What about ang mos and muslims? Do they go to the same hell and heaven as the chinese? Do hungry ghosts appear in europe or south america?
A tale of Heaven and hell:
A curious man once asked to visit heaven and hell. Expecting hell to be a terrible, frightening place, he was amazed to find people seated around a lovely banquet table. The table was piled high with every delicious thing one could possibly want. The man thought, “Perhaps hell is not so bad after all.”
Looking closely, however, he noticed that everyone at the table was miserable.
They were starving, because, although there was a mountain of food before them, they had been given three-foot-long chopsticks. There was no way to carry the food to their mouths with such long chopsticks, and so no one could eat a bite.
The man was then taken to heaven. To his surprise, he found the exact same situation as he had seen in hell. People were gathered around a banquet table piled with food. All the diners held a pair of three-foot-long chopsticks in their hands. But here in heaven, everyone was happily eating the delicious food, for the residents of heaven were using their extra-long chopsticks to feed one another.
Originally posted by Rock^Star:What about ang mos and muslims? Do they go to the same hell and heaven as the chinese? Do hungry ghosts appear in europe or south america?
Of course there are hungry ghosts in Europe and U.S. I did not encounter them but someone in my tour group stayed in the haunted hotel room in U.S. There are many ghosts stories in the westen countries.
Buddha said there are 33 levels of heavens (if I remember the number correctly). There are many heavenly gods staying in heavens. Which heaven a person goes to depends on which god do you believe and of course faith alone does not guarantee you a place in heaven. Heaven is just a temporary place. If you read the sutra, you will realise there are many hells. Which hell a person goes to depends on your deeds.
So how do we make sure that the money we burn, it goes to the chinese and not the ang mos muslims nor non-whites?
Originally posted by Rock^Star:So how do we make sure that the money we burn, it goes to the chinese and not the ang mos muslims nor non-whites?
The paper money you burn simply becomes ash. Will not give them extra currency to spend.
If you wish to in some way benefit departed relatives (whichever realm they may have gone to), performing meritorious deeds and radiating loving-kindness to them will be more advisable.
Read this chapter to find out more...
http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/307.htm
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I personally know of a diplomat who was at one point posted to Bangkok as ambassador. Many of his predecessors before him also occupied the same bungalow house reserved for ambassadors from his country.
They all saw a Thai woman in traditional Thai costume in a particular level of that house, at various points in time. I'm sure you would already have guessed that this Thai woman was not human, but from another realm.
This diplomat, whom I had the chance to get to know over dinner a few years ago, told us that he too often caught glimpses of this Thai woman. He described the appearance of this other-worldly figure to his predecessors and all confirmed that what he'd glimpsed was also what they had seen.
Therefore, he decided to radiate loving-kindness (metta) to this woman and soon he stopped seeing this woman floating around. Nevertheless, he said that he continued to sense her presence, but that he knew she was not malevolent.
Believe it or not is up to you... but that was the first time I came to know about the concept of radiating loving-kindness (metta) and how powerful goodwill can be.
Originally posted by realization:The paper money you burn simply becomes ash. Will not give them extra currency to spend.
If you wish to in some way benefit departed relatives (whichever realm they may have gone to), performing meritorious deeds and radiating loving-kindness to them will be more advisable.
Read this chapter to find out more...
http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/307.htm
-----------------------------
I personally know of a diplomat who was at one point posted to Bangkok as ambassador. Many of his predecessors before him also occupied the same bungalow house reserved for ambassadors from his country.
They all saw a Thai woman in traditional Thai costume in a particular level of that house, at various points in time. I'm sure you would already have guessed that this Thai woman was not human, but from another realm.
This diplomat, whom I had the chance to get to know over dinner a few years ago, told us that he too often caught glimpses of this Thai woman. He described the appearance of this other-worldly figure to his predecessors and all confirmed that what he'd glimpsed was also what they had seen.
Therefore, he decided to radiate loving-kindness (metta) to this woman and soon he stopped seeing this woman floating around. Nevertheless, he said that he continued to sense her presence, but that he knew she was not malevolent.
Believe it or not is up to you... but that was the first time I came to know about the concept of radiating loving-kindness (metta) and how powerful goodwill can be.
Thanks for sharing :) Since the paper burned becomes ash and not extra currency, so why do people still burn these things?
If one burns a nice "bungalow" for the dead, would it realise manifest itself in the other realm?
And I'm catholic :) Just some curious thoughts.
Originally posted by Rock^Star:Thanks for sharing :) Since the paper burned becomes ash and not extra currency, so why do people still burn these things?
If one burns a nice "bungalow" for the dead, would it realise manifest itself in the other realm?
And I'm catholic :) Just some curious thoughts.
Burning paper houses, paper money, even paper maids etc. is more a Taoist practice. I suppose they hope to give their departed relatives a better life in the netherworld?
Buddhists don't believe that burning of these things will cause them to manifest in another realm. However, dedication of merit and sending loving thoughts to friends and relatives in other realms will benefit them.
My Dharma teacher was talking in class last week about how thoughts and mental energy can bring about healing if one is sincere enough. He said this can come about because of the non-locality of mind (he was speaking in Chinese, so I'm just roughly translating). He gave the example that, if your child is sick in the USA and you are in Singapore, you can actually send loving thoughts to help speed up his healing.
Of course, healing and telepathy is not the main aim of Buddhism... but he happened to mention the possibility of such things.
My family member is Catholic too :)
Originally posted by realization:Burning paper houses, paper money, even paper maids etc. is more a Taoist practice. I suppose they hope to give their departed relatives a better life in the netherworld?
Buddhists don't believe that burning of these things will cause them to manifest in another realm. However, dedication of merit and sending loving thoughts to friends and relatives in other realms will benefit them.
My Dharma teacher was talking in class last week about how thoughts and mental energy can bring about healing if one is sincere enough. He said this can come about because of the non-locality of mind (he was speaking in Chinese, so I'm just roughly translating). He gave the example that, if your child is sick in the USA and you are in Singapore, you can actually send loving thoughts to help speed up his healing.
Of course, healing and telepathy is not the main aim of Buddhism... but he happened to mention the possibility of such things.
My family member is Catholic too :)
I see....so the difference lies there. What about taoists......Can any taoist clarify my questions?
Originally posted by Rock^Star:I see....so the difference lies there. What about taoists......Can any taoist clarify my questions?
Haha... not sure if there's a Taoist sub-forum on Sgforums. However, I suspect that the burning of paper paraphernalia for beings in the netherworld would also be considered a folk/superstitious practice by true practising Taoists. You probably won't get a proper answer here though...
Btw, you may actually find it interesting to read about the true significance of this 7th month "festival". The term "Hungry Ghost Festival" was coined by the Chinese and the manner in which it is observed rests more on folk belief than anything else.
Read about what 7th month really means to Buddhists here :
http://www.jenchen.org.sg/vol5no1a.htm
I thought the Pali formula translated in English below used in a ritual for the transfer of merit to living beings or departed ones sounds rather meaningful and is so simple to perform. The transferor is supposed to pours water from a jug or other similar vessel into a receptacle, while repeating this translated Pali formula:
As river, when full must flow
and reach and fill the distant main,
So indeed what is given here will
reach and bless the spirits there.
As water poured on mountain top must
soon descend and fill the plain
So indeed what is given here will reach
and bless the spirits there.
(Nidhikanda Sutta in Khuddakapatha)
Originally posted by Kosen pang:
What was the Buddhist monk doing there ?a Buddhist monk was hired to perform religious rites
And deities giving instructions ? Which deities ?
the deities who asked them to set up 88 tables
haha, clever ...... what religious rites? and the names of deity?
Originally posted by sinweiy:A tale of Heaven and hell:
A curious man once asked to visit heaven and hell. Expecting hell to be a terrible, frightening place, he was amazed to find people seated around a lovely banquet table. The table was piled high with every delicious thing one could possibly want. The man thought, “Perhaps hell is not so bad after all.”
Looking closely, however, he noticed that everyone at the table was miserable.
They were starving, because, although there was a mountain of food before them, they had been given three-foot-long chopsticks. There was no way to carry the food to their mouths with such long chopsticks, and so no one could eat a bite.The man was then taken to heaven. To his surprise, he found the exact same situation as he had seen in hell. People were gathered around a banquet table piled with food. All the diners held a pair of three-foot-long chopsticks in their hands. But here in heaven, everyone was happily eating the delicious food, for the residents of heaven were using their extra-long chopsticks to feed one another.
hahaha, you think those in hell are stupid? why use chopsticks when you can use your hands?
Originally posted by I No Stupid:haha, clever ...... what religious rites? and the names of deity?
You are the 1st who posted the story remember? Unless you can provide source to it, your rhetorical attempts are futile. You still fail at reading rhetorics... and I love to point out that irony.
Originally posted by I No Stupid:hahaha, you think those in hell are stupid? why use chopsticks when you can use your hands?
That is a tale. You do know what a tale is, don't you.
just wondering how does hell looks like?
is it darkness all around?
Originally posted by Rooney9:just wondering how does hell looks like?
is it darkness all around?
hmm... demons/yaksas all over, iron dogs, wolves, snakes, horses, eagles
hell beings die and respawn... till evil karma end
To INS :
To read there and ask here . that is epic fail . Please ask there .
Originally posted by Rooney9:just wondering how does hell looks like?
is it darkness all around?
Could be different to each person . could be not full of torture like we all picture it would be .
Originally posted by Rock^Star:I see....so the difference lies there. What about taoists......Can any taoist clarify my questions?
if i recall, the true origin of Burning paper money came from china, a paper maker. His business was very bad. oneday his wife suddenly died(or in a comma) and he felt very sad and start to burn away his paper. then suddenly his wife woke up few days later. so he tot that he had "bride" the underworld to release his wife, so the news were spreading and people starts to believe. his business also pick up. this guy is neither a true Buddhist nor a true Taoist. just a normal folk-believer. its a coincident event.
/\
Originally posted by sinweiy:
if i recall, the true origin of Burning paper money came from china, a paper maker. His business was very bad. oneday his wife suddenly died(or in a comma) and he felt very sad and start to burn away his paper. then suddenly his wife woke up few days later. so he tot that he had "bride" the underworld to release his wife, so the news were spreading and people starts to believe. his business also pick up. this guy is neither a true Buddhist nor a true Taoist. just a normal folk-believer. its a coincident event./\
Originally posted by Aneslayer:You are the 1st who posted the story remember? Unless you can provide source to it, your rhetorical attempts are futile. You still fail at reading rhetorics... and I love to point out that irony.
haha, you are incomprehensible again! I need to iron you straight. Exactly wat u talking?
Originally posted by Aneslayer:That is a tale. You do know what a tale is, don't you.
hahaha, dead man tell no tale. only the deluded do.