Rael Buddhism

Numbered Discourse 3.61 Other Religion Beliefs Sometime ago in old India, Buddha said this: “Monks, these three religion beliefs—as pursued, pressed, and grilled by the wise —when taken to their conclusion, end with inaction.  What are the three religion beliefs? There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view: ‘Everything this individual experiences—pleasurable, painful, or neutral—is because of past deeds.’ There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view: ‘Everything this individual experiences—pleasurable, painful, or neutral—is because of God Almighty’s creation.’ There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view: ‘Everything this individual experiences—pleasurable, painful, or neutral—has no cause or reason.’ Regarding this, I went up to the ascetics and brahmins whose view is that everything that is experienced is because of past deeds,  and I said to them: ‘Is it really true that this is the venerables’ view?’...

Linked Discourse 55.54, Discourse about Sick At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery. At that time several monks were making a robe for the Buddha, thinking that when his robe was finished and the three months of the rains residence had passed the Buddha would set out wandering. Mahanama the Sakyan heard about this. Then, he went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him that he had heard that the Buddha was leaving.  He added, “Sir, I haven’t heard and learned it in the presence of the Buddha how a wise lay follower should advise another wise lay follower who is sick, suffering, gravely ill.” Buddha said: “Mahanama, a wise lay follower should put at ease another wise lay follower who is sick, suffering, gravely ill with four consolations. ‘Be at ease, sir.  You have experiential confidence in the Buddha …  ... the teaching. ... the Sangha, community of Buddha's disciples. And you have...

Numbered Discourse 3.51: Two Brahmins Sometime ago in India, There are two old brahmins—elderly and senior, who were advanced in years and had reached the final stage of life, a hundred and twenty years old—went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, they sat down to one side, and said to the Buddha: “We brahmins, worthy Gotama, are old, elderly and senior, we’re advanced in years and have reached the final stage of life; we’re a hundred and twenty years old. And we haven’t done what is good and skillful, nor have we made a shelter from fear. Advise us, worthy Gotama, instruct us! It will be for our lasting welfare and happiness.” Buddha replied: “Indeed, brahmins, you’re old, elderly and senior. And you haven’t done what is good and skillful, nor have you made a shelter from fear. This world is led onward by old age, sickness, and death. But restraint here by way of body, speech, and mind is the shelter, protection, is...

Numbered Discourse 3.29 Blind Discourse. Sometime ago in India, Buddha said this: “These three people are found in the world.  What are the three people?  They are The blind person, the one-eyed person, and the two-eyed person. Who is the blind person?  It’s someone who doesn’t have the kind of vision that’s needed to acquire more wealth or to increase the wealth they’ve already acquired. Nor do they have the kind of vision that’s needed to know the difference between qualities that are skillful and unskillful, blameworthy and blameless, inferior and superior, and those on the side of dark and bright.  This is called a blind person. Who is the person with one eye?  It’s someone who has the kind of vision that’s needed to acquire more wealth and to increase the wealth they’ve already acquired. But they don’t have the kind of vision that’s needed to know the difference between qualities that are skillful and unskillful, blameworthy and blameless, inferior and supe...

Numbered Discourse 3.19 A Businessman Sometime ago in old India, Buddha said this: Monks, a businessman who has three characters is unable to acquire more wealth or to increase the wealth they’ve already acquired.  What are the three characters?  It’s when a businessman doesn’t carefully focus on their business activity in the morning, at midday, and in the afternoon. A businessman who has these three characters is unable to acquire more wealth or to increase the wealth they’ve already acquired. In the same way, a monk who has three characters is unable to acquire more skillful characters or to increase the skillful characters they’ve already acquired.  What are the three characters? It’s when a monk doesn’t carefully focus on the samadhi features in the morning, at midday, and in the afternoon. A monk who has these three characters is unable to acquire more skillful characters or to increase the skillful characters...

Middle Length Discourse 51, With Kandaraka So I have heard.  At one time the Buddha was staying near Campa on the banks of the Gaggara Lotus Pond (in old India) together with a large Sangha of monks. Then Pessa the elephant driver’s son and Kandaraka the wanderer went to see the Buddha. When they had approached, Pessa bowed and sat down to one side. But the wanderer Kandaraka exchanged greetings with the Buddha and stood to one side. He looked around the monk Sangha, who were so very silent, and said to the Buddha: “It’s incredible, worthy Gotama, it’s amazing! How the monk Sangha has been led to practice properly by the worthy Gotama! All the perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas in the past or the future who lead the monk Sangha to practice properly will at best do so like the worthy Gotama does in the present.” “That’s so true, Kandaraka! That’s so true! All the perfected ones, the fully awakened Buddhas in the past or the future who lead the monk Sangha...

Middle Length Discourses 14: The Shorter Discourse on the Mass of Suffering. Why We Still Have Bad Thoughts: The Buddha's Answer to Lay Householder So I have heard.  At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near Kapilavatthu in the Banyan Tree Monastery. Then Mahanama the Sakyan went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said to him,  “For a long time, sir, I have understood your teaching like this: ‘Greed, hate, and delusion are corruptions of the mind.’ Despite understanding this, sometimes my mind is occupied by thoughts of greed, hate, and delusion. I wonder what qualities remain in me that I have such thoughts?” “Mahanama, there is a quality that remains in you that makes you have such thoughts. For if you had given up that quality you would not still be living at home and enjoying senses delights. But because you haven’t given up that quality you are still living at home and enjoying senses delights. Senses delights give little gra...

Three Types of People: Which One Are You? Numbered Discourses 3.13, Hopes This is said by Buddha: “These three people are found in the world.  What are the three people?  The hopeless, the hopeful, and the one who has done away with hope.  And what, monks, is a hopeless person?  It’s when a person is reborn in a low family—a family of corpse-workers, bamboo-workers, hunters, chariot-makers, or scavengers—poor, with little to eat or drink, where life is tough, and food and shelter are hard to find. And they’re ugly, unsightly, deformed, sickly—one-eyed, crippled, lame, or half-paralyzed. They don’t get to have food, drink, clothes, and vehicles; garlands, fragrances, and makeup; or bed, house, and lighting.  They hear this: ‘They say the aristocrats have anointed the aristocrat named so-and-so as king.’ It never occurs to them: ‘Oh, when will the aristocrats anoint me too as king?’  This is called a hopeless person. And what, monks, is a hopeful person?...

Numbered Discourse 2.33, The Chapter on the Peaceful Mind. At one time, Buddha said this in old India. “Monks, I say that these two people cannot easily be repaid.  What are the two people?  Mother and father. You would not have done enough to repay your mother and father even if you were to carry your mother around on one shoulder and your father on the other, and if you lived like this for a hundred years, and if you were to anoint, massage, bathe, and rub them; and even if they were to defecate and urinate right there. Even if you were to establish your mother and father as supreme monarchs of this human world, abounding in the seven treasures, you would still not have done enough to repay them.  Why is that?  Parents are very helpful to their children: they raise them, nurture them, and show them the world. But you have done enough, more than enough, to repay them if you encourage, settle, and ground unfaithful parents in faith,  unethical parents in et...

Wisdom about Loss of Family: A Lesson from the Buddha Inspired Utterances 8.8, About Visakha. So I have heard.  At one time the Buddha was staying near Savatthi (in old India), in the stilt longhouse of Migara’s mother, at the Eastern Monastery. Now at that time the dear and beloved granddaughter of Visakha Migara’s Mother had just passed away. Then, in the middle of the day, Visakha with wet clothes and hair went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down.  The Buddha asked her, “So, Visakha, where are you coming from in the middle of the day with wet clothes and hair?”  She replied: “Sir, my beloved granddaughter has just passed away. That’s why I came here in the middle of the day with wet clothes and hair.”  Buddha then asked: “Visakha, would you like as many children and grandchildren as there are people in the whole of Savatthi?”  Visakha answered: “I would, sir.” Buddha continued: “But Visakha, how many people pass away each day in Savatthi?” She replied: “E...