Spiritual Articles - Were the Buddha and Christ Avatars?
Of course, I suppose that an avatar back in the days of Buddha and Christ couldn't talk about the universe or space travel very much because it wasn't until recently that the cosmos has been understood at a scientific level. Yet some of the Buddhist scriptures going back 2600 years have passages that are enigmatic, mentioning that there are a ten trillion universes constantly expanding and contracting, and that there have been a trillion Buddhas in the past scattered amongst these universes, indicating that we ("creatures who are transmigrating in the universal flux") could be reborn on a variety of different planets in a human type material state, or in numerous, different heavenly realms in spirit form, or even in hells!
That being said, the typical mainstream Buddhist or Christian in those days, I assume, couldn't relate to scientific concepts, and therefore the teachings had to be tailored to the mentality of the followers. Thus we were most probably taught simplistic notions, i.e. not to give energy to our sinful ways, not to make bad karma, be good people rather than evil people, and not to think for ourselves regarding our beliefs and either just believe, or study thought until thought no longer had a hold on our minds. There seemed to be some very important aspects to a non-thinking mind that the Avatars were trying to convey.
But I believe that the Avatars slipped up a little and divulged some deeper teachings to their closest disciples, men and women who could grasp and carry forward the deeper message. Perhaps because of this, the Catholics have their contemplative saints and the Buddhists have their meditating monks. Actually, almost all ancient religions have a deeper aspect where the practitioner is expected to not only live a pure life, but to practice methods of mind development as well.
It could possibly be that the refinement or non-refinement of the mind is what makes all the difference in where throughout the universe and the heavens (and hells) our mental energy travels after death. These deeper methods were possibly short cuts to freedom from earthly, material existence, while the common methods of virtue and generosity practices perhaps took many thousands of lifetimes to accumulate the good karma to be able to understand the refined practices.
It makes one wonder how deep this wisdom from the stars and beyond can be. The enlightenment experience, described in detail by many Arahants (some contemporary) in the Buddhist religion is mind blowing! Definitely not of this world. And the powers they acquire and the deep understanding they project is almost unbelievable.
I would have to conclude that indeed Avatars have visited us here on earth, one way or the other, and if we would have heeded their messages, the world would not be in the pickle it is in, which is a state of stress! But it's not too late. Read into your religion until you find the deeper meanings, and then practice them as diligently as you can, as diligently as you now seek pleasure.
That would make the Avatars happy!
Anagarika eddie is a meditation teacher at the Dhammabucha Rocksprings Meditation Retreat Sanctuary www.dhammarocksprings.org and author of "A Year to Enlightenment." His 30 years of meditation experience has taken him across four continents including two stopovers in Thailand where he practiced in the remote northeast forests as an ordained Thervada Buddhist monk.
He lived at Wat Pah Nanachat under Ajahn Chah, at Wat Pah Baan Taad under Ajahn Maha Boowa, and at Wat Pah Daan Wi Weg under Ajahn Tui. He had been a postulant at Shasta Abbey, a Zen Buddhist monastery in northern California under Roshi Kennett; and a Theravada Buddhist anagarika at both Amaravati Monastery in the UK and Bodhinyanarama Monastery in New Zealand, both under Ajahn Sumedho. The author has meditated with the Korean Master Sueng Sahn Sunim; with Bhante Gunaratana at the Bhavana Society in West Virginia; and with the Tibetan Master Trungpa Rinpoche in Boulder, Colorado. He has also practiced at the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, and the Zen Center in San Francisco.
Related Tags: avatars, avatars of earth, buddha avatar, christ avatar, mind development avatar
Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- Current Affairs Articles - Obama on Ground Zero Mosque: Rights for Muslims, Tough Luck for Americans
Only a few short months after snubbing the National Day of Prayer President Obama continued his war - Spiritual Articles - After Armageddon
When we look back through the smoke filled skies of a nuclear winter where all is gone except the fe - Current Affairs Articles - America and the Doctrine of the Last Chance
The History Channel cooks up a nice pot of Nostradamus and eschatological soup with their multi epis - Video Games Articles - A better way to get the most value for your used games.
As players, we usually trade-in our used games in store (Gamestop/EB) and buy used ones from them. - Business Articles - Know About Different Benefits of Sharepoint Administration
Share-point is a platform where people can work together very easily. By using sharepoint administra - Current Affairs Articles - Obama Courts Latino Votes at Arizona's Expense
Every time the President speaks, makes another appointment or ramrods a new bill through the democra - Spiritual Articles - Are You Religious Bigot? Take the Quiz!
This quiz is for fun, and although some of the questions will make you stop and think, please don't - Import - Export Articles - How to get Windows XP driver updates-5
Getting driver updates for an individual's laptop or computer with Windows XP operating system const - World News Articles - HGH Facts - Health benefits and also Side Effects for HGH
Human growth hormone is really a normal occurring hormone that's made within the body which controls - World News Articles - Finding A Thinning Hair Treatment That Works
Trying to acquisition a abrasion beard analysis that re-grows new affection beard is appropriate up
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Doughnut Hole Expected to Grow
A recent report in the USA Today, reported that the gap in the current Medicare coverage commonly re - Human Globalization
Activity in the sense, the central component of globe, we humans have been showing activeness bo - Writing Abilities Development
It has been proved that writing abilities can be developed together with inspiration. A thought - Snowboarding Tricks 101
I like the floating feeling you get on quarterpipes, it feels like you're hanging in the air and you - Russian Expansion To The Middle East
The period of the Cold War created an excellent opportunity to expand Soviet Union influence. On - Girl Tattoos Tell You Lots About The Girl
How often, when admiring girl tattoos have you said - It suits you? It happens a lot with girls - How to support charities In your Local Area By Getting Involved
Charities are created to help people find ways of dealing with situations that can't be solved i - Christian Sex - 7 Barriers to Fulfilling Married Sexuality
Many Christian married couples have yet to experience a fulfilling sexuality. Yet, it is an essent - Tales of New York
A Bronx Tale deals with bringing up children in a big city, dangers of gangster life, and stereo - Universal Civilization
Early civilizations of the world were divided and isolated by geographical locations and boundar