Can I be Buddha?
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Many of the things in this world cannot be explained using words, and there are not clear cut answers. In a god concept religion, if god created us, who created god? god dun just appear out of nothing rite?
The Buddha has said existences has no beginning nor ending. we exist because of causes of desires/craving and ignorance, which are the fuels for existence or becoming, thus the concept of rebirth. Kamma is simply the results of the action committed. why is it so difficult to understand kamma?
When you commit a crime, the police will go after you and isn't that kamma in this present time? or for example you committed a murder and you got capital punishment, isn't that kamma in front of you?
Nothing stays the same forever, hence the concept of impermanence, subject to birth, sickness, age, death and decay. Its the truth, whether you like it or not and its really common sense, not like some so called divine truths.
Most of the world religions I read or understand all emphasise on one god or many gods, the concept of heaven and hell and that everything is created by god. But give credit to these religion with god concept as they also taught values like compassion, tolerance and loving kindness. Some people will accept the teachings of god concept faithfully, but some won't.
In these day and age, science has revealed much more than god has, and humans created the concept of god, not vice-versa. -
religion cant explain fossils and dinosaurs.
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Why not?Originally posted by dragg:religion cant explain fossils and dinosaurs.
The world did not began thousands of years ago in Buddhism, you know.
Unless you are not counting Buddhism as a religion... -
Buddhism is strictly is not a religion, it is a complete education system. It is logical, with reasonings and is a way of life. I am still learning and discovering, yet this ancient spiritual tradition is full of wisdom and great compassion. It is spectaclar.
I appreciate what Ven Ajahn Brahm have said. "Bend the faith to align with facts and not to bend facts to align with faith". It will be more sustainable and convincing this way.
As to whether can a person become a Buddha. It is really obvious. We all can, because we all have the potential to do so. Shakyamuni Buddha did it. Imnumeral Buddhas before and after has done it. Every sentient being can become the Enlightened One.
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can you explain further. i really dont know anything about this.Originally posted by An Eternal Now:Why not?
The world did not began thousands of years ago in Buddhism, you know.
Unless you are not counting Buddhism as a religion...
mankind existed more than 5000 yrs ago right?
how long did buddha exist?? -
There is no beginning and there is no end.
everything (iincluding our solar system and the earth) have gone through countless cycles of formation and destruction.
Just like a number 0.
negative values -1 -2 up to infinity
positive values +1 +2 also up to infinity
If you can understand about this, the answer about how long ago did the Buddha exist will surface to you naturally.
It will be more convincing that you'll find the answer within you then to gather it from here.Originally posted by dragg:can you explain further. i really dont know anything about this.
mankind existed more than 5000 yrs ago right?
how long did buddha exist?? -
[quote]Originally posted by concerned_man:
[b]There is no beginning and there is no end.
everything (iincluding our solar system and the earth) have gone through countless cycles of formation and destruction.
the above is science.
is there proof that buddha existed as long as dinosaurs?
no right?
where were we when dinosaurs existed? -
In Buddhism, our world, solar system and universe existed for millions and billions of years and undergo several stages from Formation to Decay and Emptiness. And then from the Void, due to causes and conditions the next world system is formed again. It is a cycle. Ajahn Brahmavamso says that Buddhist scriptures state our current universe is according to Buddhist calculations roughly 17 Billion years, which is very similar to scientific findings - around 12 Billion years, and still increasing. This can be said to be very accurate. The Buddhist cosmology describing solar systems, planets, galaxies, are also very accurate and compatible with current scientific discoveries.Originally posted by dragg:can you explain further. i really dont know anything about this.
mankind existed more than 5000 yrs ago right?
how long did buddha exist??
Mankind existed far longer than 5000 years ago. Longer than what the historians have discovered yet. In fact, there used to be advanced civilisations that we do not know of. Civilisations has gone through rising and falling. There is an interesting topic here: India, China, Vimanas and Vailixi, Anti-gravity Machines? which I would recommend curious people to read.
Then you ask long did Shakyamuni Buddha existed? More than 2500 years ago. He was borned in India as a Prince, grow up a life of luxury, but later renounced to seek truth. All past Buddhas have also been born and attained enlightenment in the Human realm - and gone through rather similar stages into renunciations. Even before Shakyamuni Buddha, there has been uncountable Buddhas - the number of Buddhas are said to be innumerable like sands of Ganges (river). We will one day be one of them too. Shakyamuni Buddha is the Fourth Buddha to appear in our kalpa. The next Buddha to appear will be Maitreya Buddha. -
Someone asked my master about dinosaurs. My master replied (and I only roughly remembered) that in Buddhism there are a lot a lot of kalpas that the world has passed - and the era of dinosaurs is just probably one of them.Originally posted by dragg:[quote]Originally posted by concerned_man:
[b]There is no beginning and there is no end.
everything (iincluding our solar system and the earth) have gone through countless cycles of formation and destruction.
the above is science.
is there proof that buddha existed as long as dinosaurs?
no right?
where were we when dinosaurs existed?
We can be anywhere in the 6 realms, this is not the only existing planet/world that harbours life. And in fact - as I have said, human civilisations is in fact much longer than many of us currently know of.
If you ask 'where do humans come from'? You may have read this: The Earth People: Genesis in Buddhism -
all these came from buddha right?
how did buddha know? -
Exactly, this is what the Buddha has told us (in the Sutras). Like I said before, Buddhism and Science blend very well.Originally posted by dragg:[quote]Originally posted by concerned_man:
[b]There is no beginning and there is no end.
everything (iincluding our solar system and the earth) have gone through countless cycles of formation and destruction.
the above is science.
is there proof that buddha existed as long as dinosaurs?
no right?
where were we when dinosaurs existed? -
Buddha releases because He is Enlightened. The utimate truth is within us and all answers surface to him from within.Originally posted by dragg:all these came from buddha right?
how did buddha know? -
Buddha is not a god, nor a God, nor does he claim to be.Originally posted by dragg:all these came from buddha right?
how did buddha know?In Buddha's days there were many many different teachings, one popular one was Brahmanism. In fact the Brahma was still worshipped nowadays. Brahma was known to be "The Supreme One, the All-mighty, the All-seeing, the Ruler, the Lord of all, the Maker, the Creator, the Chief of All".
In Buddhism, the Mahabrahma resides in the 1st Jhana plane, the first plane among the 8 jhanic planes. There were higher realms above where he lives that he was unaware of, and above it all, beyond the 8 Jhanic planes and all Samsaric planes, is Nirvana. Nevertheless all the devas below the 1st Jhana planes considered him as the Creator God. Buddha did not suscribed to the belief of such a notion that the Universe and its Inhabitants were the Creation of the Mahabrahma. He met with the Brahma, asked him questions which he could not answer. Eventually he has took refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, Sangha.
The Buddha was also known to have said this,
If the creator of the world entire
They call God, of every being be the Lord
Why does he order such misfortune
If the creator of the world entire
They call God, of every being be the Lord
Why prevail deceit, lies and ignorance
And he such inequity and injustice create?
If the creator of the world entire
They call God, of every being be the Lord
Then an evil master is he, (O Aritta)
Knowing what's right did let wrong prevail!
When the previous universe was destroyed and this universe was formed, the Mahabrahma was first to be reborned. Other subsequent brahmas/devas were to be reborned.
'On this, brethren, the one who was first reborn thinks thus to himself: " I am Brahmà , the Great Brahmà , the Supreme One, the Mighty, the All-seeing, the Ruler, the Lord of all, the Maker, the Creator, the Chief of all, appointing to each his place, the Ancient of days the Father of all that are and are to be. 'These other beings are of my creation. And why is that so ? A while ago I thought, 'Would that they might come!' And on my mental aspiration, behold the beings came." DN 1 2:5
In reality, the universe works by the law of Karma and he has no control over the system of karma.
The Venerable Ledi Sayadaw, a highly renowned Myanmar scholar-monk of the first part of this century, gave a careful analysis of the powers of Maha Brahma in his Niyama Dipani (MB pp. 138-39). He states that although Maha Brahma can perform all sorts of transformations, he cannot actually create independent creatures, change the kammic law of cause and effect, or keep anyone from growing old or dying. Brahma can use his special powers to transport a man to the brahma plane for a short visit, but he cannot ensure that someone will be reborn there.
from http://www.jenchen.org.sg/vol5no3f.htm:
When he came to know about Sakyamuni Buddha in the human world who speaks of the universal truth, he was curious and arrived at the human world with the intention to debate with the Buddha. The Buddha, with his ability to know another's mind, knew his intention and asked, "You claim to be the creator of the human race and all things in the universe, is this a fact?"
The king replied, "Yes, it is."
Buddha continued to question him, "Since you created life, why did you also create death? Is death created by you too?"
The king paused for while, and thinking that everyone loves life and nobody welcomes death, he replied, "I did not create death."
Buddha asked him again, "All human beings experience sickness, did you create sickness also?" The king knew that nobody likes to be ill, and he replied, "I did not create illness."
Buddha asked many questions in succession, but the king denied that he created them. Eventually, he admitted that he did not create the universe and all things in it, and certainly not the human race. The king of heavens was full of regrets and he felt ashamed. Finally, he accepted Buddha as his teacher and invited Him to spread the Dharma in the heavens.
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http://www.mahindarama.com/e-library/whybuddhism2.html
"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."
However, Buddhism is largely Agnostic rather than Atheist. We believe speculations about our creation does not help in our spiritual practise, enlightenment, and liberation from samsara.
"Malunkhyaputta Sutta stresses that whether the universe was created or uncreated, finite or infinite, is irrelevant to our main spiritual concerns: the cause and cessation of suffering:
"Therefore Malunkhyaputta, bear the undeclared as undeclared. Malunkhyaputta, what are the not declared? The world is eternal, is not declared by me. The world is not eternal, is not declared by me. They are not essential for the principles of the holy life, they do not lead to turning away, to detachment, to cessation, to appeasement, to realisation, to enlightenment and to extinction. Malunkhyaputta, what are the declared by me? This, is unpleasant, is declared. This, is its arising, is delcared. This, is its cessation is declared. This is the path to its cessation, is declared. Malunkhyaputta, why are these declared by me? These are the essentials for the principles of the holy life, they lead to turning away, to detachment, to cessation, to appeasement, to realisation, to enlightenment and to extinction. Malunkhyaputta, I declare them." MN 64" -
Buddhism does not teach the belief that our existence in the samsaric cycle is due to the creation of a foolish phantom creator - but due to our Ignorance (you may read up on the 12 interdependant originations). When we practise the dharma to purify our minds and realise the nature of our existences, and become disillusioned, we will eventually return to the Quintessence of the Buddha. This is the practise of Buddhism.http://www.jenchen.org.sg/vol8no1a.htm
....The human being’s seventh mind-consciousness is the “I”. Because of “I”, it gives rise to “my”. Because of “me”, it gives rise to self-attachment, followed by attachment of perception such as “I like it this way …” or “I like it that way …” In the end, people become attached to everything, be it right or wrong. This is the root cause of distress and suffering. “Ignorance” means darkness and without brightness. People lose their temper because of ignorance. If we investigate the reason for being angry, at the beginning most people will blame it on others. On further investigation, we will discover that the anger stems from self-ignorance. When we have understood this principle, we will realize that these are due to this “I” (seventh mind-consciousness, transient-invisible body). Therefore if we allow it (the ignorance) to further develop and lead according to the wishes of this “I”, we will certainly descend to a lower realm of life, because the root of this “I” is ignorance.Originally, sentient beings and the quintessence of Buddha were the same in pureness and brightness. However, when the conditions for the initiation of ignorance begin to fan like the wind, it eventually produces ignorance. The ignorance becomes more serious as it gathers momentum and leads to the transmigration in the Six Realms. Ignorance, just like the wind, is invisible and one may not be able to touch them, yet it packs with power so immense that it can destroy houses and uproot trees.
In the beginning when sentient beings started to transmigrate in the Six Realms, they were in the realm of Heaven. Then, they descended to the Human realm. Human beings have seven types of emotion and six types of lust and because of these they continually commit negative karma. These led them to descend to the realm of Asura. Why is the realm of Asura considered to be a good realm? It is because even heavenly beings can be inflicted by ignorance, causing them to fight among themselves. The more aggressive fighters eventually descend to the realm of Asura.
When we cultivate the Great Dharma, we spontaneously become as bright as the quintessence of all Buddha’s of the past, present and future. Lay-Buddhists live at home and have their own families, but they still need to cultivate diligently. We must cultivate to the stage where we do not transmigrate in the six realms when we die. When we practise the Great Dharma, we spontaneously transform our seventh mind-consciousness or “transient-invisible-body” into light. That light is the same as the quintessence of Buddha. When we stop breathing, our breath actually diffuses into space and becomes an integral part of space. Thus, if we are skilful in practising the Great Dharma, we do not have the “transient-invisible-body”. It is transformed into brightness and returned to the quintessence of Buddha of the Dharma World. This brightness is not the sunlight. It is also not the brightness of a lamp, but the quintessence of Buddha (known as ?? [Ji-Guang] in Mandarin)....
Because of Buddha's omniscience. My master said if you practise well - even when a lotus flower blossoms in the other universe, you will know. When you reach this level of omniscience, you are already near Buddhahood. Just practise well and we will naturally know all past present and future.... but right now we should just honestly cultivate the dharma.Originally posted by dragg:how did buddha know? -
i will read from the site provided to understand better.
thank you for your patience.