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DHARMA IN EVERYDAY LIFE
- ARE BUDDHAS AND GODS REAL?
By Nhat Quan
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Because you
want to break down to satisfy your stubbornness, or because
you are too heavy on material things, so when you hear about
Buddhas and gods, there are some of you immediately criticize
them harshly, some of you even ask:
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- Are there
really ghosts, gods, and Buddhas? If so, where is God, where
is Buddha? Where's the devil? Has anyone seen it yet?
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Questions like
these are not really difficult for Buddhists to answer. As you
Buddhists know, there are realms:
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In the nine
directions of Heaven, there are ten directions of Buddha
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- Heaven
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- God Realm
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- Human Realm
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- Animal realm
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- The realm of
hungry ghosts
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- Hell.
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Thus, Buddhas
reside in the world of Buddhas, Gods reside in the world of
Gods, and demons reside in the world of demons. And those who
are fortunate will see:
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- Only when
you practice to attain the right enlightenment can you see the
realms of bodhisattvas and buddhas.
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- Those who
are predestined will also see ghosts, demons, and gods.
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However, many
people only believe in the world where your eyes see your ears
and think that only what you see and hear is true, and what
you can't see is not true. The proof is very eloquent, as the
Buddha once said:
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- In a cup of
water there are countless bacteria.
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A few thousand
years ago, people did not believe what the Buddha said, but
today, under the microscope, scientists have recognized it.
And there are many things you can't see, can't touch, but have
been scientifically proven to exist, for example:
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Electromagnetic waves, infrared rays, ultraviolet rays,
microscopic particles, etc. through which you use I-phone or
smart cell phone, all receive waves transmitted from
satellites in the sky, through that layer, you can talk to
your loved ones everywhere on this planet.
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So what can't
be seen with the eye, doesn't mean there isn't. Another
specific example also proves to you that, like in a room in
your house, at night when the lights are off, you can't see
anything. Seeing nothing doesn't mean there aren't objects in
the room. To clarify your thoughts, I would like to introduce
you to some ideas:
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- BUDDHA:
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More than 2647
years ago, a Crown Prince was born, named Siddhartha, then he
left the palace to become a monk. After attaining
enlightenment, he took the title Buddha Shakyamuni. Thus,
Prince Siddhartha, or Buddha Shakyamuni is a man of history
like many other people in the world, thanks to cultivation, he
attained full enlightenment. He performed many miracles, which
people at that time had seen and recorded. During the 49
years, he did not stop preaching the Buddhadharma, later
compiled into many scriptures and handed down for posterity.
The monks and nuns of the later life have cultivated according
to the scriptures and cultivated many high and virtuous monks,
all of which are recorded in history. He left behind a set of
supernormal jurisprudence far beyond the human knowledge
system that man could not create. Moreover, in his lifetime,
he performed many miracles that human power could not do at
all. In the next life, many aspirants have followed that
doctrine to cultivate to reach the sublime realm of sainthood.
Many Indians at that time have seen many miracles.
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Today,
scholars, scientists, and theologians all over the world know
and recognize Prince Siddhartha as Shakyamuni Buddha. So it
can be said that:
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- Buddha
really exists, many people in history have seen it. There have
been many successful people who have cultivated according to
the Buddha's teachings and have seen the Buddha, and many have
also testified to the Buddha's Way. Buddha is right in front
of your eyes, just because you have no merit, no conditions,
you have not seen it, and cannot see it.
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GOD:
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Gods are
people who have practiced, although they have received many
blessings and results, but have not been fully enlightened,
because they still have a lot of anger and delusion, they have
an optimal position, can be transformation of things, and have
a higher spiritual level than humans. In other words, they
have supernatural powers that can help that person be a good
god. They can also kill people that are evil gods.
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HUNGRY GHOSTS:
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Those who do
not practice, create much negative karma, until they die and
then fall as hungry ghosts, have no refuge, no one to
sacrifice, no one to visit. They are starving mentally and
physically...
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The question
is who can see Buddha, see God, see the Hungry Ghost..?
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The answer is
anyone can see it. If you want to see a Buddha or a God, or a
hungry ghost, you must use a method that is to practice for a
long time, then you will see. Indeed, if there is a time when
scientists want to see germs in a cup of water, they have to
resort to a microscope, if they want to see infrared and
ultraviolet rays, they have to resort to modern tools.
Astronomers who want to observe extraterrestrial planets must
use telescopes. Likewise, if you want to see Buddhas,
Bodhisattvas, Gods, and Preta ghosts, you must practice, as in
the Lotus Sutra the Buddha said:
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- Although the
Buddha has entered Nirvana, if anyone diligently studies, he
will always see the Buddha and the saints studying and
regularly preaching at Mount Grdhrakuta.
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Similarly, if
you want to see a God or a Preta, you must also go through
this path. The path of practice is the path of accumulation of
good karma. A person who creates bad karma will surely bear
the consequences, whereas a person with enough good karma will
do everything well. You in Seattle can't see anything, while a
netizen in New York said:
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- There is a
group of mysterious Gods converging in the clouds. If you look
closely, it is a giant cloud that shows the silhouettes of the
Buddhas of the East. Amazed by the cloud of images of Buddhas
and Bodhisattvas that covered the entire New York City and
took the online community by storm.
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And this
information further states:
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- Today July
2016, the social network quickly spread a photo in New York.
The strange thing is that when you see so clearly in the
clouds you will not be able to speak. Dwelling in that cloud
contained a clear image of a mysterious group of people,
covering the whole of New York City.
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And one
netizen commented:
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They're
actually talking to each other. They have clear hand positions
and gestures and they are watching us.
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Upon careful
examination, some commentators have firmly believed that these
mysterious people bear the form of Buddhas in Eastern
countries. They are the Buddhas talking to each other. As
evidenced by the crown of hair, they all have messy hair like
the Buddha image in the temple. One of them is still holding
the seal position, a posture only found in the Buddhist
family, Buddha images often do this.
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And another
netizen commented:
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- There is a
Bodhisattva doing the seal, and the others are talking to each
other and staring at our Earth!
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You can see
the recent strange phenomena that are difficult to explain.
You know, the Buddha statues on the cloud seem to be telling
the world something for people. Meanwhile, scientists can not
explain.
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Although no
one can be sure that these are the Buddhas, most people who
have faith believe them to be real. The phenomenon of Buddha
appearing in the clouds is not uncommon, strangely this time
you witness a group of Buddhas sitting and talking and staring
at the Earth, as if to send a message to people something is
coming to humanity these days. And someone also mentioned the
old saying that the Oriental people used to say:
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- There are
gods on your head three meters
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Is it time for
the Buddhas to send a message to humanity?
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Through what
New York netizens share, for Buddhists who have cultivated, I
believe that you have faith, and you have respect for the
Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, they will appear before your eyes.
The world of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas according to the
Buddhist scriptures often says:
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- As much as
the sand in the Ganges river.
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The Ganges
River is the largest and longest river in India, the entire
length is two thousand seven hundred kilometers, so the amount
of sand in the Ganges River must be said to be countless.
There are so many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, so why can't you
see the Buddha? Because Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are
enlightened beings and exist in a pure world that is far
different from that of the mundane world. Such a noble Buddha,
of course, will not arbitrarily let you see. Just as humans
consider themselves to be superior beings, intelligent,
capable, and unable to coexist with animals or small insects.
For the same reason, the Buddhas cannot arbitrarily appear in
front of those who do not have faith, do not practice, and
have no merit to see.
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In fact, the
things that you can't see are really too much, if your
morality and thought realm are not sublimated and not pure
enough, you will never see that world of Buddhas apparent.
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In ancient
history, whenever there were saints and missionaries, they
were reminded that:
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- Buddhas do
exist, and through human cultivation, you can also become a
Buddha
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And Shakyamuni
Buddha was always explaining about the world of Buddhas. Then
say:
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- Cultivation
is to return to your original benevolent nature, and let your
morality and realms sublimate, that is the true purpose of
being a human.
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But on the
contrary, those who only believe in materialism, and do not
believe in gods, will be further and further away from the
Buddha, and therefore will not be able to see the Buddhas
either. Shakyamuni Buddha once said that before him there were
six Buddhas who were born to save the world, he also clearly
prophesied that:
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- In the Age
of Decadent dharma, there will be a Wheel-Turning King born to
save sentient beings.
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In both the
past and the future, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have always
compassionately saved people like that. Then, if you can use
goodwill, and use sincerity and faith to see and recognize,
you will definitely be lucky to find your Buddha. In fact, the
Buddhas, the gods, and even the Preta species are always by
your side, it's just whether you realize it or not. To realize
it or not to realize it is an individual matter. But that
doesn't mean that when you realize it, the Buddhas, Gods, and
hungry ghosts are real, if you don't realize it, they're not
real. Here is the argument that some people deliberately deny
the existence of the spiritual life:
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Many years
ago, in a great hall in Europe, a scholar declared to everyone
that Buddha was absolutely not real. When everyone wanted him
to prove that what he said was true, the scholar raised his
voice as if challenging the Buddha:
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- Buddha is
indeed a holy person, come down here, in front of a lot of
people, kill me. Then I will believe that Buddha really
exists.
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He was silent
for a few minutes as if he meant to wait. Of course, the
Buddha did not appear to kill him. The scholar then walked
around the stage once, looked at the auditorium once, and
said:
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- You see,
Buddha is inherently unreal.
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The whole
auditorium was quiet at first, but then there were whispers
and discussions. At that moment, a woman stood up in the
crowd, looking like a country person. She approached the
stage, looked up at the scholar, and said:
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- Sir, your
argument is very clever, you are an erudite scholar. And I'm
just a country woman, can't refute you. I just want to say
that up until now I have always believed in Buddha and God,
believed in his teachings, and felt very comfortable. I have
had a really peaceful and happy life.
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I want to ask
you:
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- If when you
die you find that what you believed in the Buddha before was
all gone, what will you lose?
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The scholar
thought for a long time, the whole hall was silent, and the
listeners strongly agreed with this inference. Even the
scholar was amazed in his heart. He replied in a low voice:
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- When I'm
dead, everything is nothing, then there's nothing left to gain
or lose. Ma'am, I do think, I did not lose anything.
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The woman
smiled and said:
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- Thank you,
sir!
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But I still
have one more thing to say:
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- Sir, if when
you die and you find that what the Buddha taught is true, the
six paths of reincarnation are real, then what will you lose?
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The scholar
thought for a long time without saying a word. And another
story:
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After the
First European War, a country wanted to use science to
propagate atheism, so they invited three doctors to the square
to give a lecture:
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The first one
was a doctor of astronomy, after explaining many reasons why
there were no Buddhas, no Bodhisattvas no God, he shouted:
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- I have used
telescopes to observe celestial bodies for more than 20 years,
but have never seen Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, or Gods... so I
confirm that there are no Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Gods, or
hungry ghosts at all.
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The second is
a Medical Doctor, after explaining a lot about the reason why
humanity absolutely does not have a soul, he said:
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- I've
operated on over 100 bodies for more than 10 years, I've
looked closely at the body parts, but I've never seen a place
where a soul resides, so there must be no soul.
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The third is a
female doctor of ethics, who said:
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- People die
just like a lamp goes out, death is the end, and when dead, it
is considered the end of everything. There is absolutely no
heaven, hell, and eternal guilt.
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I have read
many books in the world, but there is no page that proves
this. After the three doctors finished speaking, the host
announced to everyone:
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- If the
reason for the non-existence of Buddhas, Gods, and Preta
ghosts that the three doctors have just preached is somehow
incomplete, or if there is counterintuitive evidence, anyone
can give a discussion public opinion.
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At that time,
an old woman in the countryside said to the host:
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- Can I ask a
few questions?
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The presenter
said:
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- You are very
welcome!
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The old woman
asked the first doctor:
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- You have
used telescopes to observe celestial bodies for more than 20
years, so have you ever seen the wind? What is its shape?
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The first
doctor said:
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- How can the
wind be seen with a telescope?
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The old lady
said:
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- Is there
wind in this world? You use a telescope but you can't see the
wind, how can you use it to see Buddha and God? If you observe
with a telescope but can't see Buddhas, Gods, and Preta
ghosts, can you say that there are no Buddhas, no Gods, and no
hungry ghosts?
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The doctor of
astronomy was speechless. She moved to the second position:
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- Do you love
your wife?
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The second
doctor replied:
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- Have!
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The old lady
said:
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- Please lend
me the knife that you often use to operate on patients, I want
to cut open your abdomen to see where your love for your wife
lies. In the liver, stomach, or intestines?
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The doctor was
speechless, the whole hall laughed. Continuing, the old woman
looked at the female doctor and asked:
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- Have you
read this book? Said and she held up the book: It's called the
Bible. Apparently, this book says that every one after death
is subject to God's judgment.
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You don't
think that death is the end, know that after death is much
longer and longer than when you were alive! Like when she was
in the womb, without a piece of clothing to cover her body,
life depends on her mother, if someone told you:
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- Soon you
will be on earth, where there is the sun, the moon, the
charming mountains, you have to eat to live, you have to wear
clothes, do you believe it?
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But today you
not only believe but actually live in this world. Such is the
eternal world!
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So, the three
of them both Ph.D. and MD were speechless.
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Buddhas,
Bodhisattvas, and Gods….will not be there because you don't
believe and don't have, nor because you encourage the generals
that show up for you. Regardless of whether you believe in
Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Demons or not, Buddhas, Bodhisattvas,
etc. still exist, compassionately protecting sentient beings.
Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Gods are supernatural beings, so it
doesn't mean that a single sentence of yours can decide
whether they're real or not. It's just your crazy delusional
understanding. You think you will decide everything. In fact,
your life is too small, weak, as a speck of dust in the
universe.
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- ---o0o---
- If you have any recommendations,
please e-mail to:
chuaduocsu@duocsu.org
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