2011.04.02 - Siddhartha Buddha

[SomaticDreams]

In what respect are prayer wheels and prayer flags a part of Buddhism? Would this not indicate "prayer"? A quick google search on Buddhist prayer enlightens one as to the many possibilities.

"Prayer" flags and wheels are a good example of the Christianization of Buddhist concepts. On these flags and wheels are mantras. They are not aimed or directed at a deity, but rather at the mind. Mantras are used in repetition as a way of accessing different states of mind, and chanting messages of compassion, peace, and love towards all sentient beings. They do not appeal to any higher deity.

This shows how words are able to evoke many connotations, and the need for my previous post to clarify some of the Buddhist concepts in the channeling, and some of the questions asked.

It's a good example of the failings of translations between languages, and channels. It's ever more important to be discerning.

Edit:

Here's two links for the Wikipedia articles that are quite concise.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_wheels
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_flags

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Q'uo's image of Buddhism sounds like Hindu gyana-yoga to me. "neti neti" is generally considered to be a Hindu thing. Of course Buddhism came out of Hinduism but I actually don't know of any buddhists who do neti neti. I suppose Buddhas life itself did reveal this path.

Modern buddhism is heavily concerned with compassion, while modern Christianity is heavily concerned with intellectualism. This was noted by Yogananda, who said that Christ was an impractical man but his followers have been eminently practical and materialistic, while Krishna was practical and materialistic, even encouraging arjuna to go to war, while his followers in India are completely impractical and act more like Christ -- throwing caution to the wind and running on pure faith.

In this way followers from the east and west seek balance. Christians, challenged by Christ's command to sell all their possessions and wander the desert, love science and technology and material wealth. Hindus, encouraged by krishna to fight for what is right and to respect and love the simple human life of work, marriage, war, and duty, tend toward wild irresponsibility when it comes to the physical. (shiva is there to bail out anyone who is made sad by Krishna)

Buddhists, in my opinion, are usually more focused on wisdom and escaping suffering than on cultivating and expressing compassion. This is likely Carla's attitude born from experience with western Buddhists. Her idea of the mystical Christian is herself, someone utterly devoted to the love teachings of Jesus. Her idea of Buddhists is probably the Buddhists she has met in the USA, who tend to be white people who seek the wisdom of the Buddha and want to escape suffering.

Anyway as a Virgo who is extremely in tune with the "neti neti" energy I would have to agree that that practice of discernment is about letting the world fall away until there is only the creator remaining. But I don't see this as a Buddhist practice - it is gyana yoga.

As a westerner I would also agree with the conception of Jesus as he who takes on the suffering of the world through unrestrained love.

Buddhism, however, as I perceive from what ive read of the Buddha and learned from Buddhism, resonates more with me in the way Ra describes the Buddha as "the all being in one". I think of the Buddha as sitting in perfect peace feeling the heartbeat of the universe, being the macrocosm from the microcosm. Perfect unity. "the all being in one"

I agree with you entirely. Astute observations. My main intention was simply to clear up the distorted concepts of Buddhist thought in this particular channeling. It has helped me take a look at the other changelings with a more critical eye, to help pull out more information out of the work. Which schools of Buddhist thought are you familiar with? It sounds as if you might be interested in the Yogacara, or at least be familiar with it, due to it's historical proximity to the Hindu tradition.

Namaste