Any method to get rid off ghost?

• sinweiy

  5 Oct 11, 15:56

  Originally posted by Rooney9:

  there is a contradiction. Buddha taught Nirvana ie ceasation of rebirth but then when people go to pureland, they are not enlightened. also Buddha (only a teacher and guide) does not guarantee you will attain Nirvana, as he is a teacher and also depend on his past live cultivation as a practioner. so does it mean, all those who are reborn there will attain enlightenment one day? what if reborn there and still not attaining enlightenment, doesnt it contradict that pureland doesnt fall in samsara.

  
  hmm, bit complicated to explain according to the "two" traditions.

  in the Yogachara tradition :

  There are four kinds of Nirvana equivalent to the 4 Abodes of PL:

  1. Nirvana of pure, clear self-nature = Pure Abode of Good people and good Saints living together.

  2. Nirvana with residue = Pure Temporary Abode with residue of Not Knowing, more for Arahants.

  3. Nirvana without residue = Pure Abode of Permanent Reward, more for Bodhisattvas.

  4. Nirvana of no dwelling = Pure Abode of Eternal Light and Tranquillity, more for Buddhas.

   

  http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Nirvana

   

  Pureland people can't say enlightened non non-enlightened. Ability same as Buddha, but still got residue to remove.

  Western Pureland is a "rewarding" land 报土 that's generated from Amitabha's 'Rewarding' merit. it's also neither samsara non nirvana. hence i wrote non-of the six realms. yet they can also enter them as Bodhisattva.

   

   

  报土

   

  善导大师说：

  正由托佛愿以作强缘，致使五乘�入。

  ——ä¸�简众生

  这����，先说「��世界是报土�。所谓「报土�，就是佛所�报的�所�用的，�时也是�给往生者所�用。也就是说，阿弥陀佛的��世界有什么�有多少，往生到��世界的众生也就有什么�有多少。就好�父�的财产就是儿女的财产，家里的东西，儿�都�以自由使用，这�境界�「报土�。

   

  /\

   

   

   

• gorgorlokaychyong

  5 Oct 11, 15:58

  Thank you.  I will try to digest and understand what you said here.  Will ask you if I am confused.    I am taking my time to know buddhism.

• realization

  5 Oct 11, 16:27

  Hi Sabrina, please see the information regarding burning gugul in your house to aid in getting rid of spirits.  There are three threads right now with similar topic and I don't want to do duplicate posts. /\

  http://sgforums.com/forums/1728/topics/439007?page=4#posts-10367468

   

• Leogirldreamer

  5 Oct 11, 17:06

  reborn76, you must have chant a lot of om mani padme hum to Avalokitesarva Bodhisattva in your pastlifes to dream of her saving you in the nick of time.

   

  Unfortunately i have to be frank and tell you that you are not a traditional or mainstream buddhist in your Japan sect.  You can ask around.  There are more than a chapter 25 from the Lotus sutra for the mainstream buddhism.

  There are various methods of practising the Guan Yin dharma door. You can find out more in person or through research.

   

   

• Rooney9

  5 Oct 11, 23:37

  Originally posted by sinweiy:

  
  hmm, bit complicated to explain according to the "two" traditions.

  in the Yogachara tradition :

  There are four kinds of Nirvana equivalent to the 4 Abodes of PL:

  1. Nirvana of pure, clear self-nature = Pure Abode of Good people and good Saints living together.

  2. Nirvana with residue = Pure Temporary Abode with residue of Not Knowing, more for Arahants.

  3. Nirvana without residue = Pure Abode of Permanent Reward, more for Bodhisattvas.

  4. Nirvana of no dwelling = Pure Abode of Eternal Light and Tranquillity, more for Buddhas.

   

  http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Nirvana

   

  Pureland people can't say enlightened non non-enlightened. Ability same as Buddha, but still got residue to remove.

  Western Pureland is a "rewarding" land 报土 that's generated from Amitabha's 'Rewarding' merit. it's also neither samsara non nirvana. hence i wrote non-of the six realms. yet they can also enter them as Bodhisattva.

   

   

  报土

   

  善导大师说：

  正由托佛愿以作强缘，致使五乘�入。

  ——ä¸�简众生

  这����，先说「��世界是报土�。所谓「报土�，就是佛所�报的�所�用的，�时也是�给往生者所�用。也就是说，阿弥陀佛的��世界有什么�有多少，往生到��世界的众生也就有什么�有多少。就好�父�的财产就是儿女的财产，家里的东西，儿�都�以自由使用，这�境界�「报土�。

   

  /\

   

   

   

  how can ability same as buddha? buddha perfected his perfections in many eons ago.so how can their ability be same when they have not practised their perfections in samsara.

  A Buddha cannot amend or change a person's karma, so how can a Buddha affect a person's rebirth on account of his creation of a pureland. creation of a pureland is akin to creating a heaven, no different to the concept of god's heaven. all these contradicted what the historical Buddha has taught the dhamma. A Tathagata is a teacher of god and men, you yourself has to make the effort to end your suffering. you dun think there is a contradiction in this?

• sinweiy

  6 Oct 11, 10:04

  @rooney: i think, yea not easy to believe, how to explain even a 7th stage bodhisattva also cannot understand why.

  think generally u-all can see it as a "motivation tool", eventually, it's not real. it just give a person a target of single-mindfulness and detach themselves from worldly attachment. mostly for lay (or older folks) who had difficulty practicing the "standard" style Buddhism.

  eventually the highest understanding is 弥陀�我心，我心�弥陀 . when u reached /attained "PL"(Nirvana in disguise), u realised that Amituofo is yourself. as everything is from the mind. 唯心净土，自性弥陀.

  :) learn so many thing, eventually there's nothing to learn, nothing to practice. (in Mahayana, there's a Non-practice state). ignorance may be the factor of samsara, yet it's also the factor of nirvana. to know is not to know. contradiction is yet no contradiction. it's in the realised mind. zen call it the "don't know mind".

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOdAFn7xsn0

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcTqXAD7pvM&feature=related

  烦���� affliction and bodhi is one. this older folk, so innocent , so got the "don't know" mind. actually they have the same Buddha's mind. we say they never learn, never practice, but actually they had learned better than us. they are the one that got it right.

  ps: i heard there were 12 Infinity Life sutras that came from India, 6 were lost. 2 version of Amida sutra. Buddha expound many time of it (mostly to the lay people i believe) as it's difficult to believe. might not know, the "concept of god's heaven" originate from this, but it became twisted.

  /\

   

   

• Rooney9

  6 Oct 11, 10:30

  I am concerned that the original Buddha's words and teachings were infiltrated by Hinduism and other esoteric religions in India at that time. Hinduism also got mantras. I hope I am wrong. If I am not wrong, the original teachings were not corrupted for 500 years or 1000 years after the passing away of the Buddha.

• reborn76

  6 Oct 11, 11:27

  Originally posted by Leogirldreamer:

  reborn76, you must have chant a lot of om mani padme hum to Avalokitesarva Bodhisattva in your pastlifes to dream of her saving you in the nick of time.

   Unfortunately i have to be frank and tell you that you are not a traditional or mainstream buddhist in your Japan sect.  You can ask around.  There are more than a chapter 25 from the Lotus sutra for the mainstream buddhism.

  There are various methods of practising the Guan Yin dharma door. You can find out more in person or through research

  O I won't blame you for your misunderstanding on my practice. As Nichiren Shoshu has in way or another mislead others to view Nichiren Buddhism as otherwise.

  However, do note that Nichiren Shu is a mainstream Buddhist sect in Japanese Buddhist Federation http://www.buddhanet.net/nippon/nippon_partIV.html whereas Nichiren Shoshu and Soka are not due to their teaching.

  Hence if Nichiren Shu is not a mainstream sect, why would Taiwan Buddhist groups have spiritual and academic association with us?

  Fo Guang Shan http://www.londonfgs.org.uk/Web_2009/GB/news/2009_0620.htm

  Dharma Drum Mountain http://www.dharmadrum.org/content/news/view.aspx?sn=946 

  Rissho University academic http://www.ris.ac.jp/inter/en/about/agreement.html 

  In fact, Fo Guang Shan is selling a comic on Nichiren Life Story http://www.fgs.com.tw/prodshow.asp?ProdId=88019 and Late Venerable Shengyen was a doctorate graduate from Rissho University.

  Personally for me, the essence of Buddhism is not in exterior ritual, words or sectarian differences. It is in within the compassionate call. Everyone will has their own affinity with the particular practice. As Buddhist, we should open our hearts before giving a judgement call.

  I shall with Dalai Lama forum story.

  Once a theologian Dr Leonardo Boff ask Dalai Lama, “Your holiness, what is the best religion?”

  He thought he would say: “The Tibetan Buddhism” or “The oriental religions, much older than Christianity.”

  The Dalai Lama paused, smiled and looked me in the eyes …. which surprised me because I knew of the malice contained in my question.

  He answered:
 “The best religion is the one that gets you closest to God. It is the one that makes you a better person.”

  To get out of my embarrassment with such a wise answer, I asked: “What is it that makes me better?”

  He responded:“Whatever makes you more compassionate, more sensible, more detached, more loving, more humanitarian, more responsible, more ethical. The religion that will do that for you is the best religion”

   

• mancha

  6 Oct 11, 11:57

  Ghosts are all around. Why get rid of them?

  Live with them. They mind their business, you mind your business.

  You don't want them in your space is it?

  Oh, They break things, trip you and cause injury, switch lights on and off, appear before you and scare the wits out of you. Do they really do all that, or are you unreasonably accusing them.

  You mind has the power to convince you of what you believe in. So does the GhostBusters.

• gorgorlokaychyong

  6 Oct 11, 12:04

  Originally posted by mancha:

  Ghosts are all around. Why get rid of them?

  Live with them. They mind their business, you mind your business.

  You don't want them in your space is it?

  Oh, They break things, trip you and cause injury, switch lights on and off, appear before you and scare the wits out of you. Do they really do all that, or are you unreasonably accusing them.

  You mind has the power to convince you of what you believe in. So does the GhostBusters.

  True, they are all around.     It is a matter we can see them or not.

  There are both friendly and harmful ghosts as well as the vicious ones.     If you are not harmed by the ghosts and they appear friendly, leave them alone, live in peace with them.   If they cause harm then something need to be done.

  If you experience the harmful ones one day, come back here and tell us your experience.

• Leogirldreamer

  6 Oct 11, 15:44

  reborn76, i learn something new.  Thanks.

  I believe humans go into religions because they want to find out more about the meanings of living, the universe that they live in yet can't actually figure out about it.

  I am more into kundalini and the 7 chakra in our human body. That is my religion at this moment.  

• Leogirldreamer

  6 Oct 11, 15:45

  Originally posted by Rooney9:

  I am concerned that the original Buddha's words and teachings were infiltrated by Hinduism and other esoteric religions in India at that time. Hinduism also got mantras. I hope I am wrong. If I am not wrong, the original teachings were not corrupted for 500 years or 1000 years after the passing away of the Buddha.

   

  I think the Hindu believers will tell you that Buddhism is the one who inflitrate into Hinduism and use some of the elements from it.

   

   

• mancha

  6 Oct 11, 17:17

  Originally posted by Leogirldreamer:

  reborn76, i learn something new.  Thanks.

  I believe humans go into religions because they want to find out more about the meanings of living, the universe that they live in yet can't actually figure out about it.

  I am more into kundalini and the 7 chakra in our human body. That is my religion at this moment.  

  You into kundalini !

  Are you interested in the spiritual growth aspect of it, or is your goal the acquiring of the third eye?

• yhjow

  6 Oct 11, 17:25

  You can chant Shurangama mantra 楞严咒 or "Om Mani Padme Hom" or Compassion Mantra 大悲咒. It will help.

  If you visit Buddhist temple, ask them to put a 地基主 to help protect your home. 地基主 is a mixed Taoist folks deity, but has been mixed into Chinese buddhism. It can help protect your home.

• Leogirldreamer

  8 Oct 11, 16:32

  Mancha, i have more interest in the heart chakra, crown chakra than the third eye chakra.

  When your crown chakra is opened, you merge with the Universe.  when your heart chakra is opened, you have GREAT LOVE for everyone and everything.  (like Jesus)

  Anyway, kundalini is a natural process, you can't force it. Neither can you open your third eye chakra by forcing.

   

   

• likeyou

  8 Oct 11, 16:38

  Originally posted by Bio-Hawk:

  The ghosts exist only for those who believe in them.

   

  Really?

• 2009novice

  8 Oct 11, 19:12

  Originally posted by Rooney9:

  how can ability same as buddha? buddha perfected his perfections in many eons ago.so how can their ability be same when they have not practised their perfections in samsara.

  A Buddha cannot amend or change a person's karma, so how can a Buddha affect a person's rebirth on account of his creation of a pureland. creation of a pureland is akin to creating a heaven, no different to the concept of god's heaven. all these contradicted what the historical Buddha has taught the dhamma. A Tathagata is a teacher of god and men, you yourself has to make the effort to end your suffering. you dun think there is a contradiction in this?

  
  Hi Rooney... sorry i just interrupt from here lol... (didn't notice the thread can develop so far lol)

  yup u r right... Buddha can't change one person's karma... But in the Pure land, Amituofo's merit is too vast, immeasurable... imagine we are a grain of impurity (e.g salt) and dipped into a ocean of crystal clean water. Not much effect to turn ocean into salty ocean.

  Basically, u just imagine it's a world that our negative karma canot take effect. That means we can learn Dharma there... without distractions/obstacle.

  Note: here the bad karma is not eradicated/amended. It's just that there is no condition for bad karma to take effect.

  Furthermore, the previous post u mentioned that if we go pureland, but canot get enlightened, what difference is there from samsara...? Huge difference...

  (i copied pasted from the 10 doubts pureland thread)

  First, as Amituofo’s power of his great compassionate vows embrace and protect them, this is how Non-Retrogression is attained.

  Second, as the Buddha’s light always shines [upon them], their Bodhicitta constantly progresses [enhances] and never retrogresses.
  

  Third, as sounds of the ponds, birds, forests, winds and [vocal] music all preach the Dharma of suffering (dissatisfaction) and emptiness, the listeners constantly give rise to mindfulness of the Buddha(s), mindfulness of the Dharma, and mindfulness of the Sangha, this is how there is Non-Retrogression.
  

  Fourth, as being with all pure Bodhisattvas of that land as virtuous [spiritual] friends, without the environment of evil conditions, without evil gods, ghosts and demons outside, and without the Three Poisons et cetera within, afflictions  do not arise at all, this is how there is Non-Retrogression.
  

  Fifth, as those born in that land immediately have life spans of eternal [unlimited] kalpas, together equally similar to that of the Bodhisattvas and Buddhas, this is how there is Non-Retrogression.

  it's good to have doubts... no doubts... no understanding lol but I not saying pureland is good or best u must accept... just to share with you how Pure land works

  btw: if you really want to know the truth (or the absolute truth etc) you may face many 烦�... troubles

  coz u may end up nitpicking, whether the words are from Buddha, authenticity etc...

  U can learn the wisdom from Theravada, Tibetan, Mahayana etc... then u will not be too concerned with the authenticity...

   

   

• Dawnfirstlight

  8 Oct 11, 22:27

  Originally posted by Bio-Hawk:

  The ghosts exist only for those who believe in them.

  No, many people don't believe in ghosts till they see or hear them.

• sinweiy

  9 Oct 11, 09:25

  a story of a hungry ghost reborn in pureland. yea, in fact it's some what "easier" for ghosts to reborn in Pureland due to their already transformation bodies vs our human meat bodies. 

  they just need to have the three conditions, faith, aspiration and recitation.

   

   

  A story of Shinran's meeting with a hungry ghost

   

  
  

  

  
  

  This is a painting of Shinran and a Gaki on Mt Tsukuba ( from the Jofuku-Ji temple in Ozone Tsukuba).

  As we know, unlike other Buddhist schools, in Jodo Shinshu there are no ceremonies to feed the hungry ghost (segaki). In relation with this, I recently found a story from Tsukuba and the surrounding area involving Shinran Shonin’s visit to Mt Tsukuba.

  
  

  
  

  It is said that Shinran was staying at some lodging house at the foot of Mt Tsukuba the night before his planned ascent of the mountain. While he slept he dreamed of a boy who announced himself as the messenger of Nantai Gongen ( the male god of the mountain). The boy went on to beseech the great priest to visit the middle one, of 3 caves he would find on the mountain`s slopes.

  Shinran found the cave and entered. First he found two jars with a little water in them. Then deeper into the cave he found a gaki (a hungry ghost).

  The tormented spirit told Shinran that because of past evil actions he was now suffering terrible hunger and thirst. However, due to the merciful kindness of the deities of the mountain every day, he and the other gaki could drink one drop of water each day.The Gaki then went on to beg Shinran for relief in the form of food or water.

  
  

  Shinran, however, did not believe that just because one had a bad karma, one had to suffer so much. He was certain that ANYONE who said nembutsu would be saved.

  And this, according to the story, is exactly what happened. After saying nembutsu with the Gaki for a day- he was saved and taken to the Pure Land by a mysterious cloud.

  
  

  It is said that this story was a proof for followers of Tsukuba area that it was not necessary to make offering to gaki because they can save themselves with nembutsu of faith.

  I am asking those who know more about this story and the Jofukuji temple, to share their knowledge here. Is this temple belonging to Jodo Shinshu? And if yes, to what branch?

  http://amida-ji-retreat-temple-romania.blogspot.com/2011/08/story-of-shinrans-meeting-with-hungry.html

  
  

  /\

   

• likeyou

  9 Oct 11, 09:58

  Originally posted by Dawnfirstlight:

  No, many people don't believe in ghosts till they see or hear them.

  
  As I have said earlier, one night I saw something walk past me in lighting speed...but I did not feel scare that night cos I ever told them verbally that I am here to work and not distrub you. So far, (mostly work till past midnite), I did not see any.

• whylikethatah

  9 Oct 11, 10:17

  Originally posted by 2009novice:

  
  Hi Rooney... sorry i just interrupt from here lol... (didn't notice the thread can develop so far lol)

  yup u r right... Buddha can't change one person's karma... But in the Pure land, Amituofo's merit is too vast, immeasurable... imagine we are a grain of impurity (e.g salt) and dipped into a ocean of crystal clean water. Not much effect to turn ocean into salty ocean.

  Basically, u just imagine it's a world that our negative karma canot take effect. That means we can learn Dharma there... without distractions/obstacle.

  Note: here the bad karma is not eradicated/amended. It's just that there is no condition for bad karma to take effect.

  Furthermore, the previous post u mentioned that if we go pureland, but canot get enlightened, what difference is there from samsara...? Huge difference...

  (i copied pasted from the 10 doubts pureland thread)

  First, as Amituofo’s power of his great compassionate vows embrace and protect them, this is how Non-Retrogression is attained.

  Second, as the Buddha’s light always shines [upon them], their Bodhicitta constantly progresses [enhances] and never retrogresses.
  

  Third, as sounds of the ponds, birds, forests, winds and [vocal] music all preach the Dharma of suffering (dissatisfaction) and emptiness, the listeners constantly give rise to mindfulness of the Buddha(s), mindfulness of the Dharma, and mindfulness of the Sangha, this is how there is Non-Retrogression.
  

  Fourth, as being with all pure Bodhisattvas of that land as virtuous [spiritual] friends, without the environment of evil conditions, without evil gods, ghosts and demons outside, and without the Three Poisons et cetera within, afflictions  do not arise at all, this is how there is Non-Retrogression.
  

  Fifth, as those born in that land immediately have life spans of eternal [unlimited] kalpas, together equally similar to that of the Bodhisattvas and Buddhas, this is how there is Non-Retrogression.

  it's good to have doubts... no doubts... no understanding lol but I not saying pureland is good or best u must accept... just to share with you how Pure land works

  btw: if you really want to know the truth (or the absolute truth etc) you may face many 烦�... troubles

  coz u may end up nitpicking, whether the words are from Buddha, authenticity etc...

  U can learn the wisdom from Theravada, Tibetan, Mahayana etc... then u will not be too concerned with the authenticity...

   

   

  the question really was the belief system itself. ur reply just added more beliefs, so it doesn't answer his question really. 

  We have to nitpick if we wanna learn true authentic teachings, u said what dont be concerned with authenticity. 

• Dawnfirstlight

  9 Oct 11, 11:52

  Originally posted by whylikethatah:

  the question really was the belief system itself. ur reply just added more beliefs, so it doesn't answer his question really. 

  We have to nitpick if we wanna learn true authentic teachings, u said what dont be concerned with authenticity. 

  It is not just a belief. I would say Amituofo is proven as many Purelanders have experienced  Amituofo. I shall not elaborate. There were Purelanders who were able to foretell the exact day of their passing because Amituofo told them when he would be fetching them to Pureland and many other experiences.

• Susanteo2011

  9 Oct 11, 12:06

   

   

  anyone here has experiences with Shadow People ?

   

  i ever kana a few times..................scared to sleep alone.................

• 2009novice

  9 Oct 11, 12:48

  Originally posted by whylikethatah:

  the question really was the belief system itself. ur reply just added more beliefs, so it doesn't answer his question really. 

  We have to nitpick if we wanna learn true authentic teachings, u said what dont be concerned with authenticity. 

  
  Rooney compared Pure land as akin to Heaven and karma... i felt it should be clarified early because it is totally different.

  With regards to authenticity, do u notice sutras begins with: Thus I have heard, "如是我闻"  ? Are you going to question all sutras are not buddha's words...? U will face many 烦æ�¼ (frustrations)... is it necessary...?

• whylikethatah

  9 Oct 11, 13:14

  Originally posted by Dawnfirstlight:

  It is not just a belief. I would say Amituofo is proven as many Purelanders have experienced  Amituofo. I shall not elaborate. There were Purelanders who were able to foretell the exact day of their passing because Amituofo told them when he would be fetching them to Pureland and many other experiences.

  so if i got a personal experience myself and u don't, it means my experience is real to me and not a belief and i shall force it upon u that it is not a belief and tell u it is true. Lol.