I'm surprised there is no one posting anything about your own sufferings. Do you have problems in your life? Understand what causes the problem.So many people had focused on enlightenment discussion that fails to address the powerful force of repentence.
If you have no courage of confession of your wrong-doings (perhaps that breaks the law), I suggest that you repent in front of Buddha (or in your mind) and vow never to commit it again. The great compassion of Buddha is willing to relieve the sufferings of those who commit it and offers ways and means to lessen the bad karmic effect on our suffering. If you repent with your heart and mind, not only will the bad karma be lessened, you will slowly be healing until you recover. This thread is for those who have picked up the courage and wants to confess, repent for the wrong-doings and are "awakened". You need not necessarily confess. But those who have past experience should contribute. Buddhism offers a very good effective means to relieve the sufferings in our human world.
If you still do not know the root to the problem, perhaps, saying it out will let members discuss what the roots are. However, I believe the 'awakening' have to be done by yourself. The buddha says "walk your own way". He can only show you the way. Chanting everyday is a very powerful force that has 'awakened' me why I'm suffering. Some people meditate (but that's for people who wants to "heal" their mind and to realize compassion and wisdom). For me, I've found out the root to my own suffering through chanting. Also joining the Repentence Dharma service in temples such as Liang Huang Bao Chan æ¢�ç…Œå®�å¿�, Great Compassion Repentence 大悲å¿� helps to lessen the bad karma and allows me to understand why I'm suffering. Suggested chanting includes Om Mani Padme Hom, Namo Guanshiyin Pusa å�—æ— è§‚ä¸–éŸ³è�©è�¨, Great Compassion Mantra (大悲咒）, Medicine Sutra/Mantra (è�¯å¸ˆä½›ç�Œé¡¶çœŸè¨€/è�¯å¸ˆå¿ƒç»�）. I suggest preparing a cup of water in front of buddha while chanting. Chant for at least 7, 49 or 108 times depends on your karma. The compassion water is known to treat any forms of sufferings including diseases. Drink it after you chant. I chant Medicine Heart Mantra è�¯å¸ˆå¿ƒç»� that today, I'm "awakened" to what causes my problem while I'm strolling.
So let me begin to share my experience
Sufferings
Have suffered from a mental disease that's called "paranoid schrizophenia" (on the light side) since I was 24 years old. It plagued my life for the past 12 years until today I finally found a way to remove this bad karma and the disease, thanks to Buddha's great compassion and dharma. I was under "medication" from psychiatrist for the past 12 years. I can still remember when the disease first struck me, it was like in the hell.
I was exposed to buddhism for the past 8 years only to "awaken" what causes the problem today after chanting medicine mantra (�师心咒）yesterday and joining dharma services in temples.
This disease further leads to further sufferings such as depression, sex addiction. I was able to break the depression disease about 2 years after the disease struck me. I only break the sex addiction (particularly porn and masturbation addiction) 2 years ago, after I started doing lots of chanting such as Guanshiyin Pumen Pin 观世音普么� and releasing lives (fangsheng 放生). Addiction makes me understand what it is like to be a hungry ghost. I have not had sex with my wife for the past 1 year and was able to hold on to precepts of no sexual indulgence (and no cravings and no masturbation), in fact my wife was also a buddhist and is an understanding person. We practise loving-kindness and compassion. I practise what's known as chanting and holding on to precepts (�戒）. Precepts are known to prevent people from committing further evils.
Causes of Sufferings
Buddha had said all sufferings originated from roots of evil: greed, hatred, ignorance. I have no greed and practise generosity. But I suffer from hatred and ignorance. The causes of my mental disease originated from killing a chicken when I was a boy scout during my teenage times. It struck me as I was chanting today and practising mindfulness. In fact, I cut the throat of the chicken, which makes the chicken cry in pain, his own hatred that causes my own sufferings of mental disease today. When I realize this, I cry it out lout in compassion and ask for Buddha's forgiveness. How can I make such a grave mistake of killing under ignorance? What forces me to carry out such killing?
I have also killed insects (cockroaches, houseflies). I can still remember when I was a teenager. The mirror suddenly falls off while I was bathing in my bathroom (not sure why) and it cuts my stomach (luckily, it did not cause me to end my life). You can associate this with revenge minds from those I killed.
Although some masters say that mental disease was a result of bad karma resulted from hatred, greed or spoiling dharma services in my past life, I believe this killing the chicken is the root to the causes my disease. Having been "awakened" to this wrong-doing, I vow never to engage in any form of killing and will start practising life liberation and vegetarian today.
If you don't believe in the Buddha, you will have to believe in karma. When the bad karma ripens under the right causes and conditions, it will lead to sufferings.
Repentence, Precepts and Vows
I repent for all wrong-doings in my life, be it be acts of killing, sexual misconduct, bad speech and other wrong-doings.
I've taken the 5 precepts:
No killing
No stealing
No sexual misconduct
No lying (or even bad speech)
No intoxicant.
I vow to cut off all evils.
I vow to practise all goods
I vow to help save all sentient beings from all sufferings.
I have undertaken to practise vegetarian for the next of my life (if possible) and refrain from killing.
May I dedicate the merits of knowing this karma (roots to the suffering) to all sentient beings.
May I practise loving-kindness and compassion.
Originally posted by yhjow:I'm surprised there is no one posting anything about your own sufferings. Do you have problems in your life? Understand what causes the problem.So many people had focused on enlightenment discussion that fails to address the powerful force of repentence.
If you have no courage of confession of your wrong-doings (perhaps that breaks the law), I suggest that you repent in front of Buddha (or in your mind) and vow never to commit it again. The great compassion of Buddha is willing to relieve the sufferings of those who commit it and offers ways and means to lessen the bad karmic effect on our suffering. If you repent with your heart and mind, not only will the bad karma be lessened, you will slowly be healing until you recover. This thread is for those who have picked up the courage and wants to confess, repent for the wrong-doings and are "awakened". You need not necessarily confess. But those who have past experience should contribute. Buddhism offers a very good effective means to relieve the sufferings in our human world.
If you still do not know the root to the problem, perhaps, saying it out will let members discuss what the roots are. However, I believe the 'awakening' have to be done by yourself. The buddha says "walk your own way". He can only show you the way. Chanting everyday is a very powerful force that has 'awakened' me why I'm suffering. Some people meditate (but that's for people who wants to "heal" their mind and to realize compassion and wisdom). For me, I've found out the root to my own suffering through chanting. Also joining the Repentence Dharma service in temples such as Liang Huang Bao Chan æ¢�ç…Œå®�å¿�, Great Compassion Repentence 大悲å¿� helps to lessen the bad karma and allows me to understand why I'm suffering. Suggested chanting includes Om Mani Padme Hom, Namo Guanshiyin Pusa å�—æ— è§‚ä¸–éŸ³è�©è�¨, Great Compassion Mantra (大悲咒）, Medicine Sutra/Mantra (è�¯å¸ˆä½›ç�Œé¡¶çœŸè¨€/è�¯å¸ˆå¿ƒç»�）. I suggest preparing a cup of water in front of buddha while chanting. Chant for at least 7, 49 or 108 times depends on your karma. The compassion water is known to treat any forms of sufferings including diseases. Drink it after you chant. I chant Medicine Heart Mantra è�¯å¸ˆå¿ƒç»� that today, I'm "awakened" to what causes my problem while I'm strolling.
So let me begin to share my experience
Sufferings
Have suffered from a mental disease that's called "paranoid schrizophenia" (on the light side) since I was 24 years old. It plagued my life for the past 12 years until today I finally found a way to remove this bad karma and the disease, thanks to Buddha's great compassion and dharma. I was under "medication" from psychiatrist for the past 12 years. I can still remember when the disease first struck me, it was like in the hell.
I was exposed to buddhism for the past 8 years only to "awaken" what causes the problem today after chanting medicine mantra (�师心咒）yesterday and joining dharma services in temples.
This disease further leads to further sufferings such as depression, sex addiction. I was able to break the depression disease about 2 years after the disease struck me. I only break the sex addiction (particularly porn and masturbation addiction) 2 years ago, after I started doing lots of chanting such as Guanshiyin Pumen Pin 观世音普么� and releasing lives (fangsheng 放生). Addiction makes me understand what it is like to be a hungry ghost. I have not had sex with my wife for the past 1 year and was able to hold on to precepts of no sexual indulgence (and no cravings and no masturbation), in fact my wife was also a buddhist and is an understanding person. We practise loving-kindness and compassion. I practise what's known as chanting and holding on to precepts (�戒）. Precepts are known to prevent people from committing further evils.
Causes of Sufferings
Buddha had said all sufferings originated from roots of evil: greed, hatred, ignorance. I have no greed and practise generosity. But I suffer from hatred and ignorance. The causes of my mental disease originated from killing a chicken when I was a boy scout during my teenage times. It struck me as I was chanting today and practising mindfulness. In fact, I cut the throat of the chicken, which makes the chicken cry in pain, his own hatred that causes my own sufferings of mental disease today. When I realize this, I cry it out lout in compassion and ask for Buddha's forgiveness. How can I make such a grave mistake of killing under ignorance? What forces me to carry out such killing?
I have also killed insects (cockroaches, houseflies). I can still remember when I was a teenager. The mirror suddenly falls off while I was bathing in my bathroom (not sure why) and it cuts my stomach (luckily, it did not cause me to end my life). You can associate this with revenge minds from those I killed.
Although some masters say that mental disease was a result of bad karma resulted from hatred, greed or spoiling dharma services in my past life, I believe this killing the chicken is the root to the causes my disease. Having been "awakened" to this wrong-doing, I vow never to engage in any form of killing and will start practising life liberation and vegetarian today.
If you don't believe in the Buddha, you will have to believe in karma. When the bad karma ripens under the right causes and conditions, it will lead to sufferings.
Repentence, Precepts and Vows
I repent for all wrong-doings in my life, be it be acts of killing, sexual misconduct, bad speech and other wrong-doings.
I've taken the 5 precepts:
No killing
No stealing
No sexual misconduct
No lying (or even bad speech)
No intoxicant.
I vow to cut off all evils.
I vow to practise all goods
I vow to help save all sentient beings from all sufferings.
I have undertaken to practise vegetarian for the next of my life (if possible) and refrain from killing.
May I dedicate the merits of knowing this karma (roots to the suffering) to all sentient beings.
May I practise loving-kindness and compassion.
I'm glad that you see the effectiveness of Buddhist way of repentance. Though I don't have much problems in life but I still go for repentance whenever I can. As the Venerable said don't wait till bad karma is ripen, do it now. ��临时抱佛脚. Though it still works when the karma ripens but it will take quite some time to see the effectiveness.
The most effective way of repentance is to repent sincerely according to Buddha's teachings.
I remember my venerable's teaching 三å¸ï¼šæˆ’ (precepts) 定 (concentration) æ…§ (wisdom)
For a layman buddhist learner like me, I'm having much progress in terms of terms of precepts. The future will be focused on concentration and wisdom (where meditation comes in).
well done , keep it up.
Amitofou.
my life is bad..
Originally posted by geforce:well done , keep it up.
Amitofou.
my life is bad..
Amitoufo.. mind if you can share with us your 'suffering' when you say "your life is bad" . Perhaps, we can offer some help or advice to relieve your suffering.
Continuous repentence is a daily practice we buddhist integrate into our life. Even if our life is "smooth" and has "no problem", we still have to repent as that helps to keep us mindful.
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I will do the following in order to "treat" my mental disease. I believe one day I can stop taking medication completely.
Continue to hold on to the precepts of no sexual misconduct �邪淫 (no watching porn or nudity, no masturbation, no mind of sex, no words of filth) - sex with my wife only under "control" (my wife hopes to have another kid)
Continue to participate in all repentence dharma services and releasing life activities and do good.
Chant the following sutra daily:
ä½›è¯´ä¸‰ä¸–å› æžœç»�
八�八佛懺悔文
观世音普门�
大悲咒
Other sutra: 楞严咒
_/|\_
@yhjow, keep up this strong faith you have with the Three Jewels and you will have great protection from all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas that abide in the ten directions.
All of us have created number-less causes to be born in the lower realms which produce the greatest obstacles to achieve realisations and create the greatest suffering. Thank you for sharing your experience and wisdom on this. It is really inspiring to hear how you gradually overcome your difficulties, subdued the fear within and took charge of your life. I can see you now have clear faith in the Three Jewels.
Karma is definite to be experienced, so every negative action that have been created will definitely bring its result, no matter how long it takes, until it is purified. And, from one negative karma, one has to experience the result over and over again for so many lifetimes. In this way, samsara has no end!
Another purification method is the Practice of Prostrations to the 35 Confession Buddhas and Prostrations to the 7 Medicine Buddhas, which is followed by reflecting on emptiness of each of the negative actions, remembering that even negative actions do not truly exist from their own side. They arise in dependence on causes and conditions and are merely labelled by the mind.
I personally find this practice beneficial as it helps to discipline the body, mind and speech. If time permits, one can add the 21 long Vajrasattva mantras and the Praise to Avalokiteshvara. This way, the accumulation of merit and the power of purification are increased. It was difficult when I first started because you have to really focus but after a while, you will feel the benefits. I experienced better control of my body, mind and speech. I felt lighter, calmer and developed better concentration than before.