Some Things I Learned At My Dharma Lesson
“To dwell in the here and now does not mean you never think about the past or responsibly plan for the future. The idea is simply not to allow yourself to get lost in regrets about the past or the future. If you are firmly grounded in the present moment, the past can be an object of inquiry, the object of your mindfulness and concentration. you can attain many insights by looking into the past. But you are still grounded in the present moment.” — Thich Nhat Hanh
I’m still trying to wrap my brain around everything we discussed at my impromptu Dharma lesson, and what I have subsequently read in the book they gave me that night. Some of the Buddha’s lessons are difficult for my western mind to grasp.
One thing that I was able to confirm was that the stories in the Sutras are, in fact, believed to be true and 100% accurate, not metaphorical lessons. The Dharma that we were told sat in a cave meditating for nine years, with no food or water….absolutely true. This was not a metaphor for the underlying lesson. Buddhists believe it. I was skeptical and they did have an explanation. He was in such a meditative state that his bodily functions actually slowed down, to the point that he required nothing, almost as if in a coma. They also pointed out that no one witnessed him eating or drinking anything, no one was regularly providing him with any sort of nourishment, but conceded it was possible that people were sneaking him food here and there and he may have eaten without anyone reporting it.
Buddhists believe that Jesus was actually in a similar meditative state when he was crucified. Apparently, in the bible, there is a period of ten years where Jesus was missing. I didn’t know about that. Buddhists believe that during those ten years he was in India studying meditation. They believe that he didn’t actually die on the cross but was in such a meditative state that he felt no pain and his heart rate had slowed down to the point that no pulse could be detected. Three days later he came out of his meditative state and apparently rose from the dead.
There is no bible in Buddhism, just thousands of Sutras (Buddha’s teachings) that no one could possible get through in one lifetime. Buddha is not a god. He was a wise man who uncovered all of the truths that the religion is based on, many of which are scientific and psychological in nature. He is thanked for his teachings and even prayed to but has no god-like powers and did not create man.
Karma is the idea that what goes around comes around, in thoughts, intentions and in actions. Bad Karma may come back to you in this lifetime or in another. Bad Karma that comes back to you in this lifetime could be due to something you did as a child or something you did four lifetimes ago. People with a lot of bad Karma can come back in the next life as a lessor being, such as an animal, or in a much less fortunate situation, such as poverty in a third world country.
Buddhists believe that dreams are actually recollections of past lives, particularly recurring dreams. Our translator told a story about a dream she has had her whole life. In her dream, she and her cousin fall into a river and drown. She only has this dream when she is sick and when she wakes up, it feels very real. After all these years, she finally mentioned the dream to her cousin who said that now he finally knows why he’s always had such an irrational fear of water. They believe that in a previous life, they drowned.
It’s all fascinating to me and I can’t wait to learn more.
Thanks for stopping by!
If you ever get the opportunity to participate in a past life regression, do it!
It is an interesting process!
I SO would! I’ve read about them and it’s fascinating. Did you do it?!?!
I tried.
I participated in a group session. The process involves being hypnotized. There were about 30 people in the room. Seeing how I am a person who does not reliquish control, I did not go in to a deep enough state of mind. Plus, I am easily distracted by people in general so I found myself very aware of what was going on around me.
After the instructor finished walking us through “our journey” everyone in the room was given an opportunity to share their experience. A couple of people were off their rockers but most seemed to be genuine about their experience. One in particular was a boy about 10 years old. He was hesitate to share because he felt that he could not have possibly seen what he saw in his minds eye.
I would love to try it again but it would have to be a smaller group of people.
I don’t think I would be able to do it in a group, for the same reason. I don’t suppose insurance pays for this type of thing…
There’s always been something comforting to me about the notion of Karma. I like to think that people reap what they sow. And I hate to think that bad things happen to good people for no reason.
Good read and its all i have been brought up with
And in childhood i used to worry that my lil mischiefs would earn a less worth life like that of a germ in re-birth!
Look forward for more