Burning question on buddhism to be answered ?
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wah .... 99 post liao
this is the first time i see the thread can turn into 99 reply
hahahaha
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i had this experience once. don't know if it was OBE. me sit meditating.....for about 1 hour. then...like if me was dreaming (but me know me awake)....me was telling me that me was sitting there meditating. then suddenly me ask myself. if me was sitting there meditating, who was it that saw me sitting down there.
like a frighten child, me quickly grabbed myself as if the other me was drifting away like a balloon drifting away from the child hand.... -
Maybe its an OBE. Not too sure. For me, i got some OBE before.Originally posted by Lin Yu:i had this experience once. don't know if it was OBE. me sit meditating.....for about 1 hour. then...like if me was dreaming (but me know me awake)....me was telling me that me was sitting there meditating. then suddenly me ask myself. if me was sitting there meditating, who was it that saw me sitting down there.
like a frighten child, me quickly grabbed myself as if the other me was drifting away like a balloon drifting away from the child hand....
Usually the perception is sharp and vivid. It is like the eyesight becomes enhanced...Also you can move very fast and glide too.
I don't have them for quite some years now. -
hhmm... interesting. i remembered there was another time, shortly after i fell asleep, i sort of got up from bed and i felt like i was drifting about. i felt invisible because i could also literally glide or walk through a table near the bed. i don't remember having seen or felt i had legs to walk though haha... i even saw my hubby whom was still awake watching tv then but unable to have a glimpse of "me" as i normally sleep covered under the quilt. i heard some people could drift and travel as far as away from their home but however i remember i never had such fortunate opportunity to experience. the most i would just be lingering around the room or the scene would just change to some sort of setting which i feel need not travel. though from such tiny insignificant experience it was enough to leave a message of lesson for me that it is all a state of mind. it was like lucid dream and the skill is to be able to be awake in dreams and steer the wheel.
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does anyone know or experience having dreams in dream. i felt i had a dream and after woke up to realise i'm still asleep and it's still a dream. and on top of that i could also hear my own breathing sounds and feel my body is like an empty shell. i try to talk and there are voices but i can't speak out in flesh. i still can be aware of such condition though as i noticed words are hard to pronounce and sort of like in slow motion. and it takes abit more strength and effort to complete a sentence clearly. this is also where i train to chant namo di zhang wang pusa as clearly as i could while i'm drifting about dreaming. and the chanting, feeling, observing were all mind experiencing, mind chanting.
ok i guess that's about it, don't wanna be out of topic.
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OBE happens when ur conscious is in the state of non -attachment to the physical , quite possibly when your body delink u and your conscious
not easily done by many .
Only those who have this meditative experience in the past life then can make this happen
Yogacara talks abt the consciousness of the six sense detaching and your consciousness moves out of the physical body
but i seriously cant remember where i read the source which tells so -
Questions...
1. Hinduism started much earlier than Buddhism and the had the idea of rebirth which is also found in Buddhism. Did Buddha copy the idea from Hindus?
2. What is the difference between the 2 on the rebirth theory?
3. Vajarana's have a strong idea reincanation. what's is the difference between this idea and rebirth theory. How can you tell if it is true that this is a reincanation of that? -
Hindhuism's theory of rebirth is quite different from buddhism, even within hindhuism, there are many different concepts. One of them believe that animal doesn't go through rebirth.Originally posted by Lin Yu:Questions...
1. Hinduism started much earlier than Buddhism and the had the idea of rebirth which is also found in Buddhism. Did Buddha copy the idea from Hindus?
2. What is the difference between the 2 on the rebirth theory?
3. Vajarana's have a strong idea reincanation. what's is the difference between this idea and rebirth theory. How can you tell if it is true that this is a reincanation of that?
Even if their concept is the same as buddhism, I won't call it it "copy" because buddha discover the truth himself, not by looking the hindhuism scriptures. -
Originally posted by Lin Yu:
With regard to the soul theory, there are three kinds of teachers in the world:
Questions...
1. Hinduism started much earlier than Buddhism and the had the idea of rebirth which is also found in Buddhism. Did Buddha copy the idea from Hindus?
2. What is the difference between the 2 on the rebirth theory?
3. Vajarana's have a strong idea reincanation. what's is the difference between this idea and rebirth theory. How can you tell if it is true that this is a reincanation of that?
The first teacher teaches the existence of an eternal ego-entity that outlasts death: He is the eternalist.
The second teacher teaches a temporary ego-entity which becomes annihilated at death: He is the materialist.
The third teacher teaches neither an eternal nor a temporary ego-entity: He is the Buddha.
http://www.sinc.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhism/dhammananda/115.htm
Hinduism is abt 8000 years of age, aka Brahma-ism. during that time, reincarnation is commonly acknowledge by meditators who had reached certain state of mind, including Buddha.
Buddha also used to have Brahma/Hindu gurus at early stage. reincarnation is a believe of a eternal soul that go from one body to the next and that it's fixed and permanent. After Buddha's break through in His full enlightenment, He discovered more to the idea.
Buddha however never say reincarnation is not real, He discovered that the soul/self is not exactly permanent but always changing.
so i myself prefer to use the word "rebirth(not self idea)" for buddhism and reincarnation(eternal soul idea) for those confused of the idea.
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Gd explanation... but wanna add on, even to say there is 'the self' or 'the ego' that is ever changing is not really correct.Originally posted by sinweiy:With regard to the soul theory, there are three kinds of teachers in the world:
The first teacher teaches the existence of an eternal ego-entity that outlasts death: He is the eternalist.
The second teacher teaches a temporary ego-entity which becomes annihilated at death: He is the materialist.
The third teacher teaches neither an eternal nor a temporary ego-entity: He is the Buddha.
http://www.sinc.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhism/dhammananda/115.htm
Hinduism is abt 8000 years of age, aka Brahma-ism. during that time, reincarnation is commonly acknowledge by meditators who had reached certain state of mind, including Buddha.
Buddha also used to have Brahma/Hindu gurus at early stage. reincarnation is a believe of a eternal soul that go from one body to the next and that it's fixed and permanent. After Buddha's break through in His full enlightenment, He discovered more to the idea.
Buddha however never say reincarnation is not real, He discovered that the soul/self is not exactly permanent but always changing.
so i myself prefer to use the word "rebirth(not self idea)" for buddhism and reincarnation(eternal soul idea) for those confused of the idea.
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Because there is absolutely no entity called 'the self' or 'the ego' that can be found -- moment to moment, 5 skhandas (our mental and karmic factors) arise -- self1, self2, self3, self4, subsiding as it arises, this is completely momentary and no persisting (yet somehow changing) entity called a 'self' or a 'ego' can be found. This is why Buddha taught Anatta (no-self) apart from Anicca (impermanence), both must complement each other.
That means, we should not think that 'my self has changed' -- there is no 'self' that is changing, self1 and self4 are discrete, complete in itself, not the same entity.
When every moment of arising is complete in itself, whole, discrete, we cannot project imputations or references of 'I' and 'mine' towards our field of experience, neither can we impute an objective reality towards it (i.e the tree is inherently existing 'out there' apart from 'me') -- everything arising is Irreducible, only as it is, Thus. -
Originally posted by Lin Yu:
Nope. Whatever he taught is based solely on his own experience -- i.e. remembering 96 aeons of his pastlives after his enlightenment.
Questions...
1. Hinduism started much earlier than Buddhism and the had the idea of rebirth which is also found in Buddhism. Did Buddha copy the idea from Hindus?
This is not at all a theory derived from other sects, but his own insights and experience. Furthermore, unlike other Hindu schools which teaches an eternalistic concept of an Atman/Soul that is eternal and unchanging, Buddha never teaches such an idea -- rather, all individual mindstreams are momentary/impermanent, empty of a 'self', and are Dependently Originated.
All these teachings are unique and cannot be found apart from Buddhism and are derived from Buddha's experiential insight into the Ultimate Reality upon his Enlightenment.
Secondly since Hinduism teaches an eternal, unchanging atman, 'rebirth' is at odds because 'rebirth' implies the re-becoming of our mental and karmic factors, without recoursing to an unchanging persisting soul. Rather, the Hindu doctrine teaches the 'reincarnation' of an ultimately existing soul.2. What is the difference between the 2 on the rebirth theory?
See above.3. Vajarana's have a strong idea reincanation. what's is the difference between this idea and rebirth theory. How can you tell if it is true that this is a reincanation of that?
Vajrayana's understanding of rebirth is basically the same as Theravada and Mahayana in the sense that Consciousness is seen as a stream, a Process, Dependently Originated, empty of Self. There is a tendency to use 'reincarnation' and 'rebirth' synonymously among some Buddhists (including in Vajrayana) and that is OK, as long as the real meaning is understood.
When Vajrayana talks about 'incarnation' they are using it in a strictly relative terminology -- they never meant to say that there is ultimately an unchanging atman/soul unlike Hinduism. But there certainly is past lives, and there certainly is 'continuity' of the stream of consciousness over lifetimes.
No orthodox schools of Buddhism teaches an ultimate 'Atman' or 'Soul'.
At the same time, all orthodox schools of Buddhism teaches Rebirth.
Means first of all, we are momentarily reborn as long as Ignorance continues to drive samsaric becoming in the chain of 12 interdependent links of origination.
The second meaning is that, all orthodox Buddhist schools teaches Afterlife. Which means that we do not recourse to the nihilistic or materialist concept that consciousness is reduced merely to the material realm and will be 'destroyed' upon physical death. In Buddhism, consciousness/mind is not restricted and cannot be reduced to materiality. They are mutually conditioned but NOT mutually 'dependent' and we do not accept the materialist's reductionist doctrine.
BUT, like mentioned previously, we also do not recourse to the eternalistic idea of an unchanging eternal Soul/Atman that survives death.
But while ignorance is there, rebirth to an 'afterlife' will certainly take place.
How do we know (relatively speaking) what you were in your past life? Through the practice of meditation you can remember your past life -- and NOT only that, you can also gain access to others' past lives. I know of people who have developed such abilities and it is not uncommon.
Like Thusness said, even if you were able to practice 2~3 hours of meditation everyday, even for only 1 year, you will be able to develope some meditative experiences such as out-of-body experiences, recalling past lives, and so on. BUT it is also emphasized that these are merely side effects of practice and are NOT to be emphasized as it will only confuse people. Buddhism is a teaching of wisdom/insight, bliss, awakening, liberation, compassion, it does not teach cultivation as merely for the purpose of seeking 'side effects' and 'powers'.
Now, regarding Rebirth and the No-Self teaching,
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 -
Just a note:Originally posted by An Eternal Now:Gd explanation... but wanna add on, even to say there is 'the self' or 'the ego' that is ever changing is not really correct.
Because there is absolutely no entity called 'the self' or 'the ego' that can be found -- moment to moment, 5 skhandas (our mental and karmic factors) arise -- self1, self2, self3, self4, subsiding as it arises, this is completely momentary and no persisting (yet somehow changing) entity called a 'self' or a 'ego' can be found. This is why Buddha taught Anatta (no-self) apart from Anicca (impermanence), both must complement each other.
That means, we should not think that 'my self has changed' -- there is no 'self' that is changing, self1 and self4 are discrete, complete in itself, not the same entity.
When every moment of arising is complete in itself, whole, discrete, we cannot project imputations or references of 'I' and 'mine' towards our field of experience, neither can we impute an objective reality towards it (i.e the tree is inherently existing 'out there' apart from 'me') -- everything arising is Irreducible, only as it is, Thus.
This is also what the Buddha meant when he said:http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.001.than.html
Just Thus.
(snipped)
The Tathagata
"The Tathagata — a worthy one, rightly self-awakened — directly knows earth as earth. Directly knowing earth as earth, he does not conceive things about earth, does not conceive things in earth, does not conceive things coming out of earth, does not conceive earth as 'mine,' does not delight in earth. Why is that? Because the Tathagata has comprehended it to the end, I tell you.
"He directly knows water as water... fire as fire... wind as wind... beings as beings... gods as gods... Pajapati as Pajapati... Brahma as Brahma... the luminous gods as luminous gods... the gods of refulgent glory as gods of refulgent glory... the gods of abundant fruit as the gods of abundant fruit... the Great Being as the Great Being... the dimension of the infinitude of space as the dimension of the infinitude of space... the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness as the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness... the dimension of nothingness as the dimension of nothingness... the dimension of neither-perception-nor-non-perception as the dimension of neither-perception-nor-non-perception... the seen as the seen... the heard as the heard... the sensed as the sensed... the cognized as the cognized... singleness as singleness... multiplicity as multiplicity... the All as the All...
"He directly knows Unbinding as Unbinding. Directly knowing Unbinding as Unbinding, he does not conceive things about Unbinding, does not conceive things in Unbinding, does not conceive things coming out of Unbinding, does not conceive Unbinding as 'mine,' does not delight in Unbinding. Why is that? Because the Tathagata has comprehended it to the end, I tell you.
"The Tathagata — a worthy one, rightly self-awakened — directly knows earth as earth. Directly knowing earth as earth, he does not conceive things about earth, does not conceive things in earth, does not conceive things coming out of earth, does not conceive earth as 'mine,' does not delight in earth. Why is that? Because he has known that delight is the root of suffering & stress, that from coming-into-being there is birth, and that for what has come into being there is aging & death. Therefore, with the total ending, fading away, cessation, letting go, relinquishment of craving, the Tathagata has totally awakened to the unexcelled right self-awakening, I tell you.
"He directly knows water as water... the All as the All...
"He directly knows Unbinding as Unbinding. Directly knowing Unbinding as Unbinding, he does not conceive things about Unbinding, does not conceive things in Unbinding, does not conceive things coming out of Unbinding, does not conceive Unbinding as 'mine,' does not delight in Unbinding. Why is that? Because he has known that delight is the root of suffering & stress, that from coming-into-being there is birth, and that for what has come into being there is aging & death. Therefore, with the total ending, fading away, cessation, letting go, relinquishment of craving, the Tathagata has totally awakened to the unexcelled right self-awakening, I tell you."
That is what the Blessed One said. Displeased, the monks did not delight in the Blessed One's words. -
After cycles of refining and stabilizing non-dual experiences,Originally posted by An Eternal Now: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
karmic propensity too reveals itself as the One Reality.
Momentum arises spontaneously and subsides instantaneously,
and never never obscures its own luminosity.
Equally empty in essence and clear in nature,
It is the clear light manifesting as propensities.
If any non-dualist finds difficulty in sustaining non-dual experiences,
this the pathless path of 'sustained and uninterrupted' clarity. -
Whatever arises must end. If nothing arise, nothing ends. If one does not realize this truth, he does not understand.Originally posted by Lin Yu:god don't die but buddha die -
Thanks for the clarificationOriginally posted by Thusness:After cycles of refining and stabilizing non-dual experiences,
karmic propensity too reveals itself as the One Reality.
Momentum arises spontaneously and subsides instantaneously,
and never never obscures its own luminosity.
Equally empty in essence and clear in nature,
It is the clear light manifesting as propensities.
If any non-dualist finds difficulty in sustaining non-dual experiences,
this the pathless path of 'sustained and uninterrupted' clarity.
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some ppl believe that you have to go thru all the 6 realms of existence before becoming a Buddha. true?
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ALL of us have already gone through the 6 realms of existence as a human being, whether enlightened or notOriginally posted by Lin Yu:some ppl believe that you have to go thru all the 6 realms of existence before becoming a Buddha. true?
The Buddha has himself personally said there is not a single samsara plane of existence he has not been reborn before except part of the 4th Jhana plane meant for non-returners. This means he has been reborn in all 6 realms in his previous lifetimes.
This does not only apply to Buddha, but to all of us, since all of us have undergone uncountable past lives. -
you mean we have been thru the animal realm, the hungry ghost realm, the jealous spirit....etc?Originally posted by An Eternal Now:ALL of us have already gone through the 6 realms of existence as a human being, whether enlightened or not
The Buddha has himself personally said there is not a single samsara plane of existence he has not been before except part of the 4th Jhana plane meant for non-returners. This means he has been through all 6 realms.
This does not only apply to Buddha, but to all of us, since all of us have undergone uncountable past lives. -
Absolutely.. you'll be amazed when you develope your abilities to recall tens of lifetimes... then hundreds.. thousands.. and more... The Buddha has himself remembered 96 aeons of past lives.Originally posted by Lin Yu:you mean we have been thru the animal realm, the hungry ghost realm, the jealous spirit....etc?
My ex-moderator can remember tens of lifetimes, and one of which he was a dolphin.
Longchen can also remember many of his lifetimes... but mostly human, I believe.
Again like always when I talk about remembering past lives I should quickly add that it should not be emphasized... as remembering past lives is not the purpose of Buddhism and is merely a side effect of practice. -
er........dolphinOriginally posted by An Eternal Now:Absolutely.. you'll be amazed when you develope your abilities to recall tens of lifetimes... then hundreds.. thousands.. and more... The Buddha has himself remembered 96 aeons of past lives.
My ex-moderator can remember tens of lifetimes, and one of which he was a dolphin.
Longchen can also remember many of his lifetimes... but mostly human, I believe.
Again like always when I talk about remembering past lives I should quickly add that it should not be emphasized... as remembering past lives is not the purpose of Buddhism and is merely a side effect of practice.
anyway what is the use of knowing your past life? -
I don't know.. maybe understand karma better. Longchen certainly did.Originally posted by Lin Yu:er........dolphin anyway what is the use of knowing your past life?
But like I said, remembering past lives is not important. It is just a side effect. Just to tell you it is possible.. -
Originally posted by An Eternal Now:
strange, where's this from? how come Buddha got limitation?
The Buddha has himself remembered 96 aeons of past lives.
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wrong post
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Sorry, it's ninety one aeons.Originally posted by sinweiy:strange, where's this from? how come Buddha got limitation?
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I don't know why. But I guess if he went on remembering, it will be endless. So he stopped at 91? -
Originally posted by An Eternal Now:
the "one" feel funny. hmmm...
Sorry, it's ninety one aeons.
I don't know why. But I guess if he went on remembering, it will be endless. So he stopped at 91?[/b]
yi as in wan4 wan4 ie 100,000,000, is it?
i last time also encounter such error. as 100,000,000 and 1 sound the same in chinese.
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