Can I be Buddha?
-
Few questions to answer:
1. Is there anyway I can be a buddha?
2. How do you know that everything is not real and a construct by the mind only?
3. Is Buddha a god? If so, why did he die? If not, what is his reason to be on earth? Where is he now?
4. How many buddhist sutras are there, who wrote them and where can i get them? -
i not good at philosophy. But i think anyone can be buddha once you attain nirvana.Originally posted by SocialOutcast:Few questions to answer:
1. Is there anyway I can be a buddha?
2. How do you know that everything is not real and a construct by the mind only?
3. Is Buddha a god? If so, why did he die? If not, what is his reason to be on earth? Where is he now?
4. How many buddhist sutras are there, who wrote them and where can i get them?
Answer 2 is when you reach pt.1 when you fully understood the meaning of life.
3. Buddha actually by hierarchy is above all levels of godship. (i.e. shen). He nie-pan, not die. When you reach nirvana, you can get out of liu-tao, when you get released from world.
4. I believe the sutras are actually written by buddha's disciples etc. You can get the book copies from good temple which have libraries. Mostly attainable from old temples in china, indian and maybe taiwan and singapore. I mean those books not the same as those distributable books you get from everywhere for reciting of the chants, but more high level ones.
-
let me try to answer your questionOriginally posted by SocialOutcast:Few questions to answer:
1. Is there anyway I can be a buddha?
2. How do you know that everything is not real and a construct by the mind only?
3. Is Buddha a god? If so, why did he die? If not, what is his reason to be on earth? Where is he now?
4. How many buddhist sutras are there, who wrote them and where can i get them?
1.Yes , If You awaken to the truth of this world , and able to free yourself from mental suffering , without doing evil , deeper purification, you can be Buddha
2.ask yourself this question .Have you ever think of what makes up you ?
Have you ever wondered what is the smalled indivisible of your beloved toys,person ,things and the world you live in ?
If there is a REAL thing ,can you see that it will not disintegrate as times goes by ?or doesnt belong to you ?
Have you have dream ? When you are being chased by a tiger and you woken up from the fright ?where are your dreams ? If dreams is false ,why is the tiger in the dream so REAL?
3.Buddha is a not a God .He did not die ,He passed into the suchness of undescribable state , not here or there ,that is Nirvana .If you practise well , you can still see Him .
4.There are so many Buddhist sutra which was compiled during the ancient times ,and to trace the historic development takes many many posting
but basically they teaches (from Buddha ) the merit of doing good things and the universal nature of Impermanence, All pheonomenon are suffering ,All pheonomenon are without an "I"
Everyone can be Buddha,Buddha Sakyamuni treat everyone as Buddha ,not as slave ,so you can be one , If you practise hard ......
-
1. First of all, by taking refuge in the Three Treasures - Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, learn about the dharma teachings and practise it. Everyone can become Buddha, and will become Buddha, because our Buddha Nature is already wholly complete. We just need to realise it, practise the Bodhisattva ways, and eventually we will attain Buddhahood for sure.Originally posted by SocialOutcast:Few questions to answer:
1. Is there anyway I can be a buddha?
2. How do you know that everything is not real and a construct by the mind only?
3. Is Buddha a god? If so, why did he die? If not, what is his reason to be on earth? Where is he now?
4. How many buddhist sutras are there, who wrote them and where can i get them?
2. It is not that everything is illusions, such a view may be a little extreme. But rather, everything is LIKE an illusion. There's a difference. Why? Because the Self is an illusion (see http://buddhism.sgforums.com/?action=thread_display&thread_id=157333), Permanence is an illusion (no two moments are the same!). All existence is conditioned - they do not have inherent existence and therefore they are empty. Time is also an illusion, the past has gone ['past' is PRESENT MEMORIES], the future has yet to come [just a PRESENT expectation], and the present is ungraspable - the moment you try to grasp on it, it's gone. When we conceptualise and make mental constructs of 'things' and treat it as real, we lost the essence. So it is not that the world is an illusion - it is US that are illusioned.
All conditioned dharmas [phenomena]
are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, shadows,
like dew drops and a lightning flash:
contemplate them thus.
- Diamond Sutra
3. Buddha is not a god, although while he was still in Samsara (the world of sufferings; the six realms of existences), he has been reborned as gods for uncountable times. Just right before he was borned in India, he was a teacher of the celestial beings in Tushita heaven. When he was borned on Earth, Maitreya Bodhisattva took over his place in Tushita heaven. Maitreya Buddha will be the next Buddha to appear on Earth. In Buddhism rebirth in Heaven is not ultimate because even celestial beings will have to pass away - and possibly be reborned in lower realms according to their karma. Only Nirvana is permanent - and to attain Nirvana a person must become Liberated from Samsara. He was here on Earth because he saw that the conditions for him to teach the sentient beings on Earth was ripe, and many people will attain enlightenment under his guide. Another reason is because the Earth realm is the best place to practise - it's even better than the celestial realms because the celestial realms are too joyful and therefore the celestial beings are not concerned with sufferings or have any wish to be liberated from Samsara. Enjoyment has served as a distraction from spiritual development and liberation. Shakyamuni Buddha after passing away is still teaching within the 'three thousand world systems' in our universe until Maitreya Buddha takes over in the future.
4. I don't know how many sutras, but there are really a lot. Someone posted in the past and made a point that the length of all sutras is 11 times the Christian bible. This is because Buddha spent 49 years after his Enlightenment expounding the dharma throughout India. All Sutras are spoken words of the Buddha, and recited by 500 of his enlightened disciples after Buddha's passing. Most of the sutras were remembered by Ananda, who was blessed with photographic memory. You can in fact find many sutras in English online. You can also find them in dharma centres and monasteries
-
wow so many people answer him in a short time
-
1. Every person in this world has a plan in place. If the planning of being a buddha is appropriate, you would become one. Otherwise, no matter how hard you try, it may be in vain and may not serve you.Originally posted by SocialOutcast:Few questions to answer:
1. Is there anyway I can be a buddha?
2. How do you know that everything is not real and a construct by the mind only?
3. Is Buddha a god? If so, why did he die? If not, what is his reason to be on earth? Where is he now?
4. How many buddhist sutras are there, who wrote them and where can i get them?
2.Its not that everything isnt real, but its because you exist in this world cut away from your true self. Once you realise it, things would be much clearer.
3.What is your concept of God? Is it an undying being? Is it something thats eternal? Or does God have to be a being to begin with? Again, self realisation is the key to an answer.
4.Ermm, cant help you on this question. -
thus i heard from MCK, there's about 3000++ Theravadin suttas and also about 3000++ Mahayana sutras. Theravadin suttas are a few tens suttas more than Mahayana sutras though.
/\ -
The volume of Buddhist sutra is not important ,becosOriginally posted by An Eternal Now:1. First of all, by taking refuge in the Three Treasures - Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, learn about the dharma teachings and practise it. Everyone can become Buddha, and will become Buddha, because our Buddha Nature is already wholly complete. We just need to realise it, practise the Bodhisattva ways, and eventually we will attain Buddhahood for sure.
2. It is not that everything is illusions, such a view may be a little extreme. But rather, everything is LIKE an illusion. There's a difference. Why? Because the Self is an illusion (see http://buddhism.sgforums.com/?action=thread_display&thread_id=157333), Permanence is an illusion (no two moments are the same!). All existence is conditioned - they do not have inherent existence and therefore they are empty. Time is also an illusion, the past has gone ['past' is PRESENT MEMORIES], the future has yet to come [just a PRESENT expectation], and the present is ungraspable - the moment you try to grasp on it, it's gone. When we conceptualise and make mental constructs of 'things' and treat it as real, we lost the essence. So it is not that the world is an illusion - it is US that are illusioned.
All conditioned dharmas [phenomena]
are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, shadows,
like dew drops and a lightning flash:
contemplate them thus.
- Diamond Sutra
3. Buddha is not a god, although while he was still in Samsara (the world of sufferings; the six realms of existences), he has been reborned as gods for uncountable times. Just right before he was borned in India, he was a teacher of the celestial beings in Tushita heaven. When he was borned on Earth, Maitreya Bodhisattva took over his place in Tushita heaven. Maitreya Buddha will be the next Buddha to appear on Earth. In Buddhism rebirth in Heaven is not ultimate because even celestial beings will have to pass away - and possibly be reborned in lower realms according to their karma. Only Nirvana is permanent - and to attain Nirvana a person must become Liberated from Samsara. He was here on Earth because he saw that the conditions for him to teach the sentient beings on Earth was ripe, and many people will attain enlightenment under his guide. Another reason is because the Earth realm is the best place to practise - it's even better than the celestial realms because the celestial realms are too joyful and therefore the celestial beings are not concerned with sufferings or have any wish to be liberated from Samsara. Enjoyment has served as a distraction from spiritual development and liberation. Shakyamuni Buddha after passing away is still teaching within the 'three thousand world systems' in our universe until Maitreya Buddha takes over in the future.
4. I don't know how many sutras, but there are really a lot. Someone posted in the past and made a point that the length of all sutras is 11 times the Christian bible. This is because Buddha spent 49 years after his Enlightenment expounding the dharma throughout India. All Sutras are spoken words of the Buddha, and recited by 500 of his enlightened disciples after Buddha's passing. Most of the sutras were remembered by Ananda, who was blessed with photographic memory. You can in fact find many sutras in English online. You can also find them in dharma centres and monasteries
you cant finish all of them in a lifetime
Buddhism is not about reading up and knowing all
It is about hard practice ,willingness to put effort into practice
If someone just slap you , you still reacted hostile after 10 yrs of practice
this is no point ...
the 3 poisons of illwill , greed and ignorance is not removed , you still will sink into the mire of samsara
from what i gathered ,there are still 4000 vajrayana sutra
One point to note
Buddhism is an ENCOMPASSING religion
Buddha specifically said the condition He accept teaching of different master as Buddhist Sutra
if it satisfy the 4 Dharma Seal
so Tibetan Lama and Rinpoche is also considered as Buddhist Sutra
so is 6th Patriah of Chan ,Hui Neng Platform Sutra
and one of the concubine of a King during Buddha's times
Queen Kshema teaching on emptiness
researcher have not taken a clear counting of all the Buddha's sutra
so the total of Buddha sutra may be clearly more than 10,000
if one is interested to read those sutra in chinese
(those that Buddha Spend more than 5 yrs teaching )
are Prajnaparamita sutra
Lotus Sutra
Avatamsaka Sutra
there is too many online .... i will post those big sutra in the next posting ... -
Wow, that's average about one discourse every three days during His four-nine years.Originally posted by sinweiy:thus i heard from MCK, there's about 3000++ Theravadin suttas and also about 3000++ Mahayana sutras. Theravadin suttas are a few tens suttas more than Mahayana sutras though.
/\ -
1. Definitely. Each and every sentient being is a Buddha. Just that we have not actually realise about it. Follow the lawful ways of all Buddhas and their teachings, we will be like them - AWAKENED.
2. Nothing is actually real because nothing is static, even for our physical body. When our mind is at work (out thoughts), everything else vibrate with frequencies. We are actually what we think about, because our thoughts vibrate into the interspaces of the universe, attracting energies of the same frequency - The law of attraction. Simply, beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. We make our world. We are in a dream, because the world is manifested from our thoughts and they are not real.
3. Buddha is not GOD. He did not die. He is not in a specific place because he is in a state where there is
1. NO Here and There - No notion of a existence of a place or distance
2. NO big and small - No notion of a size
3. NO past, now and future - No notion of time
We are living a world where both opposite plolarity strike together (Xiang-Dui). But in a nirvana state it is null or empty, so there is not a place or boundary. Unlike God, he still has a boundary location, which is heaven.
The only reason for Buddhas to be here because all Buddhas had vowed to help sentinent beings to be liberated from cycle of sufferings. There are immeasurable worlds and galaxies. Buddha can only help those with affinity.
4. Buddha's 500 great students (with Ananda perfect memory) recorded what Buddha have said during His 49 years of teaching. These 500 students were already enlightened.
Hope this help.
Cheers.Originally posted by SocialOutcast:Few questions to answer:
1. Is there anyway I can be a buddha?
2. How do you know that everything is not real and a construct by the mind only?
3. Is Buddha a god? If so, why did he die? If not, what is his reason to be on earth? Where is he now?
4. How many buddhist sutras are there, who wrote them and where can i get them? -
1. Hmm...maybe canOriginally posted by SocialOutcast:Few questions to answer:
1. Is there anyway I can be a buddha?
2. How do you know that everything is not real and a construct by the mind only?
3. Is Buddha a god? If so, why did he die? If not, what is his reason to be on earth? Where is he now?
4. How many buddhist sutras are there, who wrote them and where can i get them?
2. Dig out your eyes, nose, cut off your tongue, ears and paralyse your sense of touch.....and finally what can you feel of this world?
3 and 4...refer to above answers -
WowOriginally posted by maggot:1. Hmm...maybe can
2. Dig out your eyes, nose, cut off your tongue, ears and paralyse your sense of touch.....and finally what can you feel of this world?
3 and 4...refer to above answers 
that sounds pretty annihilistic -
Hmm...answer to Qn 2 sound too extremeOriginally posted by An Eternal Now:Wow that sounds pretty annihilistic
Just to say without our 5 senses we basically cannot feel whether this world is real or not -
Yes, without our sense organs, we will not be able to 'feel' the world. Actually the nature of our experiences are as such:
It is made up of the 18 Dhatus, consisting of the Six Roots (Eye, Ear, Nose, Tongue, Body, Mind), Six Dust (Sight, Sound, Odour, Taste, Touch, Mental Object), Six Consciousness (eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, mind-consciousness). (see also: http://buddhism.sgforums.com/?action=thread_display&thread_id=157333)
In Buddhism, through practise these 18 dhatus are experienced just-as-it-is, with no 7th consciousness (ego/self). Without labeling, without thoughts, the six consciousness is experienced in its nakedness without mental formation. This is also known as 'liu4-gen1-qing1-jing4'.
It is the 'I' and the resulting conceptuality, mental formation, grasping, that is illusional. -
Just to add to pt 4.
It is highly advisable just to pick ONE sutra that is suitable and practise it delligently and not to try to learn all and everything, because we all don't have the time to do so.
For me, I was very excited and interested about Kstigarbha Sutra when I first begin to appreciate the wisdom of Buddhism. And yes, I was overwhelmed about the great valuable truths from it. It had a great impact on my values and life direction. I feel very happy everytime I see an image of Kstigarbha Bodisattva.
Kstigarbha Sutra is really a great foundation to start with. It gave a very complete explaination about one's relationship with the Universe in great detail. It also offers to contribute to a better understanding about "Pure Land Practise" later.
It is always good to start simple and take small constructive steps. Find also a good and reliable teacher. It is really not easy to find a great teacher and a good student in today's world. The chances for them to meet is also extremely rare. But if really chanced upon, please treasure.
Have a great discovery about Buddhism. You will be fascinated.
-
BTW, to answer 'Can I be Buddha?', all teachings by Buddha are expedient means to lead us to BUDDHAHOOD.
If Buddhahood is not possible, then there wouldn't be Buddhism. -
Yes I have much to agree with you. Actually it is ok to read many sutras, but having too much knowledge but your practise is not up to that level of understanding will not be good. Therefore my master recommends 'xing2 jie3 xiang1 ying4'. But if your practise is Pure Land, then of course you should focus on the Pure Land sutras. Depending on your practiseOriginally posted by concerned_man:Just to add to pt 4.
It is highly advisable just to pick ONE sutra that is suitable and practise it delligently and not to try to learn all and everything, because we all don't have the time to do so.
For me, I was very excited and interested about Kstigarbha Sutra when I first begin to appreciate the wisdom of Buddhism. And yes, I was overwhelmed about the great valuable truths from it. It had a great impact on my values and life direction. I feel very happy everytime I see an image of Kstigarbha Bodisattva.
But now I am shifting to just "Amitabha". And only "Amitabha". Kstigarbha Sutra is really a great foundation to start with.
It is always good to start simple and take small constructive steps. Find also a good and reliable teacher. It is really not easy to find a great teacher and also a good student in today's world. The chances for them to meet is also extremely rare. But if really chanced upon, please treasure.
Have a great discovery about Buddhism. You will be facsinated.
My Master himself's personal reading focus is on the Prajnaparamita sutras as it was recommended to him by his Master Dong Chu. -
Ah point 4....
Sutras...practise them?
chant them?
How about verifying them?
I think "yin zheng" is the word (chinese)
-
When we practise what we learnt, naturally we will 'Zheng4' the essence of the sutra, and everything becomes doubtless.Originally posted by maggot:Ah point 4....
Sutras...practise them? chant them?
How about verifying them?
I think "yin zheng" is the word (chinese)
Therefore my friend Thusness have said - 'faith will definitely strengthen when your practice reaps fruit.' -
I'm still verifying them in everyday life
-
Is buddhahood meant for all?Originally posted by An Eternal Now:BTW, to answer 'Can I be Buddha?', all teachings by Buddha are expedient means to lead us to BUDDHAHOOD.
If Buddhahood is not possible, then there wouldn't be Buddhism. -
Yes. It is for all sentinent beings in all realms and all worlds in all dimensions.
Every sentinent being is capable of attaining Buddhahood. Because of unwholesome thoughts, attachments and differentiation - therefore Buddhahood is not yet achieveable.Originally posted by shade343:Is buddhahood meant for all? -
This is great. But sometime this will take years for us to discover some treasures.
But it is definitely worth the effort.
Once the discovery is made, it will be spectacular.Originally posted by maggot:I'm still verifying them in everyday life -
Buddhism upholds the view that man is the supreme being. He surpasses even the devas (gods) in wisdom and strength. The Bodhisatta left heaven and descended to this world in order to attain His Enlightenment. Why? Because gods have neither the purity nor the intelligence to achieve such high development as Enlightenment. Such status can only be gained by man. Buddhism gives pride of place to man who lives in human society.
The uniqueness of man among other living beings is well recognised. The ability to adapt to new situations and control the environment are well within manÂ’s capabilities. The Buddha gave due recognition to the moral and intellectual development of man and further showed the path to its fulfilment. Human birth is not a mere chance of accident. The very existence of man is due to his own karmic results. Thus Buddhism recognises the importance of human birth. No other living beings possess the quality of rational thinking. Hence the superiority of man is upheld.
The potentialities of man are enormous. The faculty of mind which man possesses can be developed to a very great extent. According to Buddhism, man need not depend on any kind of supernatural being. He himself has the capacity to develop up to the state of attaining omniscience. The BuddhaÂ’s analysis on this point was given after his own Enlightenment which he attained without the aid of any external supernatural power. According to the Buddha man can even become a god if he leads a decent and righteous life irrespective of his religious beliefs. But other religions advise man only to pray to god for blessings. They also preach that only after death can man go to heaven.
Yet such a heavenly experience will never grant man the privilege of becoming a god. The Buddha said that humans can experience heavenly bliss within this life if they do not abused their position. Yet the Buddhist concept of god is different from that of other religions. -
Excellent input.Originally posted by neutral_onliner:Buddhism upholds the view that man is the supreme being. He surpasses even the devas (gods) in wisdom and strength. The Bodhisatta left heaven and descended to this world in order to attain His Enlightenment. Why? Because gods have neither the purity nor the intelligence to achieve such high development as Enlightenment. Such status can only be gained by man. Buddhism gives pride of place to man who lives in human society.
The uniqueness of man among other living beings is well recognised. The ability to adapt to new situations and control the environment are well within manÂ’s capabilities. The Buddha gave due recognition to the moral and intellectual development of man and further showed the path to its fulfilment. Human birth is not a mere chance of accident. The very existence of man is due to his own karmic results. Thus Buddhism recognises the importance of human birth. No other living beings possess the quality of rational thinking. Hence the superiority of man is upheld.
The potentialities of man are enormous. The faculty of mind which man possesses can be developed to a very great extent. According to Buddhism, man need not depend on any kind of supernatural being. He himself has the capacity to develop up to the state of attaining omniscience. The BuddhaÂ’s analysis on this point was given after his own Enlightenment which he attained without the aid of any external supernatural power. According to the Buddha man can even become a god if he leads a decent and righteous life irrespective of his religious beliefs. But other religions advise man only to pray to god for blessings. They also preach that only after death can man go to heaven.
Yet such a heavenly experience will never grant man the privilege of becoming a god. The Buddha said that humans can experience heavenly bliss within this life if they do not abused their position. Yet the Buddhist concept of god is different from that of other religions.