NDE, Jesus and Hell

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    • #38668
      firewns
      Participant

      Dear Lal,

      I am not sure whether this question should appear in this section or in the general section. If you think it is appropriate, please make the necessary changes.

      I have come across youtube videos about people having near-death experiences in which they encountered Jesus and sometimes they went to the realm of ‘Hell’.

      a) What is your opinion about such videos? As much as I have found much peace reading the materials in your website, yet I find myself wondering about these videos.

      b) Lal, do you have unshakeable faith in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha? If so, how does that faith become unshakeable?

      With much thanks for your reply,
      firewns

    • #38669
      Lal
      Keymaster

      The answer to the first question should become clear when you look at it the following way.
      – What happens in an NDE? The mental body (gandhabba) comes out and it experiences the world without the burden of a physical body. It is the same person!
      – So, whatever biases/wrong views that they had inside the physical body, they would still have them.
      – Therefore, I understand the context of such videos.

      Of course, I have unshakeable faith in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha. Otherwise, I would not be spending essentially all of my time dedicated to this effort of sharing what I have gained.
      – How does a child KNOW without a doubt that he has learned how to add and subtract, i.e., have faith in what he learned?
      – They would know that because they will be able to use what they learned to solve any random problem. Once they find the solution, no one can deny that they had solved it correctly. Even if the teacher says the answer is wrong, he can SHOW the teacher that he is correct and the teacher is wrong.
      – Once true understanding comes, it is unshakeable. In this case, of course, it is understanding the Noble Truths/Paticca Samuppada/Tilakkhana.

    • #38670
      firewns
      Participant

      Thank you very much for your reply, Lal.

      In the months and years after coming across the materials in your website, I have felt such a great burden lift from me. So much so that if other people were to tell me that I am wrong or just imagining it, it would be like telling me two plus two is not equal to four, just like the analogy you used.

      Much of my mental agitation is gone, that I am sure would not have subsided through any other cause. For I have tried hard to quell the mental agitation through other means but failed. I am sure many other people who are in turmoil would be able to experience the same if they could put down their biases, cravings and unreasonable expectations about the world.

      Please continue to keep up such excellent work for the benefit of countless sentient beings, who may be lost while searching for a way out of their mental anguish, and not know where to turn to for advice and guidance.

      Firewns

      P.S. You have also resolved my doubts about the context of the videos that I asked you about. For that I am very grateful. Thank you very much!

    • #38674
      Lal
      Keymaster

      You are welcome, firewns!

      It is good to discuss these issues whenever they come up.

    • #38675
      cubibobi
      Participant

      Speaking of “hell”, you may want to check out this book, an interesting read:

      Bercholz, Samuel
      A Guided Tour of Hell

      Lal mentioned it briefly in:

      Does the Hell (Niraya) Exist?

      In my native country, there are accounts of people who “dozed off” and “drifted” to “hell”. Their description of the experience is very vivid.

      They also said that they now firmly believed in the law of kamma. Thus, such an experience can help people get on the mundane path.

      Best,
      Lang

    • #38676
      cubibobi
      Participant

      Lal said:

      “Of course, I have unshakeable faith in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha. Otherwise, I would not be spending essentially all of my time dedicated to this effort of sharing what I have gained.”

      Thank you very much for this comment since it clarifies for me something in my mind not too long ago, after I had a discussion on Dhamma with someone.

      I was telling someone about the Buddha Dhamma I learned here, and he brought up something I had not thought of before. The argument was something like this (and I am using “he” in the sense of a gender-neutral pronoun below):

      If what you are saying were true then people who had seen Dhamma would be distant and aloof toward life.

      (1) Take the case of a sotapanna
      He had seen the fruitlessness, and even dangers, of mundane life, and thus he would not spend extra effort to make the mundane world a better place.

      If he had a job then he would do the minimum to get by, and then contemplate Dhamma. He would not strive to be excellent at his job. Such a person would never be someone like a Bill Gates or Steve Jobs whose technology made the world a better place.

      Socially, he would likely not be an activist, fighting for social justice — civil rights, gay rights, etc. Again, he would likely spend his time meditating toward the next magga phala.

      (2) Take the case of a sakadagami
      If he were seriously ill he may not even seek treatment since the sooner he dies as a human the sooner he is reborn a deva where he experiences no more illness. Furthermore, if a sakadagami family member dies he may even be happy about it.

      I now firmly believe that when someone becomes an ariya he has a strong wish to share what he’s gained with others. It’s what Lal is doing here. The purpose of this site is to help get people to the sotapanna stage; I remember reading this somewhere. And for that we are forever grateful.

      Best,
      Lang

    • #38697
      Lal
      Keymaster

      You are quite correct, Lang.

      People have very weird ideas about Sotapannas, Anagamis, Arahants, etc.
      – They are all human. But they live more peaceful lives than average humans burdened by numerous “mind-made stresses.” Other than that, most benefits are not realized in this life.
      – Furthermore, they want to do as much as possible to help others.
      – Most neighbors may not even know whether I am a Buddhist!

    • #38737
      Lal
      Keymaster

      In the first comment of this thread, firewns stated: “I have come across youtube videos about people having near-death experiences in which they encountered Jesus and sometimes they went to the realm of ‘Hell’.”

      The new post of today “Three Types of “Bodies” – Poṭṭhapāda Sutta (DN 9)” may help clarify this issue.

    • #38844
      firewns
      Participant

      Thank you very much, Lang and Lal, for your further helpful comments!

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