Video

Bodhisattvas reside in Tuṣita Heaven, awaiting rebirth in the next life where they can become a Buddha. Tuṣita Heaven is sort of the last realm and location a Bodhisattva will be in as the next would be back in the Human Realm where one can become a Buddha. For example, Maitreya Buddha, as a Bodhisattva right now, is in Tuṣita Heaven. Maitreya will be the next Buddha of our era. It's important to note that each existence is not the same 'person'. The Bodhisattva that was in Tuṣita Heaven was not 'Siddhartha Gautama', but called Svetaketu Bodhisattva. The karma, vows, intentions, etc., of Svetaketu is what was reborn in the new existence of Siddhartha. But there was no 'soul' that is permanent and unchanging that went into Siddhartha.

It was meant to be general, in nature, and to introduce a Westerner to Buddhist cosmology. Generally, all traditions should mirror this. However, as you mentioned, it can get much more in-depth with Mahayana!

Welcome!

Great question. It's why we have faith in the Buddha, as our teacher. There are things we can't prove, per se, but take it on his word. Why? He's a Buddha and has a proven teaching(s) that lead to liberation. Depending on our level, we can understand perhaps just a little bit of it, but that allows us even more faith since we were able to understand some initial small concepts. Much like if you were in elementary school, and your teacher was saying there is such things as physics which are beyond our comprehension at that age. Our teacher has proven smaller initial concepts with us that leads to credibility. Another way to look at it is, the Buddha actually said the supranormal/supernatural abilities he, and his enlightened followers, obtained from advanced meditative concentration (and the fact he was a Buddha) allows them to reveal/obtain these abilities. To us, these appear supranormal/supernatural, but that doesn't mean they are not 'natural' anyways. Just beyond our level of understanding/comprehension. What gives power to this in Buddhism, is that the Buddha said that one should not practice Buddhism to obtain these 'powers', as the true power is from his teachings (Dharma). The supranormal/supernatural powers are basically byproducts or obtainments from such advanced levels. He did use it to help others understand Buddhism, etc., but these were limited circumstances and he often did it with the point of helping others understand the Dharma. That would be in sharp contrast, for example, if say another religion stated the founder of their religion had supernormal/supernatural powers as a proven fact to their supreme status in that religion (and was a constant focus). That doesn't exist in Buddhism. alanpeto.com/buddhism/buddhist-superstition/

@@AlanPeto Hey Alan, thank you so much for answering my question. I am very much a skeptic at heart and have a very critical eye for things that have to be taken 'on faith alone,' like various Abrahamic faiths. It's taken me a while to realize that Buddhism is not 'faith' based in the Abrahamic, unquestionable sense, but 'faith' in the trust sense.

Thanks! We do have to differentiate it for at least a Western audience as reincarnation can be construed as something different, which is not what the Buddha taught.

Understand your reply. Mara, however, was indeed an antagonist (if anything else) to the Buddha. We can look at Mara as the opposite of a Buddha. He also worked pre and post enlightenment to challenge, trick, deceive, etc., the Buddha and his followers.

The short answer is it depends. Each tradition will have their own ways to have a home practice and altar. Some may not even have a statue! You can often use an image in lieu of a physical statue. The goal of an altar and home practice is to continue your practice away from the Temple. Think of it as recreating the experience, each time, to being in the presence of a Buddha or Bodhisattva.

I have a video here: czcams.com/video/sYmp3LjvSFE/video.htmlfeature=shared

Thank you so much!

Not necessarily. When things are translated, there needs to be a distinguishment if there would be a fundamental confusion or misunderstanding. If you ask any Westerner what "reincarnation" means, it often defaults to the Hinduism version - a permanent, unchanging, and independent "self" (like a soul) transmigrates into a new body. The Buddha fundamentally rejected that premise. This is why "rebirth" is often used to distinguish for Westerners the fundamental difference between the two to prevent a misunderstanding in the Western understanding of what reincarnation means. While you are correct in the way it is understood at a deeper level, we have to take in account the audience so the correct understanding is relayed. For a Westerner to hear reincarnation, and think a permanent soul exists and they just go into a new body, would set them on the wrong path in Buddhism.

@@AlanPeto no, i don't know any westerner that thinks of them self as permanent, unchanging, and not influenced by causality.

Almost everyone does, even non-Westerners. We all believe in an "I", "me", "self". There is at least something small that we believe is permanent and unchanging in ourselves. For others, it goes deeper to believe they have a permanent and unchanging self or soul altogether. I do understand your concern, however, rebirth is widely used to help separate a Westerners view of the word reincarnation which is commonly associated with a belief in a permanent and unchanging self or soul that goes into a new body/existence.

Thanks for your feedback. The "I, me, mine" does not exist as a permanent, unchanging, and independent self according to The Buddha. The idea we have of this c "self" we have now is the fundamental issue The Buddha taught. czcams.com/video/sYmp3LjvSFE/video.htmlfeature=shared

Thank you for sharing how you use your mala!

Amitoufo 🙏

Thanks! I'm glad this helped! I'm just a Buddhist Layperson, but I appreciate the kind comments.

Thank you for watching! Take your time and enjoy growing in the religion and practice. If you can, it can be a great opportunity to learn at a temple under monastics, even if that means a short trip. While not always possible, it might be a great option to explore.

While Buddhists do chant out loud, reciting (such as the name of a Buddha) can be done silently. While not always ideal, there are times this is done. For example, Buddhists who live with other family members and work a different shift, often recite/chant softly or quietly so they do not distrurb others.

🙏

🙏

Karma indeed has relevant practices as it relates to our life right here, right now, as we work with the threefold training to understand our existence and world so we may become enlightened and realize Nirvana. However, the Buddha, and Buddhism overall, indeed talks about rebirth. In-fact, it's the central point (and a core concept) of Buddhism and practicing Buddhists. According to the Buddha, it's why our existence is Dukkha, as we dive deeper into dependent origination and the concent of not-self and the three fires/poisons. The goal of realizing our true nature, Nirvana, is not to be happy, but to create karma without outflows so the cycle of rebirth is not instigated and forced due to our karma. If this concept of rebirth can be challenging in the beginning, you can apply a singular approach by looking how your karma and 'self' change moment to moment and even throughout the years. You can also look at how the realms of rebirth can be used in this existence to understand the different conditions of your mind and actions. However, again, the Buddha was specific about rebirth. You may want to explore more, including these sermons where he was very specific about it: Mahakammavibhanga Sutta (MN 136), Upali Sutta (MN 56), Kukkuravatika Sutta (MN 57), Moliyasivaka Sutta (SN 36.21), Sankha Sutta (SN 42.8).

Of course! If you can't do prostrations due to conditions, then don't feel you need to do them. When camping, that can be very challenging due to the conditions and environment. You can also take this time to enhance your practice. When around nature, you are deeply expriencing impermanence and can even practice walking meditaiton (but be safe around unfamiliar and uneven terrain), among other practices. Enjoy!

Consciousness is one of the aggregates/skandhas which constitue a conditioned being (in our case, a sentient being). So, even the consciousness is conditioned, temporary, impermanent, and interconnected. However, upon death, there is our 'store consciousness' (think of it almost like a place where karmic 'seeds' are stored waiting to be watered to rise into other parts of the consciousness) continue on to a new existence. I'm very high leveling all this, but there is no *permanent and unchanging* thing like a soul that continues on. Only our karma (and vows/stream of consciousness). So, when a new existence takes shape, it's not this one where you have that "I" "me" "self"...that was conditioned. But the karma, vows, etc., do go into the new existence. Compare that to a soul, where there is *something* there that is permanent and unchanging. In some religions, there might be a soul that goes into a new body (reincarnation) - the Buddha didn't teach that and says that's not possible since there is no permanent and unchanging essence that continues on. It's our belief in a permanent, unchanging, and independent self which is the illusion and which causes us to create actions (karma) that keeps us trapped in the cycle of rebirth.

One Buddha per era - in a world [system]. Buddhist cosmology encompasses many worlds and more. So, while our current Buddha, Shakyamuni (Gautama), is the Buddha of our era...that is only for Earth. There is/can be countless Buddhas in world systems we don't even know about. And, in Buddhism, time is very long and almost a non-issue. This means we look at our lives in decades as humans, but in Buddhism, this is just the latest conditioned existence. It's a deep concept and teaching to get our heads around, but yes, there can be many Buddhas in the universe. The 'human realm' in Buddhism does not mean only human beings like here on Earth, but basically beings that are conditioned/in the right existence to understand and practice the Dharma...wherever that may be.

It's something to think about! It shaped an entire region, and continues to be of interest even to this day worldwide which is remarkable.

Great question. No, babies are not in a state of nirvana because even they are marked with the conditions of impermanence and the unsatisfactoriness of this new existence they are in (dukkha). They feel hunger, cold, hot, pain, growth, etc., at a very minimum. While their minds are on the journey to grow as they get older, they of course have the potential for awakening and to realize nirvana. It's the ability to understand our condition, world, and how to respond to that, can help us with enlightenment and nirvana. A baby, while still new to the world, unfortunately is still caught in samsara and dukkha with this existence (we could argue it's different than what an older child or adult may experience), but it's still dukkha because nirvana is still not their current state [yet].

I didn't dig as deep in this video into that (which I should cover in another video), but yes, in Mahayana Buddha's do indeed have a sort of 'eternal' presence due to the three bodies of a Buddha. The Buddha[s] we have in a conditioned state are impermanent (and very important fo us), but their Dharma body can continue as you describe.

You can use our video to take it virtually, if desired: czcams.com/video/fuJ8FRKSGIg/video.html However it is always best to do it at a temple and with a teacher you want to follow, even if that means travelling.

I've answered this questions a few times in the comments below. I always recommend you follow the method of whatever Buddhist tradition you are following. The method shown here is appropriate and used by a large number of Buddhists (hundreds of millions, to include monastics). While the method you mentioned is indeed one way to use malas, Buddhism is a religion of many traditions, which also include different practices and techniques.

"general" style. It's meant to illustrate how to build a Buddhist altar with available materials and not expending a lot of money. Especially for those still exploring Buddhism and do not have a tradition/teacher/temple they are in. If your Buddhist tradition hasd specific requirements, please follow their guidance.

Mara is the antagonist to The Buddha, and is often described as a demon or deva, depending on explanation. He also has several different manifistations. He is not, however, a deity in a way that Buddhists worship.

In Buddhism, the term "sentient beings" generally refers to beings with consciousness, such as humans, animals, and other creatures that experience life subject to illusion, suffering, and rebirth (saṃsāra). Trees and plants, while recognized for their complex life processes and ecological interactions, are not traditionally considered sentient beings within most Buddhist teachings. To my understanding, The Buddha did not state that trees are sentient beings. While the above is generally accepted, Buddhism, and Buddhists in general, have a variety of views and beliefs. Thank you for sharing yours.

Alayavijnana or "store consciousness". alanpeto.com/buddhism/understanding-reincarnation-rebirth/

@@AlanPeto Where in the body does this Alayavijnana reside during life and where does it reside between death and birth. If this is the only thing that survives past death then what is the indistructable vajra body that Buddhists talk about. If it is indestructible it must also survive death