question about the "source"
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BTW u can disregard my earlier reply to u cos its a little out of contextOriginally posted by Isis:i have this question to ask..
if there is no source/ no God, then why do we feel this loving kindness for others, aversion on others and other emotions... ?
where does this emotion comes from?
But before I go any further, I need to ask you, first what is the relationship between loving kindness for others and aversion on others and other emotions?
What makes you links God and emotion and loving kindness?
Even if there is God, is it necessary that we must have loving kindness and emotions? -
mmm Christian can feel love from the god, well that why some of my christian friends feel....
Is everything really from a god?
From a christian's point of view -
Let the Christians answer this.Originally posted by Isis:mmm Christian can feel love from the god, well that why some of my christian friends feel....
Is everything really from a god?
From a christian's point of view
Anyone? -
Technically, anything good and positive is from the biblical God from a christian's viewpoint. Anything bad or negative is from the Devil/Lucifer.Originally posted by Isis:mmm Christian can feel love from the god, well that why some of my christian friends feel....
Is everything really from a god?
From a christian's point of view -
Having past life memories
Is it a good thing?
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Uh, dont mind I ask, what has it got to do with this topic?Originally posted by maggot:Having past life memories
Is it a good thing? -
Whether Christian or other faith, I've heard my fair share of God's love, miracles, divine help, grace, answered prayers, and so forth. Interestingly, there are sessions organised precisely for such purpose or witnessing/sharing as they are called. I am sure the Buddhists said something like these too, except God (could be Buddha or Bodhisattvas), or some cosmic force for the Hindus.Originally posted by Isis:mmm Christian can feel love from the god, well that why some of my christian friends feel....
Is everything really from a god?
From a christian's point of view
I've always been sceptical. I get this feeling that once you are become a 'believer', you feel something different, like suddenly, life changed, fortune changed, the sun shines brighter and the likes. I attribute all these to psycholology.
Rebirth .... I supposed this is not new and has been discussed before. Being new here, let me say that the idea of 'rebirth' has been around a long before Buddha. However, rebirth is a actually a further development/refinement of 'after life'. If you study ancient history, the Chinese, the Egyptian and some others have elaborate preparations and preservation of the dead body for the after-life. In other words, there is death in this life, followed by 'rebirth' in another life.
Alternatively, there is this concept of soul. The physical body dies, but the soul lives on in another life, world, Heaven, Paradise, Pure Land, Cosmic, Eternity - whether these places are real or not.
If 'rebirth' is real, why is it not experienced or recalled easily by ordinary folks like you and me? Why is is not so common? How come there is no mass experience by all race, culture, and beliefs? I've not heard (at least personally) of Christians or Muslims relating their past lives.
How come I cannot see my past lives? -
Originally posted by TheGoodEarth:
Yes, thats right.
Rebirth .... I supposed this is not new and has been discussed before. Being new here, let me say that the idea of 'rebirth' has been around a long before Buddha. However, rebirth is a actually a further development/refinement of 'after life'. If you study ancient history, the Chinese, the Egyptian and some others have elaborate preparations and preservation of the dead body for the after-life. In other words, there is death in this life, followed by 'rebirth' in another life.Alternatively, there is this concept of soul. The physical body dies, but the soul lives on in another life, world, Heaven, Paradise, Pure Land, Cosmic, Eternity - whether these places are real or not.
And that is what Buddhism does not teach -- reincarnation. We teach rebirth happening every moment, but not a soul entity as a permanent self.If 'rebirth' is real, why is it not experienced or recalled easily by ordinary folks like you and me? Why is is not so common? How come there is no mass experience by all race, culture, and beliefs? I've not heard (at least personally) of Christians or Muslims relating their past lives.
It is more common than you think, but the time we are born we already forget our past lives memory. In fact a baby's ability to remember long memories are naturally less than us and therefore most memories will be forgotten. (Do you even still remember what you did when you were 1 year old?) I also remembered the scriptures mentioning several reasons why we lost our past lives memory, though I can't remember exactly what are they now. I think one of them is the pain and struggle the baby experience when entering the world.
How come I cannot see my past lives?
But anyway, lots of people have remembered them again by various ways.
It is very possible to remember past lives. In fact there are many topics on past lives, and about remembering past lives, please refer to these previous forum topics which are already very well elaborated:
Belief in Reincarnation Tied to Memory Errors
why do people believe in past lives?
buddhism is alright but still faulty.....
what is buddhism evidence of reincarnation?
and many more -
Buddhists don't emphasize supernatural, though we do not deny it.Originally posted by TheGoodEarth:Whether Christian or other faith, I've heard my fair share of God's love, miracles, divine help, grace, answered prayers, and so forth. Interestingly, there are sessions organised precisely for such purpose or witnessing/sharing as they are called. I am sure the Buddhists said something like these too, except God (could be Buddha or Bodhisattvas), or some cosmic force for the Hindus.
But that's not what Buddhists aim for, supernatural powers, miracles, or even healings etc. We practise the dharma for Enlightenment, Wisdom, Liberation.
So, we do not do things like witnessing-miracles-sessions or stuff like that. Because to us, it is not really beneficial.I've always been sceptical. I get this feeling that once you are become a 'believer', you feel something different, like suddenly, life changed, fortune changed, the sun shines brighter and the likes. I attribute all these to psycholology.
Nope. In Buddhism, it's not about "beliefs". It's about practise. If you practise, then you will be liberated, and blissful, and gain wisdom. And enlightenment. Lots of people have gained enlightenment. All these, liberation, bliss, enlightenment, are not just psychological states, but about insights. You can't get enlightened from psychology, but through practising the Dharma that Buddha taught. -
Allow me to pursue rebirth as I think it is a little complicated and also difficult to 'fetch'!
Some of my questions were not answered. Anyhow, I am more intrigue by this past lives:But anyway, lots of people have remembered them again by various ways.
Meanwhile, I will read up:
What are these?
It is very possible to remember past lives.
How?In fact there are many topics on past lives, and about remembering past lives, please refer to these previous forum topics which are already very well elaborated:
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The topics should have addressed your questionsOriginally posted by TheGoodEarth:Allow me to pursue rebirth as I think it is a little complicated and also difficult to 'fetch'!
Some of my questions were not answered. Anyhow, I am more intrigue by this past lives:
GTG for now, gd nite. -
Originally posted by An Eternal Now:
Yes... we may look very divine-like in others' eyes by being able to perform miracles etc., and we will feel very good if we consequently get venerated by the masses. But, as long as there remains one sentient being suffering in samsara, all these so called miracles will be nothing but mere theatrics.
Buddhists don't emphasize supernatural, though we do not deny it.
But that's not what Buddhists aim for, supernatural powers, miracles, or even healings etc. We practise the dharma for Enlightenment, Wisdom, Liberation.
So, we do not do things like witnessing-miracles-sessions or stuff like that. Because to us, it is not really beneficial.
To me, the greatest miracle is to be able to enlighten and liberate all beings from sufferings. -
Anyway still can discuss this lah, since we all also mentioned about rebirth in this topic, somehow.Originally posted by maggot:Having past life memories
Is it a good thing? But try to create new topics next time so that the discussion won't go off-topic.
Having past life memories is neither good nor bad. (Relative truths here, btw ) Lots of people have them, my dharma teachers had them, and even a few forummers here was able to remember several past lives. They have very clear and vivid memories of their past lifes, not only one past lives, but many past lives.
Is it good? I would say, there is not very significant benefits, though sometimes one can understand one's situation better, in the case of Longchen (one of our forummers who had past life memories) who was able to trace happenings back to the karmic cause in a previous life. He was also able to trace from one lifetime to another lifetime, keep tracing backwards, to understand one's karmic tendencies and behaviors better.
However, it is not very important or necessary... Most important is to gain enlightenment, knowing past lives may help us understand things more, but provides no solution. Only through practising the dharma will we gain in wisdom, and gain liberation.
Recalling past lives does not lead to liberation, sometimes it leads to greater bondage and attachment. Just live your current life, don't bother too much about past and future. Focus on this life, that's enough. There's the Buddhist saying, if you want to know what you have been doing in your previous lives, look at your situation now. If you want to know your future lives, look at what you are doing now. -
Originally posted by An Eternal Now:Is it good? I would say, there is not very significant benefits, .............. it is not very important or necessary... ................ If you want to know your future lives, look at what you are doing now.
Wise words... hope you take them to heart...
The discussion about the source of love... Buddhism has a better explanation for it than "it comes from God" but apparently it escapes the Buddhists here -
Ya please explain, I believe you should have understandings on thisOriginally posted by AndrewPKYap: Wise words... hope you take them to heart...
The discussion about the source of love... Buddhism has a better explanation for it than "it comes from God" but apparently it escapes the Buddhists here 
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BTW, while talking about longchen, one of his old expired topics from 1 year ago suddenly sprung up in the forum miraculously No lah, actually, I was searching for some of his writings on his past lives, then suddenly accidentally stickied one of the threads, then after I unsticky it there's this bug so it remains at the top of the forum.
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Let me "help" you understand it for yourself... (hopefully you realise it rather than understand someone's explanation)Originally posted by An Eternal Now:Ya please explain, I believe you should have understandings on this
How do you reconcile "emptiness" and "love/compassion?" -
(Real) Love is a form of recognition beyond the boundaries of the self. Similarly, compassion is feeling for others, though at that time there is really no separation between self for others. It is truly feeling for someone elses' sufferings that goes beyond all boundaries.Originally posted by AndrewPKYap:Let me "help" you understand it for yourself... (hopefully you realise it rather than understand someone's explanation)
How do you reconcile "emptiness" and "love/compassion?"
(as opposed to Pity, which is still dualistic as one seems to be down here, pitying someone else over there, because one compares him to oneself. therefore this is dualistic)
Boundary, self, is ultimately empty... but most of the time we focus our attention on ourselves. Our bondange and attachment is strong. -
Still an extremely long way to trace back to the source for meOriginally posted by An Eternal Now:Anyway still can discuss this lah, since we all also mentioned about rebirth in this topic, somehow. But try to create new topics next time so that the discussion won't go off-topic. -
If you continue from what you just said, how does karma come into the picture? Why should harming someone bring me bad karma? Remember to tie it in with emptiness and what you just said.
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You can't. Only until you realise the emptiness of them all, then you reach the source. That's the same method to reach enlightenment as asking 'Where do I come from?' in Zen Koans. You keep thinking and pushing back, where did I come from? my mom, before my mom? my grandmother, before that? my great grand mother (etc). But its beyond all conceptual answers, it is beyond all notions of time... one day you will realise the nature of Emptiness, drop all of them and realise the true source.Originally posted by maggot:Still an extremely long way to trace back to the source for me
Oh and, only when you attain Buddhahood will you be like Shakyamuni Buddha, who remembers 96 aeons of past lives. -
How to link with Emptiness? A little difficult..Originally posted by AndrewPKYap:If you continue from what you just said, how does karma come into the picture? Why should harming someone bring me bad karma? Remember to tie it in with emptiness and what you just said.
Several years ago in the IRC Buddhist chatroom, I had a chat with this guy called 'TheVoice'. Those who was from 'that era' would know him. His experience and understanding of Reality at that time is inclining a bit more to Hindu (the experience of 'I AMness'), but that's besides the point, and I think there might be some truth behind what he said regarding karma.
[19:01]do the cells in ur body belong to u?
[19:01] The true essence - You are the Divine.
[19:01] all things are you.
[19:02] when you hurt someone- you hurt yourself, that is why karma always exists.
[19:02] in all states of matter and intention .
[19:02] The mind is merely a tool .
[19:02] and an extension of the Supreme Reality .
Since Reality has no separation between self and others, if you hurt others you get hurt too, because all are actually 'you' in a higher sense. I hope others can comment on this. -
Dun need to trace back.Originally posted by maggot:Still an extremely long way to trace back to the source for me
The Source is just too direct to be seen.
How to experience it? Don't try to escape to anywhere or wait for some becoming. Stay 'unmoving' to the present even if it is unpleasant... and see what happens... -
There is no karma as there is a void of source for karma and void of recipent of karma, therefore karma cannot exist.Originally posted by An Eternal Now:You're right, there is no doer and no recipant of karma. BUT this does not mean there is no karma, it just means there is no self. Remember, Emptiness does not mean void. It means Dependent Co-Arising/Conditioned Arising, thus lacking in inherent existence. -
Wrong understanding of Emptiness.Originally posted by Herzog_Zwei:There is no karma as there is a void of source for karma and void of recipent of karma, therefore karma cannot exist.
How many times have I said that Emptiness is NOT a Void? Emptiness means Conditioned Arising, but lacking in any inherent existence. Similarly karmic causes and effect is ultimately empty of inherent existence, but it is not a void, but dependent origination/conditioned arising.