Question on Old Changi Hospital
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To be precise, Shakyamuni Buddha actually manifested illness out of great compassion for us to see. That is a convinient way to show that everyone is subjected to Birth, Ageing, Sickness, Death. In fact in Lotus Sutra it was stated that Buddha had been a Buddha for a very very long time.Originally posted by shade343:Anybody who is reborn in this world will have to undergo suffering. In the case of bhuddha, he did experience suffering and was also subjected to Karma. But that is because he isnt a god. Comapre this to the case of Jesus Christ. Why do christians say that Jesus paid for our sins? Because he suffered in place of us. He originally did not have any karmic debts. Instead , he took over some of our debts and help us pay some of it.
I did not mention that this supreme god exist in person. Which part of my post did I say it?
I merely mention he was the creator. He who is above all.
...Since I attained Buddhahood
the number of kalpas that have passed
is an immeasurable hundreds, thousands, ten thousands,
millions, trillions, asamkhyas.
Constantly I have preached the Law, teaching, converting
countless millions of living beings,
causing them to enter the Buddha way,
all this for immeasurable kalpas.
In order to save living beings,
as an expedient means I appear to enter nirvana
but in truth I do not pass into extinction.
I am always here preaching the Law.
I am always here,
but through my transcendental powers
I make it so that living beings in their befuddlement
do not see me even when close by.
When the multitude see that I have passed into extinction,
far and wide they offer alms to my relics...
http://lotus.nichirenshu.org/lotus/sutra/english/watson/lsw_chap16.htm
Does Buddha suffer? No. He merely remain aware of the sensation. Just pure awareness. There were 4 occasions where Devadatta attempted to kill him. Each occasion he failed because a Buddha cannot be killed. Those accounts were very interesting, I liked the one where Buddha radiated loving kindness to the drunk elephant that was set by Devadatta to charge him yet in the end he bowed down to Buddha without hurting him. But on the last attempt, Devadatta managed to hurt Buddha by rowling a large rock to him. Actually it was intended to kill him, but he only got hurt (bled). Buddha knew what was going to happen but he never used any powers to stop it (just like Mahakashyapa did not use his powers to stop others killing him) because he knew it was fixed karma. Devadatta soon fell ill, died, went into Avici Hell (bleeding Buddha is one of the 5 grave offences that will lead one to be reborned in the worst hell). But Buddha being enlightened, he has transcended any kinds of sufferings.
Just interesting note: Buddha was omniscient and he did know that Devadatta would cause a schism in the Sangha and try to kill him, but he also foresaw that by living as a monk for some time and developing the jhanas, Devadatta would become a Paccekabuddha after suffering in Avici hell for the remainder of this aeon. However, if the Buddha had not admitted Devadatta to the Sangha, he would have still done immoral deeds, but not the powerful moral ones, so his suffering would have been unlimited. This shows the Buddha's boundless tolerance. There was no way at all in which Devadatta's presence in the Sangha was beneficial to the Buddha, but he tolerated him because of the benefit to Devadatta.
As for Jesus Christ taking away our sins. My master says, Jesus Christ is a great bodhisattva. He may make this compassionate vow of taking away our sins, but if he have already taken our sins then humanity will have stopped sinning now. Nevertheless we should emulate the spirit of Jesus Christ by practising the bodhisattva path. -
Huh? what has suffering in place of us got to do with humanity sinning further?Originally posted by An Eternal Now:He may make this compassionate vow of taking away our sins, but if he have already taken our sins then humanity will have stopped sinning now. Nevertheless we should emulate the spirit of Jesus Christ in our bodhisattva path. Nevertheless we should emulate the spirit of Jesus Christ by practising the bodhisattva path. -
What he said was, "But, Jesus Christ was so Wei3 Da4, did he take away humanity's sins? Actually never. if Jesus Christ took away our sins, then the world shouldn't be sinning anymore (bu ying dang zai fan zhui). But yet, there are jails and criminals is ever increasing, so much that there jails are becoming full. Jesus's 'bo2 ai4' spirit deserves our jing4 pei4, but if we want to emulate jesus's spirit, the best is first xing4 fo2, xue2 fo2 then we will know."Originally posted by shade343:Huh? what has suffering in place of us got to do with humanity sinning further? -
Very late now. Reply you further another day.
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Just to add on, OCH is a haven for drug addicts, from what I know. Hence, the 'disturbance'.
You can try and post this question in Singapore Urban Explorer forum too... -
i just said can say yes and can say no. being able to manipulate both anwser and event is higher. Buddha can act powerful can act powerless, all for the sake of sentient beings(including other gods).Originally posted by shade343:Im asking you in terms of power, who is higher? Bhudhha or the other gods?
if you say other god is able to destory Itself, i say He's most powerful. actually power is nothing compare to compassion and wisdom.
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The place is quite scary now...
Dunno why, pass by that place have a strange feeling -
Last post about Buddha and God... will no longer post anything about it here because it is off-topic already.
Buddha used to have 2 gurus prior on his ascetic path (which he abandoned) and meditation practise that eventually led him to Enlightenment. The first one attained 7th Jhana (The Base of No-thingness), and Buddha learnt to enter the 7th Jhana in a very short time. Then he left that teacher and found another teacher. The teacher attained 8th Jhana (The Base of Neither Perception nor Non-perception). Buddha learnt from that teacher, attained 8th Jhana in a short time, and left that teacher too, because he did not achieve his goal of finding the way to be liberated from Samsara and attain Enlightenment. He then went to the ascetic path, but eventually found self-mortification unable to lead him to Enlightenment, but rather, he almost died during his practise because of starvation.
Then he practised the 'Middle-Way', neither indulging in extreme sensual pleasures, nor another extreme of ascetism and self mortification, and attained Nirvana under the Bodhi Tree. He began teaching dharma to the masses only after the request of the Maha Brahma (all past Buddhas were requested to teach dharma before they do so) to teach the dharma, did he do so. Buddha intended to start teaching the dharma, path to liberation, to his gurus first. But through Samadhi, he realised they have passed away while he was embarking on the path towards Enlightenment. One of the teacher resided in the 7th Jhana, The Base of No-thingness, the other teacher resided in the 8th Jhana, The Base of Neither Perception nor Non-perception. These heavens were the highest heavens, they are formless in nature, and is higher than those heavens belonging to the devas of the Sensual Plane and the Brahmas of the Form Plane. There is no physical body, only consciousness. But they have not achieved liberation and is still bound to be reborned.
Because heaven is still subjected to impermanence, part of samsara, it is not the ultimate aim of Buddhists.
More info:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/bps/wheels/wheel414.html (Teacher of the Devas)
Contents
* I. Introduction
* II. The Buddha Teaches Deities
* III. Devas and Brahmas Honor the Buddha
* IV. The Role of Devas in the Buddha's Career
* V. Liberation for Humans, Devas, and Brahmas
* Notes
* Abbreviations
* Bibliography
I understand that the Sai Baba teachings teaches the eventual unification of all religions. But IMHO, this is not realistic. IMHO, it is much easier for example, Christianity and Islam to be unified, rather than Buddhism and another religion that teach about God. Because both Christianity and Islam religion teach about God, and their ultimate aim after life is to be borned in heaven. You must understand that during Buddha's times, there are 60 over different kinds of teachings, Buddha refuted all of them (i.e Brahmanism, Jainism, etc) and taught the only teachings that would lead to liberation and enlightenment.
Any teachings that is against the 4 dharma seals, cannot be considered as part of Buddhism:
4 SEALS: All produced phenomena are impermanent, all contaminated products are in the nature of SUFFERING, all phenomena are EMPTINESS, NIRVANA is peace.
or the 3 dharma seals:
3 DHARMA SEALS: Impermanence, non-self, nirvana
It is not plausible to think of Buddhism in the views of other religions. Because the fundamental teachings of Buddhism definitely has contradictories with other teachings. I.e Buddhism strictly does not accept a personal, autonomous Creator God. Even Buddha himself has stated his views regarding Creatorism, and Creatorism is one of the false views that is negated, rejected by him (other false views rejected include Predestination, Nihilism, Eternalism).
He found the Universe is not the product of Chance, or is caused by the will of a foolish ignorant despotic phantom Creator, or due to absolute predestination, but the result of unerring natural Immutable Law of Cause and Effect.
- What Buddhism is Not
by Anagarika Dharmapala (1926)
and..
"To those who talked about the first cause of this world, the Buddha responded by saying that it is impossible to find a first cause since everything is changing, interdependent and conditioned by other things. Something that acts as the cause in the present may become the effect in the future. Later that same effect may again become the cause. Such phenomenon continues ad infinitum. It is called the universal law of Anicca or impermanency.
Clearly, the theory of Creatorism is against the fundamental Buddhist teachings of Impermanence, Non-self, Emptiness, and so on.
There are lots of differences in different religions and spiritual path. If not, then there would be no reason why there are so many seperate streams of spirituality in the world.
I believe the best and realistic thing we can seek is not the unification of all religions, but rather, learning to be tolerant, show our loving kindness and great compassion towards everyone irregardless of their beliefs. We can learn about each other's beliefs and faith, but I feel there is no need to debate over their teachings, because differences never ends.
Lastly, just for info, my own Buddhist practise does not require me to go through various Jhanas before achieving liberation. My practise is 'Sudden Transcendance', which IMHO, has similarities with Zen's 'Sudden Realisation' and Dzogchen's 'Non-meditation' path (when compared to other gradual paths). Forgive me if I said anything wrong. -
Anyway, it's very good you have picked up the habit of chanting. Do not be afraid and just chant Guan Shi Yin when you are in danger.Originally posted by gamesharkuser:Hello guys, i have questions about old changi hospital... i recently went there for fun with my friends (7 people ) & some other group of people ... i went inside abit (which is at the broken lift) , one of my friend said that he saw something when he was walking in ( i didn't see anything, i'm so afraid , i keep chanting "namo guan sin yin pusa" .. he bugged me and ask me go out, so i ask one of my friend go out too... we went out peacefully... and left 4 of my friends inside because they didn't want to go out... when they are back, they told me that one of the other group people saw taoism god (dua ya pei ?) and he ki tang and vomit and fainted after that. omg, i can't believe it.. i wonder why???? why didn't goverment tear down the hospital?? is there really ghost in the hospital?
Guan Shi Yin is also known as 'Da Ci Da Bei Jiu4 Ku3 Jiu4 Nan4 Guan Shi Yin Pu Sa'. The lotus sutra is full of examples of cases in which Avalokitesvara will save and help people when they are in danger. -
An old Chinese proverb says that there is a thirty percent possibility that people may be afraid of ghosts anda seventy percent possibility that ghosts are afraid of people. So it is silly for us to be afraid of ghosts because they are much more afraid of us. We only need to be afraid when we have done something wrong, because only then are they able to harm us. If our conscience is clear, then malevolent spirits can do nothing to us.
Master Chin Kung
> Changing Destiny, Liao-Fan's Four Lessons -
Hi,
Have anyone wondered atoms particles, microbes, bacteria, germs are invisible to the naked eye.
Likewise, ghost or petas are also invisible to the naked eye.
As to why some pple can see these things, dunno if can use the yin and yang (maybe its an energy form), just like we cant see or hear light or sound waves isn't it, like magnetic fields.
When we think or emit happy thoughts, we are releasing positive energy waves where the naked eye cant see, but we can perceive its energy. I once attended Dalai Lama lecture in an indoor stadium, I can feel the peace and positive energy all round inside the stadium and became peaceful for 3 days as a result. -
i went there too many times nothing happens.. went into the lift and stays there for few mins also nothing happen. I'am scare of no ghost. But I scare when there is one poping out
