dorjeshugden.com
About Dorje Shugden => General Discussion => Topic started by: DharmaDefender on December 16, 2010, 01:23:23 AM
-
Just saw this article on the Beeb which I thought coincides perfectly with our times.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12002253
As countries move quickly towards developmental progress, they often forget about their spiritual progress. 'Funny' how people become unhappier, as they work so hard towards what they think will bring them happiness.
Time for Dorje Shugden to step in?
-
If wealth brings happiness, then all rich people should be happy. But are they? How often do we hear of those who are in economically rich nations commit suicide? How many celebrities have we heard who are unhappy and find solace in drug abuse?
America, for example, is an economically rich and powerful country but the crime rate is one of the highest in the world. Millions of elderly people are neglected by their children and die of loneliness in senior citizens' homes. Domestic violence, child abuse and drug addiction are major problems, let alone the high divorce rates.
So, the question is, what do you want? The ideal situation would be to embrace Buddhism whole heartedly; the middle way.
-
Just saw this article on the Beeb which I thought coincides perfectly with our times.
[url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12002253[/url] ([url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12002253[/url])
As countries move quickly towards developmental progress, they often forget about their spiritual progress. 'Funny' how people become unhappier, as they work so hard towards what they think will bring them happiness.
Time for Dorje Shugden to step in?
To chase after something that is not real will never bring happiness of any sorts. But unfortunately samsara and all samsaric activities more or less emphasize on the importance of the ego and sustaining it. Everything in the media and society talks about how being materialistic and how pursuing materialistic comforts will make everything well and make everyone happy. But then again, the idea that material things itself will bring us happiness and will heal our pains and take away our sorrows is a lie in the first place as it is nothing more than just an idea or a concept that was pitched to us by society and people around us. Since it is a lie, it will crumble down one day and when it does, all that is left is a sense of emptiness and suffering. The real problem has never been solved or faced, it is merely pushed down and since nothing is being done to address the real issues, they do fester and get worse over time. When it boils over, people get very unhappy and nothing they do can calm it down.
When it comes to spirituality, Buddhism can help because Buddhism really addresses the core issues that normally people avoid due to not being able to handle it or because, distractions are easier to digest compared to the actual issues. Buddhism helps by giving a systematic way to get into the core issues and solving and facing them. People need an answer and not just an escape or a cover from the situation.
-
Interesting post. It is true that we spend most of our life, time and effort building a shelter, maintaining a relationship, gaining material wealth so we can live comfortably to feed and cloth ourselves. We are actually try our best to live up to the society's standard. It is very much the perception on how our lives should be. Just like the article posted in this post, the society has pushes the rural areas, the villagers feel that they have to live up to the standard which today's society is portraying.
It is not how the outer environment should be, it is actually how we accept life as it is without wanting more and live up to the society's standard. If we truly accept things as they are and not attach to them, it will actually be easier on ourselves. Hence, Buddhism is one religion that is most suitable for today's age, many more will be very benefited by the philosophy of Buddhism. It is no surprise that Dorje Shugden is the most suitable protector of this time.
-
I think the main cause for the Chinese being not happy is because they emphasize so much on materialism and they do not live in the present and appreciate what they have. Definitely, I think Buddhist teachings will help them to gain satisfaction and happiness in life.
For this reason, I think Dorje Shugden is good for them because he is very swift and effective in bringing Dharma to those in need.
-
It is not how the outer environment should be, it is actually how we accept life as it is without wanting more and live up to the society's standard. If we truly accept things as they are and not attach to them, it will actually be easier on ourselves. Hence, Buddhism is one religion that is most suitable for today's age, many more will be very benefited by the philosophy of Buddhism. It is no surprise that Dorje Shugden is the most suitable protector of this time.
Well said Barzin! Buddhism has always presented the most appropriate teachings for any age but we are just too blinded by our negative karma to realize it, much more so during this time. So while the Buddha's teachings has always been consistent, it does require a "specialist" to cut through the extra thick obscurations that we all suffer now.
Life is more complex now compared to when the Buddha walked the earth and for sure people are further from Dharma than before. Most have not even heard the Dharma and those who have find it hard to apply it. The designs of todays life is such that even as we honestly think that we are doing the right thing we are in fact drifting further away from the true happiness that Dharma guarantees, and it is no wonder that discontentment rules the day. Such is our state that we desperate need an extra-ordinary Protector to guide us back to the correct path.
The iconography of Dorje Shugden says a lot in themselves. Although Dorje Shugden is the Wisdom Buddha, his sword is not the usual straight one that Manjushri wields, but a wavy wisdom sword that is more potent and effective in cutting through the thick ignorance that we all suffer today as we get further and further away from the Buddha's teachings.
Because we are so lost and have become so far away from the teachings, Dorje Shugden's tiger boots shows how he takes earthly form to get to us, because we are unable to reach the Buddha by ordinary means.
Everything about Dorje Shugden is about getting us to reconnect with Je Tsongkhapa's teachings which incorporates the highest of the Teachings of the Victorious One and we should count ourselves extremely fortunate to have met such a magnificent and compassionate Protector. It is a pity that some fail to see it, but who knows...The Buddha Of Compassion and Dorje Shugden have worked in collaboration quietly so many times before. Is it a coincidence that the spread of Buddhism coincides with the spread of the Shugden practice?
-
Monks and nuns are the people who renounce from the world enjoyments, things which we lay people considered pleasurable and make us happy. However, monks and nuns seem to be the most happy people without such things. How ironic.
I have heard many times from monks that what makes us truly happy is to serve others. When others are happy, then we will be happy, and in order to be able to serve others well, we need to "surrender".
If we surrender our laziness, our comfort zone, our ego, we will be able to put others more important than ourselves.
It is also said that the main purpose of practicing Dorje Shugden is the practice of "surrender". If we do our Dorje Shugden practice well, we will be able to surrender much easier.
-
The problem with humankind is that we are brought up on a constant force-feeding of what is supposed to make us happy by the media. From birth, we are told that we have to look like this, have a car like this, live in a house like this, have 2.5 children etc in order to be happy. Sold this illusion via the media, majority of humanbeings do not know any other way of living – unless they have been drawn to the truths of Buddhism, which explains that all these are projections, and like mirages, only promise water at a distance but disappears into nothingness when you draw near. If we can only discover the truth about ourselves and our environment, then we will be able to go towards the real goals which will bring us real, lasting happiness.
-
China has enjoyed tremendous economic growth in the last few decades and continues to be so. Though its citizens enjoy greater freedom to amass wealth, not many are not able to adapt to the competitive lifestyles of a modern economy where only the fittest survive. The gap between the rich and the poor is widening in China compared to the time when they enjoy equal wealth distribution in the era of communism.
Why are they unhappy? If they are merely concerned with the accumulation of outer wealth and ignore the accumulation of inner wealth, they will definitely be unhappy! There is no equilibrium in the development of their well-being. No matter how much they chase after the outer wealth, they cannot satisfy their desires. When their desires are not met, they become unhappy.
It is timely for Dorje Shugden to step in! If the Chinese practise Dorje Shugden, all of their problems, difficulties, unhappiness etc. will be overcome. Then they will find the everlasting happiness of permanent liberation from samsara.
-
If wealth brings happiness, then all rich people should be happy. But are they? How often do we hear of those who are in economically rich nations commit suicide? How many celebrities have we heard who are unhappy and find solace in drug abuse?
America, for example, is an economically rich and powerful country but the crime rate is one of the highest in the world. Millions of elderly people are neglected by their children and die of loneliness in senior citizens' homes. Domestic violence, child abuse and drug addiction are major problems, let alone the high divorce rates.
So, the question is, what do you want? The ideal situation would be to embrace Buddhism whole heartedly; the middle way.
You have a point there Rihanna. I dont remember where I read this, but someone once said that death is the best equaliser there is. Makes you wonder eh whats the point of working for it all, if your going to lose it at the time of death.
Also brings to mind another good quote I once read - cocaine is Gods way of telling you your making too much money. Gotta love drugged up comedians.
-
Not a suprise... this is indeed the age of consumerism. We all consume more then what we need most of the time...feeding our every desire and greed. Everything in samsara is just mere illusions. It deceives us by trapping us in to believing if we have all these equisitions (wealth, fame, beauty, relationship, nice house, nice cars etc etc) we would then be perfect and happy. People get sucked in to this concept thinking this is what life is and how they should live... working hard for the money... to gain it, to be driven by it, to achieve it and when they have reached that peak and they realise they are still hungry for it, unsatisfied while certain sacrifices are being made and felt... health deteriorates, friends come and go, family betrayals and the list of disappointments goes on... they will then begin to question. Especially if a tragedy happens to them like someone dies, or they fall sick...then they realise... their Feraris and big houses are not able to help them in any way...this is when they start to seek for help/answers and this is where hopefully if they have the merits where they start perpetuating to Dorje Shugden.
As we all know Dorje Shugden is Manjushri Buddha of Wisdom... so Dorje Shugden will definitely be able to bless them and guide them on to the right path because He is a Dharma Protector and ultimately will be able to bring them on to the path of realisation. That is why it is so important to spread and promote Dorje Shugden to the world because Dorje Shugden's practice is so efficatious as we degenrate further, most suitable for our times due to the oath he took and promise he made to protect and spread the teachings of Je Tsongkhapa during this Kaliyurga times.
Come to think of it, in a funny way, we should be glad that this controversy ban arose so that the Chinese embraces Dorje Shugden simply because HHDL said NO. Quite smart if you think about it :)
-
Social discontent is a hotbed for social crimes and social unrest. According to this article, as China moves swiftly from an agricultural society to an industrial one, the people in small towns and rural areas have become discontented with their lot and are moving to the cities in search of 'wealth and happiness' . After all, this is what the media has touted to them.
However, they will be hit by the reality of displacement and joblessness and more discontentment. Here's where Dorje Shugden can come in; and help, support,Dharma and spirituality can be introduced and infused skillfully into their lives.
-
People are discontent nowadays because they always see something better that they want but cannot get. They get unhappy because of that because there are just too many things to distract us from the truth that we do not need all the external things to make us happy yet we work based on that projection. So as a result of that we make ourselves unhappy. This is the reason why as things get more convenient, we get more and more unhappy and discontent.
-
My thoughts are people in China stopped embracing the spiritual path of Buddhism because they have this misconception of what Buddhism thought. In which, life is suffering in the context of life is never perfect. Ultimately they have a negative view of life towards this concept and went seeking for other ways to make their life happy. Unfortunately, where people look for happiness leads to social discontentment.
Ultimately, if one understand that life is suffering because nothing is permanent and ever-changing, one's view about life will change. No matter how healthy a body is, it cannot last forever. One who is wealthy cannot maintain one's wealth forever. When that change happen, that is when suffering arises. With the correct view, when one is happy and one becomes poor, one can still maintain happiness in them because of this understanding.
The only way to permanent happiness and perfect life is Buddhahood. Hence, Dorje Shugden is much needed in China to lead people towards the spiritual path.
-
Whatever status you have achieved, whatever material acquisitions you have, whatever pleasures and desires you have fulfilled will never be enough if you do not realise the true nature of your existence and of your surroundings.
There are people who have everything in the world that others can only dream and long for, and yet they are still unfulfilled. There are people who are struggling to make ends meet, yet their very existence brings joy to others. Whatever disparity there is amongst the human race, the unfulfilment that one has , if any, remains the same regardless. Rich or Poor, Successful or not , they are just labels. The contentment that we are all driven to look for seems like an impossible reach as long as we keep going around in circles in our worldly pursuits, in what we call "living a life".
If all our desires are fulfilled, if all our wants and needs are met, how come unhappiness still pervades? If society tells you that success and all that brings you happiness, how come after achieving it, you still don't achieve that level of happiness you thought you could? Happiness is something so easy to relate to and find in worldly terms, but how long does it last? Achieving it is easy, but finding true lasting happiness is the real challenge. But of course, there is a way to everything. And in this case, the way to it is through Buddhism. Don't believe me? Start reading and practising. Then you will come to see and feel the difference it will bring you, just like a torch that will brighten up your life.
-
I think the main cause for the Chinese being not happy is because they emphasize so much on materialism and they do not live in the present and appreciate what they have. Definitely, I think Buddhist teachings will help them to gain satisfaction and happiness in life.
For this reason, I think Dorje Shugden is good for them because he is very swift and effective in bringing Dharma to those in need.
A bit racist dont you think? Okay maybe racist is pushing it a little, but perhaps the Chinese are just catching up on what we in the West have been practising for many more centuries beforehand. Colonise the world? Enslave Africa? Deforest the New World and rape it of its resources? Hey, why not right? Capitalism, survival of the fittest, the rat race - all these were concepts termed, coined and defined in the West.
At least the Chinese for so many centuries had the teachings of Confucius and the Tao to rely on... and for a period, although it was eventually perverted, had the ideals of Communism impressed (to put it kindly!) on the society. What did we have? A bunch of blokes swanning about in frocks probably doing a bit of fiddling with the altar boys! Oh and not to forget, an adulterer who wasnt granted a divorce and therefore set up an entire branch of a religion to pander to his lust!
But I digress (evidently).
I am inclined to agree with Ensapa. The disparity in the distribution of wealth, AND the wealth of information now available makes the inequalities between different groups of people all the more evident. Its a pity that instead of Buddhism bringing people together, our faith is now being used to drive more families and friends further apart. I mean, why would people already suffering inequality and seeking solace in faith, want to get involved with a religion that has a ban which promotes discrimination? Otherwise, with our middle way approach, we wouldve been best placed to draw all these unhappy, suffering beings to us... pity ego got in the way of Dorje Shugden helping others.
People are discontent nowadays because they always see something better that they want but cannot get. They get unhappy because of that because there are just too many things to distract us from the truth that we do not need all the external things to make us happy yet we work based on that projection. So as a result of that we make ourselves unhappy. This is the reason why as things get more convenient, we get more and more unhappy and discontent.
-
A bit racist dont you think? Okay maybe racist is pushing it a little, but perhaps the Chinese are just catching up on what we in the West have been practising for many more centuries beforehand. Colonise the world? Enslave Africa? Deforest the New World and rape it of its resources? Hey, why not right? Capitalism, survival of the fittest, the rat race - all these were concepts termed, coined and defined in the West.
At least the Chinese for so many centuries had the teachings of Confucius and the Tao to rely on... and for a period, although it was eventually perverted, had the ideals of Communism impressed (to put it kindly!) on the society. What did we have? A bunch of blokes swanning about in frocks probably doing a bit of fiddling with the altar boys! Oh and not to forget, an adulterer who wasnt granted a divorce and therefore set up an entire branch of a religion to pander to his lust!
But I digress (evidently).
I am inclined to agree with Ensapa. The disparity in the distribution of wealth, AND the wealth of information now available makes the inequalities between different groups of people all the more evident. Its a pity that instead of Buddhism bringing people together, our faith is now being used to drive more families and friends further apart. I mean, why would people already suffering inequality and seeking solace in faith, want to get involved with a religion that has a ban which promotes discrimination? Otherwise, with our middle way approach, we wouldve been best placed to draw all these unhappy, suffering beings to us... pity ego got in the way of Dorje Shugden helping others.
To practice or not to practice Dorje Shugden is a choice for everyone. It is up to the individual to choose whether or not they want to investigate more about Dorje Shugden and accept him as their Dharma protector or see that Dorje Shugden is an evil spirit and lose out a chance to gain his protection, blessings and wealth as well as higher attainments such as Bodhicitta. Always wanting to be on the safe or good side but basing decisions on hearsay is what a lot of people are doing and come to think of it, they do not deserve Dorje Shugden because they're simply too lazy to go and investigate themselves before coming to the conclusion.
-
What I think is that, sometimes having wealth doesn't mean the world to us. When we use the money to to charity works, that's a different kind of story; but mostly people will just focus on themselves and keep on planning how they should use the money etc. As long as we are alive, we will definitely have expectations, unless we are wiling to change it, or we will never be happy.