The truth about Buddhism

[dilloduck]

Weddings and marriages of all kinds are regarded as mundane and have no place in Buddhism.

07/25/05 Will Buddhists allow gay marriage?...

 

[Truthspeaker]

Buddhism teaches that the world, as we experience it, has a dream-like nature.

It is the least material view of the universe, its contents and all beings therein that I have ever encountered.

While we appear, and the universe appears to our five senses, it is not solid, self-existing and permanent they way we think it is. Things appear, and they are compelling, and we experience them but they are dream-like, illusory.

This is a more subtle topic, because it touches on the the teachings of 'how things truly abide'.

When we dream, we see color, we have expereinces, we feel things, and then we wake up, and the dream world vanishes without a trace, and we carry ourselves within the 'waking' dream thinking this is all real. When we go to sleep at night, the 'real world' vanishes and we experience the dream world as 'real'.

Similarly, this is what happens when we die.

Interesting...
What do Buddhists believe is the purpose of life?

 

[sky dancer]

Interesting...
What do Buddhists believe is the purpose of life?

It depends on what kind of life one has.

It is rare to have a precious human life--which has ten endowments and eight freedoms. Precious human life is the life which has all the conditions necessary to achieve enlightenment.

Otherwise, ordinary human life, animal life, hell realm life, hungry ghost life, and life in the god realms is merely a way to purify karma.

 

[Truthspeaker]

Can you please explain the purpose of each?

 

[Shogun]

I had a Buddha bird feeder out on my deck for close to 5 years. I don't really care for the dogma any more than the rest but I thought it was cute to see Robins and Cardinals milling about on a big ole buddha statue. Unfortunately, during some rather torrential weather, it fell to the ground and broke.


Also, and this is hilarious, you know when you go pick up some take out chinese food... and near the register you may have seen a big fat buddah with some kind of fruit offering... Once, as a kid me and an Aunt were picking up some takeout and, right before turning to leave, she stole the banana offering and put a toothpick in the budah statue's mouth. That shit cracks me up to this very day.

 

[Luissa]

Sorry, I have been very busy, I just got on again for the first time in a while. I will take my questions 1 at a time
1. How does Buddhism teach that the world was created?

It doesn't really teach how it was created, for one you can be an atheist and be buddhist.

 

[sky dancer]

Can you please explain the purpose of each?

Each type of life corresponds to a specific poison of the mind that one is purifying.

Rebirth in the hell realms purifies hatred. Rebirth in the hungry ghost or preta realim purifies greed.

Rebirth in the god realms--both the jealous god realm (purifies jealousy) and the long lived god realms--purifies pride.

Rebirth in the animal realm purifies ignorance.

Human beings have a mix of all five poisions. Hatred, jealousy,pride, greed and ignorance. Ordinary human life is an opportunity to purify all five. Precious human rebirth includes an opportunity to become enlghtened. Not all human beings are born with the necessary conditions to become enlightened.

 

[Truthspeaker]

So then, which stage are you in and what do you believe is your purpose in life?

 

[sky dancer]

So then, which stage are you in and what do you believe is your purpose in life?

I have precious human rebirth. I previously explained the opportunity one has with this kind of life. It means that as a human, I have a mix of the five poisons, and I also have the conditions necessary to engage a path to enlightenment.

 

[Truthspeaker]

I have precious human rebirth. I previously explained the opportunity one has with this kind of life. It means that as a human, I have a mix of the five poisons, and I also have the conditions necessary to engage a path to enlightenment.

What does buddhism teach about people who are born into different social circumstances and seemingly better opportunities. For example one born into poverty and the other born into wealth? Is this considered a punishment for a person's previous life?

 

[sky dancer]

What does buddhism teach about people who are born into different social circumstances and seemingly better opportunities. For example one born into poverty and the other born into wealth? Is this considered a punishment for a person's previous life?

It is considered a consequence of previous habits. Every single fortunate circumstance we have is the result of prior generosity.

At the same time, someone who has 'precious human rebirth' as opposed to ordinary human rebirth, may be born into poor circumstances. That does not mean its a punishment.

Being born wealthy is not precious human rebirth at all. Wealthy people may have no motivation to practice a spiritual path because they have it so good. They may be completely distracted by pleasure, fame, and power.

The law of karma is infallible, but the results are not always predictable. Going through great challenges may actually be positive karma, not negative at all.

If you sow a seed, it may not always result in a tree. And even if the tree grows, it may die of a disease because the causes and condition for it to flourish are not present.

One seed may lead to an entire forest. That's the way karma works.

That's why conduct is so important. Some small flaw in thought, word or deed may result in a forest of negativity. Or it may simply dissolve.

 

[Truthspeaker]

It is considered a consequence of previous habits. Every single fortunate circumstance we have is the result of prior generosity.

At the same time, someone who has 'precious human rebirth' as opposed to ordinary human rebirth, may be born into poor circumstances. That does not mean its a punishment.

Being born wealthy is not precious human rebirth at all. Wealthy people may have no motivation to practice a spiritual path because they have it so good. They may be completely distracted by pleasure, fame, and power.

The law of karma is infallible, but the results are not always predictable. Going through great challenges may actually be positive karma, not negative at all.


If you sow a seed, it may not always result in a tree. And even if the tree grows, it may die of a disease because the causes and condition for it to flourish are not present.

One seed may lead to an entire forest. That's the way karma works.

That's why conduct is so important. Some small flaw in thought, word or deed may result in a forest of negativity. Or it may simply dissolve.

How do buddhist interpret infant deaths? Why do those type of things happen? What do you believe will happen to serious villains who commit horrible crimes?

 

[sky dancer]

How do buddhist interpret infant deaths? Why do those type of things happen? What do you believe will happen to serious villains who commit horrible crimes?

People die at all ages, don't they? That's the truth of how things are. It's the truth of the suffering of 'cyclic existence'. Anyone who is born will die. There is suffering, and it cannot be avoided. Being born is a type of suffering for the mother and the child. The child is squeezed out, and feels it's head being crushed. Some die in utero.

Hatred, violence and cruelty result in rebirth in one of thirteen hell realms--each more horrifying than the next.

The topic of karma in Buddhism can be taught in a number of ways--from a wisdom perspective and from the perspective of skillful means.

When we discuss karma as a way of motivating people to take up a path of virtue we call the teaching a skillful means.

 

[Truthspeaker]

Can you explain these 13 hell realms?

 

[sky dancer]

Can you explain these 13 hell realms?

No. I'd rather not. I could look them up, but why? It's not what I focus on, so it would not be authentic practice for me.

I'll see if I can find you an internet resource that describes them. Here you go:
http://www.khandro.net/doctrine_hells.htm

The text I use that describes the thirteen hell realms is Words of My Perfect Teacher by Paltrul Rinpoche. Each lineage may describe a different number of hell realms.

The important difference in Buddhism about the hell realms, and all the realms of existence is that they are temporary--not eternal.

Like I said there are two ways of understanding teachings on the six realms. A teaching of skillful means is helpful to motivate Buddhists to practice virtuous conduct and the teaching on wisdom of how things truly abide leans one toward liberation directly.

 

[Truthspeaker]

thank you for your answers. I will have more later but must go now.

 

[sky dancer]

thank you for your answers. I will have more later but must go now.

Thanks for the questions.

 

[Truthspeaker]

Thanks for the questions.

One more for tonight.
Do you believe once enlightenment is achieved, you will be born into another rewarding life as a reward? If so, is there ever a chance to achieve perfection of our souls in the eternities to come? Do you believe in the soul? Ok I guess that was 3 questions.

 

[sky dancer]

One more for tonight.
Do you believe once enlightenment is achieved, you will be born into another rewarding life as a reward? If so, is there ever a chance to achieve perfection of our souls in the eternities to come? Do you believe in the soul? Ok I guess that was 3 questions.

Most bodhisattvas who become Buddhas consciously emanate into any realm necessary in order to free sentient beings. This is different then what happens to ordinary sentient beings, who incarnate without choice into the next realm based on their karma.

Your second question is challenging for a couple of reasons. Buddhists don't believe in a soul nor eternity, so there is no 'perfection of the soul' to achieve.

We talk about consciousness. Consciousness continues from lifetime to lifetime and with consciousness, habits, karma, and qualities of mind go too. No ego or personality incarnates. An enlightened being is free of the restrictions of the ego, or separate sense of self. That is why compassion naturally arises without effort. There is no sense of separation from others.

 

[eots]

Theravada Buddhist countries are not terribly open to homosexual practice. This has much to do with cultural norms, as well as the notion of karma, which remains strong in countries such as Thailand. From this viewpoint, a person's characteristics and situations are a result of past sins or good deeds. Homosexuality and other alternative forms of sexuality are often seen as karmic punishments for heterosexual misconduct in a past life. Thus far, the gay rights movement has not had great success in Theravada Buddhist countries. [7]

Homosexuality in Vajrayana/Tibetan Buddhism
In a 1997 interview, the Dalai Lama (the leader of Tibetan Buddhism and a widely-respected spiritual figure) was asked about homosexuality. He did not offer any strong answer either way, but noted that all monks are expected to refrain from sex. For laypeople, he commented that the purpose of sex in general is for procreation, so homosexual acts do seem a bit unnatural. He said that sexual desires in themselves are natural, perhaps including homosexual desires, but that one should not try to increase those desires or indulge them without self-control. [4]

In a 1993 talk given in Seattle, the Dalai Lama said:

nature arranged male and female organs "in such a manner that is very suitable... Same-sex organs cannot manage well." But he stopped short of condemning homosexual relationships altogether, saying if two people agree to enter a relationship that is not sexually abusive, "then I don't know. It's difficult to say." [5]

The Dalai Lama was more specific in a meeting with Buddhist leaders and human rights activists in San Francisco in 1997, where he commented that all forms of sex other than penile-vaginal sex are prohibited for Buddhists, whether between heterosexuals or homosexuals. At a press conference the day before the meeting, he said, "From a Buddhist point of view, [gay sex] is generally considered sexual misconduct." But he did note that this rule is for Buddhists, but from society's viewpoint, homosexual relationships can be "of mutual benefit, enjoyable, and harmless." [6]

Homosexuality and Buddhism - ReligionFacts