Newsgroups: alt.religion.buddhism.tibetan
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From: johnc@cix.compulink.co.uk ("John Cleaver")
Subject: Re: Jesus or Buddha?
Message-ID: <DprDJx.Gq4@cix.compulink.co.uk>
Organization: Compulink Information eXchange
References: <4khpha$d1c@news.electrotex.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Apr 1996 16:52:44 GMT
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Lines: 15

alvin@electrotex.com says:

>A friend of mine says that Buddhism is an apostate of Jesus' ministry.  
>What do you think?

Apostasy means 'falling away from faith in God'. Buddhists do indeed 
usually fall short of Christian expectations in this regard, since all 
gods (or Gods) are regarded in Buddhism as impermanent,. and therefore 
not a sound repository of faith or confidence.

It is interesting to note the Buddhist failing that corresponds to 
apostasy:- hypostasy. This means 'falling *towards* faith', e.g. 
'hypostasising an absolute', which is as close as Buddhists get to heresy.

Jack.