Editing Religious pluralism (section)

==Buddhism==
[[File:Buddhism dham jak.png|thumb | 220x124px | right | alt=The Buddhist dharm chakra. Which is like a chariot wheel is a popular symbol of Buddhism. | [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] dharma chakra. A popular symbol of [[Buddhism]].]]
Buddhist doctrine, fundamentally based upon minimizing or negating the suffering which arises from attachment, like its sister Indic religions, opposes exclusivism and emphasizes pluralism. This is not only encapsulated in the life story of the Buddha, who sought many gurus himself before resolving to seek Enlightenment on his own, but also in Buddhist scripture.

{{Blockquote|text={{lang|pi-latn|Katunnam kilesasîmânam atîtattâ<br>Sîmâtigo bâhitapâpattâ ka brâhmano.}}

<p>What one person, abiding by the (philosophical) views, saying, 'This is the most excellent,' considers the highest in the world, everything different from that he says is wretched, therefore he has not overcome dispute.</p>|title=Sutta Nipata|source=796}}

The Buddha also himself stated that truth is compromised when an individual is not open to entertaining a wide array of teachings. Moreover, without a pluralist understanding, the Buddha stated that truth cannot be discovered or ascertained such that it is truly known:

{{Blockquote|text=If a person has faith, Bhāradvāja, he preserves truth when he says: 'My faith is thus'; but he does not yet come to the definite conclusion: 'Only this is true, anything else is wrong.' In this way, Bhāradvāja, there is the preservation of truth; in this way he preserves truth; in this way we describe the preservation of truth. But as yet there is no discovery of truth.|author=The Buddha|title=The Pali Canon|source=Bhikkhu Bodhi. "In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon"}}

In the Lankavatara Sutra, the Buddha gave a long treatise on the idea that various expressions of Truth may seem contradictory or boundless, yet they all speak of Truth itself – emphasizing that an Enlightened One both accepts pluralism in that there are many ways to referring to Truth, but rises above it through the understanding that Truth transcends all labels.

{{Blockquote | In a political sense, the earliest references to Buddhist views on religious pluralism are found in the [[Edicts of Ashoka|Edicts of Emperor Ashoka]]:

All religions should reside everywhere, for all of them desire self-control and purity of heart. Rock Edict Nb. 7 (S. Dhammika)

Contact (between religions) is good. One should listen to and respect the doctrines professed by others. Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, desires that all should be well-learned in the good doctrines of other religions. Rock Edict Nb. 12 (S. Dhammika)}}

When asked, "Don't all religions teach the same thing? Is it possible to unify them?" the [[14th Dalai Lama|Dalai Lama]] said:<ref>[http://www.zenit.org/article-8376?l=english "Dalai Lama Asks West Not to Turn Buddhism Into a 'Fashion{{'"}}], ''Zenit'', 2003-10-08, retrieved 2009-06-18.</ref>

{{Blockquote | People from different traditions should keep their own, rather than change. However, some Tibetan may prefer Islam, so he can follow it. Some Spanish prefer Buddhism; so follow it. But think about it carefully. Don't do it for fashion. Some people start Christian, follow Islam, then Buddhism, then nothing.

In the United States I have seen people who embrace Buddhism and change their clothes! Like the New Age. They take something Hindu, something Buddhist, something, something.... That is not healthy.

For individual practitioners, having one truth, one religion, is very important. Several truths, several religions, is contradictory.

I am Buddhist. Therefore, Buddhism is the only truth for me, the only religion. To my Christian friend, Christianity is the only truth, the only religion. To my Muslim friend, [Islam] is the only truth, the only religion. In the meantime, I respect and admire my Christian friend and my Muslim friend. If by unifying you mean mixing, that is impossible; useless.}}