Before chanting :
1) Must rinse mouth. Just rinse with water will do ? Must brush teeth ?
2) Can eat meat or garlic ?
3) If weather hot , can dont wear shirt and chant ? ( i think it's a 'no' but want to confirm ) :)
4) Any other examples or internet links ?
After chanting :
1) Can eat meat ?
2) What is considered as ' 1 day ' in buddhism ? 12am 25th July to 12am 26th July ?
3) Any other examples or links ?
I thought it will be better not to start another thread. As a buddhist , do we have to undergo dharma examination ?
Personally I never rinse mouth. But when eating garlic, yes, because garlic can piss off devas and dharma protectors as well as invite ghosts. Best is avoid it. I think must dress in respectful way. And ya, 1 day is just like 1 day we normally know lor. Personally I eat meat before and after chanting, lol..
And erm, I have never heard of dharma examination. Unless you are studying for an academic certificate?
Originally posted by An Eternal Now:Personally I never rinse mouth. But when eating garlic, yes, because garlic can piss off devas and dharma protectors as well as invite ghosts. Best is avoid it. I think must dress in respectful way. And ya, 1 day is just like 1 day we normally know lor. Personally I eat meat before and after chanting, lol..
And erm, I have never heard of dharma examination. Unless you are studying for an academic certificate?
I made sure my teeth free from food particles and i rinse mouth with water before chanting, if it stinks i will rinse it with Colgate solution. I am worried that sometimes may create bad karma due to minor stuffs and things that i may not be aware of.
I dont think i will be aiming for accademic certificate in dharma , too stressful liao. lol
my father always chant without shirt
so i tink its ok?
Originally posted by An Eternal Now:Personally I never rinse mouth. But when eating garlic, yes, because garlic can piss off devas and dharma protectors as well as invite ghosts. Best is avoid it. I think must dress in respectful way. And ya, 1 day is just like 1 day we normally know lor. Personally I eat meat before and after chanting, lol..
And erm, I have never heard of dharma examination. Unless you are studying for an academic certificate?
Personally, I think An Eternal Now needs to develope a oral hygiene regime.
Garlic is just food and it helps to kill bacteria, please rinse your mouth if you cannot bear with the smell. If Devas and dharma protectors are so easily offended, then they should not be Devas or dharma protectors.
Are people born with clothes on or borned naked? It is the human heart that needs cleansing, not the clothes.
As for meat, food is food, you eat to survive.
Originally posted by Herzog_Zwei:
Personally, I think An Eternal Now needs to develope a oral hygiene regime.Garlic is just food and it helps to kill bacteria, please rinse your mouth if you cannot bear with the smell. If Devas and dharma protectors are so easily offended, then they should not be Devas or dharma protectors.
Are people born with clothes on or borned naked? It is the human heart that needs cleansing, not the clothes.
As for meat, food is food, you eat to survive.
Different realms have different dislikes -- like flies are attracted to shit but not man.
As for clothes, don't tell me you don't wear clothes when attending weddings, going to office, going for shopping?
Originally posted by Herzog_Zwei:Garlic is just food and it helps to kill bacteria, please rinse your mouth if you cannot bear with the smell. If Devas and dharma protectors are so easily offended, then they should not be Devas or dharma protectors.
It is not that they are offended, but they don't like that kind of smell. So chances of them come near to you will be less. If you don't mind, then eat more lor.
Originally posted by Herzog_Zwei:Are people born with clothes on or borned naked? It is the human heart that needs cleansing, not the clothes.
They are not saying no need to cleanse heart. They said we should wear proper clothes when chanting.
When you have reached the stage where you treat all the outer appearance as emptiness, then say.
Originally posted by Herzog_Zwei:As for meat, food is food, you eat to survive.
Decades ago, those carnivour tribes also said that they need to kill human and eat their flesh to survive.
Originally posted by gunner77:my father always chant without shirt
so i tink its ok?
Dont think so. I think it's best to be " attired " I am always in full "attire" when i chant. :p
I want to hijack my own thread. : p
Anyone participating in next month's di zang fai hui ? I will be going to the one in clementi. Singapore Buddhist Youth Mission. : p
1 day in buddhism means from the time of sunrise of 2nd Sept to the sunrise of 3rd Sept ?
Upholding 8 precepts follow this . That means 1 day is not consider from 12am 2nd Sept to 12am 3rd Sept. Am i right ?
Originally posted by knightlll:Before chanting :
1) Must rinse mouth. Just rinse with water will do ? Must brush teeth ?
2) Can eat meat or garlic ?
3) If weather hot , can dont wear shirt and chant ? ( i think it's a 'no' but want to confirm ) :)
4) Any other examples or internet links ?
After chanting :
1) Can eat meat ?
2) What is considered as ' 1 day ' in buddhism ? 12am 25th July to 12am 26th July ?
3) Any other examples or links ?
Before chanting:
Point 1) I think you had answered it yourself, just rinse to make sure no food particle etc.
Point 2) If I took meat or garlic and if the smell is strong, I will chew some mint sweets first. And about eating garlic that will pissed devas off and attract spirits, this one is what the older generation passed down, true or not I don't know. But personal experience is, once you started chanting, be it buddha/pusa-name, mantra or sutra, spirits will come.
Point 3) Usually my own morning puja, I just do it in singlet and shorts after I wash-up. I think not wrong to take off shirt to chant but I will feel weird if I am going to do it. On special day when I do special chanting I even put on haiqing, even if the weather is very hot. You're chanting at home what, after chanting can go for shower, so no big issue.
Point 4) Examples of what?
After chanting:
Point 1) Why not? Unless you're doing the observation of the 8 precepts or that you have certain practice of avoidance of taking meat on certain days, commonly 1st and 15th of the lunar month.
Point 2) 1 day, for conventional convenience would be what you had mentioned, midnight to midnight. Strictly speaking, it should be following the time that was observed during Buddha's time, which I suppose no one would have any idea how was it measured. If you follow the Chinese Mahayana tradition, you can consider following the Chinese lunar calender way. I followed that, and to me, 1 day is 11pm to 11pm (of the next day), å�时至å�æ—¶.
Point 3) Example of what again?
About the garlic, that one is based on teachings of sutras... so I would also try to avoid taking garlic (never liked it anyway)
Originally posted by An Eternal Now:About the garlic, that one is based on teachings of sutras... so I would also try to avoid taking garlic (never liked it anyway)
Which sutra? Mahayana or Pali Canon?
Originally posted by yamizi:Which sutra? Mahayana or Pali Canon?
Mahayana Sutra
Quoted from E-Sangha:
...this particular type of food attracts hungry ghosts and other
spirits who can bring down the atmosphere of a place. What's more,
garlic and onion can increase sensual passion or cause you to get more
angry.
Here is what the Shurangama Sutra says:
http://online.sfsu.edu/~rone/Buddhism/Shur.../Shurangama.htm
QUOTE
Beings who seek samadhi should refrain from eating the five pungent
plants of this world. If these five are eaten cooked, they increase
one's sexual desire; if they are eaten raw, they increase one's anger.
There is science behind this:
http://www.babyworld.co.uk/features/valent...aphrodisiac.asp
QUOTE
Garlic's aphrodisiac effect is twofold. Firstly, it improves blood
circulation, and secondly scientists have found that it can stimulate
the production of an enzyme called nitric oxide synthase, which is
responsible for the mechanism of erection.
This chemical - nitric oxide synthase - is what is stimulated by viagra. So there is indeed something to this.
The Mahayana Brahmajala Sutra, which sets up the Chinese Bodhisattva precepts, forbids eating meat, garlic and onions.
http://www.sinc.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhism/bns/bnsframe.htm
QUOTE
3. On Eating Meat
A disciple of the Buddha must not deliberately eat meat. He should not
eat the flesh of any sentient being. The meat-eater forfeits the seed
of Great Compassion, severs the seed of the Buddha Nature and causes
animals and transcendental beings to avoid him. Those who do so are
guilty of countless offenses. Therefore, Bodhisattvas should not eat
the flesh of any sentient beings whatsoever. If instead, he
deliberately eats meat, he commits a secondary offense. (43)
4. On Five Pungent Herbs
A disciple of the Buddha should not eat the five pungent herbs --
garlic, chives, leeks, onions, and asafoetida. (44) This is so even if
they are added as flavoring to other main dishes. Hence, if he
deliberately does so, he commits a secondary offense.
44. Pungent herbs: "They are: leek, onion, garlic, and a few other such
herbs such as asafoetida, an ingredient common in curries etc. Eaten
raw they are believed to incite people to anger and disputes; eaten
cooked they increase one's sexual desire." Buddhist adepts are advised
to avoid them, as their consumption tends to disturb the peacefulness
of the mind. "According to the [Surangama Sutra], garlic, three kinds
of onions, and leeks are the five forbidden pungent roots. 'If eaten
raw, they are said to cause irritability of temper, and if eaten
cooked, to act as an aphrodisiac; moreover, the breath of the eater, if
reading the sutras, will drive away the good spirits.'"
Originally posted by An Eternal Now:Mahayana Sutra
Quoted from E-Sangha:
...this particular type of food attracts hungry ghosts and other spirits who can bring down the atmosphere of a place. What's more, garlic and onion can increase sensual passion or cause you to get more angry.
Here is what the Shurangama Sutra says:
http://online.sfsu.edu/~rone/Buddhism/Shur.../Shurangama.htm
QUOTE
Beings who seek samadhi should refrain from eating the five pungent plants of this world. If these five are eaten cooked, they increase one's sexual desire; if they are eaten raw, they increase one's anger.
There is science behind this:
http://www.babyworld.co.uk/features/valent...aphrodisiac.asp
QUOTE
Garlic's aphrodisiac effect is twofold. Firstly, it improves blood circulation, and secondly scientists have found that it can stimulate the production of an enzyme called nitric oxide synthase, which is responsible for the mechanism of erection.
This chemical - nitric oxide synthase - is what is stimulated by viagra. So there is indeed something to this.
The Mahayana Brahmajala Sutra, which sets up the Chinese Bodhisattva precepts, forbids eating meat, garlic and onions.
http://www.sinc.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhism/bns/bnsframe.htm
QUOTE
3. On Eating Meat
A disciple of the Buddha must not deliberately eat meat. He should not eat the flesh of any sentient being. The meat-eater forfeits the seed of Great Compassion, severs the seed of the Buddha Nature and causes animals and transcendental beings to avoid him. Those who do so are guilty of countless offenses. Therefore, Bodhisattvas should not eat the flesh of any sentient beings whatsoever. If instead, he deliberately eats meat, he commits a secondary offense. (43)
4. On Five Pungent Herbs
A disciple of the Buddha should not eat the five pungent herbs -- garlic, chives, leeks, onions, and asafoetida. (44) This is so even if they are added as flavoring to other main dishes. Hence, if he deliberately does so, he commits a secondary offense.
44. Pungent herbs: "They are: leek, onion, garlic, and a few other such herbs such as asafoetida, an ingredient common in curries etc. Eaten raw they are believed to incite people to anger and disputes; eaten cooked they increase one's sexual desire." Buddhist adepts are advised to avoid them, as their consumption tends to disturb the peacefulness of the mind. "According to the [Surangama Sutra], garlic, three kinds of onions, and leeks are the five forbidden pungent roots. 'If eaten raw, they are said to cause irritability of temper, and if eaten cooked, to act as an aphrodisiac; moreover, the breath of the eater, if reading the sutras, will drive away the good spirits.'"
Mahayana...that explains =)
Originally posted by An Eternal Now:About the garlic, that one is based on teachings of sutras... so I would also try to avoid taking garlic (never liked it anyway)
The chicken rice chilli sauce is yummy.
it's taught by Guru Yuan Yin that one should not chant/meditate within 1.5hrs before or after meal.
3) If weather hot , can dont wear shirt and chant ? ( i think it's a 'no' but want to confirm ) :)
i tried covering half the body (like monk, just across the shoulder), so to give the feeling of both warm and cool on each side of the body. when feel hot, shift the attention to the cool part of the body, and vise verse. quite effective.
/\
Originally posted by sinweiy:it's taught by Guru Yuan Yin that one should not chant/meditate within 1.5hrs before or after meal.
i tried covering half the body (like monk, just across the shoulder), so to give the feeling of both warm and cool on each side of the body. when feel hot, shift the attention to the cool part of the body, and vise verse. quite effective.
/\
I heard about not meditating too quickly after a meal also.
Why is that so? Maybe affect our digestion?
Originally posted by An Eternal Now:heard about not meditating too quickly after a meal also. Why is that so? Maybe affect our digestion?
tot more like affect the meditation. i think best to meditation when the stomach is not so full.
i know there are masters who eat very little, like a meal a day or less, when they go into enclosure é—å…³. help their concentration. but detail, i'm not so sure. this thing is through experience. :)
/\
Originally posted by sinweiy:
tot more like affect the meditation. i think best to meditation when the stomach is not so full.i know there are masters who eat very little, like a meal a day or less, when they go into enclosure é—å…³. help their concentration. but detail, i'm not so sure. this thing is through experience. :)
/\
I see.. yes both Thusness and Longchen also told me in their experience that fasting and vegetarianism helps improve strength of non-dual clarity. Longchen now eats only one meal a day.
Thusness also told me last year that meditative experience tells him that diet is very important till one point one will want to become vegetarian, and that fasting is also important. But he still isn't full vegetarian (maybe because of business, etc). He also said that the body will undergo transformation after the stabilization of non-dual experience and he guessed that's how shariras form, it's a crystal clear feeling.
He also mentioned that deep sleep becomes very important especially after non-dual as it is a very deep form of samadhi, but till a certain stage it will reduce to very few hours. I think many practitioners also experience sleep need reduced. Both Thusness and Longchen sleep about 4 hours a day, my Master also sleep about 4 hours a day if I remember correctly. Buddha sleeps only 1 hour a day.
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/26lbud.htm
For the first hour the Buddha would walk up and down meditating and freeing himself from the discomfort of sitting all day. He then would sleep for an hour. Thus we can see the Buddha was busy the whole day. In fact he only slept one hour each day during this 45 years of teaching. During the early hours of the day he saw the whole universe, blessed it with his boundless love and brought happiness to millions.
1) How do enlightened beings ( true buddhist practitioners but not monks ) living in our modern world have kids or consummate ? when they have to discipline their minds. It is said in the sutra that consummation is only allowed in the night. . At night , true buddhist practitioner may have to chant , meditate or perform other night buddhist practises. I am puzzled how married couples can have their intimacy without clashing night buddhist practises ?
2) By sleeping only 4 hours or less per day , is it because the spiritual mind is so strong that it has the ability to ignore or doesnt require mundane needs like sleeping & eating. True practitioner need to fast and eat less to help them in his practice. A layman needs to sleep 8 hours and to have 3 complete meals to stay healthy , then he is able to work.
May i know is it possible to explain the true practitioner's eating and sleeping habits in scientific ways ? How do we explain it ?
3) Some punjas doesnt allow one to consume orange pulps on the actual day of performing punjas ? What is the rationale behind it ?
4) What is the minimun status of an enlightened being ? At least an arhat ? An enlightned being doesnt have to be buddha , so what is the definition of it ?
5) Not allow to wear shorts or bermudas to temples ? Only pants is allowed ?
6) People we meet on the buses or along the street are actully people whom we have met in our past or many , many previous lives ?
7) In a punja , supposedly we are told to repeat after the Rinpoche , to say some vows. The Rinpoche recites too quickly , the participants cant follow and cant pronounce correctly , i am puzzled if the punja is consider a complete and effective one ?
a few more AFAIK tips:-
Guru YuanYin taught that one should not chant/meditate within 5 to 6hrs before or after sex for married ppl.
and He also said it's not easy to get into concentration without some sort of chanting be it mantra or Buddha's name. Many ch'an master secretly use chanting when they do siting meditation. Only Grand Ch'an Master Han Shan revealed the secret, that chanting is involved.
How to differential falling asleep and samadhi. when the hand gesture drop, that mean one had fallen alsleep. but when the hand gesture remain hanging, then one had enter samadhi. At this point, whatever you are chanting, should also be absorbed or stopped. this is a sign of no more wandering thoughts. as reciting in itself is a wandering thoughts. don't be afriad that one had fallen into nothingness, it's not.
Try to aviod mushroom, as it promotes laziness. -- 100 over years old Yogi Madam Xu Zhe-
http://www.amtb-dba.org/English/Text/101Nun.html
/\
Originally posted by knightlll:1) How do enlightened beings ( true buddhist practitioners but not monks ) living in our modern world have kids or consummate ? when they have to discipline their minds. It is said in the sutra that consummation is only allowed in the night. . At night , true buddhist practitioner may have to chant , meditate or perform other night buddhist practises. I am puzzled how married couples can have their intimacy without clashing night buddhist practises ?
You can chant, meditate, or perform other things at other times. Actually it is best to chant and meditate in the morning.
Also, at certain stage an enlightened being will transcend sexual desires. But as Thusness said that is only after deep insight into the arising and passing away, which is roughly the Anagami stage. The sutras also state that Anagamis (third out of four levels of enlightenment in the Hinayana path, leading to Arhathsip) and above transcended such desires. There are also certain correlations with the Bodhisattva bhumi models.
2) By sleeping only 4 hours or less per day , is it because the spiritual mind is so strong that it has the ability to ignore or doesnt require mundane needs like sleeping & eating. True practitioner need to fast and eat less to help them in his practice. A layman needs to sleep 8 hours and to have 3 complete meals to stay healthy , then he is able to work.
May i know is it possible to explain the true practitioner's eating and sleeping habits in scientific ways ? How do we explain it ?
Because such a person has no worries and attachment, when he sleeps he just sleeps, and sleeps very deeply and can completely let go. He enters into the deepest non-dual samadhi. As Thusness says, because one has a very deep sleep, the next day he becomes awake, clear, fresh, energetic and vibrant. The intensity is even more fantastic.
This is related to the seven factors of enlightenment. One can measure in terms of clarity, vitality and luminosity. Hence, when this is continuously sustained, sleep naturally shortens.
A very popular author now, Eckhart Tolle, describes this pretty well:"You take a journey into the Unmanifested every night when you enter the phase of deep dreamless sleep. You merge with the Source. You draw from it the vital energy that sustains you for a while when you return to the manifested, the world of separate forms. This energy is much more vital than food: "Man does not live by bread alone." But in dreamless sleep, you don't go into it consciously. Although the bodily functions are still operating, "you” no longer exist in that state. Can you imagine what it would be like to go into dreamless sleep with full consciousness? It is impossible to imagine it, because that state has no content."
(But due to the lack of non-dual insight, Eckhart Tolle made the mistake by thinking that 'The Unmanifested does not liberate you until you enter it consciously.'' This is due to strong clinging to an unchanging Witness presence, and not realising its non-dual nature, that Presence cannot be separated from manifestation and conditions and isn't limited to consciousness. Therefore his understanding is more like the Hindu level of enlightenment. As Thusness says, when one is able to let go and let everything subside, even the loss of consciousness, it is a more profound state instead.)
As for eating habits, my guess is also it has to do with what Eckhart Tolle explained. You also notice that meditators sometimes do not eat for months in meditation. But the body's energy can be sustained even so.
3) Some punjas doesnt allow one to consume orange pulps on the actual day of performing punjas ? What is the rationale behind it ?
Not so sure...
4) What is the minimun status of an enlightened being ? At least an arhat ? An enlightned being doesnt have to be buddha , so what is the definition of it ?
Aryas/enlightened beings can refer to anyone starting from the Sotapanna stage (stream enterer, 1st out of 4 levels of enlightenment to Arhatship) or the 1st Bhumi Bodhisattva stage (1st out of 10 levels of enlightenment to Buddhahood).
Even at the 1st level, the arya will have already had a intuitive insight and experience into Ultimate Reality (emptiness). But at that stage one has not achieve full liberation. So the insights have to deepen and unfold, the practitioner has to go through many more cycles of refinement and burn away the bonds and karmic propensities of the 8th consciousness.
5) Not allow to wear shorts or bermudas to temples ? Only pants is allowed ?
This one not sure I think best to wear more properly. But I wear bermudas to my dharma center. My dharma center is not a monastery though, it's two whole levels of a building, and runned by our lay teacher. So I dunno what's the norm in monasteries.
6) People we meet on the buses or along the street are actully people whom we have met in our past or many , many previous lives ?
Not necessarily. But my Master says if you meet someone on the street and both of you have a good impression of each other, that means you have been together and treated each other well for at least 6 months in a past life.
7) In a punja , supposedly we are told to repeat after the Rinpoche , to say some vows. The Rinpoche recites too quickly , the participants cant follow and cant pronounce correctly , i am puzzled if the punja is consider a complete and effective one ?
You mean puja? Anyway I think just try your best, sincerity and single mindedness is most important, not the precise pronunciation.
Originally posted by sinweiy:a few more AFAIK tips:-
Guru YuanYin taught that one should not chant/meditate within 5 to 6hrs before or after sex for married ppl.
and He also said it's not easy to get into concentration without some sort of chanting be it mantra or Buddha's name. Many ch'an master secretly use chanting when they do siting meditation. Only Grand Ch'an Master Han Shan revealed the secret, that chanting is involved.
How to differential falling asleep and samadhi. when the hand gesture drop, that mean one had fallen alsleep. but when the hand gesture remain hanging, then one had enter samadhi. At this point, whatever you are chanting, should also be absorbed or stopped. this is a sign of no more wandering thoughts. as reciting in itself is a wandering thoughts. don't be afriad that one had fallen into nothingness, it's not.
Try to aviod mushroom, as it promotes laziness. -- 100 over years old Yogi Madam Xu Zhe-
http://www.amtb-dba.org/English/Text/101Nun.html/\
1) What is " AFAIK " ?
2) Did you get the tips or info from Guan Yin Sutra or what book is it ? Just curious.
3) Is Mdm the one with a short hairstyle ?
Thanks. :)