Russell Brand What's the point in practicing a spiritual life?

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Russell Brand 

What's the point in practicing a spiritual life? …

Well here's some scientific research that reveals why you should...

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=437208303870735

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Comments

Alexis Smith

Greatly timed .. a peek into “what could ensue” in the coming years .....only to find 2 years in..... who knew we would be here now like this and our looming fate be almost set! 💙🦋🐝💩

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Julie Angelica Lafkas

Grateful for this share. It is refreshing how you look at the bigger picture, and these topics are very relatable these days. These view points are very appreciated. The spiritual life, and being present. Well said.

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She Beshe

Thank You so much. Ever since long ago i saw you DEAR RUSSELL BRAND on the media and was enthralled by your eloquence. You are gifted with a style so cogent that I often listen to what you have to say. Personally it does resonate with me. When others are interested in any form of self development or awareness I am compelled to recommend your 'work'.

Glad I am to have come across your advisory vids; moreso I am amazed and definitely inspired through the substance of your oratory, your ability to transmit knowledge and vision to us earth beings in a world of witnessed struggle and turmoil.

A contemplative and very spiritual person as I am, my utmost intention is to live by the principals of KINDNESS, RESPECT, REGARD and LOVE of all creatures great or small in every relative sense of the word. Simply to adhere the golden rule.

Your musings are so enlightening that they offer me an unexpected sense of complete fulfillment, reiterate my standings, my beliefs, my observations and analysis of this

earthly existence and all the possible forces in the vast universe.

Sustained through inner peace, I readily can relate to your

teachings. You ponder on a level that is gladly understandable fto me and presumably to a majority of your viewers/listeners.

Surrounded by the masses in a world full of chaos, hurt, pain, and disconnect for all the obvious causes that effected such it

feels right not to live in a proverbial vacuum and not to ignore

my environment yet placing worth on my necessary self-care.

Please accept my APPRECIATION and THANKS for the wonderful means of transcendence that you devote yourself to imparting.

.Constantly on hearing you expound this reservoir of KNOWLEDGE, LOGIC, AWARENESS and PHILOSOPHICAL insight, thankfulness overcomes me in my ever awakening soul making me find myself detached from vileness and insiduosness.

In such a state of chosen calm and alignment I render myself content and quite in oneness.

Yours is considerably a.o.n also an extension of the spirit of my dearly beloved grandmother who has instilled the many principals of JOY, EMPATHY, AWAKENING, PURITY of LOVE

and LEARNING to UNDERSTAND into her offspring from day one.

My childhood journey has been of kind and caring moulding. The other part of my adult route is still constructed of personal care and carefulness on a path filled with the most nonsensical external stumbling blocks and artificial hindrances of projected envy, jealousy, hatred, discrimination etc. by contemporaries, colleagues or strangers who have not or yet not grasped their true purpose in the realisation that we are all connected and that it would be sensible to break the cycle of hurt people hurting people.

People who are not reflected that they cannot ever contend - whether consciously contemplated or irrationally conjectured- that no one being has any granted power to place themselves higher than another mortal being whichever species of nature.

Within this faith and not in search of any false hope, I am absolutely convinced that there can be no societal contentment, no closure nor individual happiness of peoples who intentionally inflict varying forms of hurt or harm to others.

People who think their are justified as of their own accordance, their indoctrined rearing, uncontrollable habitus i.e most likely their inability to reflect reason, cause or effect in their actions and not for an instant gravitate towards healing, seeking help for their problems, trauma and then implementing those learnt methods for effective healing procedures.

In a befitting manner, I sincerely strive in showing love, regard and respect for/towards most wanton beings wherever i may be.

In appreciation on myself I manage to enjoy me, not in an nonchalant way, yet fully aware of all mortality. The art of learning to let go and accept the given circumstance(s).

It is so well- being to consciously as well as unknowingly inspire people whom one encounter no matter how fleetingly.

Seeking my blessing and gratitude in never self-harming, never going overboard to unwanted extremes but also not tolerating situations nor people who may want to impose toxicity and destructive life patterns in ones relationships/dealings with them.

All these learning processes are mandatory yeah inevitable in gaining and or retaining some semblance of inner and outer peace ergo contentment.

One more gracious aspect of your shared wisdom is that I could reaffirm or simply adhere to much thereof and be further transcended into a state of wholly and holy light-hearted stillness.

May your blessings be more and more abundant and may your encounters and those who surround you also inspire and uplift your mind, body and soul as you likewise do.

Your Work is immeasurable and necessarily helpful.

PEACE be to everyone of us ALL THE BEST possible TO YOU.

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Jules Potter

Anyone read this?

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Donald McLeod Keefer

I'm as much an appreciator of malapropisms (accidental verbal comedy and/or poetry) as anyone, but Mr. Brand, really, if you don't want to do it yourself, somebody else with an education needs to proofread your subtitles -- You don't really advocate being a "Spiritual Sucker," do you? (a recovering journalist and English teacher, I'm willing to offer my own services, if necessary: just make the checks out to "Brutus Grammaticus"). While on the subject of words, and a propos of the fools' gold of materialistic philosophies, let me add this about the linguistic roots of some key terms: "Success" originally meant "to follow" (as in "lines of succession"); "Ambition" carried the connotation of wandering, or walking about aimlessly (as in "ambulatory" and "ambulance"); "Career" meant "to run" (as in race course, or cursive writing); and "Talent," as has surely been borne out in your own case, was synonymous with money -- specifically, ancient Rome's silver "dollar" (as in Jesus being betrayed for 30 talents, and the supposed Biblical injunction against frittering away of what you have: "He who wastes a Talent will be damned")

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Kage Takao Reyes

Someone who comes from a Christian family can tell that you can be blind to believe everyone is good and can be taken advantage! A lot outsider are more common to see changes due to the trauma they’ve faced. Also shocking a lot of them claim of seeing god when coming my father is a example as he was a drug addict, alcoholic and abusive. He change his ways and recover but also is due to luck he found a love one! (Let’s ignore the part that he abandoned the family he torn apart by his actions) another down factor to this spiritual a lot find mental health to be a lied! So you can say I given up in spiritual. I always been a empathetic/Sympathy but all I learned this years is kindness in this world it’s a weakness not strength and to get where you need you sometimes have to step on people to get their! After all we do live in America!

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Deborah W Sheppard

They set upon us locasts but they also helped open higher Concienceness in the human race. I dont believe they realise what there ignorance has done, through our tears we have come out liberated, blinkers off and we see you, system, governments bankers for who and what you truly are. NOTHING.

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Deborah W Sheppard

Russel, have u not notticed how the goverment have used spiritual words since covid 2020? Its as if they know we dont follow religion anymore and r trying to tap into our terminology, lol, someone should tell them u have to feel it too, lol, luv ur chats,

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Laurie Werner Bleecker

russell has exceptional EQ. emotional intelligence. its his gift to us. its calming to hear him share 💛

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Tara Wakefield

Thank you Russell, my awareness of my spiritual journey began when I was 13, I have gone through trauma and pain, still am. I'm currently trying to avoid a drug dealers daughter and my narcissistic ex, which isn't easy, as most people are co denpendant, an will do anything for free drugs. Iv looked at what parts of myself associated with the predicament, healed myself. But still it continues. I have tried to keep one step ahead, technology does hinder this. I have empathy and compassion, complete surrender to the universe daily, for what my soul and highest self need from me. My next step in asking the universe for direction and help, was to be aware of your spiritual nature, an ask if you had any ideas? 😊Love and light x

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Jennifer Baron Alfini

Wow, I don’t think you left anything out. You went from the shallow to the deep, in what seems like, 1 breath. Impressive and well done. Thank you for sharing.

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Thomas J Lucignano

I literally have no idea what people mean by spiritual. Everyone seems to define it differently, but often vaguely religious. I'm sure it must be quite a nice place to be

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Patricia Surmon

Do wish that the translation from vocal to written language would not include phrases like “ spiritual sucker “....just wishing and hoping...

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Jason Heaps

So to be spiritual you must first wear the same loose fitting shirt every day without washing it. Everything else will come with time.

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Dirk Schubert

Just missed you at Silent Awakenings. I went 7 years in a row as I loved Dr Simon deeply, but they removed him from the event and I simply could not abide that. Cheers!

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Sara Uzzell

My spiritual journey began when I became comfortable with me

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Betsey Flynn

So interesting to see this for the first time today! You are so right. People like myself who are spiritual have a sense of ease with life. I have no fear of death. I went through a tremendous amount of trauma. Died, saw myself on the ER table...I knew instantly that your soul is separate from the physical form you are inhabiting right now in earth. I went into the light causing a OBE & NDE. Those moments I went there I witnessed something that is beyond any words in our vocabulary to describe it exactly as it was. 

It was brilliant, warm unconditional love & I wanted to get to the end of the tunnel. But was met by my deceased grandfather, who told me I had to go back to help my father. I came back not knowing why, but I do now. My mother passed away last week. 8 years after my experience. I am more compassionate than I was before, I am unable to swallow caffeine, processed foods or junk food. My life changed, my outlook on life, what’s truly important in life & my unconditional love to accept everyone for who they are. Because I feel every single person I meets pain. That’s why we are here...to take care of each other, because we are all ONE energy ❤️

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Cindy Aguiar

I love that there is no mention of religion. Not that religious people can’t be spiritual, but as an atheist in the program, I have always believed that it is possible to be spiritual without it.

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Heidi J Goodman

So wonderful to listen to you Russell speaking about all of this. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing you live in Brisbane recently.

I find it fascinating and truthful that we are all connected and yet all divinely at our own point on our journey, exactly wh… See more

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Glynis Roberts

I love your honesty, love listening to what you have to say. I am trying very hard to become more and more spiritual every day. Thank you Russell🙏

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Jim Cogan

A six string banjo but he made it sound like a 5. ?

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Frank Mastroianna

One thing that you ommited was that contentment goes hand in hand with gratitude. You cannot be truly thankful unless you are content.

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Nina Keating

Lovely! I'm spiritual. People always thought I was a bit weird when I took time off to greet the sun in the morning and say goodbye and thank you to it in the evening.

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Loraine Mitchell

This is a Beautiful film produced by British filmmakers. It is a film & 8 part docu-series that explores spirituality from a broader global perspective and what it can offer us in these challenging times. 💕

http://www.timeofthesixthsun.com/#home

Time of the Sixth Sun

TIMEOFTHESIXTHSUN.COM

Time of the Sixth Sun

Time of the Sixth Sun

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Elaine Sikes

No ghost in this old flesh and blood bodies time will erase us all.

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Gwen Grunder

I love every talk one can only touch people if you experienced life they way you did. Each of us have a path to follow to help others awaken. Love you and your love wife and family to bits. You are a blessing from God Oud Father and the Angels / Spirit. Shalom

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Teresa Jarman

Russell Brand you were quite prophetic here in what was yet to come regarding the pandemic. Very insightful.

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Melissa Hughes

I though you were supposed to be a comedian?

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Moira Aberdeen

Oh I saw this for the second time today and am present to the sadness of not having the opportunity to see you in person when the WELLINGTON NZ show had to be abandoned, and gratitude for the live postings you do virtually. Be well and happy Russ 💥🙏⭐️

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Natalie Roberts

I need to seriously work on my lust !!! i am trying to concentrate on what youre saying but my youre an attractive man grrrr ! Ok im gonna listen with my eyes closed now

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Carl Knight

out of truma spiritual growth occurs. to the outside world we look mad but infact its yee whos mad. since time began people didn't understand or didn't wanna understand this is why enlightenment spirituality is a lonely place for those touched by its blessings

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Dianne Wofford McPherson

Jesus Christ was born, lived, died, and resurrected for our sins. He is The Truth , The Way, and The Life❣️ He IS the light of the world and in Him is no darkness. Ask Jesus into your heart and save you. You will never be the same. Left the Hippie Days of false love and found The Savior and True Love Jesus❣️✝️🙏🏻

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David Acreman

Loss is the seed of sentiment and grief is not just a feeling for someones passing .

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Anna Rogers Curvin

Being afraid to live in gratitude....thanks for sharing that. It has become for me that feeling good doesn’t feel good/right.

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Cole Van Dais Singer

Thank you Russel Brand. We think exactly alike and I am so grateful for each day, every person, every opportunity to learn and grow, and appreciate you sharing your videos. That in itself is a great act of charity sharing of your inner knowledge and uplifting people 😘

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Lynne Findley

It’s not a choice, do you think? If anything was less a choice in my life, I don’t know what it is.

You might as well extoll the benefits of being able to sing.

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Andy Cippico

Wow, what has happened to Russell? He’s calmed down and starting to speak of fundamentally important things. Impressed!

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Rose Elkin Lee

Because in words of Dr Kay Fairchild, “we are Spirit slowed down to visibility”. We are one. We are more alike than not alike. Thanks Russel Brand for your insights today.

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Roxanne Bailey

we are Two beings. 1. physical 2. spiritual. i prefer the spiritual but my physical often wins the argument

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Mary L Murphy

Thank you Russell Brand I have lived through much great trauma and the effects of it are ongoing in my life, I am now 100% a spiritual person and practice gratitude every day, meditate almost every day,am thankful every day many times a day, live and give compassion, have deep empathy with others and even though I (naturally) trigger into anger sometimes I am quickly able to pass through it and then often able to see the purpose/the lesson of whatever/whoever it was that triggered the angry/other response in me and then move on, be forgiving and be thankful for the lessons being presented in that moment. I have a deep sense of peace almost all of the time and most importantly I am here I am present and I am thankful to be alive, loving your short films and watching your own progress

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Andy Bithell

I class myself far from spiritual, but I have compassion,belief, and understanding to everything and everyone, yep I’m an atheist, but I still believe in the good of people ❤️

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Anne Richardson Casey

For me being spiritual, is the absence of need of things outside of yourself. As the bible quotes: be still and know thyself. If you are happy with yourself and know who you are then you can be at peace and no longer live in fear.

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Matthew Aittama

The Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ is the only way there is no other door those that remain in their sins a servant to them they remain forgiveness in Christ is free give your heart to him now your father loves you

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Robert Ritchie

I feel this same way ..I fell an hit my head in 2008 an they said it was a Siezure .. I was 38 it happen on Halloween night .. They sent me to all these docs an all I ever got was there pills ... Before it was where I quit going .. My Therapists said they had me on a suicide script .. Not to mention others .. But I came to realise by this that it wasn't for me .. I try to stay healthy an when I got out more an started enjoying the beauty out doors an all the world has to offer I said .. There are alt better things out there ... By sons agreed too !! Been good for 12 years !!✌😎

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Trisha Renteria

I absolutely love this one.! My husband and I were talking about spirituality.. actually I was doing most of the talking to him and 2 of my kids . I’m sharing this with them

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Andre Cutforth

You wasn’t very gracious when you bullied Andrew Sachs daughter with your partner in crime Jonathon Ross. So stop your preaching. You will never be spiritual not in a month of Sundays.

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Samuel Fuentes

Give this man a tabacco pipe some slippers robe set him up in front of books sometime in the 20th century and bingo is his namOoo

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Kristin Schneider Gubala

Years ago, when I was seeing a counselor to deal with struggles and depression, she asked me what it would look like to me to live my life as a “spiritual being”- not a physical person, but solely a spiritual being. She then gave me my ‘homework’ for the week:

“Conduct yourself as you would if you were a spiritual being, without the confinement of your body or thoughts.”

I couldn’t wrap my mind around the concept at the time (of course I was still using and abusing substances then, and had no intention of giving all of that up). I couldn’t do it.

Shortly after that session I stopped seeing her and never went back.

In the past years I’ve learned (since getting into recovery for my addictions over 7 years ago and now working with others who struggle with theirs)what that counselor was attempting to convey to me:

What would it look like to live each day with compassion, a willingness to help others, and a desire to live a peaceful existence?

So, I try to practice each day to follow a spiritual path, through either meditation, service of others, or gratitude and reflection. Some days I fail miserably and I’m self serving and thoughtless and lacking patience. And some days are pretty amazing.

The spirituality aspect is crucial, I believe, to becoming what we were intended to be: Happy, free and at peace. 💗💕

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Linda Galloway

Wonderful. I only question one if the things you said. I relate to everything else and maybe I misunderstood you. You said something about death being the end. I haven’t believed that since I was a child and had indoctrination via bible class that I personally searched out. To me death is just a beginning of a new adventure that is amazing and familiar once you take the journey. Ok I’m done. Thank you love to hear you talk. You definitely know what your talking about. Namaste

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Marzena Miarka

Thank you Russell, I live my life in constant state of gratitude- I’m elated for some reason/ the problem is- not everyone in my surroundings is as I am, therefore I bounce off of the wall all the time

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Amanda Gallagher

THANKYOU RUSSELL I AM NOW A SPIRITUAL PERSON I WAS BROUGHT UP CATHOLIC WITH IRISH BACKGROUND THERE IS SO MUCH HATE MY GRANNY WAS LEFT TO BRING UP 5 CHILDREN ON HER OWN FOR 2 YEARS MY GRANDFATHER WAS ARRESTED FOR BEING IN THE IRISH REPUBLICAN ARMY BY HIS NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOUR' THEY WE SO CALLED FRIENDS BUT ANYWAY RIVERS RUN DEEP 🐺🐺🐺🍄🍄🍄

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Andrew Kenny

Nice one Russell. Read A.W.Tozer 'The Pursuit of God'. An excellent read my friend.Be blessed.

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Joanne Dunlay

💖💖💖just love your teachings of things I’ve never been taught or known about 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼thankyou so much . I am very spiritual also . Sorted me out totally . Meditation, crystals clarity and peace n space to myself ... I I’ve my life now , listening to you woke me up to a lot of good things in my life that we’re not great 💖💖💖

Jesus and Buddha by Marcus Borg (Author) - Ebook | Scribd Start reading

Jesus and Buddha by Jack Kornfield - Ebook | Scribd

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Jesus and Buddha: The Parallel Sayings 

by Marcus Borg (Author)
By Jack Kornfield

4.5/5 (4 ratings)
149 pages
2 hours

Included in your membership!
at no additional cost


Description

Discover the teachings of Jesus and Buddha with over 100 examples presented side by side to reveal striking similarities. A perfect book for anyone interested in Christianity, Buddhism, mindfulness, meditation, and all ways of seeking enlightenment.

This stunning collection is perfect for those curious about the influential teachers, Jesus and Buddha, and their lessons of peace, love, patience, and kindness. Witness as two of the most holy beings meet in a thought-provoking encounter of the spirit.

Compare the Bible verse: “Jesus knew all people and needed no one to testify about anyone; for he himself knew what was in everyone” (John 2.24-25) to the Buddhist scripture: “He was expert in knowing the thoughts and actions of living beings” (Vimalakirtinirdesha Sutra 2).

Jesus and Buddha is a timeless testament to what makes us similar rather than different. This enlightening book also makes a great gift.
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Top reviews from other countries

Lee K. Freeman
5.0 out of 5 stars Just what the doctor ordered
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 29 April 2013
-
This book is exactly what I was looking for and is exactly what it says. There are many books out there that faff about with reams of dissemination and discourses on things regarding these sayings, but all I wanted was the sayings without any judgement. I wanted to decide (lol). I am sick and tired of a persons' considered opinion on the parallel sayings, I just wanted to see them side by side.

This book would be ideal for anyone seeking parallel Buddhist & Christian daily devotions due to its format.

All in all a superb little book
6 people found this helpful
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Christine Hacklett
3.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully presented book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 April 2009
Verified Purchase
This book is beautifully done, but a little large for handling easily. The content is interesting, but I didn't persevere to the end. I had seen the close parallels between the two faith founders, and felt I had seen enough examples before I got anywhere near the end of it. A coffee table book, perhaps.
10 people found this helpful


Claudette Rochon-Kennedy
5.0 out of 5 stars Compare similarities in different religions and philosophy
Reviewed in Canada on 24 December 2018
Verified Purchase
Compare the similarities in the writings of different prophets and philosophers


John Polacok
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Purchase
Reviewed in Canada on 21 August 2013
Verified Purchase
I bought this for my partner who was curious as to how Jesus and the Buddha's teachings compared. She absolutley loves it and was pleasantly surprised by the beautiful photographs that accompany each set of sayings.


mac
5.0 out of 5 stars キリスト教は仏教が起源か。
Reviewed in Japan on 13 February 2011
Verified Purchase
仏教がキリストの言説に影響を与えたのではないか、ということについては、もちろんいろいろな説があります。しかし、福音書と仏説がよく似ているところがあるのは間違いがないと思います。本文は右のページに１ページにキリストの言葉がひとつ、左のページにお釈迦様の言葉がひとつで、ページがもったいないくらいの使い方ですが、これがじっくりと考えながら読めてよいと思います。小形の本で、持ち歩くにも便利です。
One person found this helpful

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Jesus and Buddha: The Parallel Sayings

by Marcus J. Borg (Editor),

Jack Kornfield (Goodreads Author) (Introduction)

 4.02  ·   Rating details ·  1,089 ratings  ·  85 reviews

JESUS & BUDDHA

THE PARALLEL SAYINGS

This remarkable collection reveals how Jesus and Buddha—whether talking about love, wisdom, or materialism—were guiding along the same path. Jesus & Buddha also delves into the mystery surrounding their strikingly similar teachings and presents over one hundred examples from each.

As a Christian, I grew up with Jesus and have lived with him all my life. I have not lived with the Buddha. Similarly my work on this book was from the vantage point of a Jesus scholar. But my experience has led me to the conclusion that their teachings about ‘the way’ are virtually identical and that together they are the two most remarkable religious figures who ever lived.”

—Marcus Borg

You hold in your hand a remarkable and beautiful book. Jesus and Buddha are now meeting in an encounter of the spirit. When we listen deeply to their words we find that in many ways, they speak with one heart. If we could enact even one verse from these teachings, it would have the power to illuminate our hearts, free us from confusion and transform our lives.”

—Jack Kornfield

--

Paperback, 160 pages

Published December 8th 2004 by Ulysses Press (first published 1997)

==

 Average rating4.02  ·  Rating details ·  1,089 ratings  ·  85 reviews

Write a review

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Lee Harmon

Feb 01, 2011Lee Harmon rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition

Three thousand miles from where Jesus was born, another miraculous birth occurred: the Buddha. As the Buddha walked on water, passed through walls, and raised the dead, so did Jesus in his day. As the Buddha fed 500 with a few small cakes, so did Jesus work with loaves and fishes. Five hundred years after a terrible earthquake marked the death of the Buddha, the earth shook again when Jesus breathed his last.

Given the eerie parallels between these two lives, one naturally wonders if their teachings were also similar. In a book that is probably best read as a daily devotional, Borg provides a “Jesus” saying on the left side of each page, and a parallel “Buddha” saying on the right side. Here are some of my favorites:

Jesus: “There is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.” Buddha: “Stealing, deceiving, adultery; this is defilement. Not the eating of meat.”

Jesus: “Do not store up for yourselves treasure on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in a steal.” Buddha: “Let the wise man do righteousness: A treasure that others cannot share, which no thief can steal; a treasure which does not pass away.”

Jesus: “Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin.” Buddha: “Do not let there be a schism in the order, for this is a serious matter. Whoever splits an order that is united will be boiled in hell for an aeon.”

What is going on, here? Were Jesus and Buddha spiritual masters inspired by a single cosmic source? Is the Christian “very God of very God” one with the Buddhist “God of gods?” You can’t help but be inspired as you contemplate the similarities of these two great religious leaders. (less)

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Kristal

Jul 25, 2011Kristal rated it liked it  ·  review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed, tag-it-to-the-max, 2011-reads, theology

A selection of sayings taken from the Bible and from the teachings of Buddha, showing how these two holy men were very similar in their teachings of kindness and good will toward all mankind.

The mystery lies in the fact that how does Jesus, born five hundred years after Buddha and three thousand miles away, share the same underlying message in his teachings? To what degree, if any, did Jesus know of Buddha or are they simply sharing a universal message: that as humans, we should love each other, turn the other cheek and not judge someone else?

I have found myself on the outskirts of most all major regions, yet I would recommend this book for just about anyone, as the universal messages it brings are so profound for just living a good life. (less)

flag8 likes · Like  · comment · see review

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Carla

May 04, 2013Carla rated it really liked it

I bought this book because I had developed a list of Buddhist sayings which were the same message as I have heard from Jesus. I have been pondering why so many people think that somehow being a Buddhist is wiser and more peaceful (and preferred) to being a Christian when the wisdom is the same. I fear it's because too many Christians are basically ignorant of the true Jesus. The USA style of Might-Makes-Right or the Fire-and-Brimstone style of religion has overshadowed the love, peace, joy and the other fruit of the Holy Spirit which Jesus brings to humanity. This book was refreshing to read because someone else out there - Jack Kornfield - reveals publicly what I have only pondered to be true! I personally would not say Buddha is equal to Jesus because I still believe Jesus is The Son of God - The Messiah. Buddha was a child of God but not The Son: my belief...but At least now Jesus can be seen in a more positive light where Buddhists are concerned! (less)

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Robert

Jun 07, 2009Robert rated it liked it  ·  review of another edition

This is a great idea for a book, but the execution wasn't what I had hoped for. It was as if Kornfield was matching on words rather than meaning. Many of the "parallel sayings" have similar words but appear to be expressing very different ideas. Moreover, missing from the book are some profound teachings that, though worded very differently, are present in Buddhist and Christian scriptures.

I suggest skipping Kornfield's take and read the source material yourself. The Dhammapada and the Book of John in the New Testament are a great place to start. See for yourself what teachings they have in common and what teachings are unique to one or the other.

(less)

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Jason

Nov 06, 2007Jason rated it it was amazing  ·  review of another edition

I've often been struck on how similar all the Salvationist religions seem to be. It's unfortunate that most of the world chooses to ignore the similarities and instead wishes to hate each other based on doctrinal differences. Just look at the current Middle Eastern situation. No doubt there are many points of difference but it appears that all the major world religions share many common points as well.

This little book is a nice reminder of how the moral and ethical systems of all major world religions run sort of parallel to each other when compared. For instance, in Buddhism as well as Christianity there are admonishments such as: do unto others as you would want them to do to you, practice compassion, contentment, do not worry about material riches, practice kindness and so forth.

In this book each chapter starts with a short commentary on the material that will follow. These are divided into headings like compassion, wisdom, salvation, etc. Then on opposite sides of the pages sayings of Jesus are put up against sayings of the Buddha. These sayings sit alone on the white page so you can read them slowly and savor them. Many people in America are probably pretty familiar with the messages of Jesus but will be surprised to find many of the Buddha's teaching use parables like we find with Jesus and contain the same messages that we find in Christianity.

Some people have bashed this book for its supposed lack of great scholarship. I believe these people are missing the point. The point of this book is to emphasize the universal element that all experiences of the sacred seem to promote. It doesn't matter if you are studying mystical Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism or Christianity-they all point to the same Truth. That is, the untalkable, unthinkable Beingness that everything comes from and is a part of. Call it Godhead or God but it's the nonduality and Oneness of everything. It makes no difference if these sayings actually came from a real person with the title of Buddha or not. What matters is the path to freedom and liberation that they express. Does not being a work of great scholarship detract from the value people can gain by reading these sayings?

For these reasons I highly recommend the book. Anyone can pick it up and read these little quips and experience a better mood right off. What greater source of inspiration and enlightenment than to read sayings from two of the greatest men that ever lived and their commitment to serve and better humanity all of their lives? Their timeless messages and teachings will continue to live on and change those that embrace them. (less)

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Jill

May 20, 2010Jill rated it it was amazing

I read this entire book in an hour on the elliptical.

The intro to the book and chapter intros were more interesting than the actual quotes.

Act on truth.

Be compassionate.

flag2 likes ·

Trey Nowell

Jan 04, 2015Trey Nowell rated it it was amazing

An excellent fast read you can reflect on and contemplate. I've hear many try to argue Jesus and Buddha were vastly different. If you read the quotes here and the intro's to each chapter, that can easily be refuted. I continue to be amazed with how far ahead of the time their knowledge was beyond others, and if they existed today, it would still be far beyond. I would encourage anyone to read this book and see how much both had to offer, where both were movement initiators of their time....so many parallels. (less)

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Andrew

Dec 28, 2007Andrew rated it really liked it

Shelves: religion

Why are so many Americans (read cultural Christians) drawn to Buddhism? Well, because it sure seems like Jesus was exposed to Buddhist teachings and incorporated them into his own ministry. Gasp! Something today's fundamentalists could never imagine or conceed, even after seeing how closely the wisdom teachings match.

The "Sermon on the Mount" was beautiful, both when Jesus gave it, and when the Buddha gave it 300 years earlier. (less)

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Kevin Orth

Dec 30, 2018Kevin Orth rated it it was amazing

I love when authors mash up two systems and demonstrate how parallel and similar in many regard spiritual paths are. Truly there are many paths to the garden and what is most important is we invest in a path that resonates most sincerely and welcome others to do the same.

flag1 like ·

Kurt

Jul 15, 2015Kurt added it

Brilliant explains a lot.

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Michael

Mar 20, 2021Michael rated it it was amazing

Shelves: life-lessons, nonfiction, buddhism, religion, the-examined-life

Brief book; I read in a little more than an hour, but very good. Buddha predates Jesus by half a millennia, but it's pretty astonishing how many of their teachings, and the stories told about them, are so similar. I guess it makes sense, right? Two human beings living in antiquity would have the same sort of stuff to draw on: the natural world, metaphors using agricultural tropes, and--most important of all--human behavior. Even 2,500 year ago, the rich dominated the poor, violence caused terrible suffering, people struggled with the 'right' way to live, and people got sick, died, and otherwise...did the same things as us.

Buddha, of course, did not depend on god for his insights, while Jesus did. There are--or so it seems to me--many more supernatural accretions associated with Jesus than Buddha. Buddha was the son of a king, Jesus was a poor man born to poor people in a conquered land. Christianity is predicted on the belief that Jesus died and returned to life, initiating some kind of metaphysical algorithm where your sin is processed through his suffering, and is changed into salvation. Not so much with Buddha.

Still, compassion is the name of the game, and both Jesus and Buddha made that their primary teaching. Good stuff. I loved Marcus Borg, and I miss his insights. (less)

 

Will Thorpe

Jul 05, 2020Will Thorpe rated it really liked it

Shelves: christianity, religion, buddhism

An easy and eye opening read. I am an atheist and former evangelical (20+ years in the faith) and found the connections quite interesting. I still study the Bible historically and textually and this side by side gave me some motivation to study Buddhism further.

I did find some of the connections to be quite a stretch though. Knowing the biblical text very well (I was one of those Christians who actually studied their bible) I found the supposed connection disingenuous at times but this was rare, forgivable and worth another look from a different perspective whether I agreed with it or not.

The miracles section was probably my favorite but mostly because I work with former Christians deconstructing their faith. Knowing the Buddha was famous for similar miracles 500 years before Jesus is quite handy... (less)

 

Enrique 

Jul 13, 2021Enrique rated it it was amazing  ·  review of another edition

Excellent and short book.

It is a simple read of parallel sayings, of course, the similitudes between Jesus and Buddha words are striking.

Is beyond chance: there is no way to say that is a coincidence that they said the same words and did similar miracles, and used similar parables.

The research is still small, but if almost 9000 years before Jesus and Buddha there was a way that connected the lapis lazuli from India to Egypt, is pretty sure that the Buddhist writings and teachings reached the Mediterranean.

How was it possible? Is not clear, and we don't know much about this path, but is possible that some Buddhist text reached old Persia, and some jews master carefully take with them some of the teachings.

Excellent introduction.

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Janis

Sep 04, 2021Janis rated it really liked it

Jesus and the Buddha: The Parallel Sayings compares the lives of Jesus and Buddha as well as their teachings. As the title suggests, there are many parallels. “The path of which they both speak is a path of liberation from our anxious grasping, resurrection into a new way of being, and transformation into the compassionate life.” This book is a high-level comparison, but provides plenty to ponder.

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Bob

Sep 22, 2020Bob rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition

500 years and 3000 miles apart, they had the same message. As the author writes "...if the Buddha and Jesus were to meet, neither would try to convert the other - not because they would regard such an effort as hopeless, but because they would recognize one another." This is a wonderful book for daily meditation and contemplative prayer. (less)

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Trisha Georgiou

May 13, 2017Trisha Georgiou rated it it was amazing

I picked this book up on a whim for .25 cents at my library's bookshop, I am so glad I did.

It was fascinating. Marcus J. Borg wrote an exceptional editor's preface. The parallel sayings

of these two great religious leaders are remarkable. (less)

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Erika Powers

Mar 28, 2018Erika Powers rated it it was ok

Meh. The argument or parallels drawn are made in the first 2 chapters. The rest is verses taken from bible and whatever buddah books juxtapositioned for comparison. I thought it would be more exciting/interesting.

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Jason Comely

Nov 18, 2017Jason Comely rated it liked it  ·  review of another edition

Shelves: jesus-in-books

I review this book (and speculate on whether Jesus learned from Buddha) in my Jesus in Books podcast: http://jesusinbooks.com/episode-5-jes... .

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Cate

Jan 28, 2019Cate rated it liked it

Side by side selections from the sacred texts of both Christianity and Buddhism. Interesting, but I’ve seen and read far more compelling comparisons of the two.

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Linda

Oct 09, 2019Linda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: spirituality

Very interesting comparison of Jesus and Buddha, seems reasonable that Jesus could reasonably have been influenced by Buddha’s teachings.

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One

Dec 04, 2021One rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition

Shelves: 2021

Well worth reading!

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Toby

Mar 15, 2017Toby rated it it was amazing

What a beautiful read!

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ms.petra

Apr 29, 2020ms.petra rated it liked it

so many parallels between two holy men. a good little book to remind us we have more in common than we usually want to believe.

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Glen Schroeder

May 20, 2020Glen Schroeder rated it really liked it

An absolute syncretic delight.

“When we compare the attributes of the Godhead as they are understood by the more mystical tradition of Christian thought with those of Nirvana, we find no difference at all.” —Edward Conze

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Chanita

Oct 22, 2007Chanita marked it as to-read  ·  review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, spirituality, to-read-own, the-historical-jesus, progressive-theology, the-jesus-seminar, post-christian, buddhism, world-religions, comparative-religion

"A fascinating anthology of key beliefs within two of the world's great religions. ... If Jesus and Buddha were to meet, they would recognize one another as fellow prophets because they were teaching the same truths. This is the spirit conveyed, both in words and images, by this lavishly illustrated gift book.

Readers will cherish both the book's message and presentation. Here are two great spiritual teachers from two very different traditions guiding us - whether talking about love, wisdom, or materialism - along the same path.

Using meditative color photos to complement the universal truths these two charismatic figures proclaimed, this - the first trade paper edition of the illustrated edition - is an important and illuminating oracle of wisdom for all who believe that the spiritual outweighs the material."

(adapted from Amazon)

From Mom's bookshelf (less)

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Keith

Jan 06, 2017Keith rated it liked it  ·  review of another edition

Marcus Borg sets up the parallel sayings by order of category. It's rather surprising when you see the shared wisdom and teachings of both of these wisdom teachers side-by-side. You actually get a deeper sense of the meaning of both by hearing them say many of the same principles in similar yet varied ways. One tends to help interpret the other. It is a marvel when you consider the similarities of these two teachers who were separated by five hundred years and lived worlds apart. At one point Gautama Buddha looks forward and says that one is coming after him who will be the embodiment of light and life. While Christianity is highly suspect of any tradition apart from it's own, i think most Christians would be amazed that five hundred years before Christ, there was a man who both adhered to and taught much of the same wisdom Jesus himself declared. (less)

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Benjamin

Feb 23, 2014Benjamin rated it really liked it

Walk where there may be life ahead. Fix your eyes on that hope and then see all that is living come before your glance as a gift - the eternal and perfect come to you in this moment, now.

This is the Way. It is to see God and Life as we are meant to see them - freed from distraction and self-preoccupation.

This book is a meditative collection of that sort of seeing. Though stripped from their greater stories of faith and wisdom, what's here is entirely livable, entirely freeing, yet it must be chosen to be lived.

And, what is here is only a beginning. As a practicing journeyman with Christ, this wisdom anchors me to Jesus' story and the hope of God's Kingdom being fully present. I do not know what story a practicing Buddhist would be sent toward - at least I don't know yet.

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Ruth

Feb 05, 2017Ruth rated it really liked it

Shelves: the-copious-family-bookshelves, religion

When the proselytizers come to our door, the boys know to come get me. I tend to speak to the preachers long enough that THEY are the ones looking at their watches... gee, look at the time...

This is one of the books I show them to counter the books they show me. I thought I'd give it another complete read-through this year.

On the left page is what Jesus said. On the right page is what Buddha said about 500 years earlier. They are rather astonishingly similar.

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Christopher

Feb 11, 2008Christopher rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition

Recommends it for: the ghost of martin luther king jr.

While this book was a little different than what i was expecting it is still excellent.

I was expecting an analysis of Jesus and Buddha's sayings. A book that explored the similar teachings of these two men and placed them in context to their lives, times and other sayings. However, this book is more of a reference book. Each facing page contains one Jesus quote and one Buddha, with no commentary or analysis, except briefly in the introduction.

Still, this book is excellent and valuable to have and study, and had I not been expecting it to be as i explained above I likely would have awarded it five stars. five stars of david no doubt. (less)

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EunSung

Oct 16, 2008EunSung rated it it was ok

i think the editor devalues the differences in jesus and buddha. if we are looking specifically at the text, some instances do correspond, but the context in which the texts of buddha and jesus arose from were not really talked about. also, you cannot abstract the teachings from the life of the people who have applied them. it is not so clear cut to reduce message of Christ and Buddha to mere ethics. there has been justification on both fronts for using their beliefs to justify oppression and violence. yes, buddhists have been violent too and not just Christians. look at zen buddhism and world war 2 and the role of thai monks as military advisers.

(less)

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Meister Eckhart: Dangerous Mystic | The Marginalia Review

Meister Eckhart: Dangerous Mystic | The Marginalia Review

Meister Eckhart: Dangerous Mystic

June 6, 2018

Joel F. Harrington, 

Dangerous Mystic: Meister Eckhart’s Path to the God Within. 

New York: Penguin, 2018, 384 pp., $30.00

===

After nearly seven centuries of relative obscurity, the fourteenth-century mystic Meister Eckhart has emerged as something of a modern spiritual celebrity. Millions of Roman Catholics and other Christians have claimed the medieval German monk as one of their own, not to mention many Zen Buddhists, Sufi Muslims, Advaita Vendanta Hindus, Jewish Cabbalists, and a wide variety of other seekers who describe themselves as spiritual but not religious. Even many avowed atheists, including Martin Heidegger and Jean-Paul Sartre, have admired the master’s speculative philosophy and helped spread his insights among their own generations of disciples. On the Internet, quotations attributed to Eckhart (many of them spurious) proliferate, as do sites devoted to his teachings. Composers John Cage and John Adams have each written musical works inspired by the teachings of Meister Eckhart. More than a hundred publications on his life and teachings (not counting blogs) appear annually, and there are now three international Meister Eckhart societies, as well as two scholarly journals devoted to the once-condemned friar.

In the U.S., the works of Eckhart owe much of their recent popularity to the master’s namesake, Eckhart (born Ulrich) Tolle, a spiritual teacher and author whose belief system draws heavily on key insights of Meister Eckhart, supplemented with an eclectic blend of contemporary Eastern and New Age concepts. Thanks in large part to the massively influential endorsement of Oprah’s Book Club, the modern Eckhart’s The Power of Now (1997) and A New Earth (2005) have together sold over ten million copies worldwide.

What is it that all these people see in the words of this medieval sage? The most common denominator appears to be an attraction to Eckhart’s revolutionary method of direct access to ultimate reality (or God)—a profoundly personal approach that is at once intuitive and pragmatic, philosophical yet non-rational, and, above all, universally accessible. 

Many modern Christian authors, such as the Catholic Richard Rohr—who calls Eckhart “a mystic’s mystic”—view his teachings as part of a long and ancient Christian contemplative tradition. Yet Eckhart’s path does not rely on them. This makes him equally appealing to individuals and groups who reject the Christian notions of both God and the soul. 

Buddhists and existentialists, for example, appreciate the master’s distinction between the artificial “I” or “false self”—the constructed individual identity of each person—and the authentic self, the common nature that we all share. 

And many people today—regardless of their religious background—eagerly embrace the possibility that some combination of reason and intuition might provide direct access to “something more” than what we experience with our five senses, imagine with our limited reason, and describe with our language. 

At the same time, Eckhart’s embrace of meditation and mindfulness anticipates by seven centuries the popularity of both practices in the U.S. among people of faith and the ever-growing number of New Age seekers, agnostics, and avowed atheists who list their religious affiliation as “none.” Marginalized in his own time, Meister Eckhart seems to have been made, in fact, for ours, an age with a penchant for spirituality that is customized, experiential, and doctrine-light.

During Meister Eckhart’s life many of his teachings were formally condemned and suppressed because church leaders feared that simple people might misunderstand the master’s words and reject all religion. Eckhart did not consider himself a radical opponent of organized religion, but it’s easy to see how his emphasis on 

• letting go of conventional ideas about God 
• to seek an intuitive, personal experience of the Divine 

might be interpreted as a rejection of formal Christianity.

We no longer live in a world dominated by the Vatican, of course. But the questions Meister Eckhart wrestled with are with us still, particularly the notion of God itself.

Meister Eckhart believed that

• virtually all human concepts of God tell us more about ourselves than about God. 
• God is not an old man, or humanlike, or even a he. 
• God is not good or wise or just—those are all human attributes. 
• God, he explained was not a being, or a supreme being, 
• but being—existence—itself.

Like other great minds of his time, Eckhart thus considered the question, “Does God exist?” to be meaningless. How can one question whether existence exists? Instead, he counseled, “every word that we can say of it is more a denial of what God is not than a declaration of what He is … 

the finest thing one can say about God is to be silent from the wisdom of inner riches.” Arguing for what was later called “learned ignorance,” Eckhart claimed, “If I had a God I could understand, I would no longer consider him God.”

We must accept, in other words, that God is fundamentally unknowable, at least in terms of human language and thought. This was an unsettling, even threatening, idea for many of Eckhart’s contemporaries and it remains so in our own time.

 Eckhart, however, did not fear this central mystery of existence, of God. 

Instead, in mid-life he abandoned his own attempts to define God and 

instead dedicated himself to teaching others how to gain a heightened awareness of the divine presence within themselves. 

The transcendental nature of reality, he believed, had to be “known” intuitively and subjectively from within, not “objectively” from without.

Eckhart’s approach challenges us to stop projecting our own concepts and agendas onto “God” and instead focus on an experience of the divine that leads to lives of love and service. 

It is a profoundly unsettling message. Yet it is one based on a more thorough familiarity with scripture than most modern Christians possess and 

a more profound philosophical grounding than most contemporary atheists can boast. 

Unlike many believing and unbelieving proponents of “God talk,” 

Meister Eckhart recognized all human language as metaphorical. 

He chose to know his God directly. Is there room for such a radical perspective in the pro- and anti-God debates of twenty-first-century America?

Almost seven hundred years after his death, Meister Eckhart just might be the man for our moment.

====

Joel F. Harrington is Centennial Professor of History and Chair of the Department of History at Vanderbilt University.  He is the author of seven books on pre-modern Germany and the history of Christianity, including a new biography of Meister Eckhart, Dangerous Mystic, published by Penguin Press in March.

Why a 14th-century mystic appeals to today's 'spiritual but not religious' Americans

Why a 14th-century mystic appeals to today's 'spiritual but not religious' Americans

Why a 14th-century mystic appeals to today’s ‘spiritual but not religious’ Americans

December 6, 2018

Author
Joel Harrington

Centennial Professor of History, Vanderbilt University

A sculpture of Meister Eckhart in Germany. Lothar Spurzem , CC BY-SA

The percentage of Americans who do not identify with any religious tradition continues to rise annually. Not all of them, however, are atheists or agnostics. Many of these people believe in a higher power, if not organized religion, and their numbers too are steadily increasing.

The history of organized religion is full of schisms, heresies and other breakaways. What is different at this time is a seemingly indiscriminate mixing of diverse religious traditions to form a personalized spirituality, often referred to as “cafeteria spirituality.” This involves picking and choosing the religious ideas one likes best.

At the heart of this trend is the general conviction that all world religions share a fundamental, common basis, a belief known as “perennialism.” And this is where the unlikely figure of Meister Eckhart, a 14th-century Dominican friar famous for his popular sermons on the direct experience of God, is finding popular appeal.

Who was Meister Eckhart?

I have studied Meister Eckhart and his ideas of mysticism. The creative power that people address as “God,” he explained, is already present within each individual and is best understood as the very force that infuses all living things.

He believed this divinity to be genderless and completely “other” from humans, accessible not through images or words but through a direct encounter within each person.
A sculpture of Meister Eckhart in Germany. Lothar Spurzem, CC BY-SA

The method of direct access to the divine, according to Eckhart, depended 

1] on an individual letting go of all desires and 

2] images of God and 

3] becoming aware of the “divine spark” present within.

Seven centuries ago, Eckhart embraced meditation and what is now called mindfulness. Although he never questioned any of the doctrines of the Catholic Church, Eckhart’s preaching eventually resulted in an official investigation and papal condemnation.

Significantly, it was not Eckhart’s overall approach to experiencing God that his superiors criticized, but rather his decision to teach his wisdom. His inquisitors believed the “unlearned and simple people” were likely to misunderstand him. Eckhart, on the other hand, insisted that the proper role of a preacher was to preach.

He died before his trial was complete, but his writings were subsequently censured by a papal decree.

The modern rediscovery of Eckhart

1] Meister Eckhart thereafter remained relatively little known until his rediscovery by German romantics in the 19th century.

2] Since then, he has attracted many religious and non-religious admirers. Among the latter were the 20th-century philosophers Martin Heidegger and Jean-Paul Sartre, who were inspired by Eckhart’s beliefs about the self as the sole basis for action. 

3] More recently, Pope John Paul II and the current Dalai Lama have expressed admiration for Eckhart’s portrayal of the intimate relationship between God and the individual soul.

4] During the second half of the 20th century, the overlap of his teachings to many Asian practices played an important role in making him popular with Western spiritual seekers. Thomas Merton, a monk from the Trappist monastic order, for example, who began an exploration of Zen Buddhism later in his life, discovered much of the same wisdom in his own Catholic tradition embodied in Eckhart. He called Eckhart “my life raft,” for opening up the wisdom about developing one’s inner life.

5] Richard Rohr, a friar from the Franciscan order and a contemporary spirituality writer, views Eckhart’s teachings as part of a long and ancient Christian contemplative tradition. Many in the past, not just monks and nuns have sought the internal experience of the divine through contemplation.

Among them, as Rohr notes were 

• the apostle Paul, 
• the fifth-century theologian Augustine, and 
• the 12th-century Benedictine abbess and composer Hildegard of Bingen.

In the tradition of Eckhart, Rohr has popularized the teaching that Jesus’ death and resurrection represents an individual’s movement from a “false self” to a “true self.” In other words, after stripping away all of the constructed ego, Eckhart guides individuals in finding the divine spark, which is their true identity.

Eckhart and contemporary perennials
Novelist Aldous Huxley frequently cited Eckhart, in his book, ‘The Perennialist Philosophy.’ RV1864/Flickr.com, CC BY-NC-ND

6] This subjective approach to experiencing the divine was also embraced by Aldous Huxley, best known for his 1932 dystopia, “Brave New World,” and for his later embrace of LSD as a path to self-awareness. Meister Eckhart is frequently cited in Huxley’s best-selling 1945 spiritual compendium, “The Perennialist Philosophy.”

7] More recently, the mega-best-selling New Age celebrity Eckhart Tolle, born Ulrich Tolle in 1948 in Germany and now based in Vancouver, has taken the perennial movement to a much larger audience. Tolle’s books, drawing from an eclectic mix of Western and Eastern philosophical and religious traditions, have sold millions. His teachings encapsulate the insights of his adopted namesake Meister Eckhart.

While many Christian evangelicals are wary of Eckhart Tolle’s non-religious and unchurched approach, the teachings of the medieval mystic Eckhart have nonetheless found support among many contemporary Catholics and Protestants, both in North America and Europe.

Fully understanding a new spiritual icon

The cautionary note, however, is in too simplistic an understanding of Eckhart’s message.

7] Eckhart, for instance, did not preach an individualistic, isolated kind of personal enlightenment, nor did he reject as much of his own faith tradition as many modern spiritual but not religious are wont to do.

The truly enlightened person, Eckhart argued, naturally lives an active life of neighborly love, not isolation – an important social dimension sometimes lost today.

Meister Eckhart has some important lessons for those of us trapped amid today’s materialism and selfishness, but understanding any spiritual guide – especially one as obscure as Eckhart – requires a deeper understanding of the context.

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