Stories for interfaith friendship
4 Buddhist wisdom stories for interfaith friendship from Buddhist teachers, each linked to the original talk.
- “How about the Holy Ghost, then?”Story · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Being shown around the creaky old Benedictine abbey at New Norcia, Ajahn Brahm teases Abbot Placid by asking if there are ghosts. “No, no, Ajahn, we don't believe in ghosts.” —…
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So I was walking there with the Abbott, the performer Abbott, Abbert Placid, and I said to him, he said, "Are there any?" Actually, I was leading him on because I know a lot about Christianity and they don't believe in ghosts because they believe that once you die, you go to heaven or hell or in limbo or something, but they don't believe in ghosts. So, I decided to have some fun at the good Abbott's expense. I said, "Are there any ghosts, you know, in this abbey? It's very old. I'm sure many people have died." And he said, "No, no, Ajan, we don't believe in ghosts. You don't believe in ghosts?" "No, we don't believe in ghosts. How about the Holy Ghost then?
- Rabbi Bernstein believed in rebirthStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Moshe Bernstein, a rebellious Perth rabbi Brahm met via a cancer-support group, said he believed in rebirth; the head rabbi confirmed Jewish teaching doesn't — 'but Rabbi…
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Rabbi Bernstein. Still remember him, Moshi Bernstein. And one of the reasons I always remember him was because he was a rebel. You know, he told me when we just discussing things, he said, "No, I believe in rebirth, too." I thought, "But you're a rabbi, a Jewish person. You're not supposed to believe in rebirth." He said, "But I do." And then I checked him up with one of the head rabbis in Perth. He said, "No, Jewish people don't believe in rebirth, but Rabbi Bernstein does." Oh, yeah. Him. He was a rebel
- The heretics' pewStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: Ajahn Brahm, Abbot Placid of New Norcia, and a Uniting Church moderator sit together at St George's Cathedral for the ordination of Bishop Kay Goldsworthy (as captioned Kate…
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Kay Goldsworthy I think it was. I got invited to the St Georges' Cathedral, it was the first female Bishop in any Christian tradition in the world. And it was done here in Perth so I got an invite. Two hours it took, so much ceremonies and rituals just to make someone a Bishop. Fortunately I was sitting next to my mate Abbot Placid he was the old Abbot of the Benedictine Monastery in New Norcia. We had a whole pew for non-believers so I was there with the Catholics, the Uniting Church.. We had a great time; we were telling jokes to each other like naughty school boys in Church but because we were both Abbots we couldn't be sent out
- “What's the Buddhist idea of God?”Story · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: At the same chaplains' conference, a well-known Jesuit (Frank Brennan, Ajahn Brahm thinks) asks him what Buddhists mean by God. Rather than quote scripture, Ajahn Brahm points to…
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But the same point, I think it was... the fellow is quite well known, Frank Brennan, I think he is quite famous, I think he is a Jesuit based over in East. And he asked me this question just afterwards, He asked, "What's the Buddhist idea of a God?" So I took it deeper rather than just quoting the scriptures. And I said, "Well look, the fellow sitting next to me, Abbot Placid, I've known him for such a long time. And we have these great discussions about Buddhism and Christianity and spiritual stuff. And I really respect him I never look down upon him. And I said one thing which he once... not told me once but used to tell me many, many times, he said, one of his core beliefs; one of the things which drove him throughout his life was the realization he said that everybody, everybody was searching for God. Now that's what he said, I respect this guy. So I said, Let's take that statement from someone I respect. So what was I searching for? What are you searching? What are people actually searching for in life? What people are searching for in life is truth, meaning, love, peace, kindness. Isn't that what you're coming here for? What sort of drives you in your life? The search for truth, love, peace, contentment. He said well, if this fellow sitting next to me said everyone is searching for God and this is what people are searching for. And that's what God must mean. So in Buddhism, I said, God means peace, love, contentment, fulfillment. Call 'that' God. I said Yeah, I believe in that. And I felt Father Frank Brennan was quite happy and satisfied with that. He said that was an answer which was meaningful.