The Gods visit the Virtuous. The Bodhisatta is a childless king and he asks his queen to pray for a son. Sakka hears her prayer and goes to question her about her virtues. Hearing her answers he readily grants her request.

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Translation: Ānandajoti Bhikkhu
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Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse ?

BUDDHISM HAS NOTHING IN COMMON WITH MONOTHEISM

"Earlier I remarked that discipline naturally follows from wholeheartedly taking refuge in the Triple Gem. Now let us consider how discipline arises from taking refuge in the dharma. By taking refuge, again, we mean genuinely accepting that all compounded things are impermanent, and that the phenomenal world is interdependent, depending on causes, conditions and effects which depend on causes, which depend on causes. If one takes refuge in acceptance of the truth of these facts, then one naturally has the self-discipline to not act in ways that contradict that truth, such as by harming others. If we act harmfully, that is a sign that we have forgotten that facts like cause, condition and effect, and interdependence are the truth.

Once we have taken refuge in the dharma, it makes no sense to simultaneously practise another path that teaches extreme views. At inter-faith religious conferences, in order to be friendly and not offend others, I tend to just go along with the idea that all religions share the same ultimate hope of reaching heaven and all that. But Buddhism definitely does not share a hope of reaching heaven, which is not at all to say that religions that do are junk.

The great Nyingmapa master Longchenpa said that any religion that teaches right from wrong is an indirect teaching of the Buddha, so we cannot dismiss another religion based merely on its belief in an after-life.

Each religion and path has its own distinct character. Buddhism happens to be a path of non-duality, free from extreme beliefs. Some people say they practise both Buddhism and Christianity, but these two paths are incompatible. Pairing them together makes no sense. Extreme beliefs such as in a truly and permanently existing god, a truly existing heaven, a truly existing soul that is tainted by sin, such beliefs are the very antithesis and contradict the crux of Buddhism. So one really has to choose between Buddhism and non-Buddhism.

If we are going to Kathmandu, we have to take the road to Kathmandu; if we are going to Delhi, we have to take the road to Delhi; but we cannot go to Kathmandu and to Delhi at the same time. Taking refuge in the sangha, and taking refuge in extreme views are mutually exclusive paths.

As refugees, we are not supposed to regard people who follow extreme views as our spiritual companions, not to say we can’t go out for a beer and talk. But a spiritual friend is supposed to be one who won’t mislead us with extreme views and bizarre philosophies.

Realistically, how could a so-called bi-religious person possibly believe in both a non-theistic path of interdependent origination, and in a truly existing monotheistic path at the same time?

In monotheistic discipline, one has to strictly follow their scripture in order to be saved, or else face eternal damnation. Whereas the Buddhist discipline of allegiance to the truth is very practical and very logical and entirely up to the individual; it’s a choice we make, and why? Because it makes sense to us that if we want to achieve a degree of freedom, then we have to embrace this discipline which is free from all extreme views. The credibility gap between the monotheistic path and the non-theistic path really is irreconcilable. The bottom line is that Buddhism has nothing in common with monotheism."

- Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche