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I watched the video. It is a three-year-old girl from Sri Lanka.
This account is interesting because the girl talks about past birth in a different realm, i.e., different bhava. That is very unusual.
– Most rebirth accounts are from past births in the human realm.
– Normally, memories from different bhava (or realms) cannot be recalled. But some with punna iddhi can do that. Some petas can do that too. That is part of their suffering. They will know exactly why they are born as a peta (hungry ghost.)Some highlights:
– Both male and female Devas wear colorful clothes and jewelry.
– They apparently have different types of food, drinks, and flowers. We need to remember that those cannot be compared to ours. Don’t think in terms of our food, drinks, flowers, jewelry, etc.
– There are devas with lower and higher levels. I had read that in the suttas too. Some have more powers than others (as a result of better kamma vipaka.)More interestingly, she gave some accounts of things that happened in the human realm. She says there are no bhikkhus or temples in the Deva realm. She and others “came down” to worship the Buddha and religious sites.
– There were no stupas before the Parinibbana of the Buddha. After Buddha’s Parinibbana, stupas were built. As a Deva, she was able to “go inside” stupas and see those dhatu (remains of the Buddha) enclosed in golden containers.
– She also says the Buddha statues we have today do not match the features of the Buddha. That makes sense. Statues of the Buddha were built hundreds of years after the Parinibbana of the Buddha. There were Buddhist Greek Kings in India after Alexander. That is when the tradition to build Buddha statues started (Greeks are famous for making statues.) P.S. At 8.30 minutes she says that there were no Buddha statues while she was a Deva. Apparently she must have died there within a couple of hundred years after the Parinibbana of the Buddha.
– There was another interesting account regarding the death of Ven. Moggallana. He was killed by a group of people. The King caught them, buried them to their waist and had elephants kill them. That account is in the Tipitaka. She apparently remembers that incident. She did not describe what happened in detail like that. Just said the King killed those who were responsible.A “descending gandhabba” just means a gandhabba entering a womb. I am not sure why it is stated as “descending.”
You wrote: ” So maybe the Buddha copied this idea of the Brahmins.”
That means you have no idea who a Buddha is. A Buddha does not need to “copy” anything from anyone.
You can believe or not believe anything. That is totally up to you. But refrain from making derogatory comments. Just ask a (sensible) question if you like.
I have not seen a time period in the Tipitaka, Siebe.
However, according to science, it happens within a day or two.
“idea must be translated to language for him to understand.”
No. That is not correct.
As I pointed out, Brahmas do not have languages. How can they learn languages if they cannot speak? They just grasp the idea with the mind.
– We also grasp the idea when we hear in our dreams. There is no language involved.Only a Sammasambuddha (like Buddha Gotama) has those capabilities to the fullest extent.
All others may have some of them to some extent.
The way beings in different realms communicate does not involve a language.
When we speak, in addition to the sound coming out, our thoughts “emit” the idea to the external world too. That idea can be grasped by those beings.
That is how we “hear” in dreams. While we dream we can hear those in the dream say. But we don’t hear anything through our ears.
I think you can get the basic idea by thinking about the following.
Consider someone who knows two (or more) languages well. When that person dreams, he does not hear with one of those languages. He just understands what someone in the dream says.
Another point is that Brahmas in Brahma realms do not have dense bodies like ours. They cannot “speak” as we do. They hear in the above way, just with their thoughts. They don’t have languages.
This was discussed in the post published today, with references to previous posts: “Mental Body Versus the Physical Body.”
All good comments. It is good to think deeply about these issues.
But it is also clear that we can make decisions only based on our current status of understanding. Thus it is essential to keep learning and gradually remove all our wrong views. All wrong views are removed only at the Arahant stage.
– The grandmother made bad decisions because her level of ignorance was high.
– In case 2, person A may inform person B without thinking clearly about the possible bad consequences. Sometimes it is better NOT to do anything.That last statement applies to speech often. It is better NOT to say things EVEN IF true if that is not the right place to say it. See, “Right Speech – How to Avoid Accumulating Kamma.”
Furthermore, we must always be mindful of our actions and speech. But it is also CRITICAL to be mindful of our THOUGHTS. As we have been discussing in the recent posts on “Origin of Life,” it is in our thoughts (specifically in javana citta) that we create kammic energies.
Yes. Both Alvino’s and Sybe’s comments are quite relevant.
In fact, Alvino’s comment is related to the role of the brain, and Sybe’s is related to the mental body or gandhabba.If the brain is damaged, the gandhabba is not getting the correct information and that affects the decision making by the gandhabba.
– The following video is a really good example of how the gandhabba is affected by the brain, and in general, the physical body. The lady could not see only because there was something wrong with her PHYSICAL eyes, the optic nerve, or the visual cortex in the brain. Once the gandhabba came out, it was able to see for the first time in her life:On the other hand, if one has wrong views, then that is an intrinsic problem (per Sybe’s comment.)
This is why those two cases (cases 2 and 3) are difficult to nail down.
In Case 2, person A needs to be careful in giving that information to person B, since he knows that particular aspect of person B. Unless person B is in danger of catching the virus, it is better not to convey that message to person B.
– This is comparable to what is discussed in the following post on right speech:
“Right Speech – How to Avoid Accumulating Kamma.”Case 3 is definitely due to ignorance. The grandmother would be responsible for her actions done out of ignorance.
It seems that Sybe07 was not able to post a comment and he emailed me the following comment.
Maybe this sutta can be useful? AN 10. 104
Case 3
The grandmother had a bad view about what is wholesome for the baby, so the results (kidney failure) are very bad, suffering. Her intention is questionable. I think it is guided by carelessness, she is not cautious. Why is she not cautious? Does that really show concern with the welbeing of the baby? I think one can question that. She thinks and acts uncritical and that is dangerous and i think also blameful. At least when she is not sick.
In my opinion the grandmothers intentions are guided by carelessless and therefor cannot really be designated as good. In some sense it is quit immoral to act as such a daredevil with a baby.Hello alvino!
You are correct that case 1 is the easiest.
It is very clear that Venerable Chakkupala did not see that he was stepping on insects since he was blind. In fact, even one with good eyesight is likely to unintentionally step on insects and other small living forms every day. There is no bad kamma created in these cases.
The other two cases are a bit more complex. In those two cases, the person was thinking about the issue and acted based on those conscious thoughts.
On one hand, being ignorant and doing foolish things that can hurt others is not an excuse.
– However, in the extreme case of an insane person (medically declared to be insane) cannot be held responsible for his/her actions. That is the mundane law, and the Buddha also declared that such a person would not accumulate any bad kamma (I don’t remember the specific sutta.)I have some things to attend to this morning. I will think about the specific cases a bit more.
– In the meantime, I encourage others to think about it and make comments.Yes, Jordan. I think it is a good idea.
I have read the first few pages and format seems to be good. It will be a lot of work for you to put it all together.
– I will send you some comments on specific items as I go through it.Hello, interested!
The mind does not exist just by itself. There must be at least a trace of matter for the mind to exist.
That is a critical point in Buddha Dhamma that many people do not realize. The “seat of the mind” is called “hadaya vatthu.” It is unbelievably small and is created by kammic energy when a living being grasps a new existence.
– In addition to hadaya vatthu, up to five “pasāda rupa” are created by the kammic energy at that time.That package, hadaya vatthu together with the set of pasāda rupa is the fundamental “unit of existence”. It is called the “manōmaya kāya” because the energy for the creation of it comes from the kammic energy when a strong kamma is committed.
I cannot get into details but wanted to provide the basis. A good point to start is to go through the posts in the new section, “Origin of Life.”
– If you are serious about finding the answers, it is necessary to read that section. This is not something that can be explained in a page or two.
– You can ask further questions AFTER reading that series. Please refer to any post in question and the particular bullet numbers.P.S. One more key point to make the connection to Quantum Mechanics.
That manōmaya kāya (and the kammic energy or dhammā that creates it) is in the “quantum realm.” Just like electrons and photons that are in the quantum realms are entangled, they are entangled too. That is how life forms are connected across space.
– That is also called “non-locality.” Recent experiments have confirmed that our world is indeed non-local. See, “Quantum Mechanics – A New Interpretation.”Thanks, Aniduan, for the detailed account.
We can look at the overall picture this way.
Normally, one loses all three (sakkāya ditthi, vicikiccā, silabbata parāmāsa) in one moment, at the moment of attaining the Sotapanna phala.
– However, one will start weakening them gradually as a Sotapanna Anugami.Losing sakkāya ditthi is to “see” that no existence in this world can lead to the “end of suffering.”
– One also knows that the root cause of suffering is attachment to worldly things.
– However, one starts losing those cravings only in stages. That means even if one “knows” that craving for sensory pleasures can lead to suffering, one will only lose those strongest cravings (that could lead to actions resulting in rebirth in the apayas.)
– It is only when one reaches the Anagami stage that one’s sanna (perception) for ANY sensory pleasure (including sex) will go away.That is the “big picture.”
Regarding other questions:
Getting rid of the “Big Eight” only sets the necessary background to comprehend Tilakkhana.
– Understanding Tilakkha is tied to understanding Paticca Samuppada too. How different types of rebirths arise due to different types of (abhi)sankhara, i.e., one’s thoughts, speech, and actions.Kukkucca means the tendency to do “lowly actions” that could lead to rebirth in the apayas.
– When one can get highly-attached to sensory pleasures, one may impulsively do such lowly actions like rape or other sexual misconduct like having extra-marital affairs.Tina and middha will go away with continued understanding.
– We can consider this example. If one is reading material that one does not fully understand, then one can get bored.
– This issue is easy to see with “mundane studies” like learning history or even mathematics. If one starts understanding the basic concepts, then it is easy to maintain the interest.
– With Dhamma studies, it is hard to pinpoint where the “missing pieces are.” So, it is a good idea to look at different sections of the puredhamma site. Another is to read/listen to other sources. We have discussed some possibilities in the discussion forum, for example, under “Personal Experiences.” Different people have different “styles” of delivery, even if it is the same concept.
– However, it could be a waste of time to read/listen to random sources.Thank you, Vilas, for that description.
– Let me add a few words.“Uppada Vayatena Anicca – All that arises is going to pass away”.
All existences arise and end. Some are good and most are bad. So, the overall effect is dukkha.In order to end this process (rebirth process), we need to see how those different types of existence arise. They arise due to our own sankhara.
– Good sankhara lead to good rebirths. Bad ones lead to bad rebirths.
– This is the conclusion we made in the post, “Origin of Life – One Creates One’s Own Future Lives.”So, one must start with removing causes that give rise to “bad rebirths.” Those are bad sankhara that lead to bad kamma.
– However, even though we know this basic fact in this life, we may be born into conditions where we may not realize this in the next life (even if it is a good existence.)
– That is why we need to realize the unfruitful, dangerous, and never-ending nature of the rebirth process.
– When one has this “broad picture” one becomes a Sotapanna Anugami. At that point, one has the “right vision” but still has the tendency to “enjoy worldly pleasures (without harming others.)
– Then one keeps on contemplating that anicca nature and makes progress on the Path. When one loses all cravings for sensory pleasures (kama raga) one becomes an Anagami.The following is the message that I received from Jordan regarding his project described above.
“Here’s the PDF version of what I have prepared so far. On the first page I have an example for how I envisioned the basic outline for a term to be (the “moha” example). Please let me know what you think of the rest as well, if you have time to look it over. It just states my intentions and the idea I had behind how I envisioned the refinement / adding process to go (the first 2 pages).”
The pdf can be accessed here: Pali and Sinhala Master Reference Tool PDF
