There are so many Buddhist scriptures!

Well, I'd like to talk about how I first got involved with religion. I'm sure I'll go off on a tangent again soon, but I'll deal with that when the time comes. Anyway.


I was born in Japan, so Buddhism is the most familiar religious soil to me. So I started with Buddhism. Well, it was a natural progression. I went to a Jesuit school for middle and high school. Priests and teachers were there. Apparently there was a Bible study group every Friday, but I never attended one. Looking back, I wonder why I went to that school. It's the end of the road. The treasure was right in front of me, but I couldn't see it at all. You can't see true treasure unless your spiritual eyes are opened.


It's not smart to get into a good university by taking an entrance exam. If you can't see the treasure even though it's right in front of you, you're just an idiot. It's embarrassing.


So anyway, I started with Buddhism. Not Christianity, which I thought I had a connection with. But why religion is so attractive to the soul in the first place, I think it's different for each person. My case is a bit unique and too personal to be generalized, or rather, I don't think it will be helpful to you, so I will skip it here, but I would like to write about it someday.


As for Buddhism, if you don't know what it is, you can't judge it. So I decided to read the Buddhist scriptures. For Christianity, it's the Bible, for Islam, the Quran, so for Buddhism...


"There are too many Buddhist scriptures!"


I was shocked. There are too many Buddhist scriptures. I was in a big pinch right away. I'm already giving up... Anyway, I'll try to read at least the ones that have modern translations.


So I started reading, but where did I start? Did I start with the Mahayana Buddhist scriptures and go back to the original Buddhist scriptures (Agama sutras), or did I start with the original Buddhist scriptures and go straight to the Mahayana Buddhist scriptures, or did I get saved by Shinran first and then start with the Buddhist scriptures? Which was it?


I was trying to explain to people how I got into religion, but I forgot the most important part of it.


Well, it doesn't matter now.


Now that I know that "Buddha is mercy",


the Buddha will surely save us.


Everyone, even the bad people and non-believers.


Now that I know that,


I think "what else do I need to know?"


But if I say that, the story will end, so let's move on.


By the way, what are Buddhist scriptures?


They are the teachings preached by the Buddha. So, did the Buddha preach all of these excessive Buddhist scriptures? Research says that this is not the case. The ones preached by the Buddha were the primitive Buddhist scriptures (Agama sutras), and the Mahayana scriptures were established after the Buddha's death. Does that mean the Mahayana scriptures are fakes?


It seems that Western researchers, including those in the UK, interpret it that way, but I don't think so.


The Mahayana scriptures were also preached by the Buddha.


But the Mahayana scriptures were established after the Buddha's death.


That's right.


So the Mahayana scriptures weren't preached by the Buddha, were they?


Yes, the Buddha did preach them.


Huh?


You're probably thinking that, but I'll think about that next time.


Following the guidance of love and compassion

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