is it right for buddhist 2keep "other sentient beings" away?

paperflower SG

my mother inlaw went to thailand and visited a monk and had a big piece of paper with ancient words inscribed on it together with a palm print imprinted on it.

she came back and gave me that as a gift for my future new house, to be put up somewhere near the entrance inside. aparently, her idea is to use it to keep away evil spirits or those "dirty things" which she calls them.

as a buddhist, does one need to do that?
(my inlaws are not buddhists who have not taken refuge in the tripple gem and do not know much about the buddha's teaching, they appear as joss-sticks buddhists). but the kindful thought is appreciated though.

just would like to hear from the thoughts of buddhist and non-buddhist out there.....
does these type of door charms or emulates (i don't know what they are called) have the ability to ward or keep away spirits or pretas or unwholesome things? is it right for a buddhist to practice such?

does this help "them" and us in any way that both can have less sufferings?

i have accepted her gift but i have not decided to whether wanna use it in future or not. or rather if i don't use it, i'll probably just keep it at the altar inside the home.

her reasons for getting me this stuff is because sometimes i confide in her that i see shadows around the house and outside and i have seen doors left opened after i locked it(with no one else around), and stuff like that. she's concerned for my peace of mind but i have assured her that i am safe and fine in the refuge of the tripple gem.

how do i repay her the kindness?.....

An Eternal Now SG

You can also dedicate merits to the ghosts. For me, when I saw ghost at my rented house many years ago, my mother help me dedicate merits to the ghost, even writing the address of my house and ‘dedicated to the ghosts at the house’.

An Eternal Now SG

Actually there is a Buddhist way to 'cleanse the house'. It is by chanting a mantra and spraying the mantra water over your house. Bohiruci should know.

You do not need to do it yourself, you can consult monks to do it for you. I think. Ever thought of that?

paperflower SG

i see. so if i wish to put up i put it up if not then don't put up.
ok.....
Mr. Green

i ever tried to explain the meaning of dedicating merits to the "them" and my inlaws said that it is not so easy as one thinks.

but if it doesn't cause disturbance to anyone, it is just merely a passing by sentient being.

hope that piece of prayers on the paper serve a good direction for "them" to be able to see the dharma.

An Eternal Now SG

See my updated post.

Anyway dedication of merits DOES work. Some more Ullambanadharma (7th Month) around the corner, go to a monastery, give offerings to sangha, attend pujas, and dedicate the merits to all of them. You may also want to tell those beings in your house to attend the Ullambanadharma session whereby you transfer the merits to them, it works best when they are PRESENT there.. to acknowledge and receive the merits you done for them.

paperflower SG

hhhmm.... maybe when my new home arrives, i'll probably try that.

paperflower SG

ok will check out your updates.

i checked with a buddhist monastery in punggol about the ullambana sessions and the di zang fa hui. i intend to go there and do some offerings.

who knows the beings i come across so far were my parents or relatives or friends or enemies before. and i will invite them all to attend the sessions and receive the offerings.

anyway i should also have to thank them for keeping me company during the time when i was alone, guarding me safe and fine from "intruders".

An Eternal Now SG

I see.. that would be good Smile

SocialOutcast SG

huh?
Buddhists believe in ghosts??

An Eternal Now SG

Yes we do. There are 6 realms of samsara, broken up into 31 planes of existence.

What are the six realms:

Higher realms
Celestial/heaven realm
Human realm
Asura realm

Lower realms
Animal realm
Ghosts realm
Hell realm

More info: THIRTY ONE FORMS OF EXISTENCE

OCEANOS SG

Merry Meet Paperflower Sweetie,

Just a Blessed Talisman which your Mother-in-law gave to you with much Love & Good Intentions, just accept her token of goodwill, i don't see why not.

Such Talisman can ward off evil, bad energies, spirits & entities & so on, just keep them away from entering. They do not have the Power to help these Spiritual Beings in anyway neither be able to exorcise them.

Just dedicate some metta to her, cook her a meal, take her out for dinner whichever you are comfortable with is fine...

Blessed Be,
Oceanos

TWE SG

My friend has also experienced what paperflower has just experienced it in her home . His wife went to a medium to find ways to counter it . I don't know what she did and it seems untill now is ok . Those " sentient beings " may not mean any harm but by unlocking the door , they may cause some unexpected things to happen . Even my own house in broad daylight i have heard someone trying to open my door but luckily that time i have a fierce ( so fierce that it will even bite us the owner if we cross his path , and even chase my uncle when he took one copy of our newspaper " , faithful n loyal pekinese dog , whose continuouse barking drive them away .
But however i have heard from my grandmother that she has heard pple trying to open our door agn untill someone shout to them then they run off . Heng my mum is quite well known in our neighbourhood Razz .

coolbluewater SG

My perception is that these "sentient beings" are just seeking a place to stay, just like we human beings wants to have our own home. I remembered that before my current house is renovated, we have this room, whereby it's dark, eerie, which I would never ever thought of going in. But my grandmother kept her jewellery in that room losely in a very accessible drawer. So one day when my house was burgled, somehow or rather, items in that room was still intact and nothing was missing. My grandmother said that it was the blessing of my grandfather and my great grandfather. Now that room is my bedroom. Wink

paperflower SG

Originally posted by OCEANOS:

[b]Merry Meet Paperflower Sweetie,

Just a Blessed Talisman which your Mother-in-law gave to you with much Love & Good Intentions, just accept her token of goodwill, i don't see why not.

Such Talisman can ward off evil, bad energies, spirits & entities & so on, just keep them away from entering. They do not have the Power to help these Spiritual Beings in anyway neither be able to exorcise them.

Just dedicate some metta to her, cook her a meal, take her out for dinner whichever you are comfortable with is fine...

Blessed Be,
Oceanos[/b]

thanks for sharing.

i am not a very good buddhist. i still harbour some dislikes in her (i won't say hate her) due to some repeated incidents in the past that left a mark. it is not easy to live together with inlaws & family all under the same roof.

i accept her gift and will use it in future. i do tried to open up to her and talk to her, confide in her, go out with her and stuff. but sometimes when she starts to do things that would hurt my feelings, all the dislikes feelings for her start to tumble down, to the extend that i won't talk to her for weeks. (i'm like a crap that needs to go into my shell and retreat in silence haahaaa....)

i appreciate for what she has done for me.
i won't forget to dedicate merits to her (if i have any).

paperflower SG

bedroom doors locked and opened by itself sure looked strange for a moment..... maybe the door lock had some problems hehee....

when i saw that, i was not terrified just wondered with question mark and close the door properly again. it hardly happens only for the 1st time. anyway we are not always alone.

Very Happy