Attributes of Buddhas and Gods

About a month ago my friend Jack asked me if I have any resources on eastern religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism. He knew that I had studied Buddhism, and was hoping to look east to learn more about Multiple Mortal Probations through these traditions.

I told him I did, and directed him to Noah Rasheta’s podcast “Secular Buddhism”, as he has been a large influence in my spiritual life. I also recommend that he listen to Alan Watts, as he is a bit of a standard for westernized Zen Buddhism. I also recommended the beloved Thich Nhat Hanh.

Before he started his studies, I told him that Buddhism isn’t so much concerned about the afterlife, and instead is focused on liberating one’s self from suffering in the here and now. I pointed him to my “Buddhism Made Simple” chart which I made years ago to try and depict how Buddhism’s core theological concepts connect to one another.

He sent me a screenshot of Melissa Wei-Tsing Inouye’s 2009 Sunstone article “Welcome to the Buddhist 1st Ward; Mormonism: An Eastern Religion?” I was quite intrigued by this article and read it in full, and even added several 6 quotes from Inouye to my quotes page. One of the insights that fascinated me the most was her comparison of Buddhas to Mormon gods. I had never heard of people connecting these concepts together, and decided to explore it in a bit more depth.

I felt it would be appropriate to use the Lectures on Faith as the basis of what Mormons believe about Gods, as several of these deal with the character and attributes of God. I am a bit rusty on my Buddhism, but after some research I came to believe that the closest analogues to this would be the dasa pāramiyo (Ten Perfections) as found in the Buddhavamsa. These were the comparisons I was able to make:

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I acknowledge that some of these may be a bit of a stretch, but others seem to be an exact match. I couldn’t help but be reminded of what 2nd Nephi 12 teaches:

“I, the Lord your God, have created all men,
and … I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea…
and I bring forth my word unto the children of men,
yea, even upon all the nations of the earth.
Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word?
Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God,
hat I remember one nation like unto another?
Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another.
And when the two nations shall run together,
the testimony of the two nations shall run together also.
And I do this that I may prove unto many, that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever.

And because that I have spoken one word,
ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another …
Wherefore, because that ye have a bible, ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written:
for I command all men, both in the east, and in the west,
and in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea,
that they shall write the words which I speak unto them”

If we are to take this portion of the Book of Mormon seriously, then we need to realize that what Buddhism has taught us IS God’s word. The Buddhists have given us valuable insight into what an exalted being looks like, and we should strive to learn from them so that we may understand our own tradition.

This admonition to learn from other religions has been confirmed several times in the restoration. Joseph Smith Jr taught (1-3, 4):

“One of the grand fundamental principles of Mormonism is to receive truth;
let it come from whence it may.”

“The doctrine of the Latter Day Saints, is truth …
you may think that it is a broad assertion that it is truth;
but … the first and fundamental principle of our holy religion
is that we believe that we have a right to embrace all and every item of truth
without limitation or without being circumscribed or prohibited
by the creeds or superstitious notions of men.”

“When that truth is clearly demonstrated to our minds,
and we have the highest degree of evidence of the same,
we feel ourselves bound by the laws of God, to observe and do strictly …
all things whatsoever is manifest unto us. …
we have a perfect, and indefeasible right to embrace all such commandments and do them.”

“Have the Presbyterians any truth? Yes. Have the Baptists, Methodists, etc., any truth? Yes. Embrace that truth! Get all the good in the world, and you will come out a pure Mormon.”

W. Wallace Smith taught in CoC D&C 149:5:

“My servants … are commended for their diligence
in seeking more light and truth from all available sources.”

CoC apostle David Brock taught in Herald 161-11:5, November 2014:

“All Are Called. All and everyone! I believe in the ‘priesthood of all believers.’
Maybe even the ‘priesthood of all believers and all unbelievers’!
Some days the called minister of God is an atheist or secular humanist.
Other days a Muslim, Jew, Hindu, or Buddhist.
Sometimes a Unitarian, Mormon, or some brand of fundamentalist…”

With these in mind, we as Mormons might be able to say:

“If we are to take the Book of Mormon seriously,
we must recognize that God speaks to all peoples across the earth
– not just to one nation, one faith, or in one book.
God declares that They remember all people, teach all people,
and ask that all people write what they are taught.
These writings are not meant to compete, but meant to compliment one another.

As Mormons, we are duty bound to embrace all truth wherever it is found,
whether it is from Atheists, Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, or any other people.
We are commended for seeking light and truth from every available source,
and it is only through this that wee will become true Mormons.“

In this way, Mormons are encouraged to be universalists.

So, if Buddhas are gods, what do you know about these gods?