During the Lord Buddha era, there were 62 different religions and cults teachings existed however none of them could provide the answers to his questions which the Noble Ones were searching for. There were many unsatisfactory and saddened answers given by many great ascetic teachers and gurus which were unable to give the answers to solution. After thinking for a long time, the Noble Ones was bold enough and decided to set foot from his father luxurious palace to find the answers all by himself.
There were many unsatisfactory answers given to the Noble Ones by the gurus and teachers at that time such as the following below. Thus we may also hear from someone else even up to this day of such believes in others teachings.
1. God created everybody.
2. God created the world.
3. God is responsible for everything.
4. God will reward to those who listen to him.
5. God can forgive all our sins through going to Temple and Monastery,
6. God is responsible for our lives after our deaths.
7. God is responsible for our wealth and destination.
8. God will send us to heaven or he will send us to hell.
9. ETC's
There were numbers of religious teachings which taught their followers that it was necessary to torture their physical body and by doing so they believed could wash away all the sins which were committed during their lifetimes so that heaven thus have a reservation place for them to ascend after death. There were other religious groups who encouraged their followers to perform rites and rituals with animals’ sacrifices to please their gods. They too believed by performing these actions could brings them abundance of wealth, rains and a staircase to heaven, does have a place for them to ascend after death. On the other hand, there were also another religious group who encouraged their followers to perform prayer and worship god to ask for forgiveness for the sins which they had committed during their lifetimes so that heaven is the last place that they had ever being promise by god.
However, the Lord Buddha did not recognize nor approved himself to follow the ways, methods and efficacy practices at all. At that ancient time, there were also religious group taught their followers in according to their belief there are gods to operate the effect of the sins or karma. God punishes according one’s bad karma, god rewards according to one’s good karma. The Lord Buddha did not accept this belief and he said there is no being or force that handles the operation of the effects of karma. Karma itself will yield the result, as a neutral operation of the law of cause and effect. There are no external influential or force of working behind the 'Karma' simply 'we reap what we sow'
The Lord Buddha said we could avoid and in some cases, even overcome the effect of karma if we act wisely. The Noble Ones also said that we must never surrender ourselves fatalistically thinking that once we have committed bad action there can be no more hope for any advancement in practice and cultivation. Other religions teach that god can negate the effect of karma through forgiveness if their followers worship, pray and sacrifice this and that to appease the god. But the Lord Buddha teaches his followers that we have to affect our salvation by our own effort and mental purity through practice and cultivation.
There is one thing in common teaching regardless of any Religions concern even till this day is to 'Avoid doing evils, do all the goodness' to bring benefit, peace and happiness to our self and to others. However, human beings are too arrogant and ignorant to listen all these goodness teachings and they are not hesitating to commits extreme degree of violence and evil things to others unaware that they too are subjected being evil to themselves, some may even commit the consequential atrocities and crimes in the name of their god and religion. False believe, sad but true! Good Health and Buddha Bless
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