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Question:(unedited)
Hello, How would one know that they were in the presence of a enlightened /awakened person? Is there an energy or feeling one senses around this person and if so,can you sense this from the person's photo as well?
My comment:
Thank you for asking me.
Unless the person has actually encountered an enlightened person, I don't think he can provide you with an honest answer. As for me I have not the good fortune to have met an "enlightened person". I am not sure whether you can find an enlightened person in this day and age; although many would want us to believe so. I can always cook up something to answer your question with fantastic exaggerations and fantasies, but I would like to give you an honest answer. I really don't know.
As for your second question, I would think that if one is fortunate enough to have met such an enlightened person, one would definitely be overwhelmed by his powerful aura and energy. As for the photo, I don't think so. This brings us to a true incident ( which may be many of such stories). There was this monk whom many thought to be enlightened. They claimed that when his photo was taken they could see halo around his head. Incidentally, I also did take his pictures but there was no halo. Of course I did not succumb to this claim. By the way this monk was quite a handsome young man and a bit charismatic too. He is now disrobed for disgraceful conduct. The moral of the story is that one must know the Buddha's teachings in the proper perspective, and not succumb to theatrical fantasies.
The message of the Buddha is to seek truth, reduce our defilements, and live in peace with oneself and the world.
Hello, How would one know that they were in the presence of a enlightened /awakened person? Is there an energy or feeling one senses around this person and if so,can you sense this from the person's photo as well?
My comment:
Thank you for asking me.
Unless the person has actually encountered an enlightened person, I don't think he can provide you with an honest answer. As for me I have not the good fortune to have met an "enlightened person". I am not sure whether you can find an enlightened person in this day and age; although many would want us to believe so. I can always cook up something to answer your question with fantastic exaggerations and fantasies, but I would like to give you an honest answer. I really don't know.
As for your second question, I would think that if one is fortunate enough to have met such an enlightened person, one would definitely be overwhelmed by his powerful aura and energy. As for the photo, I don't think so. This brings us to a true incident ( which may be many of such stories). There was this monk whom many thought to be enlightened. They claimed that when his photo was taken they could see halo around his head. Incidentally, I also did take his pictures but there was no halo. Of course I did not succumb to this claim. By the way this monk was quite a handsome young man and a bit charismatic too. He is now disrobed for disgraceful conduct. The moral of the story is that one must know the Buddha's teachings in the proper perspective, and not succumb to theatrical fantasies.
The message of the Buddha is to seek truth, reduce our defilements, and live in peace with oneself and the world.
2 comments:
Justin,
You are just being frank in your answer to the question. Many people have the misconception in learning Buddhism especially after watching movies like Shaolin Temple.
Also, many Chinese mixed up Buddhism with Toaism which somehow 'tainted' good image of true Buddhism.
Yes,majority of Chinese worldwide who label themselves "Buddhists" actually do not know anything about Buddhism. They don't even know who the Buddha is, let alone what he taught. Spiritually they are living in a "spiritual vacuum" without any stable religious foundation opening themselves as easy targets of the ETs (Evangelist Terrorists).
The same scenario for the South Koreans and Japanese
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