JimRinX
SPNer
Dear: Sa'ad ji
I'm happy to address your question; though I know there are many Buddhist who might object to what I'm going to say, it is because Buddhism is like a tree with many branches - and each of them are somewhat different (I'm quoting someone here, but I don't remember exactly who).
In all humility, I should - before I go on - point out that I came to Buddhism as a teen, after seeing an interview with a musician (Bob Weir, of The Grateful Dead) on late-night TV, in which he spent a half hour talking about Buddhism and what it meant to him - when most such people would have talked only about themselves! - which, along with my deep interest in all things Eastern (Marshall Arts, Movies, many, many books - like Judge Dee Mysteries and The Blind Swordsman), led me to decide to 'take shelter' then and there; though it is a scary thing to 'Leave The Catholic Church'!!!
However; because I have a disabling, painful Neuropathy (which had not yet been diagnosed), I was unsuccesful in my efforts to take up Yoga and Meditation - and thus I've never bothered to go on a retreat, nor have I taken instruction from a living 'Master'; so some might say that I don't have the right to speak for Buddhist and Buddhism. If you go to my Introducing Myself segment, though, you'll learn that I was blessed to have had an encounter with the Buddha, and the Brahma, in the formless realm known as the Bardo. This happened because of a chance encounter with what I'll call the 'Lesser Soma', that caused me to experience the exact same 'events' that the Dali Lama describes as 'what dying is like', in his book The Path to Freedom.
I know that it was a 'real event' because, when I arose from it (my first 'true' achievement of a 'deep meditational state'; which the Soma made possible by 'blotting out' the Pain and other erroneous sensations caused by my having a body full of short-circuited nerves) and I was washing my hands in the john, I looked into the mirror and saw that a White Streak had 'appeared' in my hair!!!
If there had not been a wall right behind me - I would have fallen over!!!
It had not been there before - and many people who I worked with every day also saw it!!!
On a second such occasion; which I deliberately initiated four years later, so that I could ask the Deity Entity if I'd done a 'good job' of applying the Gift of Wisdom that I'd been blessed to have so recieved to the way that I was living my life; it was determined, by 'God' - if you would, that I had indeed done so. In fact, it said that I had done such a good job that I could 'stay' (Dead? Yes!) - that I had, apparently, achieved Nirvana (a Gift and a Curse, while one is still in the Realms of Substance, my good jis!); but when I indicated that I wanted to return to this realm and continue with this Incarnation, it was very, very pleased! In fact, it then asked me to both share what I'd learned with others - as well as to take on certain 'missions', which it would reveal to me through omens; though that's a subject for another day!
Thus; though humility (of course) runs deep in my soul, I've decided to go ahead and 'believe' that what happened to me was 'real'; that the Wisdom which had therein been imparted upon me (during the first journey) - first by the Buddha (as an 'Intermediate' Clear Light Entity), then by the 'Clear Light Deity Entity' (call it what you like; It'll answer!) that the Buddha 'took me to see' after I realized that I'd 'come too soon' and decided that I should go back to my body and continue this Incarnation (again; this was the first of the two journies - the second having been much different) - was 'true'; and that I, therefore, have the 'right' to discuss these things from the point-of-view of one who has been blessed with something akin to 'enlightenment'.
I thought that you should know all of this, so you can judge for yourself whether I'm a 'nut job' (some say so; most of them Christian/Catholics - suprise, suprise!) - or a Great Guru/Mahatma/Saint myself (it was a Buddhist who suggested the 'Rin' - or Rinpoche - in JimRinX; the X is for Malcolm X, who is one of my heroes - although I am a White Guy!).
Now that I've cleared that up; here goes!
I think that any confusion you might have regarding Buddhism and God stems from the teachings of the Theravada; as, unlike the Tibetan (Mahayana, Hinnayana) School - which I, basically, was led to see as being the 'true' truth, they see Life as suffering (correctly), a persons Duty as allieviating others suffering, and death not just as 'release' from said suffering - but also as the complete termination of ones existence, period.
If you listen to me, or read The Dali Lama, you'll see that We believe that Death is followed by the journey to The Bardo - one of the 'formless realms'; that you'll there encounter 'Intermediate Clear Light Entities' (Theravada denies this outright! They say NO Atman; that Buddha said NO Atman; that Tibetan School is, therefore, wrong!), who are - most often - ones fellow 'not-yet-ready-to-stay-in-the-formless-realm-of-the-Deity-Entities beings, though The Buddha put in an 'appearence' as such an entity for me; that, if you've actually died and are meant to stay dead, you'll encounter Lord Yama, who will have handfuls of 'Black and White Pebbles' (a metaphore for ones Deeds, good and bad); that He will thus judge your deeds; that your status will thus be determined (Up and Onward; Reincarnated - Man or Beast; Hell Realm; Hungry Ghost; etc.); that, if it's your Dharma for you to be reincarnated as a Human, you'll see your parrents making love to concive you; and that you'll then spend some time - 49 days, if I remember correctly - observing (even helping!) those who you've loved (or hated; though you'll see the Dharma of their ill-deeds Karma and know compassion for them, in a manner that you'd have never been able to imagine before then! So forget about taking 'revenge', in some God-like manner!) in both your immediate past life or others; as there are Spirits you'll meet in every one of them - most especially your one-and-only Soul Mate!
When I was in the Bardo-Realm (total of ten minutes on two occasions), I was able to p{censored} the memories of ALL my Incarnations; which explained to me the True Nature of everything from Deja Vu, to Precognition, to Prophecy, to Ithos (complex things that you know how to do, though you don't remember learning them)! Time becomes a 'dirrection'; and 'moving through it' like turning to the left or the right! Space, you'll be able to leap across - traversing vast distances in an Instant!
Love like.....well, you'll just have to wait and see for yourself! I have No Words!
The fact that Tibetan Buddhism acknowledges Lord Yama and numerous other Deities (I'm terrible with names - especially 'foreign' ones; but I know who they are, anyway. We've 'met', you see.); the fact that I've personally encountered them in the Bardo; the fact that, twelve years after the fact, I read The Path to Freedom and discovered that my experiences matched the Dali Lamas words exactly; all of this makes, in my eyes, being a Buddhist who believes in Deity Entities O.K.!
The Clear Light; which many dour, sour sounding Theravada Buddhist deny; is an 'Atman-like' part of you that does transmigrate from one Physical Incarnation to another; only The Clear Light 'concept' carries none of the Caste = Dharma asociations that the Atman of Hinduism does.
Ghandi would approve; and I believe that The Buddha, rather than denying the Atman, was merely seeking to disassociate Buddhist belief from the Idea that there is a caste-based Dharmic certainty that one will always be reincarnated as a Brahman - and only as a Brahman - if one already is a Brahman; but NOT that He was saying that there is no Atman-like part of us that transmigrates after death!!!
That's why I, and the Dali Lama, always say 'Clear Light part of me/you/us' rather than Atman; as there is no caste based system that predetermines ones Dharma - for this would 'disallow' Bad Brahmans from being sent to Hell Realms, wouldn't it?
I've often thought that, like has happened with many other Religions, at some point in time a group of Buddhist authorities was forced - by fear of torture, death, etc. - to 'kiss the butt' of a Brahman King who ddin't want to hear the Bodhi Dhamra as it should be taught; as said King didn't want to believe that HE could become a Hungry Ghost - so, out of desire for self-preservation, they altered the Buddhas Teachings to indicate that Death was The End - Period; no judgement, no watching ones next parrents making love, no nothing - just an end to suffering.
However it happened, they did themselves and many otehr a Great Dis-service; as The Buddha was actually 'correcting' many of the Hindu fallacies (Caste-Dharma; I know there's a more proper word - but I only speak English, and I need to re-read some things!) that Guru Nanak did!
That's why I'm attracted to SPN, Sikhism, Sufism, etc.!!!
I should, perhaps, point out that, when I asked the Greater of the two Clear Light Entities (the one I call a Deity Entity) who I encountered on my first journey what It was called; it gave me nearly every name of every 'God-Head' that i'd ever heard of!
That's why I say to you there IS only ONE GOD - and it's name is (fill in the blank)!
We were all One Tribe, once; and It had only One Name then, you see!:yes:
I hope this brought some Happy Understanding to you, Sa'ad ji!
I'm happy to address your question; though I know there are many Buddhist who might object to what I'm going to say, it is because Buddhism is like a tree with many branches - and each of them are somewhat different (I'm quoting someone here, but I don't remember exactly who).
In all humility, I should - before I go on - point out that I came to Buddhism as a teen, after seeing an interview with a musician (Bob Weir, of The Grateful Dead) on late-night TV, in which he spent a half hour talking about Buddhism and what it meant to him - when most such people would have talked only about themselves! - which, along with my deep interest in all things Eastern (Marshall Arts, Movies, many, many books - like Judge Dee Mysteries and The Blind Swordsman), led me to decide to 'take shelter' then and there; though it is a scary thing to 'Leave The Catholic Church'!!!
However; because I have a disabling, painful Neuropathy (which had not yet been diagnosed), I was unsuccesful in my efforts to take up Yoga and Meditation - and thus I've never bothered to go on a retreat, nor have I taken instruction from a living 'Master'; so some might say that I don't have the right to speak for Buddhist and Buddhism. If you go to my Introducing Myself segment, though, you'll learn that I was blessed to have had an encounter with the Buddha, and the Brahma, in the formless realm known as the Bardo. This happened because of a chance encounter with what I'll call the 'Lesser Soma', that caused me to experience the exact same 'events' that the Dali Lama describes as 'what dying is like', in his book The Path to Freedom.
I know that it was a 'real event' because, when I arose from it (my first 'true' achievement of a 'deep meditational state'; which the Soma made possible by 'blotting out' the Pain and other erroneous sensations caused by my having a body full of short-circuited nerves) and I was washing my hands in the john, I looked into the mirror and saw that a White Streak had 'appeared' in my hair!!!
If there had not been a wall right behind me - I would have fallen over!!!
It had not been there before - and many people who I worked with every day also saw it!!!
On a second such occasion; which I deliberately initiated four years later, so that I could ask the Deity Entity if I'd done a 'good job' of applying the Gift of Wisdom that I'd been blessed to have so recieved to the way that I was living my life; it was determined, by 'God' - if you would, that I had indeed done so. In fact, it said that I had done such a good job that I could 'stay' (Dead? Yes!) - that I had, apparently, achieved Nirvana (a Gift and a Curse, while one is still in the Realms of Substance, my good jis!); but when I indicated that I wanted to return to this realm and continue with this Incarnation, it was very, very pleased! In fact, it then asked me to both share what I'd learned with others - as well as to take on certain 'missions', which it would reveal to me through omens; though that's a subject for another day!
Thus; though humility (of course) runs deep in my soul, I've decided to go ahead and 'believe' that what happened to me was 'real'; that the Wisdom which had therein been imparted upon me (during the first journey) - first by the Buddha (as an 'Intermediate' Clear Light Entity), then by the 'Clear Light Deity Entity' (call it what you like; It'll answer!) that the Buddha 'took me to see' after I realized that I'd 'come too soon' and decided that I should go back to my body and continue this Incarnation (again; this was the first of the two journies - the second having been much different) - was 'true'; and that I, therefore, have the 'right' to discuss these things from the point-of-view of one who has been blessed with something akin to 'enlightenment'.
I thought that you should know all of this, so you can judge for yourself whether I'm a 'nut job' (some say so; most of them Christian/Catholics - suprise, suprise!) - or a Great Guru/Mahatma/Saint myself (it was a Buddhist who suggested the 'Rin' - or Rinpoche - in JimRinX; the X is for Malcolm X, who is one of my heroes - although I am a White Guy!).
Now that I've cleared that up; here goes!
I think that any confusion you might have regarding Buddhism and God stems from the teachings of the Theravada; as, unlike the Tibetan (Mahayana, Hinnayana) School - which I, basically, was led to see as being the 'true' truth, they see Life as suffering (correctly), a persons Duty as allieviating others suffering, and death not just as 'release' from said suffering - but also as the complete termination of ones existence, period.
If you listen to me, or read The Dali Lama, you'll see that We believe that Death is followed by the journey to The Bardo - one of the 'formless realms'; that you'll there encounter 'Intermediate Clear Light Entities' (Theravada denies this outright! They say NO Atman; that Buddha said NO Atman; that Tibetan School is, therefore, wrong!), who are - most often - ones fellow 'not-yet-ready-to-stay-in-the-formless-realm-of-the-Deity-Entities beings, though The Buddha put in an 'appearence' as such an entity for me; that, if you've actually died and are meant to stay dead, you'll encounter Lord Yama, who will have handfuls of 'Black and White Pebbles' (a metaphore for ones Deeds, good and bad); that He will thus judge your deeds; that your status will thus be determined (Up and Onward; Reincarnated - Man or Beast; Hell Realm; Hungry Ghost; etc.); that, if it's your Dharma for you to be reincarnated as a Human, you'll see your parrents making love to concive you; and that you'll then spend some time - 49 days, if I remember correctly - observing (even helping!) those who you've loved (or hated; though you'll see the Dharma of their ill-deeds Karma and know compassion for them, in a manner that you'd have never been able to imagine before then! So forget about taking 'revenge', in some God-like manner!) in both your immediate past life or others; as there are Spirits you'll meet in every one of them - most especially your one-and-only Soul Mate!
When I was in the Bardo-Realm (total of ten minutes on two occasions), I was able to p{censored} the memories of ALL my Incarnations; which explained to me the True Nature of everything from Deja Vu, to Precognition, to Prophecy, to Ithos (complex things that you know how to do, though you don't remember learning them)! Time becomes a 'dirrection'; and 'moving through it' like turning to the left or the right! Space, you'll be able to leap across - traversing vast distances in an Instant!
Love like.....well, you'll just have to wait and see for yourself! I have No Words!
The fact that Tibetan Buddhism acknowledges Lord Yama and numerous other Deities (I'm terrible with names - especially 'foreign' ones; but I know who they are, anyway. We've 'met', you see.); the fact that I've personally encountered them in the Bardo; the fact that, twelve years after the fact, I read The Path to Freedom and discovered that my experiences matched the Dali Lamas words exactly; all of this makes, in my eyes, being a Buddhist who believes in Deity Entities O.K.!
The Clear Light; which many dour, sour sounding Theravada Buddhist deny; is an 'Atman-like' part of you that does transmigrate from one Physical Incarnation to another; only The Clear Light 'concept' carries none of the Caste = Dharma asociations that the Atman of Hinduism does.
Ghandi would approve; and I believe that The Buddha, rather than denying the Atman, was merely seeking to disassociate Buddhist belief from the Idea that there is a caste-based Dharmic certainty that one will always be reincarnated as a Brahman - and only as a Brahman - if one already is a Brahman; but NOT that He was saying that there is no Atman-like part of us that transmigrates after death!!!
That's why I, and the Dali Lama, always say 'Clear Light part of me/you/us' rather than Atman; as there is no caste based system that predetermines ones Dharma - for this would 'disallow' Bad Brahmans from being sent to Hell Realms, wouldn't it?
I've often thought that, like has happened with many other Religions, at some point in time a group of Buddhist authorities was forced - by fear of torture, death, etc. - to 'kiss the butt' of a Brahman King who ddin't want to hear the Bodhi Dhamra as it should be taught; as said King didn't want to believe that HE could become a Hungry Ghost - so, out of desire for self-preservation, they altered the Buddhas Teachings to indicate that Death was The End - Period; no judgement, no watching ones next parrents making love, no nothing - just an end to suffering.
However it happened, they did themselves and many otehr a Great Dis-service; as The Buddha was actually 'correcting' many of the Hindu fallacies (Caste-Dharma; I know there's a more proper word - but I only speak English, and I need to re-read some things!) that Guru Nanak did!
That's why I'm attracted to SPN, Sikhism, Sufism, etc.!!!
I should, perhaps, point out that, when I asked the Greater of the two Clear Light Entities (the one I call a Deity Entity) who I encountered on my first journey what It was called; it gave me nearly every name of every 'God-Head' that i'd ever heard of!
That's why I say to you there IS only ONE GOD - and it's name is (fill in the blank)!
We were all One Tribe, once; and It had only One Name then, you see!:yes:
I hope this brought some Happy Understanding to you, Sa'ad ji!
