A god (brahmā) known as Baka once reflected privately that he
and his heavenly plane of existence were everlasting. He thought that it was not possible that there could be a higher plane of rebirth and was therefore convinced
he had overcome all rebirth and suffering.
The Buddha discerned his deep-seated wrong view and decided out of sympathy to pay Baka a visit in his heaven. When the Buddha appeared in that brahmā world, Baka Brahmā welcomed
him formally but immediately announced:
“Now, good sir, this [place] is permanent, this is everlasting,
this is eternal, this is total, this is not subject to pass
away; for this neither is born nor ages nor dies nor
passes away nor reappears, and beyond this there is
no escape”
(MN 49).
The Buddha, however, contradicted him, pointing out that
every one of his claims was wrong. Just then Māra the Tempter [a kind of Lucifer figure] joined their conversation. Māra’s task is to prevent
beings from being won over to the Dhamma, to keep them
trapped in the cycle of rebirth and death, what Mara views as his personal
domain [11].
Taking possession of one of the brahmā’s attendants, Māra
urged the Buddha, with a display of sympathy, to accept
this brahmā as God, the creator of all other beings.
He told the
Buddha that wandering ascetics of the past who delighted in things of
this life and “who lauded Brahmā” won happy rebirths
afterwards, while those who disbelieved and rejected Brahmā had to endure
terrible punishment [in hells].
The Awakened One (the Buddha) let Mara have his say
and then called his bluff:
“I know you, Evil One. Do not think, ’He does not know me.’ You are Māra, Evil One, and the Brahmā
and his assembly and the members of the assembly
have all fallen into your hands, they have all fallen
under your power. You, Evil One, think, ’This one, too, has fallen into my hands. He, too, has fallen under my
power.’ But I have not fallen into your hands, Evil
One. I have not fallen under your power.”
“All beings subject to craving—humans, subhumans, devas (celestial deities),
or brahmās (grand divinities)—are said to be under Māra’s power because they
can all be moved by their mental defilements and must drift along in the
current of rebirth and death.
But the Buddha and the other arahants (fully enlightened ones) have permanently and completely escaped Māra’s
circle of influence, for they have eliminated all defilements.
They have exhausted the fuel that leads to rebirth and thus have
vanquished the Lord of Death (Mara).
Baka Brahmā begins to speak on his own behalf. He reminds the Buddha of his opening statement on permanence. He
warns him that it is futile to seek “an escape beyond” his
own brahma realm. Then he cajoles and threatens the Buddha in the same
breath:
“If you will hold to earth… beings… gods… you
will be close to me, within my domain, for me to work my
will upon and punish.”
The Buddha agrees that if he clung
to earth (or any other aspect of existence) he would remain
under the control of Mahā Brahmā ("Great Supremo") and Māra, too, but he
adds:
“I understand that your reach and sway extend
thus: Baka the Brahmā has this much power, this much
might, this much influence.”
The Buddha points out that beyond the thousandfold world system over which Baka
reigns there are planes of existence of which Baka is totally
unaware, and beyond all conditioned phenomena there is a
reality that transcends even “the allness of the all”—a
consciousness without manifestation, boundless, luminous
on all sides—to which Baka has no access whatsoever.
The Buddha, demonstrating
his superiority in knowledge and power, then uses
his superior psychic powers to humble Baka in front of his entire assembly.
By the end of the discourse, these once haughty divine beings
marvel at the might of the wandering ascetic Gotama:
“Though living
in a generation that delights in being…he has extirpated
being [becoming, bhava] and its root” [12].
A brahmā with wrong view
Once an unnamed brahmā gave rise to this deluded thought:
“No ascetic is powerful enough to reach my [divine] realm.”
The
Buddha read his mind and proved him wrong by simply
appearing before him and sitting at ease in the air above his
head, while radiating flames from his body in a dramatic
display of supernormal powers.
Four great arahant (fully enlightened) disciples—Mahā Moggallāna (the monk the Buddha declared "foremost in psychic powers" among his disciples), Kassapa, Kappina, and
Anuruddha—independently realized what had happened
and decided to join their Teacher on this divine brahmā plane.
Each
disciple sat cross-legged in the air respectfully below the Buddha—but
above that brahmā—in one of the cardinal directions,
emitting fire around himself.
A short dialogue in verse took place between
Mahā Moggallāna, the Buddha’s second chief male disciple, and that brahmā:
“Today, friend, do you still hold that view,
The same view that you formerly held?
Do you see a radiance
Surpassing that in the brahma-world?”
“I no longer hold that view, dear sir,
[I reject] the view I formerly held.
Indeed, I see a radiance
Surpassing that in the brahma-world?”
Today how could I assert the view
That I am permanent and eternal?”
According to the Commentary (tika) to this story, the brahmā gave
up his wrong view, his wrong belief in his own superiority when he observed the
magnificence of the Buddha and a few of his arahants.
When the
Buddha preached the Dhamma to him, that brahma was established
in the fruit of stream-entry and stopped thinking of himself
as permanent.
When this brahmā saw his own [radical] impermanence clearly and distinctly for himself, his former
tenacious wrong view, wrong opinion that his world and life were immortal was
uprooted.
Many aeons of preparation, the brahmā’s quick
intellect, the Buddha’s perfect timing, and the support of the
four arahants bore fruit in this divinity becoming a stream
enterer (one who has reached the first stage of awakening).
After the Buddha and those arahants left and returned to
Jetavana, the great brahmā wanted to learn more about the
powers of Buddhist monastics. He sent a member of his retinue to ask Mahā Moggallāna whether there are even more monastics of this teacher who can perform such feats as he can. Maha Moggallāna replied:
“Many are the disciples of the Buddha
Who are arahants with taints destroyed,
Triple knowledge bearers with spiritual powers,
Skilled in the course of others’ minds”
(KS I, 182–84; SN 6:5).
Not only do large numbers of monastics have such special
powers and the ability to know other people’s minds, but
there are numerous fully purified arahant disciples of the
Buddha as well. The emissary was glad to hear this answer,
as was that brahmā when he received the report. Source
Matteo Ricci, Latin Matthaeus Riccius (Oct. 6, 1552–May 11, 1610) was an Italian Catholic Jesuit priest and one of the founding figures of the Jesuit China missions.
He created the Kunyu Wanguo Quantu, a 1602 world map written in Chinese characters. In 2022, the Apostolic See declared its recognition of Ricci's heroic virtues, thereby bestowing upon him the honorific of venerable [1]. Ricci arrived at the Portuguese settlement of Macau in 1582, where he began his missionary work in China.
He mastered the Chinese language and writing system.
The West's Vatican will rule China!
He became the first European to enter the Forbidden City of Beijing in 1601 when invited by the Wanli Emperor, who sought his services in matters such as court astronomy and calendrical science.
He emphasized parallels between Catholicism and Confucianismbut opposed Buddhism.
He converted several prominent Chinese officials to Catholicism. He also worked with several Chinese elites, such as Xu Guangqi, in translating Euclid's Elements into Chinese as well as the Confucian classics into Latin for the first time in history. More
LAO TZU (Romanized "the Old Boy," Chinese Laozi, 老子, Pinyin Lǎozǐ) was a legendary Chinese philosopher and sage traditionally credited with writingThe Book of Changesor Tao Te Ching (Pinyin Dào Dé Jīng), one of the foundational texts of Taoism.
Traditional accounts identify him as Li Er, born in the 6th century BC in the state of Chu during China's Spring and Autumn period (c. 770–c. 481 BC). He is said to have served as the royal archivist for the Zhou court.
CONFUCIUS, born Kong Qiu, was a Chinese philosopher of the Spring and Autumn period who is traditionally considered the paragon of Chinese sages. Much of the shared cultural heritage of the Sinosphere originates in the philosophy and teachings of Confucius [1].
His philosophical teachings, called Confucianism, emphasize personal and governmental morality, harmonious social relationships, righteousness, kindness, sincerity, and a ruler's responsibilities to lead by virtue [2].
He considered himself a transmitter for the values of earlier periods, which he claimed had been abandoned in his time... More
Taoism (pronounced Daoism) is a philosophical and religious tradition indigenous to China and is a major influence on Zen. It emphasizes harmony with the Tao (道).
With a range of meanings in Chinese philosophy, translations of Tao include "Way," "Road," "Path," or "Technique," generally understood in the Taoist sense as an enigmatic process of transforming ultimately underlying reality [2, 3].
Taoist thought has informed the development of various practices within the Taoist tradition, including forms of
A common goal of Taoist practice is self-cultivation, a deeper appreciation of the Tao, and a more harmonious existence [with nature].
Taoist ethics [that blended until they are thought to be of Buddhist origin in Zen] generally emphasize virtues of effortless action, naturalness, simplicity, and the three treasures of compassion, frugality, and humility.
Taoism is a distinct tradition with its own scriptures, priestly lineages, and ritual systems, but it has long been closely intertwined with Zen and Chinese folk religion, and the boundary between them is often fluid in practice [5].
The core of Taoist thought crystallized during... More
Researcher and author Michael "The Forbidden Archeologist" Cremo discusses his latest work on consciousness and intriguing discoveries challenging conventional paleoanthropology. A focal point of the conversation is the recent discovery of a species of pachycephalosaur dinosaurs in Montana, USA, known for their distinctive domed skulls. These herbivorous dinosaurs measured about 10 feet long and lived approximately 75 million years ago, before being wiped out by an asteroid impact near the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.
Cremo challenges the long-held belief that humans and dinosaurs never coexisted. He cites evidence of human-like footprints dating back to the Cretaceous period and describes a "Jurassic dinosaur bone...with cut marks...like somebody had taken some sharp instrument and used it to strip the flesh off this dinosaur bone." These findings suggest a possible overlap between humans and dinosaurs, a position dismissed by mainstream scientists.
Currently involved in the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium project in India, Cremo says he is developing exhibits that explore concepts such as cyclic time and the soul's journey through different bodies (reincarnation) in different planetary systems.
He emphasizes the need for new explanations of human origins that incorporate all of the data -- particularly ooparts (out of place artifacts) and the concept of consciousness.
Having attended the Science of Consciousness Conference in Barcelona, Spain, he quotes one scientist from the conference who likened theories of consciousness to "toothbrushes," noting: "Everybody has one, but nobody seems to want to use the other person's," highlighting the fragmented and inconclusive nature of current scientific understanding.
Cremo argues that ancient civilizations had a sophisticated grasp of consciousness and the "self" (atman, ego) as distinct from the physical body. He points out that many ancient texts, such as the Vedic scriptures of the Brahmin priests claimed by Hinduism, describe a multidimensional universe (multiverse) with conscious selves transmigrating through various planes of existence.
"In the Vedic texts," he notes, "they speak of 400,000 human-like species scattered throughout the universe, some with amazing powers and abilities beyond what we are able to accomplish."
The Vedas also indicate there have been interactions between these entities and humans for vast periods of time called yugas, kalpas, and maha-kalpas (epochs, aeons, and great aeons). More
(Spiritual Quest) The mystery of consciousness! Let's explore the enigma of why matter, seemingly unconscious, experiences awareness. Discover the "hard problem of consciousness," insights from philosophers like David Chalmers and Thomas Nagel, and groundbreaking theories from neuroscientists such as Anil Seth and Giulio Tononi. #Consciousness #Philosophy #Neuroscience #Meditation #Mindfulness #AI #Panpsychism
00:00:00 - The fundamental mystery of consciousness
00:01:48 - What is consciousness? (and why it’s hard to define)
00:03:38 - The problem of detecting consciousness
00:05:30 - The illusion of conscious control
00:07:26 - The future of consciousness science
Is consciousness everything?
All-seeing Great Brahma has multiple faces.
Pantheism says "God" is everywhere in everything. What if that actually refers to Consciousness, which seems to be everywhere in everything?
Asangoham made a video on the Brahma Sutras talking about Hinduism that touches on this point, everything originating from Brahma (the "Supremo") who out of boredom created Maya (the illusory world around us), who immediately wanted to play (lila) a game, a divine drama, a diversion.
First, create the universe then get lost in it, forgetting yourself, then play hide-and-seek to find yourself. It's an old New Age belief. It seems to be what Alan Watts believes.
If Everything is conscious then we can know everything by tapping into Source and connecting, merging, uniting with it. It's like tuning into a frequency, as a radio does.
If you’re feeling brave, sit and look — and I mean really look — at a plant on your windowsill as it bends toward the light.
Why are they growing, Son? - Looking for Sun!
It seems simple, but stare at it long enough and you may find yourself doubting everything you thought you knew about your own mind. Sooner or later you’ll ask yourself, "Why, exactly, is that plant stretching toward the sun?"
Sure, you can look it up and find out there’s a thing called phototropism, which involves cells in a plant elongating to chase the sun. But that’s not really much of an answer. The question is, Why does the plant do that?
Is its movement just a mechanistic response with no feeling [or reflexive awareness] behind it? Or does the plant want that delicious, warm light? To many kids, it’s obvious: The plant wants the light!
Yet as adults, at least in the West, we’re supposed to be embarrassed by that kind of language. Modern science warns us against anthropomorphizing [treating nonhuman things as if they're human] — and not just when it comes to plants.
Edgar Cayce (1877–1945) was an American channeler and clairvoyant who diagnosed diseases and recommended treatments for ailments while in trance [1].
During thousands of transcribed sessions while seemingly asleep, Cayce could answer questions on many subjects such as physical healing, scars of the soul, past lives, karma, reincarnation, dreams, the afterlife, past lives, nutrition, Atlantis, engineering, high finance, the stock market, and future events.
Cayce described himself as a devout Christian and denied being a Spiritualist or communicating with spirits. Cayce is regarded as a founder and a principal source of many characteristic beliefs of today's New Age movement [2]. More
Author Patanjali and translators Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood have 4.7 out of 5 stars with 567 ratings. This is a major work on the practice of yoga and meditation. Through these ancient aphorisms by the sage Patanjali, readers will learn how to control the mind and achieve inner peace. Although these methods were taught over 2,000 years ago, they are as alive and effective as they have ever been. This 1953 translation draws from the inspired commentary of both Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood.Part of: Routledge Library Editions: Yoga (10 books).More
It rained in Los Angeles on Saturday morning, as it has 5 out of the 6 years this fest has existed. So most diehard yogis were undeterred. While it remained cold, cloudy, and drizzly with showers in some parts of the megalopolis that is LA County, which stretches for over 50 miles across as a basin, the sun came out over Torrance, the city (one of 88) hosting the festival.
Yogananda was a great Indian guru who is bigger than the organization that claims to be his exclusive promoter, the Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF). There is a better albeit smaller organization that promotes the real guru, baby and all.
(Could the great Hindu-Christian syncretic-saint have had a baby with one of his American female disciples?) The Ananda Church of Self-Realization (Donate | Yogananda Fest) is a kind of schism that arose among Paramhansa Yogananda's followers.
One original disciple, Kriyananda, was a purist. He decided to publish the founder's autobiography in its ORIGINAL (unredacted, unabridged) form. It's better that way to read it, but SRF doesn't like it.
The larger, less orthodox SRF organization made changes to the classic book and will not settle a lawsuit that says the rightful owner of the religious organization is Yogananda's unacknowledged son. There's DNA evidence to back up Ananda's claim, but SRF will not acknowledge, as to do so would mean the loss of their ability to legally claim ownership of the book, its proceeds, the properties spread across LA and elsewhere, and the legacy of the great master. What to do? What to do? More lawyers are needed to settle the issue. Or the son should become a guru, claim his lineage, and speak out publicly rather than behind the Ananda organization. Until then, there are TWO versions of the book. Which have most people read?
After about 9:00 am, with clear skies and lots of enthusiastic participants from the Holy City of Lost Angels, events went on as planned: meditation, Kriya Yoga, Hatha Yoga, inspiring featured speakers and more.
That mansion became Yogananda's Self Realization Fellowship's Mother Center (older than the magnificent Lake Shrine in Malibu, currently closed due to the Palisades Fire), after the organization's founding in 1920, along with a big temple in Hollywood on Sunset Blvd. (next to an old hospital purchased by Scientology and made into big cult offices), whereas Vivekananda's Victorian style house is a small and easily missed blip on Figueroa Street. Not far from there, a devotee of Sri Anandamayi Ma named Swami Paramananda founded the beautiful and rustic monastery in Glendale/La Crescenta called Ananda Ashram (Ananda Ashrama, spiritual center for Vedanta) in 1923.
So Yogananda is a sort of latecomer but by far the most successful of Indian gurus in America, outshining even the Beatles' cultish Indian guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder and promoter of Transcendental Meditation (TM), which was a fad from the 1960s though still some people swear by it, like a young Jeff Goldblum in his cameo in Annie Hall.
Why does any of this matter? Not only did Hinduism come to America, Buddhism came along as well (many centuries earlier, even before Columbus and Christianity, according to Rick Fields, Edward P. Vining, and other American historians), making an incredible splash that still reverberates and sends out rings of influence. Books have been written about it.]
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