from Buddhism and follow his example to an extent, but it's like you said; christians will treat you as a heretic and you won't really get to enjoy a lot of what chistianity has to offer. You're better off pursuing Buddhism, or really any left-hand path spirituality.
>>41503032>My advice is to sit alone and start looking inward. You have mental and emotional blocks that need sorted out before you worry about Nirvana.wise words anons , thank you , not bad for a basket weaving forum
>>41503313I wouldn't advise OP to go down the left hand path if he doesn't even know what the right hand stuff is. Middle pillar is ideal, but he seems to like the rather bland conformity in both systems he mentions. Something right-handed is better; more devotional with little thinking is better for such his quality of mind and temperament. Just sticking to a rote, traditional, simple system is all anyone really needs. Saints used to reach enlightenment by just saying one prayer over and over all day long for decades until their mind broke open to the Infinite. OP, if you choose either system here is what I recommend reading:>Christian:"Praktikos" by Evagrius Ponticus>Buddhist:"A Talk on the Practice of Zazen" by Dogen
I see nothing to worry about. I acknowledge there are people who don't follow my ideological beliefs (currently or at the time) who are cool-you can just play along. It's not the internet, who wants to argue about it? I've read occult books merely because it was a fun read. I acknowledge they're fun reads. What if I decide to believe in them? I'll do that. But this illustrates that such options exist.
>>41502609If you want to stay a jnani and deal on an intellectual level and be limited to -1 existence, or 0 existence - then stay with Buddhism.If you can transcend logic and the limitations of human understanding and get the revelatory help of the divine to get to eternal +1 existence, lean more into Christianity.
Christianity is goyslop. Their salvation way is complete nonsense. They're trying to lure you with an eternal paradise, but what's eternity? Any pleasure is temporary, and when it is constantly you perceive it as a naturalness, which completely deprives you of any pleasure and leaves nothing but torture with eternal boredom. Your paradise will quickly become your prison. Nirvana is a real salvation
>>41502609>A practice that can enormously reduce suffering in this lifetime and reasonably claims to solve the problems of an actually plausible afterlife scenario.vs>Worship a rabbi or go to hell. Follow beliefs that were designed for dark-age political regime using comically unrealistic afterlife threats.Hmm, tough choice
I appreciate everyone's input - I'm going to go with my gut and lean into buddhism
>>41507188there is no pleasure in heaven, only joy.
>>41502609I'm going to assume you have a surface level normie tier view on both subjects, so how about you explore deeper and gain more knowledge motherfucker
>>41502609Very few westerners who are interested in Buddhism actually convert in the end, if you live in the west you will have an easier time finding Christian groups, even if it's the more esoteric or mystical kind.
>>41510259>looks at the suffering in Christian nations>looks at the suffering in Buddhist nationsChristianity is a clear winner.
>>41512429>comparing countries as a wholeDoesn't work because white countries are all Christian, which is why they are all zogged and dying. You also forgot to look at suffering in black and brown Christian countries, which is where 80% of Christianity is. Miserable.Look at the actual serious practitioners. Buddhism wins handily.
>>41502609If you discard the midwit stuff in Christianity and learn about the esoteric and mystical, you'll find that it aligns more with the inner truth of Buddhism and most other religions.
>christianitybasically gaslighting yourself to worship a bunch of jewsforce for massive guilt, shame and suffering throughout the world. every christian country or vassal country is required to have a rothschild central bank
>>41513251>If you discard the midwit stuff in ChristianityIf everyone around you is a midwit and only praises the midwit stuff , you're probably gonna have to lie and keep parts of yourself hidden which is a mental weight for no reason. Combine that with the fact that the mystical / esoteric changes the very idea of Jesus, would you really even be following the same thing at that point?
>>41502609Check out McGinn's anthology "The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism".
>>41502609I mean, what do you want to learn? I find Theravada (and related branches) more reliable but you'll have to read a bunch of suttas for a good time to get a real impression.
>>41502609I mean, what do you want to learn? I find Theravada (and related branches) more reliable but you'll have to read a bunch of suttas for a good time to get a real impression. Same for anything really.
>>41513251Everything I've read about big-brained Christianity is that if you read the saints who dedicated their lives to understanding what Jesus actually meant and interpret everything in the best most generous way possible, you end up with a few scraps of entry level Buddhism.
