"Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it."
-The Buddha

I just put this as part of my quotes on Facebook (too long to post as a status).
:D

To me, if there ever were an "inspired" statement made by man, THAT Buddha quote would be IT!

I tried running LDS quotes through my memory vaults for comparable gems and couldn't come up with any. But, that's probably due to an LDS quote that kept butting it's way in. The one that goes, "Duh...uh...I don't know that we teach THAT."

You Should Not Believe Without Thinking

Buddhists are encouraged to test everything they read or hear, to see if it stands up to their own standards as true or not.

Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.

... because you invoked the buddha.

Hokey eastern philosophies such as the four noble truths are just older versions of Covey's seven habits. They only apply in certain situations or circumstances and therefore can't be trusted as absolutes.

From the moment Santa pegs our individual bogusity meter, we should know to test everything we read or hear. Sadly, most folks have to stick a finger in the wall socket numerous times before they figure out what's gonna happen every time.

Timothy



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/04/2010 07:51AM by Timothy.

... the wise don't need it and fools won't heed it.

Same problem I have with folks who rely on religion to provide a moral compass. Anyone who needs a god to tell them its wrong to murder, rape, steal, etc., has serious issues.

Timothy



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/03/2010 06:24PM by Timothy.

"Don't even become attached to Buddhist beliefs."

Here's another:

“Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful.”

- Lucius Annaeus Seneca

That being said, it is a great quote.

I should post that as a quote from Joseph Smith on my FB just to see how many people go:

"He was truly INSPIRED!!111"

LordBritish Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I should post that as a quote from Joseph Smith on
> my FB just to see how many people go:
>
> "He was truly INSPIRED!!111"

Oh please do and come back and report.

It exceeded their 420 character length. But it was easy enough to truncate a bit, and still worked.

Love that quote. And the key is to observe and analyze.