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Yes. It all makes sense, Dipo.
I and others here at the forum have had similar experiences.
As Lang once commented, the “nirāmisa sukha” is obvious.
– Any “āmisa sukha” due to sensory experiences from the five physical senses is there only during the experience. For example, you taste the food only while eating.
– But the “nirāmisa sukha” is a state of mind.Your analogy is an excellent one, Lang!
1. Yes. Only when the gandhabba is inside the physical body, do we need the brain to extract memories.
2. When the gandhabba is outside (like in NDE), the gandhabba can directly tap into the viññāṇa dhātu and access memories. Even though such memories are still likely to be limited, they would be much more than the memories tapped while inside the physical body.
3. Furthermore, since seeing and hearing do not require eyes, ears, and the brain, a gandhabba outside the physical body can see and hear over long distances. Of course, they can go through the walls too.
– Many people with NDEs have reported different combinations of the above experiences.
– A friend of mine had cultivated anariya jhanas and could get out of the physical body. One example is that she once “went” to the temple (with the gandhabba body.) There is some kind of a signpost at the entrance, and she read something on it written in small letters. She had never read that previously. But she has now understood the futility of such things based on anariya jhana and would not “get out of the body” anymore. But she says she never went through walls or didn’t even try.The physicist/Engineer with NDE experience that Lang referred to above talks about his experiences in the following youtube video. I just found it now and watched only a part of it:
Science and Postmortem Survival with Alan Ross Hugenot
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I agree since you say the list is not in a particular order.
A preferable order is:
Kamma
Rebirth
Dukkha sacca
Anicca
Dukkha } Tilakkhana
AnattaThe first two fall within getting rid of the ten types of wrong views (miccha ditthi).
It would be impossible to see the world’s anicca, dukkha, and anatta nature until one gets rid of the wrong views about the world: No results of kamma (done with lobha, dosa, moha, alobha, adosa, amoha,) no rebirth process, no spontaneous births, etc.
Hello Dipo,
You don’t need to direct the questions to me. It is better to just post the question because others may want to comment too. I could be looking at it from one angle, and others could be looking at it from different angles.
Yes. It is an important question.
1. Giving (Dāna) is primarily of two types. One can give away material things (food, shelter, etc.), which is āmisa dāna. The other is to teach Buddha Dhamma which is Dhamma dāna.
2. Giving material things is good and MUST be done at all possible times. It sets the background to be able to understand Dhamma and reach Nibbana. We know that dāna pāramitā is a key pāramitā helping set up the background to direct one to Nibbana.
– We see many people who are not even interested in looking into Buddha Dhamma. They simply don’t have that necessary mindset.
– So, one should always give, especially when coming across people/animals who need food, shelter, or help in any other way.3. However, none of that comes even close to Dhamma dāna. We can understand that the following way.
– Any amount of āmisa dāna will lead to temporary relief that can affect only the current life of the receiver.
– However, think about what would be the result of helping someone to attain the Sotapanna stage. That person will be free of numerous rebirths in the apayas. The Buddha clearly stated that over 99% of those who pass away from the human realm are born in an apaya.
– Thus, if even one person can be directed toward the Sotapanna stage, that is equivalent to saving the suffering through millions/billions of lives.
– When I started this website, I thought my efforts would not go to waste if just one person could be directed toward the Sotapanna stage. I am quite sure that more than one person has benefitted from the website. Yet, I always make sure to give to charity a certain amount every year because āmisa dāna is also important.“Dāna Sutta (Iti 98)” state the key points I discussed above. English translation there is good.
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Another angle in “matching a suitable womb” for a gandhabba is “paying back debt.”
I mentioned that briefly in the post: “Kamma, Debt, and Meditation”
As stated in #4 there: “Many relationships that we have in this life arise from “long-term debt” from many lives in the past. For example, people are born in the same family, same community, or same geographical locations, for many, many lives. That is for just paying back debts and for claiming old debts.”
Thanks for sharing a part of your life story, Dipo.
Yes. Yours seems to be an exception to the general rule that children share parents’ gati.
– It is inspiring that you have overcome so many obstacles to get to this point. No doubt that you will progress much further.Hello Dipo,
I had made an error in that statement you quoted.
It should read, “When one gets rid of all ten micchā diṭṭhi, one is truly on the Noble Eightfold Path.” I just revised the post. It is #9 of the post, “Micchā Diṭṭhi, Gandhabba, and Sōtapanna Stage”
– Just to emphasize: One who has removed the 10 types of miccha ditthi is only on the mundane path UNTIL grasping Tilakkhana. One is on the Noble Eightfold Path when one has removed the 10 types of miccha ditthi AND understood Tilakkhana.(By the way, please provide the link to the post in question (that you quote). Otherwise, I have to spend time searching for the post)
Yes. It is easier for someone who does not have the 10 types of miccha ditthi to grasp the Tilakkhana.
Hello Tien,
You wrote: ” So instead of the universe keep expanding due to the pushing property of dark matter lead to the heat death, once it decay, it’ll no longer have that property and act just like regular matter and pulling the universe together, maybe even back to the singularity.”
1. The idea of the whole universe emerging from a “Big Bang” is the current scientific THEORY. It is NOT proven.
2. Buddha taught a VERY DIFFERENT picture. In that, only clusters of stars are destroyed from time to time. Each star with a planetary system is a cakkavala. A cluster of 10,000 cakkavala is destroyed at a time. Then it “re-builds” over a long time.
– That is the process described in detail in the Agganna Sutta.
– See, “Buddhism and Evolution – Aggañña Sutta (DN 27)“Hello Dipo,
I don’t see anything wrong with your inquiry into this issue. It is a complex issue.
1. The approach of Buddha Dhamma and modern science on the mind are the exact opposite approaches. I have tried to emphasize that in answer to a previous question from you.
– My suggestion is to keep that in mind.
– Science says that “consciousness” or “mind” emerges from matter. Buddha Dhamma says consciousness can arise ONLY in a hadaya vatthu created by kammic energy.
– It will NOT be possible to come to an explanation that can satisfy both approaches. If you try to “merge the two,” you will only get more confused.2. I just did a search, and that is an easy way to look for relevant posts: “Search Results for: matching womb gandhabba.”
3. The following is what I mean by a “matching womb” or a “suitable womb.”
– In general, children of a couple will have gati (character/habits) that are similar to their own. Of course, no two people will have exactly the same gati. But two people get together BECAUSE they have similar gati.
– The children will have PHYSICAL features from both parents, but in some cases, the child may have features mostly from one parent.
– MENTAL aspects may turn out to be that way too. But as mentioned above, the parent are likely to have more common mental aspects between them.4. Therefore, only those gandhabbas “matching” the MENTAL aspects will be pulled into the mother’s womb.
– We can see that to be true in general. Children normally have the moral qualities of their parents.
– But there can be exceptions. If the mother becomes distressed (say, in rape situations), her mental state could affect the type of gandhabba drawn into the womb. Normally, the “descending of a gandhabba into the womb” occurs within a day or two after intercourse.5. This “matching of gati” can be seen in many situations. It is a natural process. The saying, “Birds of a feather flock together,” is true, and we can see that all around us.
– See, “The Law of Attraction, Habits, Character (Gati), and Cravings (Āsava)”6. After reading the post in #5, you may want to read some of the posts in #2 and ask specific questions (you may be able to locate the post you had in mind there).
Hello Zapper,
It is OK to tell “white lies” for good results.
– But the example that you give is not a good one. Depending on the actual situation, it could be good or bad.Here is a better example of a good “white lie”:
“10. During the Nazi terror in Germany, many Germans “lied” to the Nazis that they were not hiding Jews in their houses; of course, the intention was to save human lives, and thus it was the right thing to do. They acquired good kamma for protecting lives.”That is from the post, “Right Speech – How to Avoid Accumulating Kamma.” You may want to read it.
There can be only one Buddha for a group of 10,000 cakkavāla within a given period of time. The next Buddha for us will not appear for a few more million years.
– There can be multiple Buddhas in different groups of 10,000 cakkavāla simultaneously.I think there is some information on the system of 10,000 cakkavāla in the post I referred to in the previous comment.
Buddha Dhamma says there are 31 realms associated with each habitable planetary system (cakkavāla). And there are an infinite number of them in the universe (this latter fact has been confirmed by science).
– It is likely that life in other cakkavāla is not that different from ours.However, the nearest cakkavāla (star with planets) is about 4 light-years away. That means a spacecraft traveling at the speed of light will take four years to get there.
– Since it is unlikely that even one-hundredth of the speed of light can be achieved for a spacecraft, travel to another cakkavāla is highly unlikely.See, “Pāṭihāriya (Supernormal Abilities) of a Buddha – Part I“
I forgot to mention: The suttas on Paṭicca Samuppāda are in the Sutta Pitaka, not in the Abhidhamma section.
The main series of those suttas start with the “Paṭiccasamuppāda Sutta (SN 12.1)“.
However, especially for those just starting to understand Paṭicca Samuppāda, reading word-by-word translations of suttas is not likely to be helpful. That is because suttas are in a highly-condensed form that requires detailed explanations.
– See my post, “Pāli Canon Is Self-Contained but Requires Detailed Explanation”I recommend reading the recently detailed explanation: “Paṭicca Samuppāda During a Lifetime.”
– I will start on a few posts to simplify that analysis with some examples in the next post.Hello Zapper,
First, you should have been able to put in the full text. There is no need to break up a post into many pieces. I have combined your posts into one. If you run into the same problem, please send me an email describing what happens: [email protected].
Your reference at Sutta Central is a complex Abhidhamma analysis of Paticca Samuppada.
– Most people can’t understand that analysis until the basic version of Paticca Samuppada is understood.
– That is why there is no English translation for that at Sutta Central. They don’t understand it either.
– Tobias G understands that complex process. That is why he commented above. But it requires a lengthy explanation.There are a few versions, even in the basic versions of Paticca Samuppada (PS).
– “Idappaccayātā Paṭicca Samuppāda” describes PS processes that take place within a lifetime.
– “Uppatti Paṭicca Samuppāda (How We Create Our Own Rebirths)” describes the PS process responsible for future rebirths.It is best first to understand the Idappaccayātā Paṭicca Samuppāda.
– I have described it in detail: “Paṭicca Samuppāda During a Lifetime“P.S. It means “anger/hate.”
See, “Pañca Nīvaraṇa and Sensual Pleasures (Kāma Rāga)”
Also, see my reply to Siebe’s question: “difference between vyapada sankappa and vihimsa sankappa”
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