Question
Has it ever occurred to you that the idea of God was created on earth? this is a realization to me that I cannot let loose. That this whole time we are thinking of a god that only we’ve created. If any other planet has inhabited intelligent life, have they created the same idea? Is there a right idea?? Or is the idea we’ve created only for what WE need, for the things we cannot comprehend? (or we think we cannot.)
thanks.
-andy
Andy
Answer from Master Kosen
Somehow if the people would have the courage to believe that God is in fact themselves, they would be more free, they could more easily change their mind.The problem is that most people do not see that their own world resides in their mind, in the way themselves see the world.
I believe that they call God that inexpressable presence they feel in themselves, somehow their universality.
At the end God is just a word, by naming it they made it somewhow real and so can believe in it. This is the realm of belief, which in my mind has no real basis. One should not mix up belief and faith. Faith is an internal confidence, no need to believe, and faith is most important in life. It is not so important to try to understand in what you have faith, just have it inside, you can never name it.
Once Buddha showed his closed fist saying: “If I tell you that I hold a diamond in my fist you have to believe me. If I open my hand, everyone can see the diamond, so you do not have to believe me.”
Now if another planet … probably yes, as most populations, even isolated from the rest of the world, have created somekind of belief, God, statues, magic powers and the like. An old chinese monk said: “What are the magic powers ? Draw water, carry pieces of wood.” Buddhism is a spiritual way of the life, of our life in particular.
Kosen