Religion

struggle4progress

(118,236 posts)

17. The Gates Of Hell And Heaven

Mon Mar 25, 2013, 01:48 PM

Mar 2013

... There was once a Samurai, named Nobuchika, who approached the Zen master, named Haku-in, and asked whether there were really Hell and Heaven. The Zen master asked him, “Who are you?” The Samurai answered, “I am a Samurai, sir”. “Uh! Are you?”, the master exclaimed, and said, “You don’t look like a Samurai; you look like a beggar”. The Samurai got angry and grabbed his sword. When Master Haku-in saw that, he said, “Uh! You have a sword. It looks very dull. What can you do with the dull sword?” Nobuchika drew his sword out of the sheath. Then Master Haku-in said, softly, “See! The gate of Hell opens now”. When Hobuchika heard that, he realised that and calmed down. And then again, Master Haku-in said, kindly, “See! The gate of Heaven opens now” ...
The Gates Of Hell And Heaven

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If you believe in Heaven do you have to believe in Hell? [View all] hrmjustin Mar 2013 OP

I've had many Newest Reality Mar 2013 #1

I think the allusion dipsydoodle Mar 2013 #2

You can believe in anything you can think up or learn from... Walk away Mar 2013 #3

Or separate but equal heavens for dogs BlueStreak Mar 2013 #9

Unfotunately, most people seem to believe that their fantasy is the only right one.... Walk away Mar 2013 #28

many jews believe in heaven but not hell. unblock Mar 2013 #4

Hell no! xtraxritical Mar 2013 #5

Yes, if you're Christian. aquart Mar 2013 #6

Satan referenced in Old Testament. Warren Stupidity Mar 2013 #8

It's an old question Fortinbras Armstrong Mar 2013 #7

If I had been forced to sit through COLGATE4 Mar 2013 #10

For many people Worried senior Mar 2013 #11

That's a question you never want to ask Lordquinton Mar 2013 #30

I don't think so. Wait Wut Mar 2013 #12

I like the Mormon thing where everybody gets their own planet. xtraxritical Mar 2013 #16

You don't *have* to believe in anything... gcomeau Mar 2013 #13

The universalists don't. backscatter712 Mar 2013 #14

I like that view. hrmjustin Mar 2013 #15

The Gates Of Hell And Heaven struggle4progress Mar 2013 #17

Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam struggle4progress Mar 2013 #18

I think you answered your own question. Gore1FL Mar 2013 #19

There's a story from the Latin Kingdom okasha Mar 2013 #20

Hell is a pagan concept adopted by Christianity... Humanist_Activist Mar 2013 #21

Why do you believe in Heaven? brooklynite Mar 2013 #22

I just do. hrmjustin Mar 2013 #23

Not necessarily ButterflyBlood Mar 2013 #24

Thank you for this. hrmjustin Mar 2013 #25

The question I've always had is: how could the Bible be so obtuse? brooklynite Mar 2013 #31

In at least some of the Old Testament days, the Israelis didn't believe in the afterlife. backscatter712 Mar 2013 #35

If you believe in Heaven you can believe anything you like. bemildred Mar 2013 #26

Hell is meant to scare people to follow the "rules" socialindependocrat Mar 2013 #27

This. Hell, and religion in general, are used by power-elites to scare and control people. backscatter712 Mar 2013 #36

I agree with you. I just thought, though socialindependocrat Mar 2013 #37

It's less a matter of what you have to believe than a matter MineralMan Mar 2013 #29

Of course not skepticscott Mar 2013 #32

Never sugarcoat anything do you. hrmjustin Mar 2013 #33

My Grandma didn't believe in Hell - like you, a loving God wouldn't do that to us. OriginalGeek Mar 2013 #34

I've seen a Christian right here on DU proclaim that anyone who DOESN'T believe in hell... trotsky Mar 2013 #38