Originally posted by dranoel maxwell:Let's put it this way. Buddha has attained enlightenment for a very long time, this is stated in Lotus Sutra, I and Bodhiruci agrees on this.
I too is not here to pick a quarrel with you. But your previous post was kinda insulting to me. Let me tell you, it is true that Jataka Tales states the previous lifes of the Buddha. But from what i know Jataka Tales are just [b]tales used by buddhist teachers to illustrate the doctrines of their faith or to magnify the glory and sancity of the Buddha...
And also you mentioned that you are not ignorant however in your previous post you asked me what is NUS buddhist society... i'm just trying to clear the doubts in you....
here's several URL that can prove my word
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/jt/jt02.htm
http://www.buddhanet.net/bt_intro.htm
http://www.encyclopedia-glossary.com/en/Jataka.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jataka_Tales
i'm sorry if i have offended you in anyway......[/b]
Originally posted by dranoel maxwell:point noted .. i might need to see abt jataka tales ,but i think most of them is true ,not all are false
I too is not here to pick a quarrel with you. But your previous post was kinda insulting to me. Let me tell you, it is true that Jataka Tales states the previous lifes of the Buddha. But from what i know Jataka Tales are just [b]tales used by buddhist teachers to illustrate the doctrines of their faith or to magnify the glory and sancity of the Buddha...
And also you mentioned that you are not ignorant however in your previous post you asked me what is NUS buddhist society... i'm just trying to clear the doubts in you....
here's several URL that can prove my word
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/jt/jt02.htm
http://www.buddhanet.net/bt_intro.htm
http://www.encyclopedia-glossary.com/en/Jataka.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jataka_Tales
i'm sorry if i have offended you in anyway......[/b]
I still disagree with what you said about Shakyamuni Buddha not being freed from sufferings. A Buddha, in fact even at the Arhat level, one is already freed from sufferings. Even if they (just an example) get tortured, killed, etc, they feel the pain but there is no Afflictions at all - their mind remain pure Buddha Mind. There is no 'Sentient Mind' that suffers all the emotions and sufferings of the pain. The Pain comes just as it is - the Buddha has no attachments at all to this pain, and he certainly never suffers. Once the pain is over, he also totally forget about it. Even while in pain, he also never suffers. Only Pure AwarenessOriginally posted by dranoel maxwell:A Buddha is any being who has become awakened to the ultimate truth of life, one who perceives the true entity of all phenomena, and who leads others to attain the same truth of life. In Hinayana the word means one who has entered the state of nenlightenment. In India the word buddha was originally a common noun meaning "awakened one," but in Buddhism it is used to mean one who has become awakened to the ultimate irvana, in which both body and mind are extinguished. Provisional Mahayana generally teaches that one becomes a Buddha after eradicating illusions through aeons of austere and meritorious practices, gradually acquiring the thirty-two features of a Buddha. Although a Buddha is ridded off the 3 poisons of buddhism(Greed, Hatred, Ignorance) and is always at the higher states of life. He/she still can experience the 4 lower states of life but will not be influenced or trapped in the lower states of life. Thus due to a Buddha's wisdom and high life condtion he/she can easily return to the higher states of life and not trap or get influenced in the lower states of life. When Shakyamuni was savouring the joy of enlightenment under the pipal tree, he was simultaneously troubled by the dilemma of whether he should preach the law to others. The devilish functions continued to plague Shakyamuni even after he had become a Buddha. They vied to attack him through even the smallest breach in his heart.
When a person beomes a Buddha he/she still has to under go sufferings. Sufferings and pain are not optional, it is a process of life. However due to a Buddha's states of life, he/she can view sufferings as a part of life and a joy in life. When Shakyamuni became a buddha he is not ridded of sufferings, because he still has to experience; bith, age, sick, death. These 4 points are considered sufferings, but due to a buddha's high life condition and wisdom he is able to view sufferings as a joy. Buddhism recogisnes the suffering in this world thus buddhism teaches us how to discover the ultimate truth within themselves, tapping an inner source of happiness and the strength and wisdom to overcome suffering. The eightfold path are right views, thinking, speech, action, right way of life, right endeavor, right mindfulness, and right meditation. These paths are the eradication of suffering, all these eight paths are set to change our views about sufferings they do not rid sufferings from the face of the earth. Sufferings are part of life and not optional, it is whether one views it in a different way that one can release from sufferings.
Four Noble Truths:
The four noble truths are the truth of suffering, the truth of the origin of suffering, the truth of the cessation of suffering, and the truth of the path to the cessation of suffering. Shakyamuni is said to have expounded the four noble truths at Deer Park in Varanasi, India, during his first sermon after attaining enlightenment. They are: (1) all existence is suffering; (2) suffering is caused by selfish craving; (3) the eradication of selfish craving brings about the cessation of suffering and enables one to attain nirvana; and (4) there is a path by which this eradication can be achieved, namely, the discipline of the eightfold path. The eightfold path consists of right views, right thinking, right speech, right action, right way of life, right endeavor, right mindfulness, and right meditation.
First, you need to define what this 'life' you are talking about is.Originally posted by dranoel maxwell:Buddhism does not believe in the concept of heaven or an afterlife, but rather speaks of the eternity of life. Our physical body must at some point decline and need to be replaced, but the essence of out life will continue to be reborn again in a new body at some time in the future.![]()
I think it is futile to argue about dharma, must lest get angry over such discussions. Dharma is to be lived and practised. May we all attain enlightenment soon.Originally posted by bohiruci:point noted .. i might need to see abt jataka tales ,but i think most of them is true ,not all are false
those website u point to me is website they claim they are tales
but Tibetan rinpoche also use jataka tales , that is open to interpretation difference
for me , i take it as true that jataka tales is true
I dun have doubts ... i just wondering why u mentioned NUSBS ?
so are u a Buddhist of Which Lineage ?
Active in National University of SIngapore Buddhist society ?
I also apologise to Drannoel ,perhaps my mother in hospital affected me alot
the future of my $ health is uncertain due to the amount of physio she need to undergo ..
well i'm not from NUSSBS just that i heard of it from some buddhist friends studying in NUS. Anyway i truely and sincerely pray for your mothers' health.....Originally posted by bohiruci:point noted .. i might need to see abt jataka tales ,but i think most of them is true ,not all are false
those website u point to me is website they claim they are tales
but Tibetan rinpoche also use jataka tales , that is open to interpretation difference
for me , i take it as true that jataka tales is true
I dun have doubts ... i just wondering why u mentioned NUSBS ?
so are u a Buddhist of Which Lineage ?
Active in National University of SIngapore Buddhist society ?
I also apologise to Drannoel ,perhaps my mother in hospital affected me alot
the future of my $ health is uncertain due to the amount of physio she need to undergo ..
I do not deny that 10 worlds exist in mind, but to deny that there is a real realm 'out there' in a conventional sense is also wrong.Originally posted by Spirit of Fire:There're the Ten Worlds which refers to the 10 kinds of life-conditions. The 10 are Hell, Hunger, Animality, Anger, Humanity, Rapture, Learning, Realization, Bodhisattva and Buddhahood.
Nichiren Daishonin who founded Nichiren Buddhism, states in the Gosho, "First of all, as to the question of where exactly hell and the Buddha exist, one sutra states that hell exists underground and another sutra says that the Buddha is in the west. Closer examination, however reveals that both exist in our five-foot-body." (WND, p 1137)
The world of Hell does not exist underground and Buddhahood does not exist in the Western Paradise. Instead, both worlds exist within our own lives.
The original meaning of the word Hell, is an undergound prison. The Buddhist sutras describe a total of 136 kinds of hell, including the eight hot hells and the eight cold hells.
The state of the Hell is the lowest state of life. it is a state where one is imprisoned by extreme suffering.
Nichiren Daishonin states, "Rage is the world of Hell." "Rage" refers to the resentment one feels when things do not go according to his/her wishes or the hatred one directs towards the person nwho brings suffering upon him/her. The state of Hell is where one's life-force is weakened to the extreme and where one is utterly devoid of freedom. The frustrating groan of despair of such a helpless state if life is called "Rage".
Put another way, the state of Hell is a condition where one feels unhappiness no matter what he/she sess or does.
Originally posted by An Eternal Now: I do not deny that 10 worlds exist in mind, but to deny that there is a real realm 'out there' in a conventional sense is also wrong.No, no, no, u're wrong. If there's a real realm 'out there', so where is it? Where's the proof? This is a very mundane thinking of human, & dun try to answer me 1st, without thinking it through.
Indeed Buddhism is the practise of inner cultivation, once our minds are liberated from those 10 worlds, then he no longer needs to go through the samsaric cycle of reincarnations.
Although human eyes cannot perceive some realms due our lack of dhyanic capacities, there are many many practitioners including the Buddha himself who have clearly stated to have perceived the other realms apart from what our human eyes can perceive. Not being able to perceive this worlds are by no means proof that they do not exist. If you cultivate well - one day you will develope the powers that Buddha had and therefore be able to perceive that these realms do exist.Originally posted by Spirit of Fire:No, no, no, u're wrong. If there's a real realm 'out there', so where is it? Where's the proof? This is a very mundane thinking of human, & dun try to answer me 1st, without thinking it through.
If there's a real realm 'out there', then what's the use of karma?There is no change in regards to 'purpose'. Karma is a universal law.
As one of the ancient Buddhist texts states: "If you want to understand the causes that existed in the past, look at the results as they are manifested in the present. And if you want to understand what results will be manifested in the future, look at the causes that exist in the present."Fully agreed with you. Those who resign to karma has in fact fallen into the catergory of superstitious fatalism.
Karma is thus, like everything, in constant flux. We create our own present and future by the choices we make each moment. In this light, the teaching of karma does not encourage resignation, but empowers us to become the protagonists in the unfolding drama of our lives.
As for the 10 worlds, we cannot liberate it, they're in our life-state. The life-state of Buddhahood is not separate or discontinuous from the other nine worlds. Rather, the wisdom, vitality and courage of Buddhahood can infuse and transform the manner in which a tendency toward, for example, Anger, functions in a person's life. When Anger is directed by the compassion of the worlds of Buddhahood and Bodhisattva, it can be a vital force in challenging injustice and transforming human society.Sorry for the confusion caused. Perhaps this explanation is clearer.
Mean no harm in this conversation, but just find it interesting....Originally posted by An Eternal Now:Sorry for the confusion caused. Perhaps this explanation is clearer.
What are the Ten Realms?
The ten worlds of existence consist of the Four Enlightened Realms
(Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Pacceka-Buddhas and Arahants) and Six Worldly
Realms (Gods, Asuras, Humans, Animals, Hungry Ghosts and Hell-
Beings).
The great Buddhist sages reside In the Four Enlightened Realms. These
sages are no longer trapped in the cycle of birth and death. They are
able to enter and leave the other realms at will, so as to guide and
teach all beings.
Even though we may cultivate to become Buddhas, we will only become Buddhas when we are completely enlightened and liberated. It takes many many lifetimes of practise.
here:Originally posted by dranoel maxwell:pardon me An Eternal Now can you link me to the thread that states the banning of SGI URLs??? really appreciate it...
Yes, in a way that is also very true.Originally posted by trajet:I try to see netrally... not from any religious teaching..
Actually.. HELL or HEAVEN is really in this earth... If terrorists keep on killing, countries and nations keep being greedy and backstabbing others, nature angry... more and more natural and human disasters are coming... That's where hell is... .