Expert: Laurie McLauglin - 10/11/2009

Question
how are you Laurie,
sorry, i am not sure if you would like to discuss these question, my entire family with relative have worship Buddha since our grand-grandfather , we believe Buddha as a true god that can bring us peace and life now and even after dead .however, some horrible things happen between 1985-2007,it turn out we have to figure it out what is Buddha ? is he God or just a man ?

before I tell you what happened, would you mind tell me what made you commit you life to Buddha forever ?

do you believe devil , ghost , can pretend gods deceive us   ?

have you ever thought who made our life and everything ?

thank  

Answer
Hello

Thank you for letting me answer your question.

I chose to take refuge in Buddha because his teachings gave me a path I could follow to become a better person. There are many teachers and spiritual leaders whose teachings can help us in that way.  It is my karma that Buddha's teachings resonated most clearly with me.

I think the best answer I can give you is that all people must find their path for themselves. Some folks do worship Buddha and they are perfectly happy. Some see Buddha as a man and only take his teachings as a philosophy and that satisfies them. And some see him as a great spiritual being although not quite God.

One has to look inside and answer such questions as if bad things happen, why do they happen. Does God cause them? Do they happen by fate? Do we cause them by our past actions?

Does learning something from a man, such as the laws of karma and dependant arising, make the things he says less true or important than learning those things from a God.

Does peace come from an outside source? Can a God really give peace to a human? How much must the human have the capacity for that peace within themselves for them to really be at peace?

If God can really give peace and if God is really compassionate, why are we not all at peace already?

Why do some people always seem at peace and others always in strife? Does God play favorites?

How much do we really know about what the Buddha taught?  Do we understand karma? Do we understand the 4 noble truths? Do we understand dependent arising?

Yes, there are spirits that can cause us suffering.  Where do those spirits come from?  Where does their harm come from?  Is it arbitrary?  Do we have any responsibility for the negative things that are happening to us? Are we truly victims? Have we no power?

From my side, as a Buddhist it is my job to understand my mind and use that understanding to help others.  So yes I have thought about who made our lives and everything. By studying the Dharma I have found that answer. Buddha was imminently logical and he taught that we are made from causes and conditions - dependent arising.  These teachings resonate with me.  They help answer the questions of who made us and our relationship with and to a creator.

If you wish clarity and peace on this subject, I suggest you speak with a member of the Sangha or a Geshe and ask for teachings on dependent arising.  Then once you understand it, I believe it will help you to make more clear decisions on who God is from a Buddhist standpoint and you can better decide whether following Buddha works for you or whether searching elsewhere for a God is what you need.

Don't hesitate to ask any further questions.  I hope you find what you are seeking and find happiness through that.

Namaste - Laurie