Tuesday, December 11, 2018

God's Grace vs Buddhist Universal Gateway 應化身

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)

People always ask me, "Isn't it unfair for those who do not have a chance to hear about Jesus to go to hell?" But the Bible state very clearly, salvation is by the "grace of God" (Ephesians 2:8).

It turned out that other religions also have the same problem. An European living one thousand years ago in Europe would never heard of Buddhism. So the poor guy cannot achieve nirvana! But Buddhism has this unproven process of reincarnation and they also came up with another unproven method of how the Buddhist message is spread to other regions.

Below is a quote taken from "妙法蓮華經 觀世音菩薩普門品 The Universal Gateway Of Guanyin Bodhisattva":

QUOTE
4.無盡意菩薩白佛言。世尊。觀世音菩薩。云何遊此娑婆世界。云何而為眾生說法。方便之力。其事云何。
佛告無盡意菩薩。善男子。若有國土眾生。應以佛身得度者。觀世音菩薩。即現佛身而為說法。應以辟支佛身得度者。即現辟支佛身而為說法。應以聲聞身得度者。即現聲聞身而為說法。
應以梵王身得度者。即現梵王身而為說法。應以帝釋身得度者。即現帝釋身而為說法。應以自在天身得度者。即現自在天身而為說法。應以大自在天身得度者。即現大自在天身而為說法。
應以天大將軍身得度者。即現天大將軍身而為說法。應以毗沙門身得度者。即現毗沙門身而為說法。應以小王身得度者。即現小王身而為說法。應以長者身得度者。即現長者身而為說法。
5.應以居士身得度者。即現居士身而為說法。應以宰官身得度者。即現宰官身而為說法。應以婆羅門身得度者。即現婆羅門身而為說法。應以比丘。比丘尼。優婆塞。優婆夷身得度者。即現比丘。比丘尼。優婆塞。優婆夷身而為說法。
應以長者。居士。宰官。婆羅門。婦女身得度者。即現婦女身而為說法。應以童男。童女身得度者。即現童男。童女身而為說法。
應以天龍。夜叉。乾闥婆。阿修羅。迦樓羅。緊那羅。摩睺羅伽。人非人等身得度者。即皆現之而為說法。應以執金剛神得度者。即現執金剛神而為說法。
無盡意。是觀世音菩薩。成就如是功德。以種種形。遊諸國土。度脫眾生。是故汝等。應當一心供養觀世音菩薩。
4.Inexhaustible Intention Bodhisattva said to the Buddha, "World Honored One, why does Guanyin Bodhisattva journey in this saha world? How does he preach the Dharma to sentient beings? How does he utilize expedient means?"
The Buddha said to Inexhaustible Intention Bodhisattva, "Good man, if there were living beings on this earth who would be liberated by a buddha, then Guanyin Bodhisattva would manifest as a buddha to preach the Dharma. To those who would be saved by a pratyeka-buddha, he manifests as a pratyeka-buddha to preach the Dharma. To those who would be saved by a sravaka, he appears as a sravaka to preach the Dharma.
"To those who would be saved by King Brahma, he appears as King Brahma to preach the Dharma. To those who would be saved by King Shakra, he appears as King Shakra to preach the Dharma. To those who would be saved by an isvara, he appears as an isvara to preach the Dharma. To those who would be saved by a mahesvara, he appears as a mahesvara to preach the Dharma.
"To those who would be saved by a great heavenly general, he appears as a great heavenly general to preach the Dharma. To those who would be saved by a vaisravana, he appears as a vaisravana to preach the Dharma. To those who would be saved by a minor king, he appears as a minor king to preach the Dharma. To those who would be saved by an elder, he appears as an elder to preach the Dharma.
5."To those who would be saved by a householder, he appears as a householder to preach the Dharma. To those who would be saved by a chief minister, he appears as a chief minister to preach the Dharma. To those who would be saved by a Brahman, he appears as a Brahman to preach the Dharma. To those who would be saved by a bhiksu, bhiksuni, upasaka, or upasika, he appears as a bhiksu, bhiksuni, upasaka, or upasika to preach the Dharma.
"To those who would be saved by the wife of an elder, chief minister, or Brahman, he appears as the wife of an elder, chief minister, or Brahman to preach the Dharma. To those who would be saved by a boy or girl, he appears as a boy or girl to preach the Dharma.
"To those who would be saved by a heavenly being, dragon, yaksha, gandharva, asura, or garuda, he appears as a heavenly being, dragon, yaksha, gandharva, asura, or garuda to preach the Dharma. To those who would be saved by a kimnara, mahoraga, human, or non-human, he appears as a kimnara, mahorage, human, or non-human to preach the Dharma. To those who would be saved by a vajrapani, he appears as a vajrapani to preach the Dharma. 
"Inexhaustible Intention, Guanyin Bodhisattva has succeeded in acquiring such merits and can use myriad forms to go about the world to save sentient beings. Because of this you should all wholeheartedly make offerings to Guanyin Bodhisattva.
UNQUOTE

This is the scripture in a YouTube cartoon "觀世音菩薩普門品--化身救渡".

The Lotus Sutra describes Avalokiteśvara as a bodhisattva who can take the form of any type of God. A total of 33 different manifestations of Avalokitasvara are described, including female manifestations, all to suit the minds of various beings (adapted from Wikipedia).

Is Avalokiteśvara a real historical person like the historical Buddha? No idea. With so many manifestations, it is really difficult to prove. Since no proof is needed, some Buddhists believed that Jesus is a manifestation of Avalokiteśvara for the Western people.

But the Bible does not pretend that all will be saved. Salvation is by the grace of God. Those who do not know Jesus will be judged justly by their works.

For this is the statement of the promise: At this time I will come, and Sarah will have a son. And not only that, but Rebekah conceived children through one man, our father Isaac. For though her sons had not been born yet or done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to election might stand - not from works but from the one who calls - she was told, The older will serve the younger. As it is written: I have loved Jacob, but I have hated Esau.
What should we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! For he tells Moses, I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then, it does not depend on human will or effort but on God who shows mercy.
(Romans 9:9-16 CSB)

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