wah lou eh..proper discussion pls.... just to celebrate vesak day.
ay....I have not idea but I can try.
We can start by watching what we say? Like stop calling people sinkies???
Buddhism is a nontheistic religion[1][2] that encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, who is commonly known as the Buddha, meaning "the awakened one". According to Buddhist tradition, the Buddha lived and taught in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE.[1] He is recognized by Buddhists as an awakened or enlightened teacher who shared his insights to help sentient beings end their suffering through the elimination of ignorance and craving by way of understanding and the seeing of dependent origination, with the ultimate goal of attainment of the sublime state of nirvana.[3]
Two major branches of Buddhism are generally recognized: Theravada ("The School of the Elders") and Mahayana ("The Great Vehicle"). Theravada has a widespread following in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar etc.). Mahayana is found throughout East Asia (China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, Taiwan etc.) and includes the traditions of Pure Land, Zen, Nichiren Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, Shingon, and Tiantai (Tendai). In some classifications, Vajrayana—practiced mainly in Tibet and Mongolia, and adjacent parts of China and Russia—is recognized as a third branch, while others classify it as a part of Mahayana.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism
Obviously nobody here has. Nirvana people acc Bhuddism are higher beings than humans IIRC.Who here has attained nirvana?
Is it just a dream which cannot be reached?
I only said that both religions are similar insofar as they provide a role model(/example) to follow. I didn't comment about each's model's unique world view. Bhuddism avoids sin because Bhudda says it brings bad kharma. (Real) Christians strive to avoid sin because Jesus Christ, their example, resisted all temptation and lived an exemplary life without sin.Christianity is in no way resembles Buddhism. Because Buddhism don't teach you how to deal with sins.
From your last sentence, U sound like U r Christian. That said faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26), so I believe God the creator, now does expect His followers to help out where possible (don't be selfish etc)...Furthermore Buddhism wants you to do many things to achieve something which is unachievable.
God loves all of us the way we are. HE doesn't need us to do lots of things for Him because He is the Creator, not the created.
to all those who claim that they are buddhists..
tell me how are you able to end suffering?
What do you learn from buddhism about ending of suffering?
Not a Buddhist, but through conversations with those who are, to attain this happiness, one should detach oneself from material wants.
What do you learn from buddhism about ending of suffering?
The end of suffering is simply the stilling of the five aggregates - form, feeling, perception, volition and consciousness. The path to that stilling is the Buddha's Eightfold Path.