Buddhist Perspective of God, Gods & gods

This is a sutta about how a Maha Brahma by the name Brahma Baka was deluded that he was the eternal and almighty God and how Mara tried to convince the Buddha and other Brahmas that He (Brahma Baka) was right: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.049.than.html The last verse in the Jayamangala Gatha is about this same Brahma Baka.

This sutta answers several questions that we may encounter in giving Dhamma talks:

1. What is the equivalent to God in Buddhism?
2. Is God almighty in terms of psychic power?
3. How God himself was deluded that He was a God?

4. Does the Buddha sometimes use psychic powers for education purpose?

5. What is the relationship between Buddha and God or Gods?

There is a sutta that indicates to us that a Maha Brahma (God) is NOT omniscient http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.11.0.than.html (under 'Conversations with Gods). Once, He was consulted by a monk on a metaphysical question related to the 4 great elements. He was bragging about His knowledge and greatness but in the end still could not answer the question. He then felt embarrass among the other Brahmas and finally asked the monk to consult the Buddha instead of Him.

This sutta answers the following questions:

1. Is God omniscient or all-knowing?

2. Does God also sometimes have pride and feel embarrass?

3. How much does the Buddha know as compared to the gods (deva) and Gods (brahma)?

Why do some people believe that there is a creator and almighty God? http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.11.0.than.html (last part of sutta under 5th wrong view) This sutta talks about how Maha Brahma's' can become deluded that they are Gods.

According to Bhante Punnaji, Maha Brahmas are beings of the 1st Jhana Brahma Realm (lowest of the Brahma realms) and each Maha Brahma actually resides at the center of a galaxy. When the universe (numerous galaxies) contracts into a 'big crunch', there will be no matter (galaxies) in the universe, then all the Maha Brahmas and other smaller Brahmas ('Mini Brahmas') will be reborn into Higher Brahma realms that are immaterial. During a subsequent big-bang and universe expansion, the Maha Brahmas and Mini Brahmas will be reborn again in the 1st Jhana Brahma Realm/galaxies. Since the Maha Brahmas are born first and more powerful than the Mini Brahmas, they became deluded that they are the Gods. Some Mini Brahmas later were reborn in the human realm and able to recall their past association with the Maha Brahma. Naturally, they (Mini Brahmas) became deluded that they were inferior to the Maha Brahmas (God) and they are the follower of God.

This sutta answers the questions:

1. Why does God think that He is a God?

2. Why do some people think that there is a God?

Please be diplomatic when you answer questions about God to avoid arguments or intimidations. Late Chief would say, "Buddhists do believe in God but the concept of God is different" when asked whether Buddhists believe in God. i think that is a gold standard answer for peace, harmony and understanding.

31 Planes of Existence (Buddhist Cosmology): http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html

Do human beings evolve from devas and simpler life forms? http://www.moonpointer.com/essays/aggannasutta.pdf

Aganna Sutta & Buddhist Cosmology: A Commentary http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha190.htm

Lessons from Tirokkuda Sutta - Powerpoint Slides

Lessons from Tirokkuda Sutta

In conjunction with the Hungry Ghost Festival, I have delivered this talk in 3 places - Nalanda Buddhist Society, Kota Kemuning Buddhist Society, HUKM Buddhist Society and find that the response is encouraging. Hope that you would find the slides useful in preparing for your talks related to this topic. Those white colored slides are just notes for presenters and not part of the presentation. Interestingly, I have met two sisters from the audience with vivid peta encounters and they related to me stories that support what the Buddha said in the suttas.

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness In Plain English

excerpt from "Mindfulness in Plain English"
by Venerable Henepola Gunaratana

There is no way that we can fully understand the meaning of mindfulness without any practical experience. But, in giving talks to beginners in Buddhism, we can't avoid the need to give a basic conceptual explanation of mindfulness. I would try to explain in this way, "MindFULness is a mind FULL of sati which is characterised by present-time awareness, non-judgement observation, goal-less awareness.........................all those things mentioned in the article". Alternatively, I may say, "MindFULness is an EMPTY mind, empty of past-future awareness, jugmental observation, goal-directed awareness................all those things opposite of what is mentioned in the article".

Mother Teresa's Crisis of Faith

Mother Teresa's Crisis of Faith

Do we as Dhammadutas sometimes have similar experience?

Taking Refuge in Triple Gem - Powerpoint Slides

Taking Refuge In Triple Gem

These are the powerpoint slides that I used for my talk in Ti Ratana Buddhist Society in Klang. Please feel free to modify the slides if you need to use them for your talks related to this topic. Hope the others will also make the effort to upload their powerpoint presentations so that we can benefit from one another. SUKHIHOTU!

Buddhism, Sexuality & Homosexuality

Ajahn Brahm's response to an article in which the Dalai Lama was quoted as saying that homosexuality was immoral. http://www.bswa.org/modules/news/article.php?storyid=181

But, The Dalai Lama also said, "If you both agree, then I think I would say, if two males or two females voluntarily agree to have mutual satisfaction without further implication of harming others, then it is okay." http://www.shambhalasun.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1977

When I was a Dhamma speaker trainee, I was grateful to be given a chance to speak and particpitate in the 1st Buddhist Global Conference in Singapore. Ajahn Brahm was addressing the homosexuality issue and a gay Buddhist friend from the Gay Buddhist Fellowship in Singapore asked, "Is homosexuality breaking the 3rd precept?", "Is is bad kamma to be born homosexual?, "How to help people with homophobia?" http://www.heartlandsg.org/blog/2006/12/30/homosexuality-and-other-forms-of-queerness-excerpt-from-ajahn-brahm/

American Psychological Association: Sexual orientation and homosexuality FAQ. http://www.apa.org/topics/orientation.html

Buddhism and Sex by M. O'C. Walshe. Wheel Publication No. 225, Buddhist Publication Society. http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha319.htm

Mak Nyahs (Male Transsexuals) in Malaysia: The International Journal of Transgenderism. http://www.asylumlaw.org/docs/sexualminorities/MalaysiaTrans070901.pdf

Hungry Ghost Festival

In conjunction with the recent hungry ghost festival, you may be invited to give Dhamma talks related to ghost. Hope you will find these links helpful:

Dedication of Merits to our Departed Next-of-Kin

Ven. Dr. Indaratana Thera

Tirokudda Sutta

Thanissaro Bhikku

Spiritual Self-Defense

Bhante Aggacitta

31 Planes of Existence