A question of faith

Cut & paste..

The Long Man wrote:

.... When I was 6yo in 1963 I remember seeing pictures in the newspapers of a monk who set himself alight in the street. Then 4 years ago I was in a Taxi going from HCM airport towards the ferry for Vung Tau. The taxi stopped at a set of lights and there to my right was a large bronze statue of a monk surrounded by flame. I knew who it was straight away.

Hi Long Man,

Many monks, Buddhists or ortherwise, immolated themselves through the ages and many of them did it in public places.
Beliefs also have a dark side including paying the ultimate "sacrifice".

Serious work achieves that which immolations failed to achieve.

Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi chose to stay alive for her nation although she could have immolated herself easily, as is the custom in her country.
She achieved her goal and in the process picked up a Nobel prize.

No immolation is necessary.  Serious work is, please. 

Hi John

I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiments. Better to stay alive and do good than to waste what could be a precious and productive life. The point I was trying to make and maybe failed to was that this man had had a profound affect on my life without knowing who he was or where he was from or why he did what he did. There was a Buddhist heart beating in my chest waiting for release and seeing his statue opened a door in my mind and soul.
Thanks for your comments though, very welcome. 

The Long Man wrote:

Hi John

I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiments. Better to stay alive and do good than to waste what could be a precious and productive life. The point I was trying to make and maybe failed to was that this man had had a profound affect on my life without knowing who he was or where he was from or why he did what he did. There was a Buddhist heart beating in my chest waiting for release and seeing his statue opened a door in my mind and soul.
Thanks for your comments though, very welcome. 

Hi Long Man,

Yes, I believe in inexplicable influences, hand of Destiny, epiphany.

Maybe you experienced a Buddhist reincarnation? 

If it makes you happy, hey, it's great.
If it opens your mind to empower yourself to make other people happy too, what more can you want? 

Hello The Long Man,

To me an experience convert into faith is natural and the mystry of this universe cannot be solved one who knows he became dump...even if he says he just indicates but can't able to say anything.....thats what happened to all the enlightened souls when they were in this earth....

Regards,
anil

Hi guys,

Make sure not to step out of the faith topic into religious issues.
The Long Man may not know it, discussions on religion is frowned upon in this forum.