A Couple of Questions about Buddhism

[Brian]

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[TheSongsofDistantEarth]

This topic is going to make someone very happy.

[markern]

This topic is going to make someone very happy.

 

 

:lol:

 

I`ll thown in my own. Can Buddhas have sex? If so would they sometimes want to?

 

Since the Theravada tradition holds that arahats and Buddhas CAN not do many things such as kill ANYONE or have sex and claim to base this on experience in addition to theory, and the Mahayana tradition claims that whatever their equivalent of arahats is (Boddhisatvas?) absolutely can kill someone if it is to save someones live for example, and they also claim to base this on experience and not only theory, why should I believe ANYTHING either of the traditions say about what happens at higher levels. To me these and other inconsistencies of the utmost importance are so great that I find it very hard to take any such claims seriously.

[Brian]

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[Maddie]

[*]Are buddhas able to access all past-life memories?

 

Well the Dali Lama is considered to be a Buddah, and in an interview he said that he does not have any recolection of his past life.

[ralis]

Vajraji has posted over 3000 times concerning Buddhist ideology. You just added another 1000 with your request.

 

 

ralis

[Lucky7Strikes]

Vajraji has posted over 3000 times concerning Buddhist ideology. You just added another 1000 with your request.

 

 

ralis

Then why don't you answer for him, for surely you must be familiar with his ideology by now! .

[ralis]

Then why don't you answer for him, for surely you must be familiar with his ideology by now! .

 

It would be an endless debate! :lol:

 

ralis

[ralis]

Well the Dali Lama is considered to be a Buddah, and in an interview he said that he does not have any recolection of his past life.

 

Maybe, he is a fake!

 

ralis

[WallaMike]

I am decidedly ignorant when it comes to Buddhism and I have a few fairly basic questions (I think) that I am hoping someone can answer for me. Not looking to open a debate about them or devolve into lengthy discussions about the texts or what Gautama said or what have you, mind you -- I only wish to pose a few straight-forward questions on specifics about which I am both uncertain & curious at the current time in hopes of getting some straight-forward answers in response, please.

 

1. 
    
   
2. Is multi-verse theory a common element across the variations of Buddhism?
   
3. Are buddhas all still able to interact with "us" after attaining true enlightenment?
   
4. Are buddhas able to access all past-life memories?
   
5. Do buddhas understand the workings of the cosmos?
   

 

That's all (for now, at least, although I reserve the right to ask more questions at some future date! )

 

Thanks in advance!

 

 

Since you still "seeking", I'll put in my two bits. I'm widely read, but perhaps not as deeply as you are asking, thus I can't answer your multi-verse theory. To be honest, the only place I've heard that a lot has been in physics discussions relating to the outcome of quantum level random events. Perhaps you could Google the different major Buddhist branches, such as Gelugpa, Nyingma, etc, versus "multi-verse" and see if anything comes up.

Quesstion 2: it depends upon what you call "true enlightenment". If by that you mean the ultimate merging back into emptiness, I doubt they could as an individual still interact with you in this way. However, at lesser levels it is still possible. So, if you mean as enlightened as a being can get and still have any sense of individuality, then yes.

Question 3. Some Buddhas can access past life memories, some can't. Some non-Buddhas can access past life memories, so go figure. However, the further a person goes on the spiritual path, the more likely they will have some sort of experience relating to this. However, this is not something necessarily to be pursued, as I believe this would fall under "siddhis" or psychic powers, which are to be eschewed in any case. Thus, often it is just noted and then let go.

Question 4: Buddhas understand the workings of the cosmos usually better than you or I, because they have a higher perspective, metaphorically speaking. Theoretically I guess some Buddha could understand "everything", but I don't think the human mind could bring it down and make it usable.

Question 5: Depending upon how you define a Buddha, they can have sex if they want to, but they look upon sex quite differently than we do, so don't do it for the same reasons we do. I would imagine they might do it for "compassionate" reasons, if I can say that without appearing disrespectful. I base this upon some reading that was discussing Hindu enlightened beings, which could correspond to a Buddhist Buddha on the subtle plane level.

 

However, one reason for so much confusion about Buddhas is because there are any number of "definitions" as well as manifestations, as well as simply different ways that people interpret what they think people mean by the word. So as a seeker, please don't get caught too tightly to a specific definition, but look toward, may I say, the "spirit" of the question! (ok, that was lame, but accurate, in its own way.

 

In other words, don't throw out the baby with the bathwater because language is so imprecise, as are people's use of it. Plus, there is the mere problem (humor alert) of trying to describe something that is beyond the capability of words to describe accurately. That doesn't mean it doesn't exist, it just means that we haven't yet caught up to the idea that there are greater things than dreamt of in anyone's philosophy, not merely Horatio's. So, seeker, don't give up, keep seeking and you'll end up pleasantly surprised.

[ralis]

 

 

1. 
    
    
   
2. Are buddhas all still able to interact with "us" after attaining true enlightenment?
    
   
3. Do buddhas understand the workings of the cosmos?
   

 

 

 

 

I challenged the so called Tibetan Buddha Padmasambhava to appear on the front seat of my truck and have a heart to heart conversation. Maybe, he was busy somewhere else. Supposedly he has around 5 billion emanations. One of those dudes should of had some free time.

 

In terms of a Buddha understanding the workings of the cosmos, I am certain no one has or ever will completely understand. I have argued with Vajraji on this and the only answer he can offer is, dependent origination. He has reiterated 1000's of times how enlightenment is only realized by understanding dependent origination.

 

ralis

[Brian]

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[Vajrahridaya]

Well the Dali Lama is considered to be a Buddah, and in an interview he said that he does not have any recolection of his past life.

 

The Dalai Lama often says things out of humility. But, the way they found him was by testing his ability to know some items from previous lives. I've read of him talking about his previous lives. So, I guess he has said different things for different reasons.

[Vajrahridaya]

 

[*]Is multi-verse theory a common element across the variations of Buddhism?

 

Yes, all of them.

 

[*]Are buddhas all still able to interact with "us" after attaining true enlightenment?

 

You have to have attained at least the first stage of Bodhisattvahood in order to interact with a Sambogakaya of a Buddha. Your vision has to be pure.

 

[*]Are buddhas able to access all past-life memories?

 

That would be beginingless... so no, not all... just what's needed at a given moment.

 

[*]Do buddhas understand the workings of the cosmos?

 

Yes, that's what constitutes Buddhahood.

[Seth Ananda]

Maybe, he is a fake!

 

ralis

He also says he has no powers and is not enlightened but he is still a very cool dude...

 

He also mentioned He may not reincarnate to end the Dali Lama tradition as he is not sure the position is necessary anymore.

[Brian]

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[Vajrahridaya]

I'm confused -- a person who is fully aware and enlightened to the point of being able to leave the cycle of reincarnation but is still "of this Earth" would be able to communicate with "ordinary people" but once that enlightened one abandons his physical manifestation he/she would only be able to interact on a spiritual level and only with physical manifestations who are sufficiently far along the path of enlightenment?

 

Yes, basically your vision has to be sufficiently purified enough to interact with an ascended master of any tradition really. Which is why many students go on fasts or long meditation retreats in order to do just that, interact with an ascended master.

 

 

Thank you, V, for your responses!

 

 

You are very welcome.

[Brian]

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[Vajrahridaya]

Do I have this part fairly close?

 

Indeed, which is why I didn't comment.

 

But, basically the desire to do so for a Buddha is only for the sake of helping others as a Buddha has no need to remember anything. A Buddha has perfect peace, so there is no personal need for memory to even exist for a Buddha, but it does and at the point of Buddhahood it's an instrument of service for endless sentient beings.

[Brian]

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[Vajrahridaya]

OK, I follow you.

 

One last question (I think). After reaching the point at which leaving the wheel of reincarnation is possible, can a master choose to remain "on the wheel", so to speak, or is ascention automatic at the end of the current physical manifestation's "life"?

 

Masters are of different accumulations, so there are an endless amount of things different masters can do that are different from others. The mind state is the same for all masters, but how they manifest entirely depends upon their merit accumulations. But to answer you simply... yes. Samsara is no different from Nirvana for a liberated one. The wheel turns from the wheel of suffering to the wheel of blissful expression, or the ornamental display of liberation.

[xabir2005]

Well the Dali Lama is considered to be a Buddah, and in an interview he said that he does not have any recolection of his past life.

Strange, cos in other interviews he talked about having access to his past life memories of a previous dalai lama.

[xabir2005]

[*]Are buddhas able to access all past-life memories?

Even though the Buddha had infinite past lives, he only accessed 91 aeons of them. Which is already uncountable.

[ralis]

Even though the Buddha had infinite past lives, he only accessed 91 aeons of them. Which is already uncountable.

 

How does this benefit anyone? Claims such as these are just more posturing in an attempt to put Buddhism above all other isms and are not substantive.

 

 

ralis

[Vajrahridaya]

How does this benefit anyone? Claims such as these are just more posturing in an attempt to put Buddhism above all other isms and are not substantive.

 

 

ralis

 

Actually it shows how deep inter-dependency goes and how beginning-less your mind stream is. This reveals many aspects of insight for those who wish to access the experiential meaning of dependent origination. Basically, this removes the "blame game" mentality on a deeply subtle level. It also reveals infinite regress.

Edited August 25, 2010 by Vajrahridaya