well yes and no...I think the Abbott was simply telling this good , well-meaning and soul-saving Evangelical that you have your way of living and perspective , and we have ours .
Now go mind your own business! lol
Or to put it another way , the Buddhist was telling the Evangelical politely that it was nice of him to have this concern over the welfare of his "soul" , but he had things already pretty much under control.
Also dangling the "eternal" life bananna in front of a mature Buddhist Abbott , is no enticement at all . It would be the most supreme paradoxical thing for the Buddhist to be drawn to covet or envy such an enticement . Since envy, craving or the desire of appearing "holy" is not usually part of the regimen that Buddha taught and most reverend teachers today aspire to. Yes they have no reason to be at odds with the teachings of Jesus as it is , for it is the very same as the Dharma , or individual behavior that mirrors the higher principals and
laws that guide the cosmos , inside as well as out, and including ones relationship to his fellows , his village , region , nation , and society at large . All are underscored by this divine "order". In the case of the Buddhist substitute "harmony" with "divine".
Luke 17
"20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you."
The grace that Jesus i wonder , would he have had if he lived to be 84yrs old ? I have always wondered about this going out in a blaze of glory aspect of the crucifixion, and if it was as it was told , I think the Son of God could have done much more in the way of miracles by remaining amongst us to teach what it always and only takes many many years to really teach .
And the endless repitetions and preachings, and squablings amongst Christians & Islamists alike , for centuries upon centuries attest to this. And my God ,
do they fight & squabble |
