qns abt buddhism
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Darn ! I have great difficulties reading chinese ! Thats why i knew so little about buddhism , as most words are written in chineseOriginally posted by An Eternal Now:The Buddha taught some solutions:
(Book Source: Fa Yu Bing Fen 2nd Series by Ven. Shen Kai)
Therefore to summarise, there is 1) To change perception of females as 'mothers' or 'sisters', 2) To contemplate the impurities and impermanence of the body from head to toe 3) To guard and close our six sense doors, do not give rise to attachment to appearances and discriminative mind/consciousness (which is why mindful awareness is very important)
Other than these, there are some other ways in Buddhism but the above are some of the most commonly mentioned.
You can read Chinese right? Don't understand can ask, I can explain
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Wow first I must say... your question has quite a few parts
I have to agree with you that Buddhism has the most scientific approach to truth and reality... it is a very systematic way to experiencing the truths taught by Buddha, and it is relatively free from dogmas (especially the teachings of Buddha but it is inevitable that some level of dogmas slip into Buddhist traditions over thousands of years)...Originally posted by sgquitter:wow, low on the intelligence huh?
please explain in greater detail?
In this day and age, humanity is constantly gaining higher levels of intelligence possibly due to better educational background, and other reasons of coz. It is not surprising that people will tend to become more rational in thinking, and i don't see anything wrong or bad in becoming more rational rather than being more superstitious. In fact, i find that it is better to be more rational than rely on very personal 'feelings' or 'impulses', which actually arise from emotional thoughts and can be very unpredictable. Rational people tend to be atheists for the same reason. Rational people tend to score higher in IQ tests, and there is an inverse correlation between being religious and being intelligent - i.e. the more intelligent a person is, the less likely he is religious. It's no wonder that an overwhelming majority of scientists are not religious.
It is quite unlikely that a rational person will reject an idea if the evidence is placed before him. For example, if a person suggests that he can read my mind and he actually is able to do it accurately every time, then no matter how doubtful it sounds, i will seriously consider whatever he has to say.
Did Jesus and Prince Siddartha ever existed? I think they did, although i have no way to be 100% sure, since i can only rely on historical records. Is it very important? I would say not at all.
Whatever happened in the past may seem important to some people, but i'd prefer to think that whatever that is said is much more important - what can we learn from what was left behind? Is what was being said/taught correct?
IMHO, based on what was taught, i would tend to agree more with what the Buddha taught - he appears to be much more wise and understanding than his counterpart. I also agree to a certain extent that some scientific studies seem to be in-line with what the Buddha had taught - although IMHO it was too vague (perhaps not meant to be in detail watever...).
But.. though my understanding on many issues is very different from Christians, I never look down on Christianity (some of their teachings are quite valuable even some taught in churches in terms of psychology and certain forms of 'self inquiry'.. personally I never attended church service but Thusness visited a church recently and told me :mrgreen
especially Jesus Christ. It's just that many Christians do not yet understand the essence of Jesus's understanding... And I tend to agree that the mystical, contemplative paths and traditions of Christianity are closer in terms of understanding with Jesus's and Buddhism. You may also want to read the topic I posted in the Atheist forum, The New Atheism is as Flat as a Pancake regarding the various levels of understanding of 'God'. p.s. here's a rather gd interview with a modern Christian mystic Bernadette Roberts regarding her experience and realisations on "No-Self" on her Christian path.. http://www.spiritualteachers.org/b_roberts_interview.htm. Therefore at a deeper level there is much similarities between Jesus and Buddhism.. also see Jesus Buddhist Link? (Lost Years & Last Years)@AEN:
A person is enlightened when he has attained insights into the nature of reality... which is Luminous-Emptiness... and this Luminous-Emptiness which is our Buddha Nature is an all-pervading infinity and fills all space... so awakened people describe the dissolving of the sense of separate self into an all pervading infinity. They also describe insights and realisations of the non-duality of subject-object. Empty/emptiness means that all phenomena are dependent co-arising out of conditions (much like the post I wrote regarding non-locality), as well as the 3 dharma seals: Impermanence, Suffering, No-self.. therefore all phenomena are empty of solid, separate existence. Luminous/luminosity means that our Buddha Nature is luminous with lucid cognitive function, or pure awareness -- it is able to reflect all phenomena clearly like a clear mirror... or like light though does not possess any forms can illuminate countless objects. Now, an enlightened person, someone awakened to the ultimate reality, is aware of this (luminous-emptiness reality) in real time.
I would very much like to know more about 'enlightened people' and 'psychics' that you mentioned. How do you distinguish a person as being enlightened? When u said 'enlightened', are they on par with the Buddha?
Now Bohiruci mentioned earlier that enlightened people are selfless and so on but I would say this is not exactly a very good description and guage of enlightenment. Why? Because there are many unenlightened people who are selfless, who have faith and wisdom (though not Prajna wisdom). There are many selfless people who dedicated their lives to humanity, and everyone Buddhists or Non-buddhists ought to aspire to learn from them or be like them... however they may not necessarily have awakened to the nature of reality. Of course, with the realisation of no-self one naturally becomes not attached to 'self' but then again 'selfless' does not necessarily equate to no-self as dharma seal, as the nature of characteristic of reality that comes from insights.. (Buddhist practices such as insight meditation and many other different buddhist practices are aimed at developing these insights)
So in terms of enlightenment 'selflessness' or the emotional model may not be the right or perfect guage though there is some links. The more perfect model will be in terms of insights so there are many models of enlightenment, such as the Theravada 4 paths (stream enterer, once returner, non returner, arhat), the 10 Bodhisattva bhumi stages to Buddhahood, and other models from other teachers such as the non-duality model or simple model from Dharma Dan, the 5 Ranks of Tozan, the 10 Ox-herding Pictures, and so on including even our own forummer's six stages by Thusness based on his experiences. These models center on the progression of insights towards Non-duality and other insight aspects including Non-locality, Spontaneity and Self-Liberation and so on, with slightly different emphasis.
Which already answers your question.. is being enlightened = Buddhahood? It depends. When I say "enlightened" I refer to those who have entered the Noble Path which leads to Enlightenment without fail. Enlightenment is like Buddhahood. Notice the caps and non-caps of 'enlightenment/Enlightenment'. Arhatship is the aim of the Theravada path or the Sravakayana path, while to Mahayana Buddhists that is not complete and they aim to attain Buddhahood by walking the Mahayana path. The Arhat path only aims to liberate oneself from samsara, while the Mahayana/Bodhisattva path also developes great compassion to include all other sentient beings, to lead them to liberation and enlightenment as well.
(to be continued in next post, too long) -
(continued from previous post)
Enlightenment is not as rare as some people might believe, for example, in Buddha's lifetime alone it was recorded that thousands of his disciples attained Arhatship, with many more attaining the lower paths like non-returner, once-returner, stream enterer. There are also many Bodhisattvas of various bhumis even those at very high bhumis. Even today there are many of these enlightened people around. Therefore attaining enlightenment is not something limited to very special people.. ordinary practitioners can all get enlightened if they practise the dharma.
Anyway just to make a clarification, enlightened people's faith are not faith in the ordinary sense of belief or blind faith. It is about unshakeable confidence in one's realisation because he has seen the More Real than Real... which leaves no trace of doubt in his mind about the nature of reality. It's also like waking up and realise what you once thought was real and truly existing was actually a dream, and no others can convince you otherwise.As for psychics, exactly what abilities do they have? Can you give more details, or better yet more solid evidence?
Regarding psychic and supernatural abilities, I must first say that Buddhism discourages the seeking or cultivation of psychic powers.. Supernatural powers in Buddhism should only comes as a side effect of our Buddhist practise.. if we try to seek or develop these supernatural powers before gaining insights and wisdom, they can even lead us astray and deviated from the path of the Dharma as we will become attached to many of the paranormal phenomena and therefore not be able to develop true spiritual wisdom. Therefore it must be emphasised that though non-locality activities may be experienced such as the 5 powers, one may still not necessarily realise the non-locality of our true nature.
Also to try to develope these supernatural powers may be just a waste of time... one better cherish our precious lifetime as a human being and devote our entire energy to the practise of the Dharma that leads to wisdom and liberation. Therefore there is a Buddhist story, amazing abilities by concentration
One day the Buddha met an ascetic who sat by the bank of a river. This ascetic had practised austerities for 25 years. The Buddha asked him what he had received for all his labor. The ascetic proudly replied that, now at last, he could cross the river by walking on the water. The Buddha pointed out that this gain was insignificant for all the years of labor, since he could cross the river using a ferry for one penny!
Regarding supernatural abilities, generally speaking in Buddhism there are six kind of supernatural abilities, the first 5 being able to be developed by any one -- not necessarily Buddhists, non-Buddhist yogis that practise any form of shamatha, and many other religions also develope these abilities, or even through occult practises and so on. Only the sixth supernatural ability is restricted to those who have attained enlightenment, those who have transformed consciousness to wisdom. With regards to the six supernatural powers, you can read yourself: http://web.ukonline.co.uk/buddhism/tinhla01.htm
That URL also states: ...It must, however, be understood that the Buddha did not consider every trance to be necessarily good, for it must aim at the right end. He, however, realised that there were those who devoted to yogic exercises to acquire supernatural powers. So the Buddha refined the practice by telling them that even such powers could be acquired only through the practice of righteouaness and wisdom. ( Akankheyya Sutta, S. B. E. Vol. XI, ) Acquisition of supernatural powers does not confer any spiritual advantage. It was for this reason that the Buddha forbade his disciples to work miracles for display...
Regarding evidence... there are many documented cases of these powers including the website I provided you at the thread agnosticism. There are also many people who display their supernatural powers but you don't usually see these in Buddhism especially if you are not a close student of that teacher. Why? Because there is a rule in Buddhism forbidding the display of supernatural powers. Other religions may not have these rules. Anyway there are many documented cases so you can do your own research too Or maybe try meeting up with some of those who claim to have these powers if you want.. (though I would suggest not to get overly interested or involved with these things which may mislead or deviate us from true wisdom, as I mentioned earlier on) I would also recommend you read 'The Holographic Universe', which links how non-locality functions with many examples, including many cases 'supernatural' abilities or paranormal activities. -
Haha that's sad.. hmm when I come home later I'll see how I can explain clearer for you...Originally posted by Scania N113CRB luver:Darn ! I have great difficulties reading chinese ! Thats why i knew so little about buddhism , as most words are written in chinese -
Very sorry for taking so long to post. Here is a summary.
The Chinese text was talking about the king who is concerned with the progress of youngsters and the distraction of sexual lust on the youth's academic and work perfomance. He requested the give instructions on how to be free from sexual lust.
The Buddha gave 3 suggestions:
1) The female that is more elder in age should be looked upon as one's Mother or aunt. For the female that is younger in age one should look upon her as one's own sister and for one that is very young in age, one should look upon her as one's.. uh, (sorry I don't know what's that
someone can tell me ). In this way, one's mind will be in stillness, and ones three poisons, Greed, Hatred and Ignorance will be transformed and dissolved by one's Wisdom naturally.
2) One should review this very frame of body upwards from the soles of the
feet, & downwards from the tips of the hairs, enclosed in skin, as
full of many kinds of impurities: There are in this body head-hairs,
body-hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone-marrow,
kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery,
vomit in the stomach, excrement, bile, lymph, pus, blood, sweat, fat,
tears, mucus, saliva, snot, fluid of the joints, urine and the various impurities, this way one can be freed from sexual lust and the mind will naturally be still.
3) One should guard one's six sense doors: Eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, mind.. if one's eyes sees sights, one should not grasp on the appearances, do not give rise to discriminative mind and naturally our attachment will be dissolved. After one guards his eye-sense faculty one should then guard the other senses (ears, nose, tongue, body and mind), do not give rise to discriminative mind and naturally craving will not arise. -
[quote]Originally posted by An Eternal Now:
[1) The female that is more elder in age should be looked upon as one's Mother or aunt. For the female that is younger in age one should look upon her as one's own sister and for one that is very young in age, one should look upon her as one's.. uh, (sorry I don't know what's that someone can tell me ).]
Niece. Or as in ones' sibling's or friend's daughter. -
Ah thanksOriginally posted by cycle:[quote]Originally posted by An Eternal Now:
[1) The female that is more elder in age should be looked upon as one's Mother or aunt. For the female that is younger in age one should look upon her as one's own sister and for one that is very young in age, one should look upon her as one's.. uh, (sorry I don't know what's that someone can tell me ).]
Niece. Or as in ones' sibling's or friend's daughter.
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hello i am back again...juz one qn tis time...
when we tok abt rebirth, is it a one-to-one exchange??? meaning to say one soul can onli be reborn into one soul...1animal to 1 human, 1 human to 1 animal etc...thanx -
Hello...Originally posted by despondent:hello i am back again...juz one qn tis time...
when we tok abt rebirth, is it a one-to-one exchange??? meaning to say one soul can onli be reborn into one soul...1animal to 1 human, 1 human to 1 animal etc...thanx
Conventionally yes, unless you are a Bodhisattva or Buddha and can do several emanations, and can appear in several places or as several bodies, which is a different thing.
But I have to mention that Buddhism does NOT suscribe to the belief in Reincarnation. Buddhism teaches Rebirth which is different. The difference is that Reincarnation supposes there is an invisible self entity called the 'Soul' that moves from one life to another, and resides within the body.
In Buddhism, "Self", is just the make up of the 5 Skhandas, there is no entity that can be called "soul" or "self", and what's more, the "Self" is a Process, of "Self1", "Self2", "Self3". No permanent self can be found, which is why Buddha emphasized so much about No-Self and Impermanence. Realising these will mean enlightenment.
Life (Self) is nothing other than the continuous flow of the Now Moment.
The Now Moment ceases as it arises. This moment must completely ceased
and serves as the CAUSE for the next moment to arise.
Therefore Self is a process of series Self1, Self2, Self3, Self4, Self5, Self6...etc
A fixed entity 'Self' does not exist, what really exists is a momentary Self.
Under deep meditation, one is able to observe and sense the karmic and mental factors from moment to moment,
it is these factors that are succeeded from moment to moment and life and life but not a fixed entity.
When the karmic and mental factors subsides, it is known as "The True and Only (and Inherently egoless) Conscious Light (Itself)".
~ Thusness
And what are the 5 Skhandas?http://www.dzogchen.org/teachings/talks/dtalk-95may22.html
First, form: Solidity, earth element, shape.
Second, feelings: Sensations. Not just emotional feelings, but also physical sensations and so on. Whatever we feel.
The third skandha is perceptions: Experiences, like thoughts, sights, sounds, and so on. In the second and third skandhas, in feelings and perceptions, liking and not liking arise. That's when the whole problem, the whole duality, the whole push and shove starts. The entire, exhausting treadmill or roller coaster of ups and downs.
The fourth is will or volition: Intending to do things. That's where karma comes in. Liking and not liking arise, then from that devolves reactions. Reactions rather than freedom and proactivity.
Our form feels things, perceives things this way or that way, liking or not liking. Then actions or intentions push or pull, trying to get more, get less, ignore it, or get away from it. Avoidance, denial, greed, demandingness, attachment, and so on, equals dissatisfaction and misery.
And fifth is consciousness, or as Buddhism says, consciousnesses: States of mind. -
hello...thanx for replying...can u explain in simpler terms wads the diff btw rebirth n reincarnation? u mean buddhism dun believe animals/humans have souls??? then how does tis rebirth thing work?
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Sorry.. almost missed this reply.Originally posted by despondent:hello...thanx for replying...can u explain in simpler terms wads the diff btw rebirth n reincarnation? u mean buddhism dun believe animals/humans have souls??? then how does tis rebirth thing work?
The difference between rebirth and reincarnation is that rebirth is a process made up of our mental and karmic factors. Self1, Self2, Self3, arising and ceasing instantaneously moment to moment and condition another moment of arising, it is reborn and reborn and reborn because of ignorance, from moment to moment and then lifetime after lifetime (until enlightenment). Every moment consciousness arises out of Conditionality, Dependent-Co-Arising, and the 12 Interdependent Links. It merely arises out of various conditions, it is not a self or a soul or an entity.
Reincarnation is this.. there is a Self, a Soul, it is an entity, a thing that is constant throughout all experiences. It is this Soul that is residing in the body, it is this Soul that is undergoing reincarnation from lifetime to lifetime. This is a false view, it is the view of eternalists.
In Buddhism, we do not teach that there is a permanent self. No-Self (Anatta) and Impermanency (Anicca) is one of the core teachings of Buddha. This applies to not only humans but every sentient beings -- there is no self and no soul as an entity, this is the nature of reality. Consciousness is a process, like waves on the ocean, arising and falling. But all sentient beings under the spell of ignorance will continue to take rebirth, whether humans, animals, or any beings in the 6 realms.
Enlightenment has to do with seeing the true nature (luminous-emptiness, meaning there is clarity awareness yet all phenomena are empty of inherent existence) of all things such as that there is no Agent, no permanent Self. So we are mindful of our moment to moment reality, we practise bare attention/mindful-awareness of our moment to moment reality, so that the illusion of a separate 'self' can be dissolved and then we can realise our true nature as our all pervading Buddha Nature, luminous-emptiness.
Does this make sense to you? Anything else pls ask. -
There is this sutra of great relevance and is a very very good read: Mahatanhasankhaya Sutta: MN 38 -- It talks about Dependent Co-Arising, as well as No-Self and Impermanence, and how it relates to Rebirth.
This sutra was spoken when a disciple of Buddha held a wrong view of Consciousness as an Entity/Soul that reincarnates from lifetime to lifetime. -
I must mention too, that although nobody have an inherent 'souls' (in the ultimate sense), but they are conscious beings. Because of that, we must be compassionate for all beings, and do our part to aleviate their suffering.Originally posted by despondent:hello...thanx for replying...can u explain in simpler terms wads the diff btw rebirth n reincarnation? u mean buddhism dun believe animals/humans have souls??? then how does tis rebirth thing work?
And that is also why it is best to be a vegetarian -- they are conscious beings, they can feel pain, suffer, etc (if you go to a slaughter house and witness, you will know) They are just like human beings in a sense. Buddhists treat all beings as their mother, because the Buddha taught that there is no one you can find that has not once been your mother before in a previous lifetime.
What's more, every single sentient being has Buddha Nature. Your Buddha Nature, my Buddha Nature, all is the same. Every being is a future Buddha, and as the saying goes sentient beings see Buddhas as sentient beings, while Buddhas see sentient beings as Buddhas. We only see forms and appearance, we don't know our true essence and everyone's true essence, which Christians call the Spirit.
See: http://www.eckharttolle.com/home.php?section=news&show=NEWS%20-%20Current%20News
Question: What do we experience when we connect with our real self? How does that experience change the way we live our own life?
Answer: You no longer create suffering for yourself. Anger, resentment, regret, grievances, anxiety, guilt, etc, which are all inseparable from the egoic state of consciousness, no longer arise. And when you no longer create suffering for yourself, you no longer create suffering for others. You have deep empathy, not only with other human beings, but also with nature and all life forms. You see all life forms as manifestations of the one formless and eternal Life, which is what you are in essence, and you can sense that essence not only in yourself, but in all beings. In other words, everywhere you encounter yourself. -
Hi,Originally posted by An Eternal Now:One must take refuge in the Three Treasures/Triple Gems: Buddha, Dharma, Sangha. All Buddhist monasteries/dharma centers do have such taking refuge ceremonies, just as all churches will have baptism taking place from time to time.
I have read alot of your sharing in this forum and I know that u r very knowledgable abt Buddhism. U r very helpful and patience during ur explaination, this is what i like abt u and it tells me that u r a practician of Buddhism.
I became a buddhist few years back and hv read a lot of books regarding Buddhism. But maybe u want to recosidered what u hv mentioned in the above statement. Infact, i quite disagree with u for this staement. R u telling me that if ones doesn't know what is "Refuge in the 3 treasures" but ones hv been practice buddha teaching for years, is not consider buddhist?? For example, mother Theresia is a chatholic, but what she hv done to the world is outstanding, like the buddha teaching... She doesn't know what is refuge in the 3 treasures. I consider her as buddhist too becos she practise buddha teaching.
What i want to say is that, knowing buddhism is important but practice buddha teaching in life is priority...... Regardless of religion!
But anyway, this is only my 5cents point of view, everything "xui yuan, xui yuan" "kong shi se, se shi kong" Aomituofu...... -
There are people who are Buddhist-like in behaviors, but aren't Buddhist. If you like Buddhism, you try to practise Buddhism, but you never "Jie Yuan" or create the affinity with the Triple Gems, strictly speaking you cannot be considered a Buddhist yet, but perhaps a future Buddhist-to-be (must take your opportunity seriously! human life and authentic dharma is hard to come by) There are really alot of benefits in taking refuge in the Triple Gems, and there is really no reasons why one should not take refuge. The Buddha too said that to become his disciple one must take refuge in the Three Treasures.Originally posted by bazi:Hi,
I have read alot of your sharing in this forum and I know that u r very knowledgable abt Buddhism. U r very helpful and patience during ur explaination, this is what i like abt u and it tells me that u r a practician of Buddhism.
I became a buddhist few years back and hv read a lot of books regarding Buddhism. But maybe u want to recosidered what u hv mentioned in the above statement. Infact, i quite disagree with u for this staement. R u telling me that if ones doesn't know what is "Refuge in the 3 treasures" but ones hv been practice buddha teaching for years, is not consider buddhist?? For example, mother Theresia is a chatholic, but what she hv done to the world is outstanding, like the buddha teaching... She doesn't know what is refuge in the 3 treasures. I consider her as buddhist too becos she practise buddha teaching.
What i want to say is that, knowing buddhism is important but practice buddha teaching in life is priority...... Regardless of religion!
But anyway, this is only my 5cents point of view, everything "xui yuan, xui yuan" "kong shi se, se shi kong" Aomituofu......
You must also know that Buddhism is not just about doing good, accumulating good karma.
I have written previously: QuestionsSomeone like Mother Theresa, though she has not attained enlightenment, has accumulated a lot of good karma. Through these good karma, she will attain a virtuous rebirth, possibly and likely in the Celestial/Heaven realms.
So the difference between Buddhism and other good people is that there are many great people around the world and are good models, such as Mother Theresa, but only Buddhism offers the path that leads to liberation and Nirvana. Only Buddhism leads to enlightenment.. and that is not by any good works.
However, being reborn is not the same as having transcended the cycle of rebirth in samsara and thereby liberated from all the sufferings in samsara. That's the difference and I ahave briefly explained previously in this thread.
Also, just doing good deeds does not mean she becomes enlightened. To become enlightened you have to practise the Buddhist teachings and become aware of the ultimate truth of reality yourself... Only Buddhism leads to Buddhahood.
So, enlightenment is not by means of any good works. It is by practising the Dharma, practising the 8 fold path, being mindful and aware in all our daily lives, one day you will realise the ultimate truth. -
Please read:
http://www.jenchen.org.sg/vol4no2c.htm
Taking refuge and morality
By Venerable Shen-Kai
In the same way that we are recognised as students only after we are enrolled with a particular institution and begin to take lessons, we are truly Buddhists only after we have taken refuge in the Three Treasures and begin to learn and practise what the Buddha taught. Taking refuge means to return to the Buddha's domain and to rely on the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha as our teacher. An important aspect of being a Buddhist is to observe the code of morality - that of 'benefiting others and self.'
WE ALL know that a formal education is essential for knowledge - understanding the science of reasoning, building a strong foundation and understanding the code of ethics, so as to prepare ourselves as a useful member of the society. For a university education, one first needs to register and take the required entrance examinations. Upon qualifying, one needs to attend the lectures. Only then is one a university student. If you read widely and is knowledgeable, and you attend the university lectures from outside the lecture hall to the extent that you feel that you understand as much as the students in the lecture hall, still, nobody believes nor are you recognised as a university student.
It is the same with learning Buddhism. The entrance to Buddhism is very broad and there are many side entrances. How then can one be considered an authentic practitioner of Buddhism? Thus, a formal ceremony to take refuge is very important. You may have read many books on Buddhism and you may consider yourself a Buddhist. In reality, without taking refuge you have not yet form a cause or basis with the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. Hence, according to Buddhism you are not yet a Buddhist.
What does taking refuge mean? In mandarin this phrase is made up of two characters: "gui" meaning to return to and "yi" meaning to rely on. From the aeons of births, from time immemorial, the Buddha-nature in each and everyone of us is an integral part of the Buddha domain. It is because of ignorance that we are departed from this domain and are caused to exist in the fire of the three planes of existence, namely, the worlds of sensuous desire, form and the formless, and to transmigrate in the six realms of existence, namely, deva, human being, asura, animal, ghost and hell. At times we are in the heavenly realm, yet at others we may be human, ghost, animal or in hell. It is like leaving the comforts of our home and parents to wander about as a vagabond. After having encountered a lot of difficulties and sufferings, and being helpless, we finally remember our parents at home and decide to return home to them.
It is the same with Buddhism. After departing from the Buddha's domain and having arrived at the three planes of existence, experienced the transmigration in the six realms and a lot of suffering, we decide to return to the Buddha's domain. Having returned, we then rely on the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha, collectively termed as the Three Treasures or Triratna, as our teacher. We rely on the Dharma expounded by the Buddha as our compass in life. Regardless of our occupation, whether we are home or in society, we use the Dharma as a guide to living and advance towards the direction of the brightness of Buddhism. Just as a vagabond who has returned home rely on the material support and the guidance of his parents to live a proper life of peace and well being, it is the same principle with taking refuge.
To take refuge in the three treasures means taking refuge in the precious Buddha, the precious Dharma and the precious Sangha. The precious Buddha refers to all the Buddhas of the ten directions (eight directions of the compass, and the nadir and zenith), and the three periods (past, present and future). To take refuge in the Buddha means to sincerely become a disciple of the Buddha. It does not mean to buy an image of the Buddha, place it on an altar and called oneself a Buddhist. The precious Buddha is invaluable and therefore cannot be bought with money. The precious Dharma is the teachings of all the Buddhas of the ten directions and the three periods and also cannot be bought with money. It is the same with the precious Sangha, it also cannot be bought with money. It is only when we sincerely take refuge in the three treasures that we can call ourselves disciples of the three treasures. The precious Sangha are Buddhist monks and nuns who renounced the worldly life to learn and practise the Buddha's teachings and to promote the Dharma. Having taken refuge in the precious Sangha we address them as "Masters". One has a master only after taking refuge. It is therefore obvious that masters also cannot be bought. Thus, they are called treasures.
We become disciples of the three treasures after taking refuge. Disciples of the three treasures are Buddhists who learn and practise the correct doctrines of the Buddha. We pay respect to the Bodhisattvas and learn from the Bodhisattvas. We also need to be Bodhisattvas ourselves, eradicate our self-serving temperaments, and practise according to the teachings. Bodhisattvas possess the virtuous quality of great compassion. Thus, we need to emulate the great compassion of the Bodhisattvas to consider ourselves as Buddhists.
In Buddhism we burn incense and bow before the Buddha. The fragrance of the incense is symbolic of morality. The significance of the practice is that we want to uphold the code of ethics and morality and let its fragrance permeates across the entire universe. As Buddhists, first and foremost, we need to examine ourselves if we are righteous in our morality. Jen Chen Buddhism defines the principle morality as "Benefiting self and others". For example, a doctor who excels in his studies and skills in practising medicine is said to possess the correct principles of medical practice. If, as a doctor he possesses such excellent knowledge and skills but he refuses to treat the sick even when begged to, or he charges unreasonably high fees, then he is said to be lacking in medical ethics. Similarly, if the patient is very poor and the doctor does not show compassion and overcharges him, and perhaps even does not completely treat the sickness, then he is also lacking in medical ethics.
Students of law may excel in their law studies. These become their correct principles of study. However, if having qualified as attorneys, they fail to observe these principles and are dubious in character, then they are lacking in morality. Furthermore, if as an attorney he overcharges or fails to discharge his duty in carrying out justice, then he has no morals. A skilful swimmer has already acquired the correct principles of swimming. Yet, if he fails to act to rescue a drowning person, then he has failed in morality. On the other hand, you may be a person of great compassion, but you cannot swim. Yet, you didn't hesitate to save a drowning person. In the end not only do you fail to save him, but also you lose your own life. That is also being immoral.
The above are a few simple examples to illustrate the principles of morality. Even scholars and authorities find it difficult to agree on a common definition of morality. It is even more difficult for the masses to observe them. Thus, Jen Chen Buddhism uses a very simple definition, 'Benefiting others and self'. It is hoped that in future authorities of education would adopt this principle in the curriculum. Only then, I believe, will we know and observe national and social morals. Thus, when we want to build our country, each and everyone of us needs to understand the principle of morality, be moral in our conduct and have an ethical culture.
When we have taken refuge we are students of the Buddha. We need to be ethical and moral, and we need to zealously observe the code of morality. In this way, as a human being, our conduct becomes complete and fulfilling. If, as a Buddhist one is ignorant of the principles of morality, then taking refuge does not serve any purpose. When we take refuge, therefore, it is to observe the code of morality. -
Hi,Originally posted by An Eternal Now:So the difference between Buddhism and other good people is that there are many great people around the world and are good models, such as Mother Theresa, but only Buddhism offers the path that leads to liberation and Nirvana. Only Buddhism leads to enlightenment.. and that is not by any good works.
Just wonder do you have any committment in life? such as, a family, work, have to earn money to feed family etc.....
No doubt buddhism leads us to enlightenment and I would like to be enlighten, but the point is when we r living in such a society and world, we all have commitment and loves one, r u sure we can be enlighten? I am not discourage, but being practical in life, what I can practice in buddhism is to be good models, have ethics and good morals, doing lots of good works, helping the needy, thats to me is enlightenment. I don't dare to think about the enlightenment buddha has acheived, I am just a ordinary human beings, even buddha has to leave his family behind to acheived enlightenment but for me, I can't do it, becos i am respondsible to my family. Unless I become a monk and leave my family behind (without 'qian gua') then maybe i can acheived that. To be frank, buddha have to be unfilial first by leaving his parent behind (i know that filial is no.1 for buddhism) to acheived enlightenment but his ambition/vows to save and enlighten others have superced that and looking into bigger picture.
In life, it depends what you want, is up to individual, as long as u follow buddha teaching, regardless u enlighten or not, ur life will be meaningful!!
Aomituofu.... -
Originally posted by An Eternal Now:
Just to add on, relating to the bold sentence.
Please read:
http://www.jenchen.org.sg/vol4no2c.htm
[b]Taking refuge and morality
By Venerable Shen-Kai
When we have taken refuge we are students of the Buddha. We need to be ethical and moral, and we need to zealously observe the code of morality. In this way, as a human being, our conduct becomes complete and fulfilling. If, as a Buddhist one is ignorant of the principles of morality, then taking refuge does not serve any purpose. When we take refuge, therefore, it is to observe the code of morality.[/b]
It is clear that taking refuge doesn't mean that u r a buddhist, on the other hand, which is my point, not taking refuge doesn't mean that u r not a buddhist. The point is, u must observe the code of morality.....
Aomituofu...... -
Originally posted by bazi:
I'm still 17, but of course, I have to deal with work, life, relationship, etc.
Hi,
Just wonder do you have any committment in life? such as, a family, work, have to earn money to feed family etc..... So do all other sincere Buddhist practitioners. Most people have a serious misconception due to complete lack of understanding of Buddhism, that cultivation in Buddhism is about sitting or chanting all day. It is NOT so. So you have to learn what is true cultivation in Buddhism. (Do read www.jenchen.org.sg -- Check out the Voice of Bliss and the Jen Chen Buddhist Digest, especially the articles by Venerable Shen Kai, many of the articles elaborates much on cultivation and practise in daily life in a way that is simple to understand)
As a matter of fact, we must see that the practise of Buddhism actually is completely relevant to every single person. Why? Because everyone wants happiness! But instead of finding happiness the world is full of sufferings. If you want to live in perfect bliss, one has to practise the Dharma and be liberated and awakened every moment. Buddhism can be said as a culture of bliss (please read the URL)
It is only because most people have an utterly wrong misconception of what Buddhism teachings and practices are about, they fail to see its relevance to everyday life (instead they may picture cultivation as sitting in the mountains, chanting all day, etc).
If you truly know what is Dharma practise, you will see no contradictions between daily living and practise. They are one. There is really no reason why one would think that 'ordinary people' should not practise the dharma and attain liberation, except due to gross misunderstandings. My advise is for you is to seek an enlightened teacher and learn from him/her to guide you to enlightenment yourself.No doubt buddhism leads us to enlightenment and I would like to be enlighten, but the point is when we r living in such a society and world, we all have commitment and loves one, r u sure we can be enlighten?
Of course! First of all you must know the right practise of Buddhism. The Buddha did not teach everyone to leave society into the wilderness to practise. Buddhism is not a 'mountain thing' or a 'forest thing'. Buddhism and Liberation is INSIDE our everyday living, and it is actually very simple. You might be interested to listen to the talk in Diamond Sutra 101 -- that teacher is also very enlightened.
And yes, of course, we can all be enlightened. Our Buddha Nature is already perfect and complete, just that it is obscured by a layer of our illusions, attachments veiling it from us. All we have to do is to purify it of the defilements, our luminous Buddha Nature will shine as brightly as it is always is -- brighter than a thousand suns.
Don't think that you cannot attain enlightenment. As a matter of fact, there are many enlightened people since Buddha. In Buddha's lifetime alone, as recorded in the sutras, there are literally THOUSANDS of those who had attained Arhatship, full liberation from Samsara. There are also countless Bodhisattvas before and today. Since Buddha, there have been countless enlightened practitioners -- Bodhisattvas and Arhats. (There is no Samyaksam Buddha since Shakyamuni, but there are many who have since awakened to the Ultimate Reality of our Buddha Nature, Luminous-Emptiness, and attained Liberation, and also Bodhisattvas of various levels of Bhumis)
Even right now, there are alot of enlightened teachers (see: http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/2007/03/05/buddhist-geeks-9-enlightened-teachers/), not only teachers, but ordinary practitioners as well. I am fortunate to be learning under many enlightened teachers, as well as enlightened friends -- many of them from this forum. That's right -- there are several enlightened people even in this forum (not me). And I don't mean a few, I really mean MANY! One just need to open his eyes a little and look around. Liberation is truly possible, otherwise why are there so many true sincere practitioners of the Dharma?
It is really not as difficult as you think, though not many people even know what true Dharma is about, what true Dharma practise is about, so how to become enlightened? One must know what is the real Dharma teachings about, and practise it in everyday living. Then we can discover the truths for ourselves and be enlightened by the truth.I am not discourage, but being practical in life, what I can practice in buddhism is to be good models, have ethics and good morals, doing lots of good works, helping the needy, thats to me is enlightenment.
What kind of enlightenment can you get from being good? Doing good is just doing good, one does not necessarily gain any enlightenment from it.
Good results only in the accumulation of good karma, as a result one can enjoy blessings and a good rebirth in the afterlife due to the fruition of good karma. HOWEVER, even heaven is temporary and once your good karma has exhausted you will go to other realms possibly even the lower realms. Celestial beings have not transcended the cycle of Samsara.
Then, you can practise the Bodhisattva path and truly help others liberate from sufferings. Otherwise whatever you do to help others is limited and you will not be able to use your wisdom to give others lasting and permanent bliss and liberation.
To give others real happiness and liberation, you must first be liberated and blissful. It is only through practising the Dharma that is possible.
Dharma is about moment to moment living an awakened and liberated life free from all sufferings, and gaining insights into the nature of ourselves and all things. We must cherish our opportunity as a human being to practise the dharma. But the first step is to find out what the Dharma, the awakened truth, is about, and how to practise the path. -
That is only the very basic of what a Buddhist must practise, because without morality there is no way to develope samadhi and wisdom. With Morality, the development of Samadhi and Wisdom is then possible, and then Liberation and Enlightenment is then possible.Originally posted by bazi:Just to add on, relating to the bold sentence.
It is clear that taking refuge doesn't mean that u r a buddhist, on the other hand, which is my point, not taking refuge doesn't mean that u r not a buddhist. The point is, u must observe the code of morality.....
Aomituofu......
However, having morality does NOT mean one will attain enlightenment, it just prevents one from creating bad karma, and perhaps accumulate some good karma.
Also, the very foundational basics of a Buddhist is morality, but, just being a moral person does NOT make one a Buddhist.
Taking refuge is something very important, it is what makes one TRULY a Buddhist, one must understand this point. Please kindly read thoroughly and understand what the other paragraphs has been trying to stress.
...WE ALL know that a formal education is essential for knowledge - understanding the science of reasoning, building a strong foundation and understanding the code of ethics, so as to prepare ourselves as a useful member of the society. For a university education, one first needs to register and take the required entrance examinations. Upon qualifying, one needs to attend the lectures. Only then is one a university student. If you read widely and is knowledgeable, and you attend the university lectures from outside the lecture hall to the extent that you feel that you understand as much as the students in the lecture hall, still, nobody believes nor are you recognised as a university student.
It is the same with learning Buddhism. The entrance to Buddhism is very broad and there are many side entrances. How then can one be considered an authentic practitioner of Buddhism? Thus, a formal ceremony to take refuge is very important. You may have read many books on Buddhism and you may consider yourself a Buddhist. In reality, without taking refuge you have not yet form a cause or basis with the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. Hence, according to Buddhism you are not yet a Buddhist.
What does taking refuge mean? In mandarin this phrase is made up of two characters: "gui" meaning to return to and "yi" meaning to rely on. From the aeons of births, from time immemorial, the Buddha-nature in each and everyone of us is an integral part of the Buddha domain. It is because of ignorance that we are departed from this domain and are caused to exist in the fire of the three planes of existence, namely, the worlds of sensuous desire, form and the formless, and to transmigrate in the six realms of existence, namely, deva, human being, asura, animal, ghost and hell. At times we are in the heavenly realm, yet at others we may be human, ghost, animal or in hell. It is like leaving the comforts of our home and parents to wander about as a vagabond. After having encountered a lot of difficulties and sufferings, and being helpless, we finally remember our parents at home and decide to return home to them.
It is the same with Buddhism. After departing from the Buddha's domain and having arrived at the three planes of existence, experienced the transmigration in the six realms and a lot of suffering, we decide to return to the Buddha's domain. Having returned, we then rely on the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha, collectively termed as the Three Treasures or Triratna, as our teacher. We rely on the Dharma expounded by the Buddha as our compass in life. Regardless of our occupation, whether we are home or in society, we use the Dharma as a guide to living and advance towards the direction of the brightness of Buddhism. Just as a vagabond who has returned home rely on the material support and the guidance of his parents to live a proper life of peace and well being, it is the same principle with taking refuge.
To take refuge in the three treasures means taking refuge in the precious Buddha, the precious Dharma and the precious Sangha. The precious Buddha refers to all the Buddhas of the ten directions (eight directions of the compass, and the nadir and zenith), and the three periods (past, present and future). To take refuge in the Buddha means to sincerely become a disciple of the Buddha. It does not mean to buy an image of the Buddha, place it on an altar and called oneself a Buddhist. The precious Buddha is invaluable and therefore cannot be bought with money. The precious Dharma is the teachings of all the Buddhas of the ten directions and the three periods and also cannot be bought with money. It is the same with the precious Sangha, it also cannot be bought with money. It is only when we sincerely take refuge in the three treasures that we can call ourselves disciples of the three treasures. The precious Sangha are Buddhist monks and nuns who renounced the worldly life to learn and practise the Buddha's teachings and to promote the Dharma. Having taken refuge in the precious Sangha we address them as "Masters". One has a master only after taking refuge. It is therefore obvious that masters also cannot be bought. Thus, they are called treasures... -
I don't dare to think about the enlightenment buddha has acheived, I am just a ordinary human beings,
Let me repeat: every single sentient being's Buddha Nature is already perfect and complete, it has always been right here wherever we are, we just have to awaken to it.even buddha has to leave his family behind to acheived enlightenment but for me, I can't do it, becos i am respondsible to my family.
That is not necessary. There are many Lay practitioners who have attained Enlightenment and Liberation as well. Two of my dharma teachers are lay practitioners, but they too are enlightened.
Many of my friends in this forum are also lay practitioners, they too have attained enlightenment. Throughout history there is no lack of lay practitioners who have attained enlightenment.Unless I become a monk and leave my family behind (without 'qian gua') then maybe i can acheived that. To be frank, buddha have to be unfilial first by leaving his parent behind (i know that filial is no.1 for buddhism) to acheived enlightenment but his ambition/vows to save and enlighten others have superced that and looking into bigger picture.
Again, enlightenment is not about leaving home life. Renounciation has four levels, there is outer renounciation (take up robes and be a monk), but to be liberated most of all we must be renounced within. Does not mean sit at home and do nothing, it just means moment to moment we are awakened and liberated.
Also, you are right that it is for the greater good. As a matter of fact his father and wife and his son had all attained Enlightenment and Liberation, the highest bliss of Nirvana, after he came back to teach.
This is the greatest gift he can give to his family, so he is definitely not being unfilial.In life, it depends what you want, is up to individual, as long as u follow buddha teaching, regardless u enlighten or not, ur life will be meaningful!!
You must first set the right motivation for practising the Dharma. What is our purpose of practising the dharma? It is NOT to gain worldly benefits or mundane benefits, or just accumulating more blessings and good karma. All these are impermanent! We must know what Buddhism is for. It is definitely not created for the purpose of getting disciples gain more blessings or solve a few worldly problems! More importantly we must know how to overcome the great issue of birth and death, even in the midst of our living. How to be liberated and blissful, awakened/aware.
Aomituofu....
We should set our scope further --- all Buddhists' ultimate aim in practise is Enlightenment, Liberation, Buddhahood. Is to gain Wisdom and know the Truth.
Otherwise, your life is lived in futile because whatever you gain in life is transient, and even the blessings you accumulated is impermanent and limited. One day you will use up your blessings perhaps in some future lifetime, and you have no wisdom, then there will be even greater sufferings. -
Originally posted by An Eternal Now:
Oh, so u r only 17 yrs old..... very impressive u hv such a knowledge of buddhism.
Taking refuge is something very important, it is what makes one TRULY a Buddhist, one must understand this point. Please kindly read thoroughly and understand what the other paragraphs has been trying to stress.
It is the same with learning Buddhism. The entrance to Buddhism is very broad and there are many side entrances. How then can one be considered an authentic practitioner of Buddhism? Thus, a formal ceremony to take refuge is very important. You may have read many books on Buddhism and you may consider yourself a Buddhist. In reality, without taking refuge you have not yet form a cause or basis with the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. Hence, according to Buddhism you are not yet a Buddhist.
[/i][/b]
Our discussion is abt "one must take refuge to be a true Buddhist"......
To me, taking refuge is just a ceremony, why must ones treat this ceremony so important? It just like a ROM ceremony, it is not what hv been done during the ceremony, it is how the aftermaths which is most important, it determine how well the couples live together. It applies to the refuge ceremony....
For all out there, to me, all this is just ceremony, most importantly, is u hv all the while remember and practice Buddha teaching, that is the key point, no use u went thru the ceremony but everyday u r throwing ur temper.....
Buddhism is very easy to study and learn, but come to practice it, it is very diff. My sharing is that, don't be too "zhi zhuo" over the ceremony, I know lots of them do not went thru the refuge ceremony but u can still be a Buddhist, as long as "xin zhong you fuo", wherever u go, u r consider a Buddhist, to me.
AEN, nice sharing with you and hope that you have a bright future ahead, u hv a long way to go but i m very sure that u will make it, "jia you". Carry on to share ur knowledge in this forum, i believed lots of them benefit from it. May Buddha bless u and all of u.
Aomitofou...... -
Hi, I think it is very unfortunate if one does not see the true meaning and significance of taking Refuge. It is not just a ceremony. Please seriously read through and understand the previous article. I just cannot stress the importance of taking refuge enough.Originally posted by bazi:Oh, so u r only 17 yrs old..... very impressive u hv such a knowledge of buddhism.
Our discussion is abt "one must take refuge to be a true Buddhist"......
To me, taking refuge is just a ceremony, why must ones treat this ceremony so important? It just like a ROM ceremony, it is not what hv been done during the ceremony, it is how the aftermaths which is most important, it determine how well the couples live together. It applies to the refuge ceremony....
For all out there, to me, all this is just ceremony, most importantly, is u hv all the while remember and practice Buddha teaching, that is the key point, no use u went thru the ceremony but everyday u r throwing ur temper.....
Buddhism is very easy to study and learn, but come to practice it, it is very diff. My sharing is that, don't be too "zhi zhuo" over the ceremony, I know lots of them do not went thru the refuge ceremony but u can still be a Buddhist, as long as "xin zhong you fuo", wherever u go, u r consider a Buddhist, to me.
AEN, nice sharing with you and hope that you have a bright future ahead, u hv a long way to go but i m very sure that u will make it, "jia you". Carry on to share ur knowledge in this forum, i believed lots of them benefit from it. May Buddha bless u and all of u.
Aomitofou......
Here's another article by my Master which I think you should read: http://www.jenchen.org.sg/vol8no1d.htm
Volume 8 no 1
Voice of Bliss
Learning Buddhism starts with taking refuge in the Three Treasures
Many people share a common opinion that it suffices for a person to have a good heart and therefore there is no need to take refuge in the Three Treasures (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha). However, do they know the true extent of their goodness?
Even if a person’s heart (mind) and his actions are so virtuous that they are reborn in the realm of heavens, and for that matter in the highest levels of the heavens which is the heaven of “non-thinking and non-non-thinking” (Naivasamjnanasamjnayatana), although there is no form (body), there is still mind-consciousness. If in this mind-consciousness there is a seed of killing which was previously planted in the mind-consciousness, that seed may still emerge and cause the person to descend to hell.
Therefore, people have to form an affinity with the Three Treasures: the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha, and be illumined by the brightness of the Buddha so that they can be liberated. Such an affinity is formed by taking refuge in the Three Treasures and thereafter cultivate diligently.
The Buddha, Dharma and Sangha are the rarest and most invaluable treasures in the world. They are different from the worldly treasures, for they could not be bought nor can they be exchanged with whatever worldly materials. However, people can resonate with the Three Treasures through their faith and sincerity.
The Three Treasures of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha in Buddhism are further broken down into different perspectives. The “Sustained Three Treasures” refer to the Three Treasures that live on and sustain the Buddhism that exists in this world so as to spread and pass on to the later generations. These include the images of the Buddha which may be made of stone, clay, wood, metal, or drawings, referred to as the Buddha Treasure; the Tripitaka, the records of the teachings of the Buddha, are referred to as the Dharma Treasure. Ordained monks and nuns (bhiksu and bhiksuni) who renounced the world to cultivate and create conditions for others to practise the Buddhist path, promote the teachings of the Buddha and benefit sentient beings, and thereby continuing the wisdom-life of Buddha, are referred to as the Sangha Treasure. These are the Sustained Three Treasures.
The “Own-nature Three Treasures” refer to three attributes that everybody has. Every human being has the same pure awareness-nature as the Buddha. This is called the Treasure of Own-nature Buddha. When unorthodox or wrong thinking does not arise in our mind, and we hold right understanding and right views, then that is Treasure of Own-nature Dharma. When we learn the teachings of the Buddha and put them into practise thereby illumining our own pure brightness, that is the Treasure of Own-nature Sangha. These are the Three Treasures of Own-nature and are inspired only through the sincerity in taking refuge in the Three Treasures and cultivating according to the teachings. People should not set unrealistic goals and make casual remarks that they possess the Own-nature Three Treasures, and thus there is no need to take refuge in the Three Treasures. Such talk is sowing the seeds for hell.
The objective of taking refuge in the Three Treasures is to learn from them. Therefore, people who aspire to learn from the Buddha have to take refuge in the Three Treasures. As an illustration, a person who is studying in a certain university cannot simply say that he merely wants to pursue his studies and there is no need to bother with the enrolment. But, to obtain a recognized university qualification requires enrolment in the university, registration for examinations, diligence in the studies before one can graduate with a degree from the university. However, if a person is not enrolled in the university but he completed the course books through self-study at home, he is not recognized as having graduated from the university.
Hence, a Buddhist has to take refuge in the Three Treasures, learn the teachings of the Buddha and put them into practice. Only then may he be called an authentic practitioner of Buddhism. On the other hand, there are many people who believe in the teachings of Buddhism but they have not yet taken refuge in the Three Treasures. We cannot say that they are not Buddhists. Instead, they are better described as would-be Buddhists because they will take refuge in the Three Treasures in the future.
As Buddhists, after we have taken refuge in the Three Treasures, we still need to constantly take refuge in the “”Own-nature Three Treasures” too. When our mind resonates with the Three Treasures, we will illumine our wisdom and brightness. We will constantly be with Buddha. This is the significance of taking refuge in the Three Treasures. -
Just found the latest issue of interviews by Buddhist Geeks with Daniel Ingram (Dharma Dan) and Hokai.Originally posted by An Eternal Now:You must first set the right motivation for practising the Dharma. What is our purpose of practising the dharma? It is NOT to gain worldly benefits or mundane benefits, or just accumulating more blessings and good karma. All these are impermanent! We must know what Buddhism is for. It is definitely not created for the purpose of getting disciples gain more blessings or solve a few worldly problems! More importantly we must know how to overcome the great issue of birth and death, even in the midst of our living. How to be liberated and blissful, awakened/aware.
We should set our scope further --- all Buddhists' ultimate aim in practise is Enlightenment, Liberation, Buddhahood. Is to gain Wisdom and know the Truth.
Otherwise, your life is lived in futile because whatever you gain in life is transient, and even the blessings you accumulated is impermanent and limited. One day you will use up your blessings perhaps in some future lifetime, and you have no wisdom, then there will be even greater sufferings.
http://www.buddhistgeeks.com/2007/07/30/episode-30-croatia-alabama-and-colorado-collide/
I think it is a very good discussion especially after 9:00 (but if you have the time, listen the whole thing). The stuff Hokai pointed out after 10:20 are especially important. Like my dharma teacher said, Buddhism is NOT set up to gain more blessings or solve some worldly problems, or relationship problems or whatever life problems. All these, my Dharma teacher says, are "small cases".
We must not mistake it as some psychological purpose, and at the same time, we must not mistaken Buddhism as about accumulating blessings, accumulating good karma and being good to people. Even though Buddhism teaches all these. Of course, avoiding evil and doing good is a should for all Buddhists but it doesn't mean that someone is good means he's a good Buddhist. This is far far from the truth and represents the common misunderstandings of Buddhism by those who do not understand the purpose of the Buddha's dharma.
What Buddhism is trying to teach is a fundamental, completely radical shift in our perception and identity, the sort of fundamental insights required for Liberation and transcending life and death. -
hello...i am back again after a mth's absence...haha
anyway, juz finding out...does buddhism has anything to do wif the consulting of mediums, drinking of holy water etc???
also, is buddhism associated wif fortune telling as well??? thanx...