Originally posted by binot:
Dear AEN...thanks for your quick reply...Learnt something again...did not think in that manner...
Got another question hope you don't mind...As the Buddha has infinite wisdom and powers...how come he cannot foresee the coming of these disasters and protect himself? How about the Dharma protectors? How come they never protect him? I was taught that by doing chanting...one should be able to avert disasters...
Please pardon my ignorance for asking these questions.... Om Mani Padme Hung
He knew but he made no attempt to stop them. Supernatural powers can never overcome karmic forces. For this, you have to read Mogallana's story. Mogallana is one of Buddha's top 10 disciples, he is an enlightened arhat and among Buddha's disciples he is the foremost in the area of supernatural powers.
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/db_02.htmquote:
Mogallana always thought that nothing was impossible with his supernatural power. However, little did he realise that supernatural power could not help one escape the law of cause and effect. Neither did he know that it could not defeat karma and free one from the cycle of life and death.
Once, the Buddha's homeland Kapilavastu was invaded by King Vidudabha of Kosala. Being a patriot, the Buddha had succeeded in blocking the enemy for three times. But King Vidudabha did not want to give up. Knowing that this was due to the karma of Sakya clan. The Buddha had no choice but to let it be.
Mogallana was deeply agitated when heard that Kapilavastu was surrounded by enemy troops. Though the Buddha told him this was the karma of Sakya clan, he insisted on saving the clan people with his miraculous power.
He flew into Kapilavastu which was already encircled by enemy troops ring upon ring. He selected the five hundred outstanding Sakyas and put them in a bowl. When he had safely flown out of the country, he opened the bowl and found that the five hundred people in it had already turned into a flood of blood!
Mogallana then realised one could not violate the law of cause and effect taught by the Buddha. Even supernatural power could not outmatch karmic effect.----------
Now, come back to the question of Devadatta. The Buddha, being omniscient, knew of Devadatta's intentions for entering the Sangha. So why did Buddha allow Devadatta into his Sangha?
The reason is because even though he KNEW that when Devadatta enters the sangha he is intending to commit deeds that would earn him huge unwholesome karma -- one being to cause a schism in the sangha, and the other being to hurt the Buddha.
(Note: Devadatta intended to Kill the Buddha, but a Buddha cannot be murdered, so he only managed to hurt/injure him. Hurting a Buddha and causing a schism in the Sangha are two of the 5 heinous 'sins'/bad karma that will result in birth in the lowest hell, Avici hell)
And Buddha also knew that as a result of such acts, Devadatta will create the karmic causes of rebirth in Hell. So why would Buddha allow such things? This is because the Buddha knew that by allowing Devadatta to enter the Sangha, he would develope meditative qualities and jhanas and thereby create the causes to attain the fruits of Pratyekabuddhahood some kalpas away.
If the Buddha did not allow Devadatta to enter the Sangha, he would still commit great karma but cannot create the conditions for enlightenment in the future.
As for the reason why Devadatta was against the Buddha, there were some karmic causes in the past lives, you may wish to find out.
BTW, chanting sincerely (repentance is also very useful and recommendable) can help lighten some bad karmas in some occasions. But it does not mean all karma can be averted. Like I said previously, for beings like Buddha his karma has lessened much more such as the case of Angulimala also, but nevertheless some karma will still manifest/ripen into effect.
If chanting averts all bad things from happening, then if anyone who chant should be living a perfect life with no problems at all. Unfortunately this will not happen to anyone. This does not mean chanting, repentance, and all the practices aimed at purifying karma does not work though.
For Angulimala case (see
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/disciples10.htm) having killed 999 people he later met the Buddha who converted him and taught him the Dharma, and which he later attained Arhatship.
Usually murderers have created very very heavy karma and is heading to the hell realm, but for the case of Angulimala because he followed the Buddha's instructions and attained enlightenment and liberation, Nirvana, he was able to overcome much of this karma.
This does not mean he does not experience any karmic effects from his unwholesome deeds at all -- some karmic fruition still surface.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angulimala...However a resentful few could not forget that he was responsible for the deaths of their loved ones. Unable to win revenge through the law, they took matters into their own hands. With sticks and stones, they attacked him as he walked for alms.
With a bleeding head, torn outer robe and a broken alms bowl, Angulimala managed to return to the monastery. The Buddha encouraged Angulimala to bear his torment with equanimity; he indicated that Angulimala was experiencing the fruits of the karma that would otherwise have condemned him to hell. This illustrates the Buddhist belief that while the effects of karma are inescapable, the form that they take and the schedule on which they occur can be modified by later actions -- in this case, Angulimala experienced physical suffering during the course of his last life, rather than experiencing torment in another birth for a much longer period of time.
Being an arahant, Angulimala remained firm and invulnerable in mind and heart. But his body, the symbol and fruit of previous kamma was still exposed to the effects of his former evil deeds. As an arahant, he needed no words of consolation, but a reminder of the kammic concatenation of cause and effect, which still has to be endured until the end.
When he entered Sāvatthi for alms, he was attacked by the mob, but on the admonition of the Buddha, endured their wrath as penance for his former misdeeds.
According to the Dhammapadatthakatha (iii.169) he appears to have died soon after he joined the Order...
