The cycle of existence

Question :(Unedited)
do buddhists believe in evolutionism or creationism ?.... im guessing evolutionism because the orgin of the world that buddha tought is that life evolved from simple to complex organisms over millions of years?

My comment:

Our present existence is but a cycle of "creation, evolution, and destruction". 　In astronomy, scientists could observe this "phenomenon" of creation, evolution and destruction of planets and stars. 　There is no beginning and end. 　It is a perpetual cycle. 　It has been like this in time immemorial and will be likewise forever, ad infinitum.

Within one cycle, there is the "creation" of world systems. 　Life appears from other planes of existence and evolves. 　The cycle will again go through the stages of "creation, evolution, dissolution, and destruction".

At this point in time, countless world systems go through the different phases of this cycle of existence. 　Ask any astro scientist and he will confirm this truth. 　The Buddha, with his mind power (omniscience) could see through all these phenomena.

Origin of humans

Question : (Unedited)

what do buddhists believe about the orgin of people... what do buddhits say about where people came from into this world?

My comment:

Hi L,

There is a discourse where the Buddha explained the "evolution" or the "beginning" of life. 　However this "beginning" was just the beginning of endless cycles of existence stretching for an unimaginable and incalculable long periods of time; for lack of a better word it is called an aeon for one such cycle. 　Unless you are familiar with Buddhist teachings, you are not going to believe this. 　

Be that as it may, the story goes like this: 　Long long ago, luminous beings having descended to earth from a higher plane of existence, found that on the surface of the planet was a layer of very aromatic substance. 　They decided to taste it and subsequently were addicted to it. 　After a long time they lost their luminosity and supernatural powers, and their forms evolved into what we are today. 　This was the result of having tasted the "forbidden elixir"....sounds familiar??

Can you teach Buddhism to a Caucasian?

Question : (Unedited)

I heard someone say it is harder to teach Buddhism to a Westerner, Why is that?

My comment:

Hi W,

For someone new to Buddhism, it is like a first-time traveller discovering new and strange places, some totally alien and opposed to one's experiences. 　Buddhist doctrines will be totally alien to a stereotyped Caucasian who has been brought up in a Christian environment. 　This is because Buddhist concepts are very different from Christian doctrines. 　It will take some time for him to think "outside the box" and experience a paradigm shift in order to appreciate and understand what the Buddha taught.

A stereotyped Western mindset in terms of religion is that there must be a creator god and the devil; a hell and a heaven; punishment and reward by god. 　Everything is centred on the fear of this all-powerful and all-knowing god. 　This is the greatest hindrance to a Western mind to understand the teachings of the Buddha. 　It is a "religious shock" to learn that Buddhism is totally different from Christianity. 　So long as the Western mindset is not changed, this person will have difficulty learning Buddhism. 　The only way is to leave aside all the indoctrinated ideas and set oneself to learn Buddhism with an "open mind".

On the positive side, once the Westerner begins to understand Buddhism, he can practise better than an Asian. 　Asians are afffected by their ingrained superstitions and the fear of ghosts. 　

Unchecked desire

Question : (Unedited)

Can you help understand what the Buddhist definition of "desire" is?

If I desire to watch a movie and enjoyed it, will it lead to suffering?

Thanks.

My comment:

Hi W,

Thank you for asking me.

We can say that the teachings of the Buddha are of 2 levels. 　One is for the lay people. 　The other is for those who pursue the ultimate release or salvation, generally refers to monks and nuns. 　The teachings are no different, but the intensity of practice and realization is different. 　If we really want to seek ultimate release or salvation it is very difficult to live as worldly persons because being worldly we are subject to worldly problems, worldly needs, and worldly temptations. 　

As a worldly person you would agree with me that it is impossible to live without the necessities of human comfort (and a little bit of sensual gratification). 　The Buddha's contention is not so much of riding material possessions or depriving oneself of any form of sense gratifications, but not to be over crazy with our desires. 　We practise a lifestyle of CONTENTMENT with what we already have. 　This does not prevent us from further improving our material well being, or enjoying ourselves. 　The skill in right-living is to be contented here and now. 　Otherwise, we will be like crazy fools chasing after more and more material gains and sense desires without ends.

These sensual desires are unquenchable. 　It is the very nature of physical senses. 　Take for example, hunger. 　Once the hunger is satisfied with intake of food; the process of depletion starts, and after some time one feels hungry again. 　Another aspect of sense desire is the stronger feeling of craving. 　One's craving to satisfy one's desire is itself a catalyst to crave for more. 　When this craving goes unchecked, one becomes crazy! 　So the option is opened to anyone who follows the Buddha's teachings: 　to continue feeding these desires with more craving, or to come to one's senses to reduce this crazy cycle of on-going "madness".

It is important to understand that the Buddha never asked us to live a layman's life like zombies. 　We must have the wisdom to live a skilful life with moderation, to enjoy and be peaceful and be happy.

Please enjoy your movies and other happy activities!!

Hope this clears your doubt.

No I, No Self

Question (Unedited)

 

If there is no self at all, who is meditating? your body? your mind? Are we something bigger than just humans? and when we die, who is being reborn?

Thank you!

My comment:
Hi Kt,

Thank you for asking me.

The Buddhist concept of "no self" is not to be literally translated as such. The Pali term is "Anatta". 　What the Buddha meant was that there was no permanent,unchanging self. 　There is no permanent unchanging soul. 　There is no permanent unchanging "I". 　In order to understand this concept, we need to know the Buddha's revelation of what constitute a person. 　A person is comprised of matter (physical body) and mind. 　We know that this physical body will perish one day. 　It is not a permanent entity. 　The mind is also not a permanent unchanging phenomenon. 　The mind is always in a state of flux. 　There are thought moments continuously going on in the mind. 　This is the consciousness or energy that gives the mind its substance. 　　The energy of the mind is just like the electric current flowing continuously, but no two moments are the same.
The existence of a person is the results of the energy of the mind taking existence in this physical body. The nature of life-form that this mind energy affixes to, will depend on the nature of the accumulated "kammic" store-house which the being had generated throughout its numerous life existences. If the kammic storehouse has a greater portion of evil and unwholesome kammic energy, this mental energy will seek a rebirth in the appropriate existence such that the evil and unwholesome energies will actualize in that life, causing agony and suffering for the being. 　Likewise, wholesome kammic energy will seek out a happy rebirth. 　Often, the kammic energy is a mixture of both good and bad strains.

 

 

The Chant of Metta : Imee Ooi

(If video does not appear, just click on the screen.)

The Chant of Metta, beautifully rendered by the artistically talented Imee Ooi.  The music is very soothing and the lyrics universal, from the Budhist text.

Hope you experience inner peace listening to this.

Happy Wesak

Today, Tuesday May 17, is Wesak Day. The thrice blessed day when the Buddha was born, gained enlightenment and finally passed into Nibbana. 

The Buddha is dead and gone.  We don't depend on him as a person to gain protection and to experience inner peace and contentment.  It is his teachings that hold supreme.  The Buddha advised us to practise his teachings, the Dhamma; and the Dhamma will protect us and give us peace and contentment.  The main theme of the Dhamma is to avoid harming others, help everyone, and to purify the mind so that we can reduce our greed, hatred and delusion in life.  We pay homage and reverence to the Buddha for showing us the Path to liberation from all the unsatisfactoriness of existence.

May this auspicious day bring you inner peace, contentment, and most important of all, good health.