Buddha was gathered together with his disciples one morning, when a man came up to him:
‘Does God exist?’ he asked.
‘He does,’ replied Buddha.
After lunch, another man came up to him.
Does God exist?’ he asked.
‘No, he doesn’t,’ said Buddha.
Later that afternoon, a third man asked the same question: ‘Does God exist?’
‘That’s for you to decide,’ replied Buddha.
As soon as the man had gone, one of his disciples remarked angrily:
‘But that’s absurd, Master! How can you possibly give such different answers to the same question?’
‘Because they are all different people, and each one of them will reach God by his own path. The first man will believe what I say. The second will do everything he can to prove me wrong. The third will only believe in what he is allowed to choose for himself.’
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Couple of comments from the followers of this blog are questioning the intent of the answers given by Buddha…who is the true rebel of Hinduism.He said there is no god and has the courage to say so.He rejected the concept of idol worship but the followers made a idol of him and started worshipping him.The irony of all these reflects the stagnation of thought process, which needs to be kept flowing continously by the followers.The questions are definitely the ups and downs of the path of any thought process which makes the thought to flow and never allows the thought to stagnate.The followers are like the containers who hold the thought based on their capacities like a barrel,a pitcher,a pond a lake ,a ocean…an universe…the thought never ends as you keep questioning and the answer is out there.Every follower finds the answer based on his holding capacity.So there comes no significance of truth as it is very much relative to the each and every follower’s holding capacity.Great rebels like Buddha can give only what a follower can hold or what he deserves to hold.Again there are levels where you need to hold and loose the things based on your existence.The Questioning keeps you all exist in your world.So once you stop questioning you cease to exist.
So keep questioning and dance happily..like laughing Buddha..
Love All…
KGB
Non è importante che lingua parli, ma ciò che dici.
Non è importante chi sei, ma lo sono i frutti che dai.
Non è importante quale Dio tu preghi, ma lo sono le tue azioni per mettere daccordo tutti gli uomini, per camminare sulla strada comune della Pace.
Ci sono tante strade, tante verità, ma solo una le comprende tutte: è quella che solo il Dio di tutti conosce.
Is this story true???
;-) Love Monika
Very good afternoon Ms.Monika..and it is up to you to decide.. :)
“LA CERTEZA Y LA DUDA” SI CREES QUE EXISTE DIOS ESTAS EN LO CIERTO. SI DUDAS DE CREER EN DIOS NUNCA LO ENCONTRARAS. Y SI LO NIEGAS MENOS LO CONOCERAS.
Awesome perspectives! great post I really enjoyed the read. I really like your blog Paulo keep it up!
With pure enquiry
You’re both question and answer
Bundled together
When seeking the truth
Rather than finding a way
Be the way…the truth
To see and be seen
Reveal Nothing is hidden
Living in the truth
What ever happens
In love I trust this will be
A blessing for you
LoveM
Inteligente y cierto
Awesome this is so true!! 3 different kinds of people……
I’m loving the picture of happy dancing Buddah:)
With love,
Barbara
The laughing Buddha
I wonder what he swallowed
God’s in his belly
adorabile vederlo ballare,la saggezza non rifulge l’allegria…
Simple way to find different solution for achieving one thing..
Buddha knows…
ama a Dios sobre todas la cosas de este mundo no importa si no lo conoces igual cree en el porque solo creer que existe te hace la vida diferente llena de amor de valores de ilusiones el es la verdad y todo aquel que en el crea aunque este muerto vivira
I like the smiling, joyful, dancing Buddha!!
Have a wonderful … joyful evening! After all life is a .. play… and we are .. acting on life’s stage!Drama or comedy .. let’s enjoy!
LOVE,
Thelma xxx
Y tú de qué te ríes?
jajaja simpático gift
Gracias
Three different types of people, three different answers. There is no truth, but the one you find in your own heart.
Exact Adriana <3
A beautiful story. Thank you for that. Everyone must find his own way, which is also my opinion.
I wish all a wonderful evening
So true.
Las respuestas estan en nosotros.Tomemos el silencio necesario y la quietud para escuchar, sencillamente escuchar.
condivido quanto leggo,la fede,il credere sono il cammino per eccellenza. Ognuno di noi ,si pone delle domande a riguardo ,non credo in chi e’ cosi’ certo nel non voler credere…Il bello di come ci si arriva ,risiede nel cammino di ogni giorno.Non si puo’ apprendere attraverso esperienze di altri,possono servirci come inizio,la differenza la fa la scoperta del meraviglioso che avviene in noi ,in un modo unico ed irripetibile.Ecco ,perche’ il sole ,la luna, tutto quanto ci circonda ogni giorno si veste di un abito diverso ,sta a noi coglierne i dettagli.Ogni sorriso non dato e’ un’occasione persa,ogni grazie o scusa sono occasioni perse,il rivendicare il giusto sono occasioni perse,l’essere felici per la gratuita’che ci viene dalla natura dalle persone sono un occasione persa.Il credere fa parte di tutto il percorso chiamato Vita,non e’un semplice osservare,ma un sentirsi parte attiva della trasformazione e della contemplazione e salvaguardia.
I am certain of a Creator, but have doubted creation…
That is really clever <3
Paulo, you make my day.
I believe the last approach is the (only) right one. Could anybody really believe or not believe in God just because Buddha or anybody else said so? At the end God is a personal experience and not a taught concept, I believe.
“I say one thing, you write another, and those who read they understand still something else! I say: cross, death, kingdom of heaven, God…and what do you understand? Each of you attaches his own suffering, interests and desires to each of these sacred words, ….!”
— Nikos Kazantzakis (The Last Temptation of Christ)
Love and Gratitude
Annie
A good teacher knows his students..
Thank you Mr. Paulo..
U R THE BEST !
endless Love..
Where is that Buddha
And where does that God exist
They are in my mind
Meaning of life
No need to listen to me
Make up your own lie
Words are so funny
Can the truth ever lie in
Ambiguity
I’m sorry to say
The truth does not lie in love
It just tells the truth
More of me to die
Less of me there is to lie
Nothing to deny
It does not matter
How you slice and dice the Whole
It will still be Whole
BlessM
A good story, bit wierd. I think maybe Nietchze when said Gos is dead, was doing the same thing? Interesting. I like the sentence: Because they are all different people, and each one of them will reach God by his own path.Really agreeing with that. ( maybe it is good for explaining the great diversity of spiritual ways, that seem different faiths, but maybe they are the right way for the right person).
Dear Alexandra
I do not think Nietzsche meant it. He has not even said that. He wrote.
Als Zarathustra aber allein war, sprach er also zu seinem Herzen: “Sollte es denn möglich sein! Dieser alte Heilige hat in seinem Walde noch nichts davon gehört, daß Gott tot ist!”
When Zarathustra was alone he spoke thus to his heart: “Could it be possible! This old saint in his forest has heard nothing from the fact that God is dead!”
I wish you a wonderful evening
‘Because they are all different people, and each one of them will reach God by his own path’.
We were in … Paradise! We have lost it! We wanted the GNOSIS, so Adam and Eve were prompted by the snake and tasted the APPLE from the Tree of Knowledge of GOOD and EVIL.. Our Journey has begun… We started thinking ‘I AM’, the EGO, individuation. We feel .. separated, because we have entered into the material Worlds, the Cosmos of .. separateness. Our Heart, remembers. Remembers our real HOME and longs for the LIGHT, the never ‘disappearing’ light, το ΑΝΕΣΠΕΡΟ ΦΩΣ = ΗΙΜ. In our Way each one of us is .. unique. None is the same with somebody else and even the ‘I’ is never the same! It is the up-to-the-present-instance self.. EVERYTHING FLOWS (Heraclitus) and ‘we cannot enter into the same river’ twice. Nothing is the same. Only ITHACA, our Home, is there, an immovable target, our dream, our RETURN. Eventually we will all … return. When we and each one of us transforms Matter into Spirit and change the temporary into the ETERNAL. LOVE!
LOVE,
Thelma xxx
good morning it is so admiring.
there are 3 religions in the world that can not find their own path with a peace to GOD …
It is sad
respostas diferentes pra mesma pergunta, tem o mesmo efeito que a mesma resposta em tons diferentes.
penso q a interpretação do momento vivido, cabe ao momento q estamos. adoro me por pra pensar mesmo q viajando:)
That is so true – each one of us reaches God through our own path!
I believe that we all doubt God at some time in our lives, hence some deny Him altogether, and at my lowerst point in my life I did too.
I also believe that there comes time in everyones live, be it a miracle, be it a sign, be it an answered prayer we find Him.
Very wise story Mr.Coelho
Thank you,
With love
Barbara
another triangle.
:)
thanks egoz
namaste…
well, aditya, I remember you too..
I am from Indonesia, male, 21 years old. I love paulo’s books, and i am an enthustiastic reader in this blog.
Namaste..
bo0om paulo,
gautama de buddha , I am sure found the key to infinity( god), he tried so hard to show us the way, have we understood yet ???
we are … in touch with the infinite always, but we refuse to accept sometimes. we want proof (poof) , but what after we find it, we go the the other way and our wants and desires go verruckt (mad).
…. love to alL,
bo0om
fLUXman
Great souls take advantage of every moment and every opportunity to give happiness to others. Such souls have the desire to help and evaluate everyone reach their potential.
Love all
Egoz would u mind introducing yourself ! I remember u.
Dearest Paulo,
i loved this story. There are many many ways for a person to reach God. They can follow many paths, different religions, and so forth, but there is only one God, and no matter what path you choose, the most important thing is you get there. The amazing thing, is the path you choose to follow, makes you who you are, due the the experiences you have. Life’s beautiful. God’s the greatest.. Love all the way, through life, to God.
Thank you for being.
Yajna
..To me, it is not a question about manipulation, but individuality..
Like in a school classes, children are being tought from they´re individual standpoint, as
in life, we all have different levels of qualites, and should be guided from that.
In my view Budda looks into these men,to see
what they behold, and therefrom gives the answer..
A.V.C., i think if you know how a person’s personality is and you know that they are the type to try to disagree with everything then telling him no essentially is telling him yes. you know he will disagree with the no and will take the stance of yes – so the answer is yes. and if you know the person’s personality is one of which he always has to decide for himself then telling him he has to decide for himself is just being honest about his way of coming to answers. no point in giving him one.
A true master recognises the potential of the disciple and guides him accordingly. Men are governed by the heart, the intellect, action. In every person one of these faculties is predominant. A man whose heart faculty is strong is inclined towards Bhakti Yoga, the intellect towards gyana yoga and the action towards karma yoga.
Hence for each there is a different path to follow, though they lead to the same goal.
Waiting for my master,
Juhi.
‘What is a teacher? I’ll tell you: it isn’t someone who teaches something, but someone who inspires the student to give of her best in order to discover what she already knows.’ – The Witch of Portobello (of course by Paulo Coelho)
Love and Gratitude
Annie
wonderful
I dont see it as being dishonest…nor manipulative…which answer did Buddha believe?
Could he have proved either?
He was being a mirror to the man who asked each question….that is the perspective….the questions we can only ask and answer ourselves.
Giving no-one the pedestal of knowing our answers…but the privilege of helping us see inside ourselves, then we have the knowledge, which is shared, not given, for it cannot be taken, therefore we understand the sum of our experience, existence….God, life spirit love
thank you
Thank you Paulo, we all indeed have to (or get to!) walk our own path towards The Truth, it’s easy to forget sometimes.. I found a Anthony de Mello quote that seems to fit your message:
“A Hindu priest once had a dispute with a philosopher who claimed that the final barrier to God was the word “God,” the concept of God. The priest was quite shocked by this, but the philosopher said, “The ass that you mount and that you use to travel to a house is not the means by which you enter the house. You use the concept to get there; then you dismount, you go beyond it.”"
Have a great day.
Nice quote, haha =)
I normally get to see the philosophers on the “receiving” end in these kind of quotes because often they tend to over-analyze and get lost in thoughts while life is out there not always to be analyzed, but to be enjoyed. There are things in life which can not be explained by natural reason or philosophical thought. This is god’s magic. But as you say, god is a word, a concept. Have you read the post “the writer and God” in Paulo’s blog? It’s wonderful! =)
You have a good prespective to view that story, AVC.. And I found myself asking the same question..
So, we should not be honest, but rather try to manipulate people to believe in the things that we believe in ourselves…?
If the persons did not wanted to “be manipulated” by this holy man, they wouldn’t go to him in the first place.
And if we do not express what we believe in the way the other person “gets”, we are not being fair to the person who comes to us for “wisdom”.
Sometimes wisdom is this exactly, saying what the other person need to hear to set that person on his path to his own spirituality.
If that is manipulation or just plain selfless expression of pure wisdom is up for discussion, of course.
I have doubted all my life, i was too shy myself in was on the creep of someone… or something which was wrong in me.
11 eleven years ago i ‘ve got a beautiful spiritual name SARADA DEVI, who is the wife of a great HINDU SAINT RAMAKRISHNA… now, by the grace i should always rememeber the significant of the poower of this name….and ever use it … i’m sure of that…
Many thanks…..
Sarada Devi
Wonderful and very clever.
love
The beliefs and truths that we cherish are those which we CHOOSE to hold and to belive. That’s the beauty of our personal legend, we choose to believe in it no matter what other people say.
Very well and wisely said Gabriela.
Merci
I thought was some other way…sorry. I was repeating what I have heard…so I migh have missunderstand. Thanks for the explanation, we learn whole life. It was only an idea…I guess not even Budha was really saying all the things, they are more legends…maybe. Much love, many thanks
Dear Heimo,
Nietzsche also wrote the following:
The Parable of a Madman – Gay Sciences
“God is dead! God remains dead! And we have killed him!”
Der Tolle Mensch (125) – Die Froehliche Wissenschaft
“Gott ist todt! Gott bleibt todt! Und wir haben ihn getödtet!”
Gay Sciences: 343 The meaning of our cheerfulness — “The greatest recent event—that “God is dead,” that the belief in the Christian god has become unbelievable—is already beginning to cast its first shadows over Europe.”
Die Froehliche Wissenschaft : 343 Was es mit unserer Heiterkeit auf sich hat.– “Das grösste neuere Ereigniss, – dass “Gott todt ist”, dass der Glaube an den christlichen Gott unglaubwürdig geworden ist – beginnt bereits seine ersten Schatten über Europa zu werfen.”
Thanks and love to you too, Lul.
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