How does buddhism explain creation?

Actually its philosophy that deals with "why" questions ..... so turning to science may not be so helpful in that regard since it doesn't have a rigorous philosophical component.

If by "why" you mean "how" (ex. why is the sky blue?) then you are quite incorrect. If by "why" you mean "intent" (ex. why did he do that?) then you are also incorrect as science can uncover reasons for behavior. What science cannot do is answer questions of intent which are incoherent (ex. applying intent to a rainy day or the questions in this thread).
 
If by "why" you mean "how" (ex. why is the sky blue?) then you are quite incorrect. If by "why" you mean "intent" (ex. why did he do that?) then you are also incorrect as science can uncover reasons for behavior. What science cannot do is answer questions of intent which are incoherent (ex. applying intent to a rainy day or the questions in this thread).


If you think "why" q's are covered by "how" q's you are quite incorrect.

For instance "why did you come to my house?" is not really answered by "Because I caught the train".

The only reason that the q "why is the sky blue?" or "why is today rainy" become incoherent is because the personalities and primary forces involved are beyond the purview of the paradigm.
 
If you think "why" q's are covered by "how" q's you are quite incorrect.

If that were so I wouldn't be able to answer "why is the sky blue" and yet I can,

For instance "why did you come to my house?" is not really answered by "Because I caught the train".

That's a question of intent and not a question of how a person traveled. Science can answer those but as you hopefully realize there are more variables with intent.

The only reason that the q "why is the sky blue?" or "why is today rainy" become incoherent is because the personalities and primary forces involved are beyond the purview of the paradigm.

Those example questions are only incoherent if they are questions of intent. If they are really how q's then they are perfectly answerable.
 
If that were so I wouldn't be able to answer "why is the sky blue" and yet I can,
not in a way that "how is the sky blue?" doesn't cover.


That's a question of intent and not a question of how a person traveled. Science can answer those but as you hopefully realize there are more variables with intent.
hence the suggestion that "why" q's pack something that "how" q's don't



Those example questions are only incoherent if they are questions of intent. If they are really how q's then they are perfectly answerable.
My point is that if one has no scope the presence of intention (or in philosophical language, teleology) for whatever reason, they're probably better off sticking to "how" q's.
 
Wrong. It is impossible for it to be neither. Either Buddhism has an explanation how/why the self/universe was created or it doesn't. There is no neither.


Your personal experience of self is brought into existence as a misunderstanding arising from ignorance.
So Buddhism claims that our physical experience was caused by a misunderstanding? How/why? What is that supposed to mean?


how = ignorance. why = irrelevant since you already are.
It is impossible for "why" to be irrelevant. Relevance requires a subject matter in order for something to be relevant to. The subject matter itself cannot be irrelevant to the subject matter.


Turning to religion for truth doesn't work because religion has nothing to do with it. The answers to your questions are likely found in science.
WTF? Science is going to answer my question about whether or not BUDDHISM has an explanation for creation? I don't think so.


Buddha taught a path to a goal...called the eightfold path to enlightenment.

Enlightenment, as explained in Buddha's doctrine of dependent origination, means the end of attachment to the material world, and therefore the end of rebirth into this world after death.

Its basis is the firm affirmation of a spiritual dimension.

Its amazing to me how modern westerners who dont know squat about Buddhism try to project their own materialistic hedonism unto Buddha...as if he was some kind of Asian hippie who wanted everybody to 'do their own thing'!

None of these people would last even a week in a real Buddhist monastery.
You seem to know a bit more than most of the people around here. So the path of the self is the end of attachment to the material world. But there seems to be no description(within BUDDHISM) about how/why the self/material world came into being.
 
I don't know much about Buddahism, but it sounds like it doesn't have an answer, from what everyone is saying.

It's not an important question in Buddhism. I'll agree with the statement that our creation may not be a question worth trying to answer in our lifetime.
 
not in a way that "how is the sky blue?" doesn't cover.

Correct. If we turn "why is the sky blue" into a question of intent; however, then it becomes incoherent (i.e. it's a stupid question).


hence the suggestion that "why" q's pack something that "how" q's don't

They pack context... it's a switch between how and intent. Intent questions when applied to life forms that exist are complex how questions when you break them down. Intent questions when applied to life forms that don't exist or things that arent life forms are incoherent.


My point is that if one has no scope the presence of intention (or in philosophical language, teleology) for whatever reason, they're probably better off sticking to "how" q's.

I think we're in agreement *scared*. At the same time a ridiculous amount of philosophical questions are ones of intent applied to things that don't have intent.
 
The foundation of buddhism is: Anatta (no inherant nature, lit. no soul), anicca (imperminance) and dukkha (dissatisfaction) but its ok, most buddhists don't get it.

The eight fold path is based on sila (moral compassion), pranna (insightful wisdom) and samadhi (focused attention).

If you find "the firm affirmation of a spiritual dimension" in that, then your definition of "spiritual" works for me.

Anything which contradicts these six basic core concepts is just to get bodies in the pews so the priests can keep busy.

I do know I'd last a week, but so what? Being a monk isn't anything special. Not being a monk isn't anything special either.
Hi,

firstly, this is my first post (yay!),

I got some questions about Buddhism.
I agree with most of the teachings, though I don't understand this part.

Anatta, and moral compassion. WIth Anatta descriptions as no soul, I'm assuming the main foundation of this teaching is something like "Everything is nothing, and Nothing is everything".

I understand why Pranna, and Samadhi, but why moral compassion? I'm assuming Pranna and Samadhi is something that have to do with one's self, (self search, and enlightment), which is why i can understand, as these 2 have something in common. however, moral compassion is an act / acts that implicate others. I'm not saying the result of Pranna and Samadhi won't implicate others, but Pranna and Samadhi seems to implicate others via one's self search.

I never really study about Buddhism, so it's probably why the question.
 
I think we're in agreement *scared*. At the same time a ridiculous amount of philosophical questions are ones of intent applied to things that don't have intent.
The only reason one would not place any issues of intent with things like the sky is if one is working out of an understanding that such things are not inherently linked to any willed entity.

Kind of like the host of issues of intent that surround a car only come to bear when the owner is present (compare accidentally bumping into an empty car compared to one with a driver inside)
 
The beginning and ending of the cycles is to achieve the ability to come and go from the material world at will without causing pain. In another word to be able to enjoy a physical body at will and without suffering or pain. You live in a bigger place than you think with many more life forms than you can imagine and if you think you know something about time sharing then think about body sharing. Just a thought or perhaps a vision.
 
Wrong. It is impossible for it to be neither. Either Buddhism has an explanation how/why the self/universe was created or it doesn't. There is no neither.

And yet it is neither. When you understand neither, then you'll understand Buddhism a bit, or not.

So Buddhism claims that our physical experience was caused by a misunderstanding? How/why? What is that supposed to mean?

It doesn't really matter. Seriously. What is more important is learning how to be moral and compassionate, insightful and wise and to be able to focus your mind and pay attention.
 
firstly, this is my first post (yay!)
19 more and you suddenly become real... ;)

I don't understand this part.

Don't sweat it. The stuff you need to understand is interlocking. As you get one part the other parts fall into place as well. The rest is just a lot of fluff and filler.

Anatta, and moral compassion. WIth Anatta descriptions as no soul, I'm assuming the main foundation of this teaching is something like "Everything is nothing, and Nothing is everything".

Actually it is compounded objects (like you) have no inherant nature. Everthing about you comes from your composition, your organization and your history and interactions with your environment. There is no inherant or indestructible you (soul) which preexists this or survives it.

I understand why Pranna, and Samadhi, but why moral compassion?

Because the three (sila, pranna and samadhi) form an interlocking whole.

Its like sex. You can work on your technique. You can practice, practice, practice. You can study all there is to know, get a PhD.

But until you are having sex with some one, you are still just beating off.

Moral compassion for others is what keeps Buddhism from being "just beating off."
 
They just aren't relevant.

Its not relevant. You don't need to know any of that to achieve enlightenment and it is a powerful distraction.

I understand why Buddhism tries to avoid these questions, as we don't have any definite answer.

However, is it not true, that Who we are now is a result of our past, and what we do now will determined our future?

After all, from the

Actually it is compounded objects (like you) have no inherant nature. Everthing about you comes from your composition, your organization and your history and interactions with your environment. There is no inherant or indestructible you (soul) which preexists this or survives it.

we are who we are now as a result of our interactions, and such with environment in the past.

What if what I want to do NOW is actually to try and find answers to those questions? I believe, understanding why and how who we are now is crucial in our development.

Why is that car moving? or how is that car moving? which leads to possibly something bigger than cars, Why and How does the universe created? (though assuming that time travel is possible in the future, these two questions possibly not gonna be answered, and leave us with speculations, and thoughts)


Because the three (sila, pranna and samadhi) form an interlocking whole.

Its like sex. You can work on your technique. You can practice, practice, practice. You can study all there is to know, get a PhD.

But until you are having sex with some one, you are still just beating off.

Moral compassion for others is what keeps Buddhism from being "just beating off."

Is it correct if i say, the moral compassion is a result of the other two? appreciation of things, no matter how small or big, live or dead? kinda like a realization?
 
However, is it not true, that Who we are now is a result of our past, and what we do now will determined our future?

If you are bleeding to death in a car wreck that just caught fire, does it really matter what route you drove there by?

Is it correct if i say, the moral compassion is a result of the other two?

They are interlocking and interdependent.
 
So basically, Buddhism claims "how or why physical reality was created" is not only unanswerable, but also irrelevant?

And "what created human life, how, or why" is also unanswerable/irrelevant?
Therefore, no man can know? Or if any man could know, it would be irrelevant if he did know or not?

Thus one should pursue wisdom, but not irrelevant wisdom such as understanding how/why physical reality was created including human life?

Buddhism works best in a small village. a village with very little knowledge of outsiders and it would be a young village in that the village has not matured. maturation in terms of multiple generations. as far as i can tell a Buddhist has to believe in creation.
 
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