Is there any Spiritual implication of MA?

This doesn't make sense. Which Christians and which Buddhists? Some Buddhist sects have all sorts of ritual practices others have almost none. Same with Christians, huge differences between the groups.

The majority of Buddhist teachings that I am familiar with don't worship Buddha. He was simply a man who achieved enlightenment and then shared his experiences to others so they too could achieve enlightenment.

Which opens another can of worms as to what is enlightenment. Big differences between the different Buddhist groups and between individuals within the groups. Ranges from having supernatural powers and oneness with the universe to simply being able to live in the moment.

 

The Methodist in UK is trying to revive the practice of fasting and praying, but there is no data on how many people actually doing it. I know some churches said they are doing it on Wednesday night, etc.

 

I know some people do fast, but it's a personal choice than an obligation. Of the top of my head, the only fast day I can remember is Good Friday, and I'm not even sure whether people still do that much these days. And of course giving stuff up for Lent is more 'selective'.

 

Maybe the intention is the same in being holy or enlightened, but like you said you just opened another can of worms.

 

Thank you for confirming the facts about the post-Christendom society, and I think it was the Pentecostal movement that is following the Wesleyan holiness practices. My real concern is that church goers are worried by energy healing.

 

I guarantee you there's about a billion things to worry about before that.

 

Should probably re-name it "Bad Friday" then. No grub or sweeties?!

 

Agreed.

But why all of the Buddhist statues, incense burning, praying, food and flowers at temples

 

Because there are those who want to honor the Buddha for his teachings, there are those who get great comfort out of rituals, there are those who need a higher power to tell them what is right or wrong and probably a lot more.

 

So in other words there are those who worship and those who don't

 

And that's why marriage is still relevant in today's world....

 

Is there a higher power to manage the reincarnation and enlightenment, etc.?

 

Enlightenment you have to do on your own. Reincarnation is part of the universe, like gravity. It is a natural out growth of karma which to a large degree is cause and effect. Every choice you make has a consiquence which can be good, bad or neither. Because it is considered a natural law you don't need a cosmic score keeper.

In some schools of Buddhism there are gods but they are not all powerful and are subject to suffering, karma and reincarnation as well. If you lead a good life you could be reincarnated as a god. If a god leads a bad life they could be reincarnated as a human. Anyone based on their karma could be reincarnated as an angry demon or a hungry ghost. Of course the demons and ghosts could be reincarnated as humans.

Some schools of Buddhism believe in rebirth rather than reincarnation. It could be very similar to reincarnation or it could be that we are all being reborn all the time. You are not the same person you were at 5 or 25. It is only an illusion that there is a continuos unchanging self.

 

Yeah they are called the Cosmic Reincarnation Appraisal Panel and they keep tabs on who's died, what they did in life and what they have to come back as.
Across the entire universe.
Although it is broken down into local authorities that see to the day to day management on a galaxy level.

 

My magic eight ball says "Signs point to no."

 

This is very good, so enlightenment is a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy without worship or any higher order in control or needed any prove. Just to make sure, is there any written material on what is like to be enlightened?

 

What do you think enlightenment is? There is lots of stuff on what it is like to be enlightened and pretty much they all say different things. Darned if I know which one is right. BTW, if you don't know what it is, why do you want it? :hat:

 

I always prefer the word experienced to enlightened.

And how do you get to be experienced. ........ mindfull practice.

 

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zg2segLZoeA"]Are You Experienced Jimi Hendrix HD - YouTube[/ame]




RIP Jimi

 

I think wanted to be enlightened is just human nature and everyone has one's own way, after all no one can tell others what it is like to be enlightened. I am sure there are lots of ways that have been suggested by people but no one can confirm whether it will work or not in terms of achieving enlightenment.

I am working on the 44 postures that was dated before 186BC from the Mawangdui archaeological site in Changsha, China. The Shaolin Temple developed 108 statues. Maybe it is possible to achieve enlightenment in doing postures with "full mindedness" concentration. There are some prayer postures but they are irrelevant without worship.