Posted on 02/20/2010 11:05:21 AM PST by Steelfish
You are so right on this. In these gutter religions, one’s status in life- human and animal are foreordained by sins of a prior life. Pity the poor Tasmanian Devil. Indeed, it appears the entire species have collectively acquired a karmic visitation.
All to say, when one's negatives - one's ignorance; overcones one's positives; there is at least; after death; the experience of becoming 'swamp grass'; or pond scum; or the experience/feeling of just hanging with the monsters who live in it. More than couple of realms to gravitate to - depending. . .
He needs to ask forgiveness from family, friends and fans, yes - and he needs to forgive himself. Then after repenting and seeking God's forgiveness he will feel a ton of weight disappear from his shoulders and his heart and mind will sing a new song. Staying focused on God and he will win the real Masters!!
I was doing a few surveys on this and when it got down to it they wanted to know whether I would be more likely or less likely to buy any of the stuff his image is attached to. All about the money. I feel so sorry for his wife and children.
FWIW suicide is an extremely negative act that carries dire karmic consequences with it.
Rebirth does take place in the lower realms such as the animal realm, the highest of the three lower realms, in the Buddhist view including Tibetan/tantric schools.
And the idea that awareness of karmic consequences would lead to a less compassionate attitude towards others is lacking in an understanding of what karma is. It is not destiny, it's not pre-ordained and it is not a judgment made by any being. Ourselves included. Nor are the consequences of our actions (karma) "necessary for our development towards enlightenment" as I have heard people say. That is incorrect and not a Buddhist view. The reality of all of those points is actually the opposite.
If I have gotten anything wrong perhaps Candor7 can straighten it out or put it better if he cares to opine.
Well explaining non theism to folks is a might difficult. We live in a society which classifies everything in religion as theistic or atheistic. Non theism is seen as cheating.LOL
In any event we have to start with the four noble truths . They are incontrovertably like gravity, or does the earth suck?LOL.
1. Life means suffering.
To live means to suffer, because the human nature is not perfect and neither is the world we live in. During our lifetime, we inevitably have to endure physical suffering such as pain, sickness, injury, tiredness, old age, and eventually death; and we have to endure psychological suffering like sadness, fear, frustration, disappointment, and depression. Although there are different degrees of suffering and there are also positive experiences in life that we perceive as the opposite of suffering, such as ease, comfort and happiness, life in its totality is imperfect and incomplete, because our world is subject to impermanence. This means we are never able to keep permanently what we strive for, and just as happy moments pass by, we ourselves and our loved ones will pass away one day, too.
2. The origin of suffering is attachment.
The origin of suffering is attachment to transient things and the ignorance thereof. Transient things do not only include the physical objects that surround us, but also ideas, and -in a greater sense- all objects of our perception. Ignorance is the lack of understanding of how our mind is attached to impermanent things. The reasons for suffering are desire, passion, ardour, pursuit of wealth and prestige, striving for fame and popularity, or in short: craving and clinging. Because the objects of our attachment are transient, their loss is inevitable, thus suffering will necessarily follow. Objects of attachment also include the idea of a “self” which is a delusion, because there is no abiding self. What we call “self” is just an imagined entity, and we are merely a part of the ceaseless becoming of the universe.
3. The cessation of suffering is attainable,and one way ois through the pratcise of meditation, called Shamatha or in the tibetan tradition”Shinay”.
The instruction on how to meditate is available here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsMLM2zVRbM
The cessation of suffering can be attained through nirodha. Nirodha means the unmaking of sensual craving and conceptual attachment. The third noble truth expresses the idea that suffering can be ended by attaining dispassion. Nirodha extinguishes all forms of clinging and attachment. This means that suffering can be overcome through human activity, simply by removing the cause of suffering. Attaining and perfecting dispassion is a process of many levels that ultimately results in the state of Nirvana. Nirvana means freedom from all worries, troubles, complexes, fabrications and ideas. Nirvana is not comprehensible for those who have not attained it.
But meditation allows us to acheive nirodha.
4. The path to the cessation of suffering.
There is a path to the end of suffering - a gradual path of self-improvement, which is described more detailed in the Eightfold Path. It is the middle way between the two extremes of excessive self-indulgence (hedonism) and excessive self-mortification (asceticism); and it leads to the end of the cycle of rebirth. The latter quality discerns it from other paths which are merely “wandering on the wheel of becoming”, because these do not have a final object. The path to the end of suffering can extend over many lifetimes, throughout which every individual rebirth is subject to karmic conditioning. Craving, ignorance, delusions, and its effects will disappear gradually, as progress is made on the path.
This applies to post meditation and ones conduct in terms of transcending ones negative karma accumulated in this life time and previous life times. This can be done through the direct revulsion and renunciation of suffering, and the accumulation of merit through good works, and through not causing suffering in yourself or others.
This is known as the Hinayana path. You can googe The eight fold path for more details.The focus is on one’s own liberation, or salvation. It is where all Buddhists begin.
One can through diligent practise become an arhat, one who will not be reborn onto the wheel of suffering.
No god is followed, only the Buddhas example of how he meditated and accomplished the path as an ordinary human being like you or me.This is non-theism.
Disciplined practitioners can find a preceptor , usually a monk, nun or lineage holder and take refuge through a ceremony in which one takes refuge in the 3 jewels: The Buddha as teacher, the dharma as teaching, and the sangha as community to be your guide.This can open ones heart-mind to the direct teachings of the Buddha, which have been passed down from one human to another since the time of the Buddha, and are actually being given to you right here and right now.Sarva Manghalam.
Toast. He will never recover all his sponsors, he will be forever tainted. Good enough. He needs to find a new lower profile because in truth, he is a very large dumba$$.
Bless you, I don’t mind knowing all about Buddhism, just to understand what Buddhists believe. For myself, I no longer have any questions of who God is. It is settled in me. I gave my life to Jesus 34 years ago. I have seen enough miracles to fill a book, including being healed of liver cancer. It is medically documented. I’ve had visions, and heard the gentle voice of God tell me that my tears were precious to Him. Been baptized in the Holy Spirit and speak in a heavenly language that God gave me. I wish I could tell you all of the things He has done for me. It wasn’t that I deserved any of it, or that I worked for it. It was grace that saved me and grace that healed me. It’s having a real relationship with the Creator of the Universe and His son Jesus. And He tells us all about Himself in the pages of the bible. And in real life encounters with Him. I love Him so much, my life would be meaningless without Him.
Many thanks, my FRiend. That is the best teaching on the Four Noble Truths that I have received or found on my own on the internet.
As Candor7 said it is very difficult to explain to non-practitioners especially westerners. Understanding of the Dharma really can't come through explanation alone though. It is a continual process that requires doing a mindfulness practice (there are many), with the guidance of a teacher, that never ends until full enlightenment arises in the mind. It is like peeling away the layers of an onion until no layer remains to obscure direct awareness.
Of course you can understand quite a bit long before you get to ultimate enlightenment. Thankfully so or no one would ever stick with it I'm sure. But without some personal experience doing practice and guidance about those experiences it is very difficult to understand it at all.
Not a problem :) The cool thing about God is, once you have the Holy Spirit and that only takes asking Him. He becomes your teacher. That doesn’t mean there aren’t seasoned Christians who don’t have things to tell you, to make your journey easier. I only have to ask and then wait upon Him for guidance, sometimes that’s from another Christian, sometimes the word, sometimes straight from the Holy Spirit. He makes it so simple, even a child can understand. I LOVE IT!!!!
Well you know the lineage holders deserve the thanks! And so do you. It wouldn’t have been posted without you.Maybe someone someday will actually read it and maybe it will assist them?
Very good then. I hope your curiosity has been satisfied. :)
Even an old Dharma dog can benefit by going back to the head of the trail and picking up the scent anew. ;-)
Yes it has thank you :)
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