Recently, I had a table that had a lot of ants on it, so I took a cloth and wiped it, killing rahter many ants. I feel rather regretful and have recited the buddha's name and tranfered the merits. Is there anything else I could do?
Also, if this happens again, what should I do so that I can clean the table, remove the ants from it without killing?
There is another person helping me with the table. How can I help to purify another person's karma? Should I transfer the merits to them too?
Thanks
I face similar problems like you when I was cleaning my house. I would kill the bugs but felt the same like you.
There's one method I find it quite useful. Whenever i see ants crawling on the sink, or feasting together, i will hit the sink hard repeatively first. It is to create the "earthquake" effect. The ants can "sense" the trembles lol!. Trust me the ants will start to panic and flee.
The stubborn ones i will just drop a few drops of water on their food. The moment they touch something weird, even the most stubborn ones will flee too... they might thought it's raining lol
However, all these are reactive methods... the best is to keep your area clean. Then you don't have to create bad karma and feel bad...
So far I still can't deal with cockroaches. I'm fine with lizards actually lol.
Yes shake them up first they will run
i read a teaching and I do believe..
If cleanliness is there but still lots of ants ard.. Most probably might be related to your karma. Maybe can classify as your karmic debtors... and try to kills these ants.. sooner or later more ants will be coming back to you...
dedicating merits to them may help in controlling the ants population, or doing charity to ants will be a better choice...
Originally posted by newgal:I cannot let lizards live
strongly believe you in a wrong section
Blow and wait for them to disperse.
Dalai Lama: Happiness, Compassion and Mosquitos (funny) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuFZ-DUx71w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W083nSzx1Rc
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Originally posted by Beautiful951:Recently, I had a table that had a lot of ants on it, so I took a cloth and wiped it, killing rahter many ants. I feel rather regretful and have recited the buddha's name and tranfered the merits. Is there anything else I could do?
Also, if this happens again, what should I do so that I can clean the table, remove the ants from it without killing?
karma is (evil) intention. with a mind of regretful , recited the buddha's name and transfering merits to them is wholesome intentions already.
i ever heard Yuan yin lao ren元音�人, said one can 'kill' them reciting Amituofo etc with a compassionate intention that they reborn in higher realms or PL. your compassion must be strong and convicting, like those wrathful deities sort.
as we know ants are very stubborn, even when u kill them they still reborn as ants (until 7 Buddhas are born?), but with your good intentions, they can reborn in higher realms. i thought , well that's a good bargain, haha...:)
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Thanks everyone, in the future, i will let them disperse before cleaning.
Hello sinweiy, I dont think my compassion is very strong I probably would not do that. :)
I sometimes see insects and animals and recite amituofo to them hoping they can hear it, but will not kill them. Will this benefit them?
got. posted before:-
ANIMALS GO TO HEAVEN
The Buddha teaching is unique amongst the world religions: it is not only for humans and gods; it is also for animals. There are numerous stories that relate how animals who associate with good humans or are well treated, go to heaven after they die.
The first example is that of the Bodhisattva’s HORSE Kanthaka. The Introduction to the Jataka Commentary (which is one of the earliest records we have of the Buddha’s early life) tells us how when the Bodhisattva Siddhattha renounces the world, his horse Kanthaka is so deeply saddened that he dies broken-hearted, but obviously with a wholesome last thought-moment. He is reborn as the deva Kanthaka in the heaven of the Thirty-three Gods (Sakra’s heaven).
The next famous animal story is found in the story of the Buddha’s solitary retreat in the Parileyya. The Vinaya (V 1:337-357) records how in the 10th year of the ministry, when a dispute arises amongst the monks of Kosambi who even tell the Buddha off when he tries to counsel them. After trying hard to reconcile them and failing, he quietly leaves for a solitary retreat in the Parileyya forest where he is attended by a like-minded ELEPHANT (he leaves his own tribe for the joy of solitude). Watching how the Buddha prepares warm water every morning the elephant Parileyyaka himself prepares it for the Buddha. He also offers the Buddha wild fruits and takes care of his robe and bowl.
A MONKEY, watching the elephant, offers the Buddha a honeycomb. Later, however, in his excitement, the monkey falls on a sharp stump, immediately dies and is reborn in the heaven of the Thirty-three Gods. So too the elephant, who becomes the deva Parileyyaka. This full story is given in the Dhammapada Commentary (see “Buddhist Legends,” book 1 story 5).
Then there is the well known story of the FROG deva in the Vimana Vatthu (Vv 852-88). It is said that once a frog sits listening to the Buddha teaching. Although not knowing human language, it is captivated by the Buddha’s soothing voice. As he listens entranced, a farmer, leaning on his pole, immediately pierces him to death. The frog is reborn in the heaven of the Thirty-three as Manduka Deva (the frog deity). He appears before the Buddha in all his glory to sing his praises. (The full story is given in the Vimana Vatthu Commentary: see “The Minor Anthologies” vol 4 pages 102 f.)
One of the longest stories in world literature, that is, the Udena cycle, found in the Dhammapada Commentary (book 2 story 1). It is actually a cycle of nested stories spanning many lives leading to the Buddha’s time. In one of the stories, during a plague, a poor luckless wandering man named Kotuhalaka reaches a herdsman house and is given some food. The herdsman feeds his DOG with the same food. Kotuhalaka looks with envy at the dog. That night, Kotuhalaka dies from over-eating, and his thinking about the dog leads him to be reborn as the bitch’s puppy.
Now, a pratyeka Buddha (a solitary fully self-awakened Buddha who does not establish his teaching) regularly comes to the house for alms, and the dog (Kotuhalaka) takes a liking to him. When the pratyeka-buddha finally leaves, the dog is saddened and dies. The commentators remarks that dogs, unlike humans, are straightforward and lack deceit. So upon dying, he is reborn in the heaven of the Thirty-three as a deva.
One of the most famous animal stories is that of the Abhidhamma bats. The Dhammapada story (book 14 story 2) tells us in an interesting aside, that 500 youths, witnessing the Buddha perform the twin wonder (a miracle of fire and water radiating from his body), decide to go forth under Sâriputta. It is said that in Kassapa Buddha’s time, they were BATS living in a cave where two monks were reciting the Abhidhamma. So enthralled were they by their sound, although not knowing its meaning, they pass away into the heavens, and are reborn in Sâvatthî. (See “Buddhist Legends” 3:51 f)
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Originally posted by Beautiful951:Thanks everyone, in the future, i will let them disperse before cleaning.
Hello sinweiy, I dont think my compassion is very strong I probably would not do that. :)
I sometimes see insects and animals and recite amituofo to them hoping they can hear it, but will not kill them. Will this benefit them?
Strongly encourage you to recite Amituofo to them and dedicate your merits to them so they will attain rebirth in Amitabha Buddha's Pureland. This act will not only benefit them, it will also benefit you. But remember, ultimately it is not so much for merit per se. It is more of trying to cultivate a genuine desire to continously practise compassion in our daily lives as shown by Bodhisattvas and Buddhas.
18th Vow of Amitabha Buddha from Larger Sutra on Amitabha Buddha (æ— é‡�寿ç»�)
"If, when I attain Buddhahood, sentient beings in the lands of the ten quarters who sincerely and joyfully entrust themselves to me, desire to be born in my land, and call my Name, even ten times, should not be born there, may I not attain perfect Enlightenment. Excluded, however, are those who commit the five gravest offences and abuse the right Dharma".
The Sutra of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha's Fundamental Vows, Chapter 7: Benefitting the Living and the Dead
"..if any sentient being in the future or at present should be able, at the end of his life, to hear the name of a Buddha or of a Bodhisattva or of a Pratyekabuddha, he will gain deliverance and liberation, whether he is sinful or innocent.
Should some men or women not cultivate good karmic causes and commit many sins while living, but should their relatives-whether junior or senior-perform, on their behalf, all the blissful, beneficial sacraments, then one out of every seven parts of the meritorious virtue thus gained will go to the dead person, while six parts will go to the living themselves.
For this reason, good men and good women of the future and the present should cultivate themselves while they are still healthy so that they may gain every part of such meritorious virtue".
Originally posted by Beautiful951:Hello sinweiy, I dont think my compassion is very strong I probably would not do that. :)
compassion can be contempated all th time, mindfully, in all the things u do. no need to think that it's very complicated sort. it's in a form of see-thruo-let-go state. ;)
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