Rael Buddhism

Rebirth and Realization: The Fate of Buddha's Disciples - Linked Discourses 55.8 So I have heard.  At one time the Buddha was staying at Natika in the brick house. Then Venerable Ananda went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to Buddha: “Sir, the monk named Salha has passed away. Where has he been born in his next life?  Then, The nun named Nanda, the layman named Sudatta, and the laywoman named Sujata have passed away. Where have they been born in the next life?” (Buddha replied:) “Ananda, the monk Saḷha passed away having realized the undefiled freedom of mind and freedom by wisdom in this very life, having realized it with his own insight due to the ending of defilements. The nun Nanda passed away having ended the five lower fetters. She’s been born spontaneously, and will be extinguished there, not liable to return from that world. The layman Sudatta passed away having ended three fetters, and weakened greed, hate, and delusion. He’s a once-returner; h...

Reflections on Ethical Life and Purification of Conducts by Buddha that lead to Heavenly Birth, Linked Discourse 55.7 So I have heard.  At one time the Buddha was wandering in the land of the Kosalans together with a Sangha, a community of monks, when he arrived at a village of the Kosalan brahmins named Bamboo Gate. The brahmins and householders of Bamboo Gate heard: “It seems the ascetic Gotama—a Sakyan, gone forth from a Sakyan family—has arrived at Bamboo Gate, together with a large Sangha of monks. He has this good reputation: ‘ There is the Blessed One, Who has broken the bonds, A fully transformed awakened Buddha, Who fully understood behaviors and living according to the knowledge, Who has become good, Knower of the worlds, Supreme guide for those who wish to train, Teacher of gods and humans, Awakened, Blessed.’ He has realized with his own insight this world—with its gods, Maras or Devils, and Brahmas, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, gods and humans—and he...

Buddha and Sariputta: Defining the Path to Stream-Entry | Linked Discourse 55.5 Then Sariputta went up to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side.  The Buddha said to him: “Sariputta, they speak of a ‘factor of stream-entry’. What is a factor of stream-entry?” Sariputta replied: “Sir, the factors of stream-entry are associating with true persons, listening to the true teaching, focus attention of mind (while listening to true dhamma), and practicing in line with the teaching.” Buddha agreed to Sariputta: “Good, good, Sariputta! For the factors of stream-entry are associating with true persons, listening to the true teaching, focus attention of mind (while listening to true dhamma), and practicing in line with the teaching. Then, Buddha said: Sariputta, they speak of ‘the stream’. What is the stream?” Sariputta answered: “Sir, the stream is simply this noble eightfold path, that is: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right lifestyle, right effort, right mindf...

Final Teachings of Buddha to Dying Disciples: A Lesson in Confidence and Detachment | Linked Discourse 55.3 At one time the Buddha was staying near Rajagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. Now at that time the lay follower Dighavu was sick, suffering, gravely ill.  Then, he addressed his father, the householder Jotika, “Please, householder, go to the Buddha, and in my name bow with your head to his feet.  Say to him: ‘Sir, the lay follower Dighavu is sick, suffering, gravely ill. He bows with his head to your feet.’  And then say: ‘Sir, please visit him at his home out of sympathy.’” “Yes, dear,” replied Jotika.  He did as Dighavu asked and went to meet Buddha.  The Buddha consented with silence after Jotika speak to him. Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the home of the lay follower Dighavu, sat down on the seat spread out, and said to him:  “I hope you’re keeping well, Dighavu; I ...

At Savatthi. There the Buddha said: “Monks, suppose a wheel-turning monarch were to rule as sovereign lord over these four continents. And when his body breaks up, after death, he’s reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm, in the company of the gods of the thirty-three, Tavatimsa. There, he entertains himself in the Garden of Delight, escorted by a band of nymphs, and supplied and provided with the five kinds of heavenly sensual stimulation. Still, as he’s lacking four qualities, he’s not exempt from hell, the animal realm, or the ghost realm. He’s not exempt from places of loss, bad places, the underworld. Now, suppose a noble disciple wears rags and feeds on scraps of almsfood. Still, as they have four qualities of noble disciples, they’re exempt from hell, the animal realm, or the ghost realm. They’re exempt from places of loss, bad places, the underworld. What four qualities? It’s when a noble disciple has unshakable confidence in the Buddha:  ‘In this way, the Blessed One, Wh...