Buddhism the Japanese way: Shinto kami

(Slice)

Sex and porn in "Strange Egypt" (video)

Strange Egypt via DocSpot; Ashley Wells, CC Liu, Seth Auberon, Wisdom Quarterly Wiki edit

The "gods" have sex?

The Eye of Horus sees all.

Ancient Egyptian deities [called devas in Buddhism] are the "gods" and, of course, goddesses worshipped in ancient Egypt.

The beliefs and rituals surrounding them formed the core of ancient Egyptian religion, which emerged sometime in prehistory.

The gods Osiris, Anubis, and Horus (Wikipedia)

Deities represented natural forces and phenomena, and the Egyptians supported and appeased them through offerings and rituals so that these forces would continue to function according to maat, or "divine order."

After the founding of the Egyptian state around 3100 BC, the authority to perform these tasks was controlled by the pharaoh, who in a power grab claimed to be the gods' representative and managed the temples where the rituals were carried out.

The gods' complex characteristics were expressed in myths and in intricate relationships between deities: family ties, loose groups and hierarchies, and combinations of separate gods into one.

Deities' diverse appearances in art—as space aliens, animals, humans, hybrids, objects, and combinations of different forms—also alluded, through symbolism, to their essential features. 

Maat, Goddess of Wisdom

In different eras, various gods were said to hold the highest position in divine society, including the solar deity Ra, the mysterious god Amun, and the mother goddess Isis.

The highest deity was usually credited with the creation of the world and often connected with the life-giving power of the sun.

Some scholars have argued, based in part on Egyptian writings, that the Egyptians came to recognize a single divine power that lay behind all things and was present in all the other deities.

Yet, they never abandoned their original polytheistic view of the world, except possibly during the era of Atenism in the 14th century BC, when official religion focused exclusively on the impersonal sun god Aten.

Gods were assumed to be present throughout the world, capable of influencing natural events and the course of human lives.

People interacted with them in temples and unofficial shrines, for personal reasons as well as for larger goals of state rites.

Egyptians prayed for divine help, used rituals to compel deities to act, and called upon them for advice. Humans' relations with their gods were a fundamental part of Egyptian society. More

Fairies (Fae, Phe, Devas) are REAL (video)

Guest Cara St. Louis, Host Tere Joyce (freedomofjoyce.com, Aug 1, 2016); BoostinR31, Aug. 2016, live in Melbourne, Australia; Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

 

Fae (devas) in Buddhism

Cara St. Louis breaks new research on the Fae, Phe, Fe, or Fey (devas in Buddhism) for the first time to American audiences on the Freedom of Joyce Show. St. Louis is a writer, teacher, activist, and speaker. She has penned the books Consolata's Companion, The Sun Thief, and co-written with Harold Kautz-Vella Dangerous Imagination, Silent Assimilation. The Fae are the so-called "fairies" of legend who are the seed race of modern human beings, the Sidhe (Irish shee), the hybrids.

Live in Australia

Do Buddhists Believe in God?

In South Park's "Super Best Friends," Joseph Smith, the Buddha, Jesus, an unknown Muslim figure, Moses, and Krishna star. In "God's a Buddhist" (Episode 11, Season 4) God confesses he's Buddhist.

Do Buddhists Believe in God?

Text: Buddhist writer and teacher Lewis Richmond (Huffington Post)

In my upcoming book Aging as a Spiritual Practice (Gotham Books, Jan. 2012), I tell the following story:

Once, when I was on a live radio show being interviewed by a Christian talk show host, her first question to me was, "Do you Buddhists believe in God?"

I had only a few seconds to think of an answer.

"Yes," I said.

"Good!" the host said. "And how do you pray?"

I said that we prayed in silence to reach our divine nature.

"I like that!" the host said.

When I have told this story in talks, some of my Buddhist listeners say, "Oh, that's nice. It's good to be polite."

WATCH: "God is a Buddhist" (South Park)

But I wasn't just being polite. I was raised in a Christian church and went to Christian Sunday school. My favorite song as a child was "God is Love." After graduating from college, for a year I attended Christian seminary, with the idea of becoming a minister.

I didn't become a dedicated Buddhist until some time after that. I am comfortable with the word God.

It's true that by saying "Yes" I was also making an effort to establish some common ground. It was live radio, our time slot was 20 minutes and I was there to discuss a just-released book. I didn't want to spend the whole time trying to explain what Buddhists believe.

Also, I felt that a more nuanced answer, however I couched it, would have come across as some version of "No." I sensed the need to give a definitive answer. The answer I gave came closest to what was so for me -- understanding that I was not trying to speak for the world's 320 million Buddhists, but only for myself.

The host knew I was a Buddhist; I was on her show to discuss my book, Healing Lazarus: A Buddhist's Journey from Near Death to New Life. I sensed from the way she posed her question that all she really wanted to know was whether I was a person of religious conviction and belief -- a person of faith. And I am.

I'm an ordained Buddhist priest -- a religious professional. My daily religious practice is the center of my life. I lead meditation groups, I am training and ordaining other priests. In that context, "Yes" is the best answer. More

• Early Buddhism and the God-Idea
• Buddhism in Books, Newspapers, Film, and TV
• VIDEO: The Root of All Evil: The God Delusion
  

The Buddha is called the "teacher of gods and men" because he regularly instructed and his teaching were particularly suited for both devas and human beings.

Does Buddhism Believe in "God"?
Wisdom Quarterly (COMMENTARY)
Buddhists generally believe what they like. God in particular is a popular subject. But Buddhists are not Buddhism. And Buddhism is nontheistic. That is, there may or may not be a God; nevertheless, it has nothing to do with liberation.

There are, in fact, many "gods" (devas and brahmas, deities and divinities). There is, however, no ultimate "creator God," creator of the universe and its lawful (regular and dependable) operations such as karma, physics, chemistry, metaphysics, and the like.

There are many celestial space worlds, other planets, other dimensions, exalted and rarified. However joyful, long lived, glorious, or peaceful, none is permanent. Rebirth there ultimately leads to rebirth elsewhere. Only nirvana transcends the round of birth and death.

Therefore, Buddhists may wish to be reborn in a heaven with the God or gods of their choice. That is fine. That is perfectly fine. Even the gods are subject to karma. Even the gods ultimately fall to meet with the results of their less than skillful karma (intentional actions).

The best candidate for the Judeo-Christian God of the Bible is Buddhism's Maha Brahma ("Great Supremo). Why this sexless super being is called the great is a little difficult to understand. It is the lowlest of brahmas ("supremes"). The "supremes" themselves are subordinate to beings confusingly called devas ("shining ones"). The confusion stems from the fact that lesser beings are also referred to as devas.

Devas in art are represented as wispy, graceful, and crowned with space helmets.

For example, nature has "shining ones" (beautiful elementals, woodland fairies, dryads, sea nymphs). The skies are inhabited by tangible celestial rulers in spacecraft (vimanas). A second celestial plane, on a planet or platform known as the Realm of the Thirty-Three, there are other higher order beings generally superior (longer life, greater beauty, more influence, etc.) to the many varieties and species on Earth and below.

The archangelic devas of the Thirty-Three have one being in particular, the "god of Buddhism" -- Sakka, King of the Devas. He is famous for casting out the unruly elements in heavens, an act that demonized them, at least in terms of their anger. This would make Sakka the "St. Michael" of Christian lore. Why is he called "Michael"?

The most telling piece of evidence for this connection was turned up by Wisdom Quarterly's ongoing research. Before Sakka became Sakka (which is more of a station or office than a single individual in time and space), the Buddha points out, he was Magha of Macala.

The Realm of the Thirty-Three (Tavatimsa) is an advanced world in space.

The Buddha revealed the nature of the good karma that led to Magha's rebirth as a "king of kings" (maharajika devas), a "lord of lord" (archangels in the Realm of the Thirty-Three), and the "son of god" (devaputta, which is a common term that simply means he's a deva).

His fame on Earth is widespread and well known throughout Europe in various mythologies. Long before that, in India he was known as Indra. But cultures stretching back to Egypt and Sumeria (Sumer), Assyria and Babylonia, the imprint and theme of a "Sakka" is consistent.

But Sakka is by no means the only God in Buddhism. There is Maha Brahma, Sahampati Brahma, Baka Brahma. Buddhist cosmology recognizes 31 planes of existence, most of them deva realms corresponding karmically to the attainment of various levels of meditative absorption.

Such attainments are weighty karma that, if held at the time of death, lead to rebirth in those planes. In a very real sense, anyone capable of mastering these states can be a "god" (brahma). Rebirth in the six lower "heavenly" (sky, space) worlds is attained by wholesome karma coming to fruition as one passes away.

Keeping the Five or Eight Precepts -- when those acts of abstaining from harming or engaging in their positive counterparts of helping come to fruition at the moment of passing away -- naturally results a fortunate rebirth. This includes rebirth in the human world, which is an extremely rare event. Such is the power of karma, of reaping what we sow.

Devas rejoiced at the birth of Siddhartha, a deva in his preceding life.

The brahmas are well born. Maha Brahma is great among devas, hailed by Earthlings, and may represent itself as the "creator" of all. Buddhists do not believe in this God in the sense of depending or asking things of it. But many do ask things of earthbound and celestial devas. It was a long standing tradition in India.

The Buddha discouraged it, instead encouraging humans to remember the devas and rejoice in the good they have accomplished bearing in mind that they are capable of the exact same thing. It is quite within reach to be born among the devas (sons and daughters of the gods).

But there is an advantage to being born a human: It is said that this is the easiest world in which to attain final liberation, enlightenment, nirvana. Such an accomplishment is praised by the devas.

Gods, no Gods, theists, atheists, or non-theists, Buddhists may believe what they like. But liberation has little to nothing to do with a belief in gods. Coming across or experiencing the Dharma is far more rare than any belief.

• Do Buddhists believe in God?
• Do Buddhists believe in god?

Letting Go of God (yoism.org)

(TheHour) The famous atheist Richard Dawkins views religion as absurd and pointless. He says God is no different than the tooth fairy: "The God Delusion," a CBC interview.

In Ancient Times: The Goddesses Today

Kris Oster (krisoster@gmail.com), GAIA Fest
Part I: In Ancient Times

IN ANCIENT TIMES introduces participants (women 16 and up) to ancient Goddesses, weaving their stories together with major concerns of women today. Online Kris will be posting the connection information to the Big Tent group called Living in Bliss Circle. All the readings are posted there already, so come jump in! The themes of the 5 sessions are:

I. The Sacred Female: July 15, 2010, 3-4:45pm (PST)

II. In the Name of the Mother and the Daughter: July 22, 3-4:45pm

III. Womanpower: July 28, 3-4:45pm

IV. The First Turning-From Goddess to God: Aug 5, 3-4:45pm

V. Reclaiming Women's Heritage of Peace: Aug 12, 3-4:45pm

The class will meet online every Thursday afternoon for an hour and 45 minutes, July 15 - August 12, 2010. Participants are welcome to take all 5 sessions or drop in on the theme that interests them. Please use the link to sign up for the individual sessions you are interested in.

Each class will begin with an invocation to the Goddess and comprise of lecture and discussion time. I will add meditation, chant, and writing exercises where appropriate. Donation of $5 per session is requested, but not mandatory. No person will be turned away for lack of funds. I look forward to sharing the gifts of the feminine with all of you! Word to the Mother!

Cakes for the Queen of Heaven

DEVAS: radiant beings

Models wearing body painted art by John Vargas from the United States, right, and Jinny Houle from Canada during the 2008 World Body Painting Festival in Daegu, South Korea, Friday, Aug. 29, 2008 (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon).

Devas are "deities, "divinities," or "godlings" -- luminous body entities born as a result of skillful karma. Most of the 31 Planes of Existence are inhabited by different grades of devas. On the human plane, bhumi-devas are "earth angels," "faeries," "sylphs," and "dryads."

They live in, above, or dependent on trees. Judging by artists renditions over many centuries, they are similar to young girls with delicate facial features and waifish (or Rubenesque, pre-Raphaelite) bodies.

They inhabit sylvan locations, ocean depths, mountain ranges, and are often found (or at least worshiped) at the confluence of rivers, waterfalls, places of immense natural beauty, and in "enchanted forests," which is only to say "perceived to be inhabited by supernatural beings."

There are, of course, celestial devas in both the Fine Material World as well as the Immaterial Planes. Like brahmas ("gods"), devas are glorious, radiant, resplendent and marked by signs of beauty. They, however, differ one from the other in terms of radiance, longevity, beauty, influence, powers, wisdom, and fortune. This is because all devas are still bound by karma.

In lower heavenly worlds (deva-lokas), when a being is reborn, it is referred to as a devaputra, literally a "son of god." Of course, it's not necessarily a "son," just a being born among devas, much as one born in this world might be called a "son of man." God (Maha Brahma, or "Great Brahma") has a retinue, and beings reborn into that retinue (i.e., "angels") would be devaputras rather than simple inhabitants of that heavenly realm (devas).

There they inhabit celestial mansions, vimanas (UFO-style platforms that are both home and vehicle) or palaces based on their karma. Female devas (devis) are also known as "celestial nymphs."

Lesser celestial devas have a chief or king known as Sakka. However, it is important to note that none of the named characters in this cosmology are individuals so much as posts or positions occupied (through karma) by individuals. Nor are they unique, but rather features of countless world-systems spreading out in all directions.

It is not difficult to make obvious connections to other world-religions. This view of devas -- living in sport, enjoying powers and beauty but plagued by petty jealousies and exploits -- is in line with Indian, Greek, Roman, Celtic, and Pagan pantheons. (Even monotheistic traditions understand that while there may be one ultimate godhead, God, or source, it has countless expressions).

Finally, since devas are superior to humans in many ways, the Buddha is frequently eferred to as a "teacher of gods and men [i.e., devas and humans]." More devas made spiritual attainments than humans even though only human realms give rise to buddhas.

In light of what is known of devas, and inasmuch as artists have acquainted us with bhumi-devas and lower celestial-devas, the following incarnations may suggest the extraordinary results of karma. (Noting that our bodies are results of our past karma).