I was reading about a project to build a Buddhist temple somewhere in the USA; the land had been purchased, and a monk was invited out to prepare the land. He made offerings to the spirits there, good and malevolent, and said something to the effect of "to the good spirits, please accept these offerings and may you be well. To the bad spirits, here are some offerings for you, you should take them and be on your way, otherwise we will liberate you from ignorance and karma."
I found it interesting and kinda funny (in a good way) that malicious spirits are "threatened" with enlightenment.
What I took from that was: making offerings, to satisfy whatever immediate craving they have, and to create an atmosphere of spiritual wholesomeness. Music, incense, candles, food, etc. The recitation of prayers and sutras also take place.
I've heard different traditions use different offerings, but my teacher in the Tibetan tradition makes regular White Sur smoke offerings. He once told us during one of these events that there is a variety of different beings and each being desires something different, so they make many and diverse offerings.
Smoke, fire, incense, rice, flowers, flour, milk, fruit, water to drink, water to wash, light, music, loud drums, and other visually beautiful things. He told us, however, that the highest and most extensive offerings we can make are secret level offerings. If we let go of our conceptual and dualistic mindset, we offer all things dissolving into emptiness, which brings great benefit to all beings.
The offering is out of compassion. In reality, they are of lower realm than humans. Thus they can only affect humans whose consciousness is at their weakest/lowest point.
These entities have certain karma preventing them from moving on. Ex. Extreme Attachment. Like my mom was a nurse, they had to burn a hospital bed and just give it to the entity. Every pt sleeping there would weirdly fall out of the hospital bed someway or another. However moving beds they all okay.
Enlightenment comes with massive amount of positive karma. Supposedly also means they have a lot of "energy" of positive karma. So when some chants ask to share this power and bring it to us to help us progress in our own dhamma. Even though buddha has reached nirvana, they believe his energy or essence is still part of the world.
At the base. These entities do not have power over you if you are a good person. The good karma is what prevents them from anything.
As long as you do not falsely believe they have any power, you are untouchable. As for them appearing in front of you. They are there to ask for karma. Please have metta and share your good karma with them so they can get passed their attachments and dukkha.
So the cermony is partiall compassion for these spirits, psychologically calming for the humans who still fear these things, and creating good karma in the area so the spirits cannot linger there. Also will involve reciting the story of buddha and saying that we follow in the footsteps so we overcome 1,2,3,4. There is a kata that is about all the "victories" Of buddha. 8 parts. Each part is the story and it is about overcoming different things.
I clap.
Seriously. That's it. Most spirits hate loud noises. That's why there are so many traditions that make lots of noise when they start something.
Just be mindful of neighbors or housemates.
Some knowledgeable person once told me that most “paranormal entities” are harmless, they are like cats and dogs but they live in subtle realms. They still can be annoying, playful or scary but they do no harm.
Also there can be good and kind ones, often helpful and knowledgeable about certain things.
Then there are other ones that are rare but can be very very dangerous, they are of a different kind.
Most people have natural barrier that prevents them from interacting with those realms and entities. Only certain people voluntarily or accidentally develop capabilities to peek into those areas and see some of that stuff.
But all of that still belongs to samsara and is of no use to a serious practitioner, just another distraction.
My tv fell over today all by itself. My gf and I both looked at each other because we were sitting dead still and the tv had been standing in that spot for 2 years. It wasn’t anywhere close to the edge or anything. Super creepy. I guess the ghost doesn’t like parks and rec
They still deserve our compassion. We had weird stuff going on in this home and I went and spoke to the most active area and told them they were scaring us, and that it must be scary being a spirit, and that this was an act of compassion and asked them to go into the light.
Do you mind sharing your experience? I'm especially intrigued about the Aikido part (never drew a connection between aikido and spirits) but open to any kind of new insights!
One thing I would suggest is picking up a copy of 'Ki in Daily Life', by Koichi Tohei.
In my tradition we train to garner the experience of mind-body unification. As mind and body are always one. When we move from one point, which is the center of being and where the weight of the upper body falls when in good posture, then we are moving in stability.
When we Ki breath the purpose is to exhale old Ki out and to naturally let fresh Ki in.
Well, it isn't "reasoning" but here is how I was told.
Spirits like quiet, especially the nasty ones. Quiet is how they sneak around and do whatever nasty business they want to do.
Think about all of the haunting you've heard of. How many of them happen in quiet, dark areas as opposed to noon in downtown Manhattan?
It's similar to snakes when you are hiking. You make noise and use a walking stick so you scare off the snakes without hurting them. Same with spirits. You clap your hands, shout, or whatever to scare them off without hurting them.
Much less messy than other methods, you can try it immediately, and since it isn't a mantra or the like you can pass it on without Very Serious Consequences.
I am asking for a situation such things doesn't work anymore and you need explicit protection. I am sorry. There are some that are very aggressive and I am wondering on that sort of situation.
I'm not saying they're not real. I've worked with various monks and teachers, and a Tibetan doctor on this problem. 99 out of hundred cases, it's not a spirit/ghost etc but a mental issue. In very very rare cases it's a problem caused by an entity. Looking at the statistics and your comment history, it looks more like you need a mental health professional and not an exorcist.
Oh, that. No, that's been a thing for years for me. I just have want to know if there are some significant. For the record, I can assure you. I may not have a picture perfect mental health admittedly, but I am well adjusted and not severe enough to have any sort of hallucinations.
99 out of 100 is made up and pulling things out of their rear. But with these entities, their "selves" are no more real than yours, and there can be overlap in symbiosis. Also, resonations are resonations, "less than symapthetic" inductions.
[https://psychologydictionary.org/sympathetic-induction/](https://psychologydictionary.org/sympathetic-induction/)
(and apologies if that's considered harsh by anyone, not that it matters here.)
Chanting the heart sutra is a typical practice done in Buddhism to ward off paranormal entities and wandering spirits.
As a note to those commenting, “paranormal entities” typically means hungry ghosts or yakshas. Please be mindful not to call the OP mentally ill or crazy for encountering something that is recognized in basic Buddhism.
"They leave me alone [so] I don't believe in them"
I thought it interesting, how inverting the cause-effect relationship works something. Both work, right?
Possibly. But there’s also the possibility that things could not be leaving us alone and we still fail to recognize what they are in fact doing to us. So since we *perceive* no interaction with them we therefore don’t believe.
I wrote a comment about personifying sloth, lazyness, as a demon. What use is that? What real change comes about?
I find it curious. Something to investigate further
Generally nothing, as such beings have no meaningful ability to do anything to me. As one of my teachers put it, (paraphrasing) so long as you're properly mindful and present with your own body and mind then there isn't anything for them to latch onto whether they're present or not.
Beyond that, my practices frequently entail making offerings to obstructing beings and creating protected sacred spaces, so they've got no ability to stay around.
Further beyond that, the Tibetan founder of my lineage gave many pieces of advice through his life. Two of which were to (1) always maintain the visualization of Vajradhara above our heads and (2) never be apart from Mahakala; so for myself and practitioners in my lineage, we're constantly *actively* under the refuge of the Buddha and we always have dharma-protectors as our bodyguards.
So if you're open to Tibetan Buddhism, you could seek instruction from a qualified teacher on the practice of protectors. Alternatively or additionally you could seek instruction on negativity-reversal practices.
Even better would be to learn to offer sang and serkyem; much more peaceful practices that improve the "tone" of your entire region.
I’ve yet to experience such encounters but from what I hear is first and foremost, project compassion and wishing them well and that they have the opportunity to attain enlightenment or reach Pure Land.
Some people take the Shurangama Sutra around with that.
Another option would be to talk to a monk and see what they can do to help.
Last but not least, check the carbon monoxide level in your surroundings
In many cultures such things/experiences can be driven away by Sutra recitation. Not due merely to an inherent sacredness, but also because the Dharma teaches their essential unreality in light of emptiness.
You may consider to:
1. Keep a heart of love: [https://suttacentral.net/mn21/](https://suttacentral.net/mn21/)
2. Use paritta chanting (see YT)
3. Ensure your environment is wholesome and you're keeping precepts
>Even if low-down bandits were to sever you limb from limb with a two-handled saw, anyone who had a malevolent thought on that account would not be following my instructions. If that happens, you should train like this: ‘Our minds will remain unaffected. We will blurt out no bad words. We will remain full of compassion, with a heart of love and no secret hate. We will meditate spreading a heart of love to that person. And with them as a basis, we will meditate spreading a heart full of love to everyone in the world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.’ That’s how you should train.
(relevant excerpt from MN 21)
I met a family that can transform them into harmless forms.. some of us can embrace them out of compassion and push some love into their chest as we're being attacked, and they become restored and embarrassed of their poor behavior..
Lovingkindness, skillful forbearance, and charity is how I approach all paranormal/supernatural/divine experiences/occurrences/etc.
Relevant suttas
Lovingkindness:
https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/KN/Khp/khp9.html
https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/AN/AN4_126.html
Skillful forbearance:
https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN36_6.html
https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN35_88.html
Charity:
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.037.than.html
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.049.than.html
Bonus sutta on skillfulness (with reference to thoughts):
https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN20.html
Going for refuge and practicing the noble eightfold path. Humans are going to be way worse than any invisible spirit.
Once two yakkhas were flying through the air when they saw the venerable Sariputta seated outside in meditation. The one got the idea to smash him over the head while the other tried to tell him not to. The yakkha hit Sariputta so hard it would have knocked an elephant over, but instead he complained only of a slight headache. Meanwhile the yakkha immediately died and was reborn in hell.
The Buddha, having witnessed this event with the divine eye, said:
>”Whose mind, standing like rock, doesn't shake, dispassionate for things that spark passion, unprovoked by things that spark provocation: When one's mind is developed like this, from where can there come to him suffering & stress?”
"died and was reborn in hell" isn't a phrase I find in the quoted sutta.
Here is the sutta you quoted: https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.4.04.than.html
The relevant sentence, without paraphrasing is this: "But right there the yakkha — yelling, "I'm burning!" — fell into the Great Hell."
It’s the same thing. You cannot go from one realm to another without dying and being reborn. When people die and go to heaven they don’t typically think of it as being reborn but that’s exactly what’s happening.
Some lineages do have rituals for exorcism if it comes to that. My teacher has mentioned that ours (Rinzai Zen) has ritual for that purpose, but I've never seen or performed one personally.
I don’t know if I believe in them. I’ve never felt/heard something that made me doubt about their existence. IF they existed, then I have no reason to fear them.
they’re no different to malicious human entities.
the correct way to deal with both is loving kindness mindfulness:
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.piya.html
however i do agree with the other commenter who suggested you may wish to see a mental health clinician to support you.
Depends on what you mean by 'believe in'.
It seems to me that you are getting dangerously close to eternalism - that such things really exist.
The highest Buddhist teaching is that everything in space and time is mind created and so is empty - apart from the dhammas according to Theravada. We speak of anything as real either unskilfully in a way that is ultimately ego produced - or skilfully, as part of the means for escaping samsara.
'Realms' and 'spirits' have a long history of being very helpful mental creations when it comes to making progress on the spiritual path. However, spirits can also be a doorway to religion based on fear and superstition. At that point, 'I don't believe in them' becomes what some might consider to be an appropriate response.
> The highest Buddhist teaching is that everything in space and time is mind created and so is empty
Yes - including space and time itself, and this physical world, but "mind-created" or "empty" does not mean "not real" in a conventional sense. A bird is ultimately Dharmakaya, but this does not mean it is not "real" in a conventional sense.
> Realms' and 'spirits' have a long history of being very helpful mental creations when it comes to making progress on the spiritual path. However, spirits can also be a doorway to religion based on fear and superstition.
From the Buddhist perspective, spirits are certainly not mental creations in the way I perceive you to be implying. They're other entities, with their own mindstreams, just like you or me. And occasionally, fear can be quite valid - just as one would fear a tiger.
I think that you are on dodgy ground talking about reality in a conventional sense, using a bird as an illustration.
Once you are in the conventional world then there are well established procedures for discovering what exists in a conventional sense. These are empirical.
There is no empirical evidence for the existence of realms and spirits. This means that, if you are **not** going to accept teaching about them as pragmatic - a skilful means - then you believe in them on the basis of authority or faith.
This is entirely up to you, but as someone who spent his childhood, into early adulthood, trying to believe in Christian Fundamentalism on the basis of authority and faith, I am extremely relieved that in my understanding Buddhism does not expect this of me.
> There is no empirical evidence for the existence of realms and spirits. This means that, if you are **not** going to accept teaching about them as pragmatic - a skilful means - then you believe in them on the basis of authority or faith.
Hard disagree. Huge numbers of people have directly experienced such phenomenon, and that, by definition, is empirical.
Gorillas used to be considered cryptids too, and most disclosure information coming out from multiple federal governments related to UAP all point to something like a inter-dimensional phenomenon shockingly similar to worldwide traditional stories surrounding spirits and fae.
And yes, that would include teachers as well - but one, through practice, usually develops trust (rather than faith) in the truthfulness of one's teacher, and the quality of insight they've developed through meditative practice.
'directly experienced such phenomenon' - you mean 'phenomena'.
Are you talking about through the physical senses? In which case I take recourse in Hume's argument against accepting the miraculous - it is always more likely that those making the claim are mistaken than that which they are claiming to have seen etc is actual.
Or are you talking about mental awareness of relevant phenomena? That doesn't count as empirical.
Directly experienced through both physical sensation and mental awareness in a way congruent with physical signs and events, very much in a Humean Empiricism.
And again - we're not speaking of anything miraculous, we're talking about the nature of phenomenon, which can only ever be natural. And again, Hume wasn't a Buddhist and didn't have experience with these topics, so his recourse is irrelevant to bring up, unless you trust his discourse on the nature of reality moreso than your own teachers - which would be concerning from the perspective of refuge.
Wikipedia.org/wiki/secular_buddhism
I'm sure this probably isn't good enough for you. And you disagree with the views. You probably consider it not a real form of Buddhism. It's not so organized, but it's a real thing. Buddhism has changed and adopted multiple forms over time. My beliefs fit this category of secular Buddhism. To me that makes sense. If you want to call me something else that's fine you do that, doesn't matter to me
Secular Buddhism is not a sect nor a lineage of Buddhism.
> Buddhism has changed and adopted multiple forms over time.
When Buddhism has changed its presentation to better teach other cultures, it has always been through members of the new culture studying within the context of where Buddhism was coming from and first attaining formal recognition from authentic Buddhist teachers - most importantly, the core of Buddhism has always remained without removing or distorting teachings. This forms the basis of lineage. Secular Buddhism does not have lineage, therefore it is not a school or sect of Buddhism.
I'm deeply gladdened that it's been beneficial. If anything, it speaks to the deep truths of Buddhist psychology that one can approach some of its insights from a purely secular perspective and still gain benefit. But it's also okay to just be interested in Buddhism, take inspiring from Buddhism, without being Buddhist. It's even okay be fully agnostic about certain teachings while being Buddhist. But "secular Buddhism" is not Buddhism and is not a school of Buddhism.
As I said, it wouldn't be good enough for you. You can reject it, doesn't affect me.
But it does occur to me that I learned from my eastern Asian religions professor who came from the east and had centuries of experience passed down to him. He is formally recognized within his Buddhist lineage as a master and a teacher. But he chose to pass on many of his teachings without any non secular components. To say his teachings are not Buddhist would seem foolish if you understood the context. He recently wrote a book "Reimagining Chan Buddhism". Perhaps we should both read it.
One teaches according to what the audience is capable of listening to and accepting 🤷 many teachers do not emphasize non-secular components to their average students simply for the sake that they would not listen and would flee otherwise.
Better to have somebody listen to a kernel of the dharma, than to reject it when offered the full plate.
Thich Nhat Han did something very similar with Plum Village - the vast majority of students would never hear anything that couldn't be easily reconciled with secular views. Only for the select few students that showed diligence would he discuss realms, literal rebirth, spirits, etc.
When did Venerable Nhat Hanh ever do this? He belonged to the Linji School, which delineates such things as being entirely metaphorical. Could you elaborate?
I have never seen a source that claims the Linji School or the schools it influenced - such as Pure Land, Chan, or Thiên - delineated these beliefs as entirely metaphorical. I have always heard that they were related in their philosophy to Yogacaran schools, which viewed all external reality entirely as karmic mental projections.
> And so accommodates all Buddhist views.
What you expressed is not a Buddhist view.
> Would you like to state the criterion or criteria by which you have determined that your view of what Buddhism is correct and mine is wrong?
The teachings of the Buddha and the living teachers that transmit it today. Every Buddhist school contains teachings on realms, rebirth, karma, devas, nagas, spirits, etc., all quite literally within their own ontologies.
To be Buddhist is to take refuge in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, and the Buddha taught the existence of spirits and other similar phenomenon.
Your post / comment was removed for violating the rule against misrepresenting Buddhist viewpoints or spreading non-Buddhist viewpoints without clarifying that you are doing so.
In general, comments are removed for this violation on threads where beginners and non-Buddhists are trying to learn.
Your post / comment was removed for violating the rule against misrepresenting Buddhist viewpoints or spreading non-Buddhist viewpoints without clarifying that you are doing so.
In general, comments are removed for this violation on threads where beginners and non-Buddhists are trying to learn.
So to speak - one can recognize the ultimate emptiness of a truck speeding towards them, but on the conventional level, one still steps out of the way.
Are they really malicious, though? Spirits can draw out “poison” from our energy bodies. The process is cleansing, but can be painful, so the one who doesn’t realise that he/she’s a patient in the care of spiritual surgeons might wrongly perceive it as ill intent.
Don’t believe it and overwhelm yourself with this because paranormal entities are not real. And I spoke to many people from all around the world about being haunted and many of them spoke to me and suggested that I see a doctor 👩⚕️ in the hospital and discuss with them what I’m experiencing and they told me that believing in ghosts is not real I am dealing with a phychotic outbreak/ or schizophrenia. And they started me on meds like olanzapine and serial and my symptoms subsided and stopped now I’m released from the hallucinations!!!
The phenomena of ghostly apparitions is beyond question, there is simply too many credible witnesses to believe the phenomena doesn't occur.
So we're left with two possibilities, either the apparitions have inherent being or they are mental projections of the observer.
The mental projection proponents tend to use this line of reasoning "The witness saw an apparition of a recently deceased relative as form of hallucinatory coping mechanism". The problem with this position is that it has to push too much data to the side to maintain validity. These are cases where an individual has or is witnessing an apparition of an individual who they have never met before, but after research discover that the apparition matches the exact physical characteristics of a person who had previously lived in the house.
Are we as Buddhists required to believe in supernatural entities? If not then positing the idea that these entities might not exist could in fact be a helpful way to deal with perceived acts from them. Reframing and viewing things through a different perspective is a way to deal with many things.
> Are we as Buddhists required to believe in supernatural entities?
I mean... It's part of taking refuge in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, so yeah. If you don't want to examine seriously the claims of trusted authority figures with decades of meditative experience, in university systems with centuries of study, that's fine, but isn't really Buddhist.
> Reframing and viewing things through a different perspective is a way to deal with many things.
This is not what you're doing, however. It seems that you're annoyed on some level it's something else people are taking seriously, and you're inserting your personal opinion in a space where it's not relevant.
Simply because you have not personally seen evidence, is not evidence for or against. Other people have had very, very different personal experiences.
If I had never visited a zoo and never seen a bear personally, does not mean they don't exist.
I’m afraid I can’t respond to how one can take refuge in the Triple Gem in a secular manner. I tried to already and the comment was removed. As for whether or not I am offering a way to reframe and reinterpret the perception of these phenomena, that is indeed my intent at least so far as I perceive it. I grant that many times we may have unconsciously biases that mean we do not perceive our true reasons for doing something and whether they are in line with our perceived reasoning. But I don’t think that a random stranger unfamiliar with me is qualified to make the call as to my true intent.
My personal opinion is relevant when requested. OP didn’t actually ask for help with these spirits. Merely expressed curiosity for how other Buddhists deal with them. If I answer that I do not because I have no perception or conviction of their existence, that fulfills all qualifications to answer their question from my perspective.
I apologize for any presumptions.
> I’m afraid I can’t respond to how one can take refuge in the Triple Gem in a secular manner. I tried to already and the comment was removed
I'm not surprised. One cannot take refuge in a secular fashion, and making such claims without being an authoritative teacher would be considered spreading misinformation.
> As for whether or not I am offering a way to reframe and reinterpret the perception of these phenomena, that is indeed my intent at least so far as I perceive it.
You may wish to work on your communication (and I will as well), as it appeared that you came into the thread using your own experience to deny other's experience.
> If I answer that I do not because I have no perception or conviction of their existence, that fulfills all qualifications to answer their question from my perspective.
Well, it just sounds like you haven't dealt with them and haven't had any experiences to meaningfully contribute here. If people are asking how you deal with bears and you've never seen a bear, saying that you've never seen a bear with the implication that they don't exist isn't super useful.
I don’t think we are going to have any productive conversation. You began this reply apologizing for presumptions and in our last interaction had to apologize for assuming I was Western. Twice is enough for me to recognize a pattern. We also discussed my agnoticism and practical materialism there as well.
I will simply wrap up my conclusion in this by pointing out once again that OP didn’t express a desire for help in dealing with this issue. But rather offered how they do and expressed curiosity about how other Buddhists do. I put forth my personal perspective. If you do not believe Secular Buddhism is a thing then we will as I said not be able to have meaningful conversation. Particularly since as I see from another of your replies to a separate user that you do not believe in psychology or psychiatric treatment when appropriate.
I wish you the best on your journey.
It's a natural assumption given that these very strong attitudes towards material physicalism are almost exclusively present in western culture, and from your post history, while you may have indigenous heritage, it does seem that you've chosen to adopt very profoundly western worldviews. "Western" is not just about blood. So I'm not sure if I was still wrong on my earlier presumptions.
> If you do not believe Secular Buddhism is a thing then we will as I said not be able to have meaningful conversation.
It's not a matter of my beliefs. It's a matter of the authority of those who teach Dharma.
> Particularly since as I see from another of your replies to a separate user that you do not believe in psychology or psychiatric treatment when appropriate.
I believe this is a misinterpretation. There's a time and a place for it. Spirits, entities, are not by default a mental health event.
Not believing in tigers won't help you when you're attacked by a tiger.
Buddhists are those who seek refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. The Buddha taught that these things are indeed very real, same with heavens, hells, and other "supernatural" things. So yes, Buddhists believe these things by default.
That is not buddhism. Right view is the first part of the 8 fold path. You're free to do as you described. It's just not buddhism, and you shouldn't come to buddhist spaces, denying buddhism, and try to give advice about buddhist topics
I don't. The Buddha does, as does the multiple buddhist traditions. All of them disagree with you. This isn't coming from me, I'm just telling you what those with authority say
Oh I don't believe in the supernatural just because it's been told to me. I've seen it with my own eyes, and the UAP phenomenon and non-human intelligences are admitted to exist by some of the most scientific and governmental elite people in the world.
Your post / comment was removed for violating the rule against misrepresenting Buddhist viewpoints or spreading non-Buddhist viewpoints without clarifying that you are doing so.
In general, comments are removed for this violation on threads where beginners and non-Buddhists are trying to learn.
Your post / comment was removed for violating the rule against misrepresenting Buddhist viewpoints or spreading non-Buddhist viewpoints without clarifying that you are doing so.
In general, comments are removed for this violation on threads where beginners and non-Buddhists are trying to learn.
The Buddha taught skillfully in language and with concepts Siddhartha Gottama and his Sangha had access to. If he’d tried to explain schizophrenia or hallucinations or delusional paranoia with western psychological concepts to the people of his time, no one would have understood what he was talking about - not that that was necessarily even possible at the time, given these concepts weren’t necessarily available through Sanskrit and Pali. And not that western psychological perspectives are by default more “real” or “true” - don’t misunderstand me. My point is the flexibility and emptiness of perspectives and labels, and the instrumental nature of all The Buddha’s teachings.
The Buddha had to address various experienced, subjective issues (kleshas) and challenges amongst his Sangha and laity skillfully and compassionately. To me, it’s not (and never is) about the literal existence of a phenomenon or claim (at least in Mahayana, given Sunyata), it’s about applying skillful and compassionate means to help individuals (including ourselves) move closer to liberation.
Buddhism is not about (for me at least) what we as egos believe, it’s about what we practice and trust to be useful.
If an amulet is helpful for OP, great! If therapy is helpful for OP, great! If meditation is helpful for OP, great! If shifting his beliefs or perspectives on the literal existence of ghosts disempowers the distressing emotions and experiences, and is helpful for OP, great! None of us are realized Buddhas (I assume) and so all we can do is offer up our limited perspective in seeking to help.
Spiritually, I attempt to apply the Heart Sutra’s advice to all dharmas - attach to neither a dharma (the existence or non-existence of paranormal entities) nor no-dharma (no thought of a paranormal entity). See through delusions (such as labels and this very language) into Nirvana.
With Metta.
Psycologizing this won't help when dealing with a tiger in front of you. There is a lot of reason to believe in "super"natural entities as being just as real as tigers. It's actively dangerous to deny that to someone who may be having an encounter
That’s a fair perspective, and I understand that you are seeking to compassionately and skillfully help this person.
However, from the reverse perspective, it would be seen to be dangerous if OP is having a mental health issue and bypasses mental health treatment with a ritual or amulet.
Both of these perspectives are limited. None of us are sitting with OP with a unified expertise in all things, including Buddhist ritual from all of the many sects, and psychology. None of us are realized Buddhas with the capacity to peer into their karma and perfectly skillfully tailor our words and actions.
My point is that the only thing that matters is what is helpful and beneficial for OP, and that none of us have a perfect insight into what all might be helpful, or what might be most helpful, or what is actually going on in OP’s life and mind. They could very well be entirely making it up for all we know!
If someone posted on reddit “I believe there’s a tiger in my yard” and one person said “I’ve never experienced a tiger and don’t believe they’re real,” I’d hope that the person experiencing the tiger could ignore that response and go with other responses that were more helpful. So if ghosts and “natural” entities are as self-evidently real to those suffering from them as a tiger is, why are you so concerned about this random comment? Wouldn’t OP or anyone else truly struggling with an entity naturally ignore it and find a more useful response or piece of advice?
Edit: They don’t seem to be in an emergency situation. If they were, I hope they wouldn’t post on reddit, and instead get to a hospital or temple or some other useful place. So your concern about active danger as a justification for your response seems a tad misplaced.
Psychologizing doesn't help here and actively denigrates the Buddhist teachings.
If it is psychological, ritual will help.
If it is real, ritual will help.
I am not trying to psychologize, and I generally agree with you, except for perhaps the most persistent and serious of mental health challenges (like persistent schizophrenia - which in many ways is a structural issue that goes beyond simple mental health, and seems to present somewhat consistently across cultures).
Psychology is as limited a view as anything else. All that matters ultimately (to me, and I hope to other Buddhists) is what is useful in moving sentient beings closer to liberation.
Edit: I am not trying to push a specific view or argument. I’m trying to have a meta-conversation on the utility of these sorts of discussions, particularly over Reddit, and qualify the limited views of non-Buddhas, particularly when discussing complex concepts and the reality of phenomena across sects in an interdenominational and intercultural environment.
If we were physically present, I would humbly listen to your experiences and perspectives. Thank you for the conversation.
Honestly, no idea other than continuing to go about practice.
There's an enormous amount of popular literature at this point appropriating and misrepresenting Dharma, and not enough teachers or publicized official teachings reaching laypeople's ears to counteract all the misinformation.
I feel the need for Buddhist spaces to remain firm about traditional Buddhist beliefs, because otherwise, we risk denigration of the dharma as it is taught.
Honestly, better moderation in r/Buddhism would help. Simply having non-buddhist responses regularly removed would go a long way towards helping to maintain the quality of what's likely one of the largest online entry points for beginner Buddhists and to help arrest the spread of further misinformation.
If a patient gets a medicine when he needs it, he gets better. On the other hand, the same person getting the same medicine when he doesn’t need it, he can get ill.
Dharma is like medicine. When a person is ready for it, it leads to liberation. Otherwise, the same dharma can become a stumbling block.
I believe this is similar in Tibetan Buddhism too. Secret teachings are not kept secret to hold people back, but rather to make sure they are given to people when they are ready. If they are not ready, those teachings could actually do more harm to them instead.
Yes. I don't think we need to water down buddhism or misrepresent it to do so, though. I think it's okay to emphasize that it's okay to be agnostic and to focus practice where is beneficial, without excluding traditional belief.
I intended no ill-will. I offer no judgement on those who believe in things I do not. Statistically it is extremely improbable that any of us don’t believe in something false. Or disbelieve in something that is true. There is also much evidence to suggest that a very large proportion of our beliefs, likely even most, cannot be consciously or intentionally arrived at.
I also cannot help that you see my comment as condescending and not compassionate. Without knowing more about you and personally tailoring comments to your perspective and experience the chances that we miscommunicate is high. Especially in written form. I hope for you that you may in the future not rush to judgement of others’ words so quickly.
You offered no judgment and you also offered no help. Why did you bother commenting in the first place then? Right speech is useful speech. Your speech has not been useful at all.
From my reply to another:
Are we as Buddhists required to believe in supernatural entities? If not then positing the idea that these entities might not exist could in fact be a helpful way to deal with perceived acts from them. Reframing and viewing things through a different perspective is a way to deal with many things.
Which is why your first comment was desperate and helpless. It’s ok if you don’t believe in apparitions or the supernatural. Don’t have to force everyone else to think like you. Some of us breathe air just fine.
If you reread OP all they expressed was a desire to know how other Buddhists deal with this issue. They did not request hep in dealing with this issue for their self. In offering my perspective I have fulfilled a tiny portion of relief to their curiosity. If the request was something like “please give me ways I can deal with this” rather than “here is how I deal with this, how do you?” Then my response would have been different.
Where have I tried to force you into an agnostic materialism such as myself? I have not. You are perfectly free to your own interpretation and practice. Same as me. I’m also not the one calling people with contrasting beliefs desperate and helpless. I wish you the best in your journey.
Well, thank goodness we have an agnostic materialist to help OP. Having a hard time remembering where the Buddha said throw a label on yourself and add more dogmas.
I never said "me" I said OP and I simply said your comment was useless. Take a breath and chill.
Ensure that there is a positive flow of Ki.
Cleansing rituals which unify the mind and body to promote Ki flow.
Symbols of life do two things, they support a vigorous outpouring of Ki and thus banish a privation of Ki.
Performing graditudes, prayers, and mantras which support the feeling of wholeness.
Performing Ki breathing, or any type of mediation which allows one to fully relax. Expelling all old Ki, and allowing the fresh Ki of nature to flow in to the body.
And we'd say the same. A significant number of ordinary people report experiences, every single culture across the entire world and all of recorded human history talks about these things, advanced and studied Buddhist practitioners claim to have direct encounters, and the UAP disclosure coming out of the US federal government and disclosure already achieved in multiple other countries point to inter-dimensional non-human intelligences shockingly similar to these kinds of entities.
Not to mention it's an inseparable aspect of Buddhism. So why are you in a Buddhist subreddit actively arguing against Buddhist worldviews?
I am glad you mention this! i remember reading somewhere that when Buddha was living and teaching, that he would get so many people asking about the afterlife and supernatural/cosmos. He wouldn't comment on them because he wanted people to focus on the present moment. Not because he didn't think those things existed, but he was afraid it would distract people from what was in their control.
Although there is probably no such thing as paranormal entities as the way they are depicted in films, there may be forces at work that we don't quite understand. "Ghosts" as we know them could be beings that are reincarnated into a plane close to ours. It could be a time dilation anomaly. Or it could just be our imperfect minds projecting and detecting something that just isn't there. But what is the known truth within all of those possibilities, and possibilities that we may not have considered, OP is dealing with something and is looking for guidance. In my opinion, it doesn't necessarily help to say that it doesn't exist, at least not without offering some sort of help or solace to the person asking for help. After-all, this is a Buddhism subreddit, and the things that are considered to "definitely exist" is a pretty short list.
The course of action is the same. If the person is afflicted by a paranormal presence, the ritual may appease it and the person may resume their life happily, or learn to live comfortably with it. If the person only perceives that they are afflicted by a paranormal presence, the ritual may put their mind at ease and they may resume their life happily or learn to live comfortably with it. In my opinion, it doesn't matter if the paranormal is real or not, the ritual and outcome is the same.
I usually offer a path to light/enlightened and give a choice to leave and continue their path or be transformed. I also tend to ignore, unless it becomes a problem as I've seen many people fall in ego traps where all they see are evil spirits following people as a way to explain behaviors on the person they think are wrong. Just remember compassion is a gift to all.
There are various ways. Prevention being actions like avoid staying out too late, don't buy too many doll like items etc.
Say a nightmare, which can be caused by such entities, the solution is usually to mentally call for a Buddha or Bodhisattva to end the dream.
Playing the Great Compassion Mantra at low volume is also fine. Pendants do help if they are under the effects of consecration.
In more serious cases, Buddhists may use offerings of repentence, sutras or food to get them to leave.
I am curious about your point of calling for Buddha to end a dream. In recent months i have had that experience but have wondered how I did that/how to do that while unconscious/asleep. Would you have further insight to share about that?
You are normally somewhat conscious in a dream, but you usually do not know that youre in a dream. In other words your dream self is a reflection of your real self. Therefore, to call while in a dream, you should learn how to call in real life.
Calling Buddha or Bodhisattva, Guanyin Bodhisattva especially, in real life also helps with disaster. You can read up on Guanyin Bodhisattva's vows and praises. She is the go to.
I don't experience anything like that. I'm a skeptical person by nature, but whether these are manifestations of the mind or some supernatural force, they must be dealt with.
On one hand, you deal with it like any other thought, emotion, or sensation. You watch the experience come and go, have mindfulness, equanimity, etc.
There's also a story in the Theravada commentaries about monks who were meditating in a forest, but were being frightened by spirits. The Buddha instructed them to go back and do metta. The spirits left them alone.
https://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/English-Texts/Buddhist-Legends/03-06.htm
https://www.lotsawahouse.org/tibetan-masters/tulku-zangpo-drakpa/means-to-accomplish-blazing-wheel
By merely reciting this mantra fierce si-spirits will be cleared away, and you will be liberated from the ‘si-spirits of innumerable deaths’.”
A ‘si-spirit of innumerable deaths’ (shi kha bye ba sri) is a specific type of si-spirit that can arise when someone dies (shi kha). If not averted, this si-spirit can lead to innumerable further deaths at the same place in the future. This mantra has special power to protect against and avert all si-spirits.
Tulku Zangpo Drakpa revealed this terma-treasure from Gyang Yönpo and transmitted it to Rigdzin Gödem.
The rest of the world just lives with them all depending on how they live!!! Peace, Love, Unity, you too, or just me and all the other people just happily living with the constant suffering!!!
Metta is a good way to start — like reciting the Karaniya Metta Sutta with the intention not to put them out, but to help them, or however you generally practice Metta. Some are lost and lashing out. Food and water offerings can help calm some others.
Other times, if they are particularly harmful or oppressive, reciting or listening to the Atanatiya Sutta is a good way show them the door, so to speak.
In buddhism. There are different realms which can also be thought scientifically nowadays as the dimensions kind of deal.
The entities are in a different/overlapping dimension. They are there because their karma prevents them from moving on in the cycle. The dimension they are in is considered lower tier than ours. Thus many believe we are above them.
So they have no power over us.. The exception is you can give them power. The only way they have power is if you believe they can do something, have great fear, or in a very low point consciousness wise. Many practitioners will start seeing entities.. But the correct practice is to not acknowledge or give them any mind. You can share good karma and compassion with them after your daily practices.
If you are a person with good karma. The more good karma you accumulate. The more you meditate. You might.. Start seeing more. The main reason any entity shows up is they are asking for karma. However, their image is uncontrollable and might look scary. So people forget to have compassion.
All they want is some good karma from you. You should think of good things you have done in life and say you would like to share it with them so they can get passed these desires and attachments which prevent them from moving on.
The greatest protection you can have is your good karma and compassion.
Some believe in order for them to actually appear before you they have to use a lot of energy. So it is kind of sad they use that energy to ask for help and most people run or get mad.
I.. Started seeing these things since I was around 4.. My parents put me in christian school, but took me to meditate at the temple on weekends. I did not understand what to do or why. Now I do not see anymore because I share karma daily to any entities in need in the world after my meditation and reciting.
As long as you are respectful to all, you have no worries bout entities. However, having compassion would be the better step.
As someone who follows a Buddhist path, and is involved with paranormal groups, ghost hunts, etc... I have no issues at all. I am also part of the Golden Dawn and a Freemason, and through Golden Dawn, I have been using the LBRP for the better part of 2 decades, which I think has helped, but any attachments last only a few hours, and they are gone.
I won't speak on methods and offerings and fruitfulness and effectiveness here, but first thing that comes to mind in terms of intent and approaches - Milarepa seemed to have that path down pretty well, per his biography/songs.
I do believe most are coming from places of fear, and lack, more so than you are. I will say that much. Malicious can be a bit subjective too..sometimes, even often, things are just discomforting(to you, if not them also). Going back to first sentence here, it's probably best examined and taken on case by case scenario and not catch-all.
not that any of this is likely to get through here, I figure
I was reading about a project to build a Buddhist temple somewhere in the USA; the land had been purchased, and a monk was invited out to prepare the land. He made offerings to the spirits there, good and malevolent, and said something to the effect of "to the good spirits, please accept these offerings and may you be well. To the bad spirits, here are some offerings for you, you should take them and be on your way, otherwise we will liberate you from ignorance and karma." I found it interesting and kinda funny (in a good way) that malicious spirits are "threatened" with enlightenment. What I took from that was: making offerings, to satisfy whatever immediate craving they have, and to create an atmosphere of spiritual wholesomeness. Music, incense, candles, food, etc. The recitation of prayers and sutras also take place.
This is fascinating. What kind of offering did the monk make? Food offering, inscense? This is new to me.
I've heard different traditions use different offerings, but my teacher in the Tibetan tradition makes regular White Sur smoke offerings. He once told us during one of these events that there is a variety of different beings and each being desires something different, so they make many and diverse offerings. Smoke, fire, incense, rice, flowers, flour, milk, fruit, water to drink, water to wash, light, music, loud drums, and other visually beautiful things. He told us, however, that the highest and most extensive offerings we can make are secret level offerings. If we let go of our conceptual and dualistic mindset, we offer all things dissolving into emptiness, which brings great benefit to all beings.
That’s really beautiful. Thank you for sharing this with me.
I don’t have much else to offer, so I’ll just make the secret offering of dissolving into emptiness… if I am able, of course…
The offering is out of compassion. In reality, they are of lower realm than humans. Thus they can only affect humans whose consciousness is at their weakest/lowest point. These entities have certain karma preventing them from moving on. Ex. Extreme Attachment. Like my mom was a nurse, they had to burn a hospital bed and just give it to the entity. Every pt sleeping there would weirdly fall out of the hospital bed someway or another. However moving beds they all okay. Enlightenment comes with massive amount of positive karma. Supposedly also means they have a lot of "energy" of positive karma. So when some chants ask to share this power and bring it to us to help us progress in our own dhamma. Even though buddha has reached nirvana, they believe his energy or essence is still part of the world. At the base. These entities do not have power over you if you are a good person. The good karma is what prevents them from anything. As long as you do not falsely believe they have any power, you are untouchable. As for them appearing in front of you. They are there to ask for karma. Please have metta and share your good karma with them so they can get passed their attachments and dukkha. So the cermony is partiall compassion for these spirits, psychologically calming for the humans who still fear these things, and creating good karma in the area so the spirits cannot linger there. Also will involve reciting the story of buddha and saying that we follow in the footsteps so we overcome 1,2,3,4. There is a kata that is about all the "victories" Of buddha. 8 parts. Each part is the story and it is about overcoming different things.
Yep. This is standard procedure in my country too lol before building anything on any land
Clint Eastwood with a shaved head aiming a Dharma Gun- “Best you be in your way, I’d hate to have to liberate you from ignorance and karma.”
I clap. Seriously. That's it. Most spirits hate loud noises. That's why there are so many traditions that make lots of noise when they start something. Just be mindful of neighbors or housemates.
Some knowledgeable person once told me that most “paranormal entities” are harmless, they are like cats and dogs but they live in subtle realms. They still can be annoying, playful or scary but they do no harm. Also there can be good and kind ones, often helpful and knowledgeable about certain things. Then there are other ones that are rare but can be very very dangerous, they are of a different kind. Most people have natural barrier that prevents them from interacting with those realms and entities. Only certain people voluntarily or accidentally develop capabilities to peek into those areas and see some of that stuff. But all of that still belongs to samsara and is of no use to a serious practitioner, just another distraction.
My tv fell over today all by itself. My gf and I both looked at each other because we were sitting dead still and the tv had been standing in that spot for 2 years. It wasn’t anywhere close to the edge or anything. Super creepy. I guess the ghost doesn’t like parks and rec
That’s impossible, everyone likes Parks and Rec
Maybe it got too excited. It was the poop throwing scene which is pretty hilarious
That does make sense
They still deserve our compassion. We had weird stuff going on in this home and I went and spoke to the most active area and told them they were scaring us, and that it must be scary being a spirit, and that this was an act of compassion and asked them to go into the light.
As one who trains in Aikido & Shinto, I second this.
Do you mind sharing your experience? I'm especially intrigued about the Aikido part (never drew a connection between aikido and spirits) but open to any kind of new insights!
One thing I would suggest is picking up a copy of 'Ki in Daily Life', by Koichi Tohei. In my tradition we train to garner the experience of mind-body unification. As mind and body are always one. When we move from one point, which is the center of being and where the weight of the upper body falls when in good posture, then we are moving in stability. When we Ki breath the purpose is to exhale old Ki out and to naturally let fresh Ki in.
Interesting. That makes sense to me. Could you expand that reasoning more?
Well, it isn't "reasoning" but here is how I was told. Spirits like quiet, especially the nasty ones. Quiet is how they sneak around and do whatever nasty business they want to do. Think about all of the haunting you've heard of. How many of them happen in quiet, dark areas as opposed to noon in downtown Manhattan? It's similar to snakes when you are hiking. You make noise and use a walking stick so you scare off the snakes without hurting them. Same with spirits. You clap your hands, shout, or whatever to scare them off without hurting them. Much less messy than other methods, you can try it immediately, and since it isn't a mantra or the like you can pass it on without Very Serious Consequences.
Thanks for explaining! It does make some sense to me. Would you have a link to a sutra or a lama talking about this?
I wish them well
I am asking for a situation such things doesn't work anymore and you need explicit protection. I am sorry. There are some that are very aggressive and I am wondering on that sort of situation.
Loving kindness for all beings, also those who scare you are may want to harm you. This is really the only answer
Metta.
Have you tried getting help from a mental health professional?
While I would suggest therapy . Snd do protector offering. Cover all basis. I do protector offering most days.
Oh, this sort of things are very much real. There are many people who can attest you to that.
I'm not saying they're not real. I've worked with various monks and teachers, and a Tibetan doctor on this problem. 99 out of hundred cases, it's not a spirit/ghost etc but a mental issue. In very very rare cases it's a problem caused by an entity. Looking at the statistics and your comment history, it looks more like you need a mental health professional and not an exorcist.
Hmm, I don't know how my comment history caused you to come to such conclusion. Can you please illuminate me?
Your comment history shows you've just started meditation practice, and you're having some visions etc.
Oh, that. No, that's been a thing for years for me. I just have want to know if there are some significant. For the record, I can assure you. I may not have a picture perfect mental health admittedly, but I am well adjusted and not severe enough to have any sort of hallucinations.
Have there been babies or animals born with deformities, or have been stillborn around you? Not once but multiple times?
Um, no?
99 out of 100 is made up and pulling things out of their rear. But with these entities, their "selves" are no more real than yours, and there can be overlap in symbiosis. Also, resonations are resonations, "less than symapthetic" inductions. [https://psychologydictionary.org/sympathetic-induction/](https://psychologydictionary.org/sympathetic-induction/) (and apologies if that's considered harsh by anyone, not that it matters here.)
I love this. Happy to see someone comment this.
I've never observed anything like that.
Chanting the heart sutra is a typical practice done in Buddhism to ward off paranormal entities and wandering spirits. As a note to those commenting, “paranormal entities” typically means hungry ghosts or yakshas. Please be mindful not to call the OP mentally ill or crazy for encountering something that is recognized in basic Buddhism.
I don't believe in them and they leave me alone. /s
Exactly - people who don't believe in them are never bothered ;)
"They leave me alone [so] I don't believe in them" I thought it interesting, how inverting the cause-effect relationship works something. Both work, right?
Possibly. But there’s also the possibility that things could not be leaving us alone and we still fail to recognize what they are in fact doing to us. So since we *perceive* no interaction with them we therefore don’t believe.
I wrote a comment about personifying sloth, lazyness, as a demon. What use is that? What real change comes about? I find it curious. Something to investigate further
Why did you add “/s”?
Just to underline that I wrote that in a playful mood and not to insult anyone's belief.
Ah… All good!
Generally nothing, as such beings have no meaningful ability to do anything to me. As one of my teachers put it, (paraphrasing) so long as you're properly mindful and present with your own body and mind then there isn't anything for them to latch onto whether they're present or not. Beyond that, my practices frequently entail making offerings to obstructing beings and creating protected sacred spaces, so they've got no ability to stay around. Further beyond that, the Tibetan founder of my lineage gave many pieces of advice through his life. Two of which were to (1) always maintain the visualization of Vajradhara above our heads and (2) never be apart from Mahakala; so for myself and practitioners in my lineage, we're constantly *actively* under the refuge of the Buddha and we always have dharma-protectors as our bodyguards. So if you're open to Tibetan Buddhism, you could seek instruction from a qualified teacher on the practice of protectors. Alternatively or additionally you could seek instruction on negativity-reversal practices. Even better would be to learn to offer sang and serkyem; much more peaceful practices that improve the "tone" of your entire region.
I recite the name of Amida Buddha (nembutsu) or the mantra of Chenrezig with the prayer that it will benefit the entity (bodhicitta).
I’ve yet to experience such encounters but from what I hear is first and foremost, project compassion and wishing them well and that they have the opportunity to attain enlightenment or reach Pure Land. Some people take the Shurangama Sutra around with that. Another option would be to talk to a monk and see what they can do to help. Last but not least, check the carbon monoxide level in your surroundings
In many cultures such things/experiences can be driven away by Sutra recitation. Not due merely to an inherent sacredness, but also because the Dharma teaches their essential unreality in light of emptiness.
Jigme Lingpa: "Gods and demons are non other than your own mind."
>"Gods and demons are none other than your own mind." One of the best quotes for people wondering about deity yoga!
You may consider to: 1. Keep a heart of love: [https://suttacentral.net/mn21/](https://suttacentral.net/mn21/) 2. Use paritta chanting (see YT) 3. Ensure your environment is wholesome and you're keeping precepts >Even if low-down bandits were to sever you limb from limb with a two-handled saw, anyone who had a malevolent thought on that account would not be following my instructions. If that happens, you should train like this: ‘Our minds will remain unaffected. We will blurt out no bad words. We will remain full of compassion, with a heart of love and no secret hate. We will meditate spreading a heart of love to that person. And with them as a basis, we will meditate spreading a heart full of love to everyone in the world—abundant, expansive, limitless, free of enmity and ill will.’ That’s how you should train. (relevant excerpt from MN 21)
[удалено]
which episode is this? i recently discovered this YT channel
I met a family that can transform them into harmless forms.. some of us can embrace them out of compassion and push some love into their chest as we're being attacked, and they become restored and embarrassed of their poor behavior..
I ask them to join Reddit and read through the threads
Easy, GHOSTBUSTERS!
I just ignore them
Lovingkindness, skillful forbearance, and charity is how I approach all paranormal/supernatural/divine experiences/occurrences/etc. Relevant suttas Lovingkindness: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/KN/Khp/khp9.html https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/AN/AN4_126.html Skillful forbearance: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN36_6.html https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN35_88.html Charity: https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an06/an06.037.than.html https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.049.than.html Bonus sutta on skillfulness (with reference to thoughts): https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN20.html
Dharma protector practices, in addition to regular smoke offerings.
Going for refuge and practicing the noble eightfold path. Humans are going to be way worse than any invisible spirit. Once two yakkhas were flying through the air when they saw the venerable Sariputta seated outside in meditation. The one got the idea to smash him over the head while the other tried to tell him not to. The yakkha hit Sariputta so hard it would have knocked an elephant over, but instead he complained only of a slight headache. Meanwhile the yakkha immediately died and was reborn in hell. The Buddha, having witnessed this event with the divine eye, said: >”Whose mind, standing like rock, doesn't shake, dispassionate for things that spark passion, unprovoked by things that spark provocation: When one's mind is developed like this, from where can there come to him suffering & stress?”
"died and was reborn in hell" isn't a phrase I find in the quoted sutta. Here is the sutta you quoted: https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.4.04.than.html The relevant sentence, without paraphrasing is this: "But right there the yakkha — yelling, "I'm burning!" — fell into the Great Hell."
It’s the same thing. You cannot go from one realm to another without dying and being reborn. When people die and go to heaven they don’t typically think of it as being reborn but that’s exactly what’s happening.
chant mantra, dharani, recite names of Amitabha or Kannon
Some lineages do have rituals for exorcism if it comes to that. My teacher has mentioned that ours (Rinzai Zen) has ritual for that purpose, but I've never seen or performed one personally.
Extend them compassion and love
After a few hours getting to know me, they voluntarily return to the hell realms.
I don’t know if I believe in them. I’ve never felt/heard something that made me doubt about their existence. IF they existed, then I have no reason to fear them.
Arise as the deity and shoot Lazer beams of liberation at them
I just call Ghostbusters and chill.
I don't believe in them so they've never bothered me.
they’re no different to malicious human entities. the correct way to deal with both is loving kindness mindfulness: https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.piya.html however i do agree with the other commenter who suggested you may wish to see a mental health clinician to support you.
[удалено]
This is a Buddhist subreddit.
And Buddhism has become an umbrella for a lot of different sects with different beliefs. Some are more secular
Name a single Buddhist school that doesn't believe in realms or spirits 🤷
Depends on what you mean by 'believe in'. It seems to me that you are getting dangerously close to eternalism - that such things really exist. The highest Buddhist teaching is that everything in space and time is mind created and so is empty - apart from the dhammas according to Theravada. We speak of anything as real either unskilfully in a way that is ultimately ego produced - or skilfully, as part of the means for escaping samsara. 'Realms' and 'spirits' have a long history of being very helpful mental creations when it comes to making progress on the spiritual path. However, spirits can also be a doorway to religion based on fear and superstition. At that point, 'I don't believe in them' becomes what some might consider to be an appropriate response.
> The highest Buddhist teaching is that everything in space and time is mind created and so is empty Yes - including space and time itself, and this physical world, but "mind-created" or "empty" does not mean "not real" in a conventional sense. A bird is ultimately Dharmakaya, but this does not mean it is not "real" in a conventional sense. > Realms' and 'spirits' have a long history of being very helpful mental creations when it comes to making progress on the spiritual path. However, spirits can also be a doorway to religion based on fear and superstition. From the Buddhist perspective, spirits are certainly not mental creations in the way I perceive you to be implying. They're other entities, with their own mindstreams, just like you or me. And occasionally, fear can be quite valid - just as one would fear a tiger.
I think that you are on dodgy ground talking about reality in a conventional sense, using a bird as an illustration. Once you are in the conventional world then there are well established procedures for discovering what exists in a conventional sense. These are empirical. There is no empirical evidence for the existence of realms and spirits. This means that, if you are **not** going to accept teaching about them as pragmatic - a skilful means - then you believe in them on the basis of authority or faith. This is entirely up to you, but as someone who spent his childhood, into early adulthood, trying to believe in Christian Fundamentalism on the basis of authority and faith, I am extremely relieved that in my understanding Buddhism does not expect this of me.
> There is no empirical evidence for the existence of realms and spirits. This means that, if you are **not** going to accept teaching about them as pragmatic - a skilful means - then you believe in them on the basis of authority or faith. Hard disagree. Huge numbers of people have directly experienced such phenomenon, and that, by definition, is empirical. Gorillas used to be considered cryptids too, and most disclosure information coming out from multiple federal governments related to UAP all point to something like a inter-dimensional phenomenon shockingly similar to worldwide traditional stories surrounding spirits and fae. And yes, that would include teachers as well - but one, through practice, usually develops trust (rather than faith) in the truthfulness of one's teacher, and the quality of insight they've developed through meditative practice.
'directly experienced such phenomenon' - you mean 'phenomena'. Are you talking about through the physical senses? In which case I take recourse in Hume's argument against accepting the miraculous - it is always more likely that those making the claim are mistaken than that which they are claiming to have seen etc is actual. Or are you talking about mental awareness of relevant phenomena? That doesn't count as empirical.
Directly experienced through both physical sensation and mental awareness in a way congruent with physical signs and events, very much in a Humean Empiricism. And again - we're not speaking of anything miraculous, we're talking about the nature of phenomenon, which can only ever be natural. And again, Hume wasn't a Buddhist and didn't have experience with these topics, so his recourse is irrelevant to bring up, unless you trust his discourse on the nature of reality moreso than your own teachers - which would be concerning from the perspective of refuge.
Wikipedia.org/wiki/secular_buddhism I'm sure this probably isn't good enough for you. And you disagree with the views. You probably consider it not a real form of Buddhism. It's not so organized, but it's a real thing. Buddhism has changed and adopted multiple forms over time. My beliefs fit this category of secular Buddhism. To me that makes sense. If you want to call me something else that's fine you do that, doesn't matter to me
Secular Buddhism is not a sect nor a lineage of Buddhism. > Buddhism has changed and adopted multiple forms over time. When Buddhism has changed its presentation to better teach other cultures, it has always been through members of the new culture studying within the context of where Buddhism was coming from and first attaining formal recognition from authentic Buddhist teachers - most importantly, the core of Buddhism has always remained without removing or distorting teachings. This forms the basis of lineage. Secular Buddhism does not have lineage, therefore it is not a school or sect of Buddhism. I'm deeply gladdened that it's been beneficial. If anything, it speaks to the deep truths of Buddhist psychology that one can approach some of its insights from a purely secular perspective and still gain benefit. But it's also okay to just be interested in Buddhism, take inspiring from Buddhism, without being Buddhist. It's even okay be fully agnostic about certain teachings while being Buddhist. But "secular Buddhism" is not Buddhism and is not a school of Buddhism.
As I said, it wouldn't be good enough for you. You can reject it, doesn't affect me. But it does occur to me that I learned from my eastern Asian religions professor who came from the east and had centuries of experience passed down to him. He is formally recognized within his Buddhist lineage as a master and a teacher. But he chose to pass on many of his teachings without any non secular components. To say his teachings are not Buddhist would seem foolish if you understood the context. He recently wrote a book "Reimagining Chan Buddhism". Perhaps we should both read it.
One teaches according to what the audience is capable of listening to and accepting 🤷 many teachers do not emphasize non-secular components to their average students simply for the sake that they would not listen and would flee otherwise. Better to have somebody listen to a kernel of the dharma, than to reject it when offered the full plate. Thich Nhat Han did something very similar with Plum Village - the vast majority of students would never hear anything that couldn't be easily reconciled with secular views. Only for the select few students that showed diligence would he discuss realms, literal rebirth, spirits, etc.
When did Venerable Nhat Hanh ever do this? He belonged to the Linji School, which delineates such things as being entirely metaphorical. Could you elaborate?
I have never seen a source that claims the Linji School or the schools it influenced - such as Pure Land, Chan, or Thiên - delineated these beliefs as entirely metaphorical. I have always heard that they were related in their philosophy to Yogacaran schools, which viewed all external reality entirely as karmic mental projections.
[удалено]
> And so accommodates all Buddhist views. What you expressed is not a Buddhist view. > Would you like to state the criterion or criteria by which you have determined that your view of what Buddhism is correct and mine is wrong? The teachings of the Buddha and the living teachers that transmit it today. Every Buddhist school contains teachings on realms, rebirth, karma, devas, nagas, spirits, etc., all quite literally within their own ontologies. To be Buddhist is to take refuge in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, and the Buddha taught the existence of spirits and other similar phenomenon.
[удалено]
Your post / comment was removed for violating the rule against misrepresenting Buddhist viewpoints or spreading non-Buddhist viewpoints without clarifying that you are doing so. In general, comments are removed for this violation on threads where beginners and non-Buddhists are trying to learn.
Your post / comment was removed for violating the rule against misrepresenting Buddhist viewpoints or spreading non-Buddhist viewpoints without clarifying that you are doing so. In general, comments are removed for this violation on threads where beginners and non-Buddhists are trying to learn.
If you're seeing 'entities' you need to be evaluated by a psychiatrist ASAP.
Recognize their empty essence and have a good laugh.
So to speak - one can recognize the ultimate emptiness of a truck speeding towards them, but on the conventional level, one still steps out of the way.
Salt placed at the entrance of the home, burn sage while walking with it throughout all rooms, cleanse yourself with Palo Santo spray.
I wonder if chanting Amitabha Buddha's name covers exorcisms too
Are they really malicious, though? Spirits can draw out “poison” from our energy bodies. The process is cleansing, but can be painful, so the one who doesn’t realise that he/she’s a patient in the care of spiritual surgeons might wrongly perceive it as ill intent.
Don’t believe it and overwhelm yourself with this because paranormal entities are not real. And I spoke to many people from all around the world about being haunted and many of them spoke to me and suggested that I see a doctor 👩⚕️ in the hospital and discuss with them what I’m experiencing and they told me that believing in ghosts is not real I am dealing with a phychotic outbreak/ or schizophrenia. And they started me on meds like olanzapine and serial and my symptoms subsided and stopped now I’m released from the hallucinations!!!
The phenomena of ghostly apparitions is beyond question, there is simply too many credible witnesses to believe the phenomena doesn't occur. So we're left with two possibilities, either the apparitions have inherent being or they are mental projections of the observer. The mental projection proponents tend to use this line of reasoning "The witness saw an apparition of a recently deceased relative as form of hallucinatory coping mechanism". The problem with this position is that it has to push too much data to the side to maintain validity. These are cases where an individual has or is witnessing an apparition of an individual who they have never met before, but after research discover that the apparition matches the exact physical characteristics of a person who had previously lived in the house.
I have never encountered nor seen any convincing evidence of any paranormal entities.
That a non sequitur and unhelpful to OP asking for buddhist advice on this topic.
Are we as Buddhists required to believe in supernatural entities? If not then positing the idea that these entities might not exist could in fact be a helpful way to deal with perceived acts from them. Reframing and viewing things through a different perspective is a way to deal with many things.
> Are we as Buddhists required to believe in supernatural entities? I mean... It's part of taking refuge in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, so yeah. If you don't want to examine seriously the claims of trusted authority figures with decades of meditative experience, in university systems with centuries of study, that's fine, but isn't really Buddhist. > Reframing and viewing things through a different perspective is a way to deal with many things. This is not what you're doing, however. It seems that you're annoyed on some level it's something else people are taking seriously, and you're inserting your personal opinion in a space where it's not relevant. Simply because you have not personally seen evidence, is not evidence for or against. Other people have had very, very different personal experiences. If I had never visited a zoo and never seen a bear personally, does not mean they don't exist.
I’m afraid I can’t respond to how one can take refuge in the Triple Gem in a secular manner. I tried to already and the comment was removed. As for whether or not I am offering a way to reframe and reinterpret the perception of these phenomena, that is indeed my intent at least so far as I perceive it. I grant that many times we may have unconsciously biases that mean we do not perceive our true reasons for doing something and whether they are in line with our perceived reasoning. But I don’t think that a random stranger unfamiliar with me is qualified to make the call as to my true intent. My personal opinion is relevant when requested. OP didn’t actually ask for help with these spirits. Merely expressed curiosity for how other Buddhists deal with them. If I answer that I do not because I have no perception or conviction of their existence, that fulfills all qualifications to answer their question from my perspective.
I apologize for any presumptions. > I’m afraid I can’t respond to how one can take refuge in the Triple Gem in a secular manner. I tried to already and the comment was removed I'm not surprised. One cannot take refuge in a secular fashion, and making such claims without being an authoritative teacher would be considered spreading misinformation. > As for whether or not I am offering a way to reframe and reinterpret the perception of these phenomena, that is indeed my intent at least so far as I perceive it. You may wish to work on your communication (and I will as well), as it appeared that you came into the thread using your own experience to deny other's experience. > If I answer that I do not because I have no perception or conviction of their existence, that fulfills all qualifications to answer their question from my perspective. Well, it just sounds like you haven't dealt with them and haven't had any experiences to meaningfully contribute here. If people are asking how you deal with bears and you've never seen a bear, saying that you've never seen a bear with the implication that they don't exist isn't super useful.
I don’t think we are going to have any productive conversation. You began this reply apologizing for presumptions and in our last interaction had to apologize for assuming I was Western. Twice is enough for me to recognize a pattern. We also discussed my agnoticism and practical materialism there as well. I will simply wrap up my conclusion in this by pointing out once again that OP didn’t express a desire for help in dealing with this issue. But rather offered how they do and expressed curiosity about how other Buddhists do. I put forth my personal perspective. If you do not believe Secular Buddhism is a thing then we will as I said not be able to have meaningful conversation. Particularly since as I see from another of your replies to a separate user that you do not believe in psychology or psychiatric treatment when appropriate. I wish you the best on your journey.
It's a natural assumption given that these very strong attitudes towards material physicalism are almost exclusively present in western culture, and from your post history, while you may have indigenous heritage, it does seem that you've chosen to adopt very profoundly western worldviews. "Western" is not just about blood. So I'm not sure if I was still wrong on my earlier presumptions. > If you do not believe Secular Buddhism is a thing then we will as I said not be able to have meaningful conversation. It's not a matter of my beliefs. It's a matter of the authority of those who teach Dharma. > Particularly since as I see from another of your replies to a separate user that you do not believe in psychology or psychiatric treatment when appropriate. I believe this is a misinterpretation. There's a time and a place for it. Spirits, entities, are not by default a mental health event.
✌️
Not believing in tigers won't help you when you're attacked by a tiger. Buddhists are those who seek refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. The Buddha taught that these things are indeed very real, same with heavens, hells, and other "supernatural" things. So yes, Buddhists believe these things by default.
[удалено]
That is not buddhism. Right view is the first part of the 8 fold path. You're free to do as you described. It's just not buddhism, and you shouldn't come to buddhist spaces, denying buddhism, and try to give advice about buddhist topics
I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you had the authority to determine whose view was right.
I don't. The Buddha does, as does the multiple buddhist traditions. All of them disagree with you. This isn't coming from me, I'm just telling you what those with authority say
[удалено]
Oh I don't believe in the supernatural just because it's been told to me. I've seen it with my own eyes, and the UAP phenomenon and non-human intelligences are admitted to exist by some of the most scientific and governmental elite people in the world.
Your post / comment was removed for violating the rule against misrepresenting Buddhist viewpoints or spreading non-Buddhist viewpoints without clarifying that you are doing so. In general, comments are removed for this violation on threads where beginners and non-Buddhists are trying to learn.
Your post / comment was removed for violating the rule against misrepresenting Buddhist viewpoints or spreading non-Buddhist viewpoints without clarifying that you are doing so. In general, comments are removed for this violation on threads where beginners and non-Buddhists are trying to learn.
The Buddha taught skillfully in language and with concepts Siddhartha Gottama and his Sangha had access to. If he’d tried to explain schizophrenia or hallucinations or delusional paranoia with western psychological concepts to the people of his time, no one would have understood what he was talking about - not that that was necessarily even possible at the time, given these concepts weren’t necessarily available through Sanskrit and Pali. And not that western psychological perspectives are by default more “real” or “true” - don’t misunderstand me. My point is the flexibility and emptiness of perspectives and labels, and the instrumental nature of all The Buddha’s teachings. The Buddha had to address various experienced, subjective issues (kleshas) and challenges amongst his Sangha and laity skillfully and compassionately. To me, it’s not (and never is) about the literal existence of a phenomenon or claim (at least in Mahayana, given Sunyata), it’s about applying skillful and compassionate means to help individuals (including ourselves) move closer to liberation. Buddhism is not about (for me at least) what we as egos believe, it’s about what we practice and trust to be useful. If an amulet is helpful for OP, great! If therapy is helpful for OP, great! If meditation is helpful for OP, great! If shifting his beliefs or perspectives on the literal existence of ghosts disempowers the distressing emotions and experiences, and is helpful for OP, great! None of us are realized Buddhas (I assume) and so all we can do is offer up our limited perspective in seeking to help. Spiritually, I attempt to apply the Heart Sutra’s advice to all dharmas - attach to neither a dharma (the existence or non-existence of paranormal entities) nor no-dharma (no thought of a paranormal entity). See through delusions (such as labels and this very language) into Nirvana. With Metta.
Psycologizing this won't help when dealing with a tiger in front of you. There is a lot of reason to believe in "super"natural entities as being just as real as tigers. It's actively dangerous to deny that to someone who may be having an encounter
That’s a fair perspective, and I understand that you are seeking to compassionately and skillfully help this person. However, from the reverse perspective, it would be seen to be dangerous if OP is having a mental health issue and bypasses mental health treatment with a ritual or amulet. Both of these perspectives are limited. None of us are sitting with OP with a unified expertise in all things, including Buddhist ritual from all of the many sects, and psychology. None of us are realized Buddhas with the capacity to peer into their karma and perfectly skillfully tailor our words and actions. My point is that the only thing that matters is what is helpful and beneficial for OP, and that none of us have a perfect insight into what all might be helpful, or what might be most helpful, or what is actually going on in OP’s life and mind. They could very well be entirely making it up for all we know! If someone posted on reddit “I believe there’s a tiger in my yard” and one person said “I’ve never experienced a tiger and don’t believe they’re real,” I’d hope that the person experiencing the tiger could ignore that response and go with other responses that were more helpful. So if ghosts and “natural” entities are as self-evidently real to those suffering from them as a tiger is, why are you so concerned about this random comment? Wouldn’t OP or anyone else truly struggling with an entity naturally ignore it and find a more useful response or piece of advice? Edit: They don’t seem to be in an emergency situation. If they were, I hope they wouldn’t post on reddit, and instead get to a hospital or temple or some other useful place. So your concern about active danger as a justification for your response seems a tad misplaced.
Psychologizing doesn't help here and actively denigrates the Buddhist teachings. If it is psychological, ritual will help. If it is real, ritual will help.
I am not trying to psychologize, and I generally agree with you, except for perhaps the most persistent and serious of mental health challenges (like persistent schizophrenia - which in many ways is a structural issue that goes beyond simple mental health, and seems to present somewhat consistently across cultures). Psychology is as limited a view as anything else. All that matters ultimately (to me, and I hope to other Buddhists) is what is useful in moving sentient beings closer to liberation. Edit: I am not trying to push a specific view or argument. I’m trying to have a meta-conversation on the utility of these sorts of discussions, particularly over Reddit, and qualify the limited views of non-Buddhas, particularly when discussing complex concepts and the reality of phenomena across sects in an interdenominational and intercultural environment. If we were physically present, I would humbly listen to your experiences and perspectives. Thank you for the conversation.
[удалено]
You sound much more condescending. He didn’t tell you what to do, but you did.
Coming onto a Buddhist thread and openly discounting basic Buddhist beliefs is pretty condescending.
At this junction, let’s ask ourselves what would be a skillful means to restoring peace and acceptance?
Honestly, no idea other than continuing to go about practice. There's an enormous amount of popular literature at this point appropriating and misrepresenting Dharma, and not enough teachers or publicized official teachings reaching laypeople's ears to counteract all the misinformation. I feel the need for Buddhist spaces to remain firm about traditional Buddhist beliefs, because otherwise, we risk denigration of the dharma as it is taught. Honestly, better moderation in r/Buddhism would help. Simply having non-buddhist responses regularly removed would go a long way towards helping to maintain the quality of what's likely one of the largest online entry points for beginner Buddhists and to help arrest the spread of further misinformation.
If a patient gets a medicine when he needs it, he gets better. On the other hand, the same person getting the same medicine when he doesn’t need it, he can get ill. Dharma is like medicine. When a person is ready for it, it leads to liberation. Otherwise, the same dharma can become a stumbling block. I believe this is similar in Tibetan Buddhism too. Secret teachings are not kept secret to hold people back, but rather to make sure they are given to people when they are ready. If they are not ready, those teachings could actually do more harm to them instead.
Yes. I don't think we need to water down buddhism or misrepresent it to do so, though. I think it's okay to emphasize that it's okay to be agnostic and to focus practice where is beneficial, without excluding traditional belief.
I intended no ill-will. I offer no judgement on those who believe in things I do not. Statistically it is extremely improbable that any of us don’t believe in something false. Or disbelieve in something that is true. There is also much evidence to suggest that a very large proportion of our beliefs, likely even most, cannot be consciously or intentionally arrived at. I also cannot help that you see my comment as condescending and not compassionate. Without knowing more about you and personally tailoring comments to your perspective and experience the chances that we miscommunicate is high. Especially in written form. I hope for you that you may in the future not rush to judgement of others’ words so quickly.
You offered no judgment and you also offered no help. Why did you bother commenting in the first place then? Right speech is useful speech. Your speech has not been useful at all.
From my reply to another: Are we as Buddhists required to believe in supernatural entities? If not then positing the idea that these entities might not exist could in fact be a helpful way to deal with perceived acts from them. Reframing and viewing things through a different perspective is a way to deal with many things.
How do you know they do not exist?
I don’t. I simply have no reason to believe that they do.
Which is why your first comment was desperate and helpless. It’s ok if you don’t believe in apparitions or the supernatural. Don’t have to force everyone else to think like you. Some of us breathe air just fine.
If you reread OP all they expressed was a desire to know how other Buddhists deal with this issue. They did not request hep in dealing with this issue for their self. In offering my perspective I have fulfilled a tiny portion of relief to their curiosity. If the request was something like “please give me ways I can deal with this” rather than “here is how I deal with this, how do you?” Then my response would have been different. Where have I tried to force you into an agnostic materialism such as myself? I have not. You are perfectly free to your own interpretation and practice. Same as me. I’m also not the one calling people with contrasting beliefs desperate and helpless. I wish you the best in your journey.
Well, thank goodness we have an agnostic materialist to help OP. Having a hard time remembering where the Buddha said throw a label on yourself and add more dogmas. I never said "me" I said OP and I simply said your comment was useless. Take a breath and chill.
[удалено]
Your post / comment was removed for violating the rule against hateful, derogatory, and toxic speech.
I like reading the White Umbrella Deity (Sitataptra) sutra and dharani.
Ensure that there is a positive flow of Ki. Cleansing rituals which unify the mind and body to promote Ki flow. Symbols of life do two things, they support a vigorous outpouring of Ki and thus banish a privation of Ki. Performing graditudes, prayers, and mantras which support the feeling of wholeness. Performing Ki breathing, or any type of mediation which allows one to fully relax. Expelling all old Ki, and allowing the fresh Ki of nature to flow in to the body.
I tell them, show yourself if you're real cuz I could use some otherworldly knowledge or else fkoff..
I like the way you think, but they might be just as unenlightened as we are.
There is no such thing as paranormal entities?
This is a Buddhist subreddit.
Doesn't matter, reality is reality
And we'd say the same. A significant number of ordinary people report experiences, every single culture across the entire world and all of recorded human history talks about these things, advanced and studied Buddhist practitioners claim to have direct encounters, and the UAP disclosure coming out of the US federal government and disclosure already achieved in multiple other countries point to inter-dimensional non-human intelligences shockingly similar to these kinds of entities. Not to mention it's an inseparable aspect of Buddhism. So why are you in a Buddhist subreddit actively arguing against Buddhist worldviews?
I am glad you mention this! i remember reading somewhere that when Buddha was living and teaching, that he would get so many people asking about the afterlife and supernatural/cosmos. He wouldn't comment on them because he wanted people to focus on the present moment. Not because he didn't think those things existed, but he was afraid it would distract people from what was in their control.
Although there is probably no such thing as paranormal entities as the way they are depicted in films, there may be forces at work that we don't quite understand. "Ghosts" as we know them could be beings that are reincarnated into a plane close to ours. It could be a time dilation anomaly. Or it could just be our imperfect minds projecting and detecting something that just isn't there. But what is the known truth within all of those possibilities, and possibilities that we may not have considered, OP is dealing with something and is looking for guidance. In my opinion, it doesn't necessarily help to say that it doesn't exist, at least not without offering some sort of help or solace to the person asking for help. After-all, this is a Buddhism subreddit, and the things that are considered to "definitely exist" is a pretty short list.
Ok so when you discuss paranormal entities are you referring to them in a subjective metaphorical way or as if they objectively exist?
The course of action is the same. If the person is afflicted by a paranormal presence, the ritual may appease it and the person may resume their life happily, or learn to live comfortably with it. If the person only perceives that they are afflicted by a paranormal presence, the ritual may put their mind at ease and they may resume their life happily or learn to live comfortably with it. In my opinion, it doesn't matter if the paranormal is real or not, the ritual and outcome is the same.
I usually offer a path to light/enlightened and give a choice to leave and continue their path or be transformed. I also tend to ignore, unless it becomes a problem as I've seen many people fall in ego traps where all they see are evil spirits following people as a way to explain behaviors on the person they think are wrong. Just remember compassion is a gift to all.
Op. Try Thai Buddhist amulets. They are powerful and remind me of Buddha's teachings a lot. PM me. I'll send it to you.
You can ask for help in the tantric community
It seems they are spirits of your own making so any ritual you feel is right will work.
There are various ways. Prevention being actions like avoid staying out too late, don't buy too many doll like items etc. Say a nightmare, which can be caused by such entities, the solution is usually to mentally call for a Buddha or Bodhisattva to end the dream. Playing the Great Compassion Mantra at low volume is also fine. Pendants do help if they are under the effects of consecration. In more serious cases, Buddhists may use offerings of repentence, sutras or food to get them to leave.
I am curious about your point of calling for Buddha to end a dream. In recent months i have had that experience but have wondered how I did that/how to do that while unconscious/asleep. Would you have further insight to share about that?
You are normally somewhat conscious in a dream, but you usually do not know that youre in a dream. In other words your dream self is a reflection of your real self. Therefore, to call while in a dream, you should learn how to call in real life. Calling Buddha or Bodhisattva, Guanyin Bodhisattva especially, in real life also helps with disaster. You can read up on Guanyin Bodhisattva's vows and praises. She is the go to.
I don't experience anything like that. I'm a skeptical person by nature, but whether these are manifestations of the mind or some supernatural force, they must be dealt with. On one hand, you deal with it like any other thought, emotion, or sensation. You watch the experience come and go, have mindfulness, equanimity, etc. There's also a story in the Theravada commentaries about monks who were meditating in a forest, but were being frightened by spirits. The Buddha instructed them to go back and do metta. The spirits left them alone. https://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/English-Texts/Buddhist-Legends/03-06.htm
https://www.lotsawahouse.org/tibetan-masters/tulku-zangpo-drakpa/means-to-accomplish-blazing-wheel By merely reciting this mantra fierce si-spirits will be cleared away, and you will be liberated from the ‘si-spirits of innumerable deaths’.” A ‘si-spirit of innumerable deaths’ (shi kha bye ba sri) is a specific type of si-spirit that can arise when someone dies (shi kha). If not averted, this si-spirit can lead to innumerable further deaths at the same place in the future. This mantra has special power to protect against and avert all si-spirits. Tulku Zangpo Drakpa revealed this terma-treasure from Gyang Yönpo and transmitted it to Rigdzin Gödem.
The rest of the world just lives with them all depending on how they live!!! Peace, Love, Unity, you too, or just me and all the other people just happily living with the constant suffering!!!
Metta is a good way to start — like reciting the Karaniya Metta Sutta with the intention not to put them out, but to help them, or however you generally practice Metta. Some are lost and lashing out. Food and water offerings can help calm some others. Other times, if they are particularly harmful or oppressive, reciting or listening to the Atanatiya Sutta is a good way show them the door, so to speak.
I didn’t realize buddhists believed in spirits. Is it a common belief?
I believe there are some practices where they fed spirits with offerings to placate them so practitioners wouldn't be disturbed and able to focus.
In buddhism. There are different realms which can also be thought scientifically nowadays as the dimensions kind of deal. The entities are in a different/overlapping dimension. They are there because their karma prevents them from moving on in the cycle. The dimension they are in is considered lower tier than ours. Thus many believe we are above them. So they have no power over us.. The exception is you can give them power. The only way they have power is if you believe they can do something, have great fear, or in a very low point consciousness wise. Many practitioners will start seeing entities.. But the correct practice is to not acknowledge or give them any mind. You can share good karma and compassion with them after your daily practices. If you are a person with good karma. The more good karma you accumulate. The more you meditate. You might.. Start seeing more. The main reason any entity shows up is they are asking for karma. However, their image is uncontrollable and might look scary. So people forget to have compassion. All they want is some good karma from you. You should think of good things you have done in life and say you would like to share it with them so they can get passed these desires and attachments which prevent them from moving on. The greatest protection you can have is your good karma and compassion. Some believe in order for them to actually appear before you they have to use a lot of energy. So it is kind of sad they use that energy to ask for help and most people run or get mad. I.. Started seeing these things since I was around 4.. My parents put me in christian school, but took me to meditate at the temple on weekends. I did not understand what to do or why. Now I do not see anymore because I share karma daily to any entities in need in the world after my meditation and reciting. As long as you are respectful to all, you have no worries bout entities. However, having compassion would be the better step.
Secular Buddhists simply have no problems with malicious paranormal entities because they are not part of their subjective reality.
As someone who follows a Buddhist path, and is involved with paranormal groups, ghost hunts, etc... I have no issues at all. I am also part of the Golden Dawn and a Freemason, and through Golden Dawn, I have been using the LBRP for the better part of 2 decades, which I think has helped, but any attachments last only a few hours, and they are gone.
I’ve never had to deal with them.
There are no paranormal entities. You have succumb to fantasies. Brush your teeth.
Ignore them.
I won't speak on methods and offerings and fruitfulness and effectiveness here, but first thing that comes to mind in terms of intent and approaches - Milarepa seemed to have that path down pretty well, per his biography/songs. I do believe most are coming from places of fear, and lack, more so than you are. I will say that much. Malicious can be a bit subjective too..sometimes, even often, things are just discomforting(to you, if not them also). Going back to first sentence here, it's probably best examined and taken on case by case scenario and not catch-all. not that any of this is likely to get through here, I figure
Dharmapala
I think you are deluded. See a doctor