Dharma

[davemarc]

> From: Christine Karatnytsky <christinekaratnytsky at juno.com>
> 
> Is it
> not true in Buddhism that enlightenment can be attained without Divine
> intervention?  

No, it is true, Chris-hopper.  

> That peace and fulfillment can be attained without the
> proxy of a priest or, especially, of Savior from a celestial realm?

No, it is true, Chris-hopper.  Yet the ultimate goal is not fulfillment,
which is always transitory.  It is the state of nothingness, or complete
transcendance.
> 
> That Transcendance can be achieved without Christ's true pity?

No, it is true, Chris-hopper.  Though Bodhisattvas and even Buddha can come
in very handy.
> 
> In this way, the concept is quite far removed from Catholicism--a
> priest-and-Savior-ridden religion, if ever there was one, eh?
> 
And yet, Chris-hopper, are there not great similarities between priests and
lamas?  And, at the time of M&D, are not Buddhism and Catholicism the
religions of two vast, wealthy, and powerful male-dominated empires that
rely on dogma to encourage the oppressed to accept their lot, believing
that the ultimate goal is to be better off after death? 

Davemarcarjunasthirahartha VI