YV culture inspired by Buddism??

I havent looked into it too deeply yet but there seem to be some similarities.

For example Buddism defines reality through pain, suffering and death.

More later...

 

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Maybe you should try antonyms...

 

I don't think much of your theory. All of the major religions on Earth preach peace but I will await further details from you.

 

Does that mean that YV culture cannot be inspired by certain elements of Buddism?

I can remember there was a thread about YV culture some time ago in which it was concluded that it had some Aztec elements. In this manner, it can have Buddist elements as well.

Mind I am speaking about inspiration. The writers used elements of all those real world religions and cultures and molded it into something as twisted and bizarre as the YV culture (that we all love reading about so much ).

 

There have been so many writers in NJO that YV culture has been adapted to suit each of the writers own ideas.

 

Certain elements? Perhaps... but the overall concept of Buddism... I don't think so.

~*~Bria

 

I think the YV culture is more inspired by the Ninja code. If you look at both of them, they both take honor very seriously. They both fight for honor and to conquer. I don't really know much more about it, but Buddist is not really related to YV.

 

Hmmm here are some elements of Buddism that I recognized in YV culture:

"... These teachings include the Four Noble Truths about life. The first truth is that there is pain, suffering, old age, and death in life. These transient factors affect us all, and are part of the reality that defines life. The second truth states that desire for ... health ... and life all cause suffering. This is because we cannot have everything we want, and denial is a source of pain. The third truth simply states that extinction of desire ceases pain and suffering; killing the ego releases one from wants."

The first truth is mentioned explicitly in YV culture. With regard to the second and third truth I can remember a scene right after the center point crisis. I can recall the YV wondering whether the humans (and other aliens of course) finally discovered that they had to sacrifice in order to win a battle. To let go of their desire to live.

I know, it doesnt fit exactly, but with some imagination...

Btw: the source for this is a shaolin site http://www.shaolin.com/page.asp?content_id=1008

 

Since this is a long long time ago, i think Buddism would bear a relationship to Vongism, not the other way around

 

if it was, it was a great big diplomatic boo boo on the author's part.

 

"For example Buddism defines reality through pain, suffering and death."

This is true, but the Buddha taught that we must escape pain and suffering through achieving absorption into Nirvana. The Yuuzhan Vong on the other hand think that pain is not to be escaped and rejected but embraced. And they don't stop there, some YV (Shedao Shai for example) believe they must also inflict pain on others, while the Buddha taught concepts of compassion and non-violence toward other creatures.

 

If anything would be inspired by Buddhism, I would think it would be the Jedi. Meditation, peace, etc.

 

The biggest difference is that Buddists value ALL life above all other things. They go out of their way so insects can live, that dosen'tsound like the YV at all.

"I don't think much of your theory. All of the major religions on Earth preach peac" - But almost all of the major religions on Earth have killed hundreds, if not thousands, in the name of keeping/creating peace. The YV aren't killing people for the sake of killing people, they want the home which they feel is rightfully theirs - they want peace, thats no different then when Christains kill "pegans" etc.....

 

LOL- as others have said, they are dead opposites. Buddists value life over all, and the YV- well, we all know them.

 

The YV are probably closer to Christains then Buddists.

 

Oh, good. This thread has turned to an attack on Christianity. I sure do hate it when we're all respectful to each other's religions. (sarcasm)

 

A blind statment IMHO. The Yuuzhan Vong certainly have similarities in religions, but none of their concepts reflect those major today. In no way do the Vong remind me of Christianity, at least that of today. We certainly do not kill others who do not share our veiws, and that goes for most modern religions, save radical Islam.

The Yuuzhan Vong in my mind are a Central American Culture from the middle ages, the similarities are emminent.

 

Some mod please lock this thread before the anti-Westernists go bezerk on Christianity, and a flame war comes.

 

To me, Yuuzhan Vong seem more like the Japanese Kamikaze pilots than any other Earth-based culture.

 

I'd say they're more Sadists, I mean, in the true traditions of the Marquise de Sade.

 

I have not heard one decent arguement to support this theorey. Budhists value life and the vong value pain and death. This is along way apart in my book.

In conclusion this theorey is complete and total garbage.

 

Well...

The way to reach enlightenment is through detachment from life and accepting things as pain, suffering and ultimately death. So, Buddism doesnt really value life.

All I was trying to say was that maybe (just maybe!) this was used by the writers as a source of inspiration. If you twist it dark enough it could end up in YV culture.

Concluding... the only thing here that comes close to garbage seems to be your brain.

 

It has come to my attention that any non-budists should probobly not assume things about the religion, seeing they may be wrong as it is.

 

Like I said, this needs to be locked. And some individuals need banning or strong warnings.

 

When I first saw this subject line I was about to dismiss it out of hand like so many others have, but I think that there's more to it than many here seem to think. If not in fact (as an actual source of inspiration) then at least as a notion worthy of discussion beyond answers like "no".


Roa

"but the Buddha taught that we must escape pain and suffering through achieving absorption into Nirvana. The Yuuzhan Vong on the other hand think that pain is not to be escaped and rejected but embraced. "

I think that statement doesn't actually match the 4 noble truths (which I assume that was paraphrased from).

Firstly Buddhism doesn't teach us how to "escape" pain and suffering. And secondly, Buddhism does tell us that suffering is not to be escaped by embraced. Only by realising that suffering is inherant to life and by embracing that fact can one reach nirvana.

I think that Buddhism contrasts greatly with Vongism- the value of life and the fact that suffering is 'embraced' in a different kind of way by both above all- but I think there are definately elements of similarity. And I think that the author's reinterpretation of the 4 noble truths, if not warranting some itneresting discussion, could possible be a source of inspiration.

Back more with later. Have to sign up for uni seminars