Originally posted by Naruto23:
Just wondering, 1) can a layman buddhist like me go into heaven ?
Please
listen to my story.. Even since the age of sixteen before O level,
my
grandma pass away.. I began to realise what people cannot ecsape
the wheel of life, birth, old, sick and death. Death is the
beginning of birth... At
the time, I grew depression, began to wonder why are born as a
human being, our mission to reborn as a human being... I read many
books related to
Buddhism, Dai lama, zen practice since then, I realised that we are
born to
practice Dharma, to fulfil our role or misson here, to do more
charitable
deeds, to grow more wisdom through praticing the 10 good deeds and
five
precept so that everyone can escape the six realms of rebirth
before getting
enlightened one day. Since then I try to practice the simple life
of a
monk, saving money through buying excessive clothes, or other
expensive watch or accessories Worn till it tear before to buy new
one. No smoking and clubbing. Neither do I have a girlfriend as I
think a layman should
find one true love so that we do not hurt other people
feelings..
Anyone can go to heaven as long as you have good karma. Right,
as long as you accumulate good karma through the practise of '10
virtuous deeds' and keeping the 5 precepts so as not to commit bad
karma. Going to heaven is not difficult. And you mentioned you read
many books related to Buddhism, Dalai Lama and Zen practise, I am
very interested to know which books have you read..? Do share with
us. Thanks.
Secondly, whether you lead a simple life of a monk is entirely up
to you, it is not necessary that you have to lead a life like a
monk in order to practise. Many great lay practitioners have a
thriving business and enjoys good life, although they would not be
too attached to luxury etc and are usually generious in giving what
they have. Also as you should have known, the teaching of Middle
Way is core in Buddhism. Middle way can apply to alot of situation.
It first started when the Buddha realised that neither indulging in
sensual pleasures, nor his practise of ascetism, could lead to
Enlightenment. He stopped all these and sat under the Bodhi tree
and attained enlightenment. So the Buddha taught that we should
practise the middle way, that is, not become extreme. So in your
case, it translate to, not indulging too much in luxuries and
sensual enjoyment, but also we have to make a living and have what
is necessary. You don't have to live like a hermit.
The habit of smoking and clubbing is also detrimental to our
Buddhist cultivation, and all such self-serving habits/'habit
energy' must be eliminated through our practise. It is also part of
purifying our minds. In fact my shi fu says, the very least a
Buddhist practitioner must accomplish is to eliminate our
self-serving habits.
5 Precepts and 10 Virtuous deeds, as I mentioned earlier, is only a
means of accumulating good karma and also to prevent accumulating
any bad karma but it does not lead to enlightenment. It is very
important, it is a good practise, but it will not lead you to
liberation.
Buddhism is different from any other religion because it emphasizes
that we must purify our minds. Our mind is the source of all good,
all bad, all thoughts, all afflictions, all sufferings and so on.
We must treat the problem at the root. We must eliminate the root
of suffering before we can find the unconditional and eternal Bliss
of Nirvana in our lives. Buddhism is a culture of bliss, as it is
the way of living in perfect bliss in the midst of Life through the
cultivation of dharma. The Buddhist practise of mindful awareness
allows us to watch our every arising thought, and not become misled
by these thoughts into further samsaric cycles. Since you have read
many 'Buddhism, Dalai Lama and Zen' books, I think you should have
a rough idea of what I am talking about.
And I find it very strange that you do not have any girlfriend...
because you want to find true love? Care to explain that a little?
Because as far as I know, although I do not claim to have lots of
experience, you can only find true love if you date someone and
your relationship becomes deepened as a result.
