Is it totally different from Christianity?
Most of you have probably heard of reincarnation which is a Buddhist as well as a Hindu belief. Also Karma is related to the Buddhist beliefs about death and reincarnation.
A basic Buddhist belief is that our bodies are made up of the 5 elements (water, fire, earth, air, and space - the Chinese label this one metal). And they also think that the whole universe is impermanent. The Buddhists believe that there are 'subtle elements' as well as the denser elements that we can see and feel. If a spiritual practitioner is compassionate and wise enough, they believe that they can dissolve their body into a "rainbow body" made up of the very subtlest level of the elements. After someone's death the Buddhists practice something called Shi-Tro for the next 49 days.
Also a core Buddhist belief is that of the Bodhisattva or the wise one who can choose whether to come back to Samsara (earth where all life is suffering) or go on to Nirvana (where there is no longer suffering). The Boddhisattva intentionally chooses to return to Samsara "for the benefit of all sentient beings."
Actually, Buddhist beliefs may reinforce what Christians believe. Some believe that Christ "took the rainbow body." Could Christ have been a Boddhisattva?
At this time your prayers and actions are needed for the people of Myanmar.
Myanmar Relief Organizations
In response to the cyclone here are several trustworthy organizations where you can donate:
World Vision Inernational
Researching the Rainbow Body
The Institute of Noetic Sciences, in a joint venture with the Esalen Institute, is researching the phenomenon of the Rainbow Body. If you have never heard of the Rainbow Body it is a phenomenon in which the corpses of highly developed Tibetan masters reputedly vanish within days of death, often accompanied by rainbows in the sky. Some of them leave behind shrunken bodies, others only leave fingernails and hair.A Benedictine monk named David Steindl-Rast intends to corroborate these claims, by accumulating data that would not only help us understand more about the rainbow body and its broader implications. Steindl-Rast stated "We know that Jesus was a very compassionate, selfless person. When he died, according to the gospels, his body was no longer there."
One example is the Tibetan Saint Milarepa, whose body is reported to have completely disappeared shortly after his death. There are also many other similar stories about other monks. They have been studying biographies and any written explanations of these events. It is important to understand the values, spiritual practices, and culture in which this phenomenon is embedded.
"We want to discover if there are ways we can begin to develop spiritual practices that, even though they might not lead us to personally experience the rainbow body, could lead us to some other manifestation of our highest potential," said Marilyn Schlitz of the Institute of Noetic Sciences.
To read more check out
Snow Lion Link
You might want to actually check out Soygal Rinpoche's lens, because he wrote the book The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying.
DVD on Death
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring
Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 07/26/2008)
Working miracles with only a single set and a handful of characters, Korean director Kim Ki-Duk creates a wise little gem of a movie. As the title suggests, the action takes place in five distinct episodes, but sometimes many years separate the seasons. The setting is a floating monastery in a pristine mountain lake, where an elderly monk teaches a boy the lessons of life--although when the boy grows to manhood, he inevitably must learn a few hard lessons for himself. By the time the story reaches its final sections, you realize you have witnessed the arc of existence--not one person's life, but everyone's. It's as enchanting as a Buddhist fable, but it's not precious; Kim (maker of the notorious The Isle) consistently surprises you with a sex scene or an explosion of black comedy; he also vividly acts in the Winter segment, when the lake around the monastery eerily freezes. --Robert Horton
Meditations on CD and Book on Death
Peaceful Death, Joyful Rebirth: A Tibetan Buddhist Guidebook with a CD of Guided Meditations
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 07/26/2008)
The book is unique in that Tulku Thondup presents about a dozen stories of "delugs" people who died for several days and returned from the dead to talk about it. These stories are deeply moving and Tulku Thondup does a wonderful job of providing a clear context for better understanding them.
While the book thoroughly reviews the traditional Tibetan Buddhist view of death as well as the Buddhist practices created to help the dying and recently deceased, his view is distinctly non-dogmatic and he clearly outlines these teachings relevance and applicability to people of any faith.
Unlocking the Mysteries of Birth and Death
Unlocking the Mysteries of Birth & Death: . . . And Everything in Between, A Buddhist View Life
Amazon Price: $10.20 (as of 07/26/2008)
By Robert Heiniger (Glen Burnie, MD United States) - See all my reviews
This is an excellent book explaining Buddhism's view of life and death. The subject is deep, but the presentation is down to earth and easy to understand. This book should be essential reading for anyone interested in Buddhism. For those who are not, reading it may expand your horizons and open up new ways of thinking about life.
For Buddhist Kids
Samsara Dog
Amazon Price: $12.21 (as of 07/26/2008)
By Liz Manugian (Memphis, TN USA) - See all my reviews
This book is a must for your book shelf, whether you are a dog-lover or not, whether you have children or not, whether you are young or old. In our relentless pursuit of material pleasures and of more, more, more, we are becoming increasingly alienated from the power and beauty of the natural world. This book illustrates the Buddhist concepts of samsara, the cycle of birth, and nirvana, fulfillment through total selflessness. Let your tired and flagging spirits be warmed by the evocative and heart-warming story, complemented by beautiful illustrations in soft hues.
My Last Gift to My Mother
My mother was 88 years old and she had been on dialysis for a few years. She decided that she no longer had any quality of life. After several infections and experiencing illness after each session of dialysis, she decided to stop dialysis.There was a period of five days after she went off dialysis before she passed. During that time I used the essential oil blend called Peace and Calming.
Peace & Calming is a gentle, fragrant blend. When diffused, it helps calm tensions and uplift the spirit, promoting relaxation and a deep sense of peace. When massaged on the bottoms of the feet, it can be a wonderful prelude to a peaceful night's rest. She found this comforting and assisted her not to struggle with her final transition.
Mothers have also found that Peace & Calming may be especially calming and comforting to young children after an overactive and stressful day.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM YOUNG LIVING - Note:
You will need to have this sponsor/enroller number to place an order: 322979
Note: Take advantage of the opportunity to distribute these oils, Contact marshasoils@yahoo.com or call 303 755-2669 for details.
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Reader Feedback - Did You Learn Something?
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boiscanot
Hi, Posted June 30, 2008 |
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chefkeem
I'm ready to go, but first I want to make "Giant Squid"! 5*s, fav and lr. Posted May 13, 2008 |
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rms
Very interesting lens. I've learned a lot here. Thank you! Posted May 07, 2008 |
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carrieokier
Very interesting stuff. Thank you! Posted May 01, 2008 |
