CLICK to register for free on-line class on erroneous and evil views concerning ghosts, spirits, demons, and the Six Realms to be held Sunday, July 12, 2020 from 2-4:00 pm.
This class will consist of debate or exchange of points of view by those who attended the Seven-Dharmas System ZOOM class held on July 5 and have agreed to participate. Others may also attend to witness this debate. Please let Zhaxi Zhuoma know if you wish to participate in future classes and debates. CLICK for background on the revised ground rules for participation.
The following evil and erroneous views will be used as text for the July 12, 2020 class:
Evil View #17: THE VIEW THAT THE EXISTENCE OF THE SIX REALMS OF SAMSARA IS AN UNTRUE LEGEND
Those with this view regard the six realms of heaven, asura, human, hell, animal, and hungry ghost as existing only in legend. They think that such realms do not actually exist. They think that there are no ghosts and that none of the six realms exist. Won’t such a concept lead to the conclusion that all causes and effects are meaningless and false and that the law of cause and effect is not true? You must understand and think clearly about this. Sakyamuni Buddha stated that the six realms of reincarnation are real. He spoke of the sufferings of birth, aging, sickness, and death, and the five turbidities of an evil age. You are all living in that reality now. Could it be that this is not the case? Such are the facts. One who denies the existence of the cycle of reincarnation is opposing the Buddha. Such people can describe the human world with the sufferings of birth, aging, sickness, and death as the Pure Land of the West.
I will give you an example. There truly are people who want to change this world of suffering into a human Pure Land. This type of following what is good, promoting benevolence toward others, and guiding people to be good and do good is implementing of the four limitless states of mind. However, if you believe that this world can be made into a real human Pure Land, then you believe in something that goes against the teachings of the Buddha. There is no method that can change the laws of cause and effect and reincarnation that exist in a world. No matter what method is used to create a desired result, that result will not be a Pure Land. The human realm is the human realm. A Pure Land is a Pure Land. The difference is like that of heaven and earth. One is a holy world and the other is an ordinary world. The Pure Land is a world where there is no arising or ceasing. Beings there get clothing when they think about clothing and get food when they think about food. There is no form of impermanence there. On the other hand, a so-called Pure Land in the human realm would still be full of all of the sufferings of birth, aging, sickness, and death. People would not get clothing or food just from thinking of clothing or food. People would still have to work and make money to obtain such things. They could not rely upon visualizing such things to obtain them. In this world, people do not want the sufferings of birth, aging, sickness, and death, but such sufferings truly exist. It is inevitable that this world be filled with such sufferings. No matter what method is used, the result will still entail the attribute of impermanence inherent in a world within samsara. Nobody can change the impermanence that exists in this world caused by arising and ceasing. No ordinary person, regardless of how smart he may be, can escape the sufferings of five turbidities because that is the inevitable law of impermanence that exists in the six realms of reincarnation. Therefore, the six realms of reincarnation do exist.
CLICK for links to more information on the six realms.
Erroneous View #43: THE VIEW THAT THE PROTECTIVE POWERS OF MOUNTAIN DEITIES ARE GREATER THAN THE PROTECTIVE POWERS OF GREAT BODHISATTVAS
Those with this view think that even though someone is a great Bodhisattva, he does not likely have great abilities and is not able to protect and bless living beings. They think that it is the mountain deities who are able to protect living beings. They think that living beings are more effectively protected by dragon deities in the earth or local land deities. Any such thinking is an erroneous view. Great Bodhisattvas are incredibly amazing! The powers of mountain deities and local land deities cannot be mentioned in the same breath with those of great Bodhisattvas. Mountain deities do not protect Bodhisattvas; rather, Bodhisattvas protect mountain deities.
Erroneous View #64: THE VIEW THAT A PERSON OF HOLY VIRTUE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE RESPECTFUL TO AND MAKE OFFERINGS TO LOCAL DEITIES AND EARTH DEITIES
There are those who truly are people of holy virtue yet who do not show respect to or make offerings to local deities and earth deities. They look down on those deities, thinking those deities are small and insignificant. This mentality reflects an erroneous view. Why? Local deities and earth deities are sometimes nicer and kinder than some living beings. Those deities are also living beings. It is our duty to benefit them. They have been our parents during our prior incarnations in the six realms. Therefore, we must make offerings to them as well. Moreover, we must very sincerely pay homage and make offering to them.
Erroneous View #76: THE VIEW THAT EVIL SPIRITS SHOULD NOT BE RAISED TO HIGHER REALMS OF EXISTENCE
Those with this view think that evil spirits definitely should not be raised to higher realms of existence. Those with such thinking have fallen into an erroneous view. Evil spirits should be raised to higher realms of existence. No matter how fierce evil spirits may be, they are still living beings. We as cultivators should be compassionate toward all living beings. Moreover, the sooner we raise evil spirits to higher realms of existence the better in order to prevent them from harming more good people.
Erroneous View #77: THE VIEW THAT DEMONS MUST BE KILLED RATHER THAN TAUGHT AND CORRECTED
Those with this view think that demons must be killed. Such thinking is mistaken. Depending on the particular circumstance, demons should be either taught and corrected or should be killed. When there truly is no way to teach and correct them and they are determined to continue harming living beings, they should be killed. If there is even the slightest opportunity to teach and correct them, then we must do all we can to teach and correct them and should not kill them, for demons are also living beings.
Erroneous View #78: THE VIEW THAT ONE NEED NOT OFFER FOOD TO YAKSHAS AND HARITI
Those with this view think that we should not offer food to yakshas and Hariti. This is also wrong. Food should also be offered to yakshas and Hariti. They are also living beings. It is just that they have evil views. We have to edify them so that they adopt right understanding and right views and benefit living beings. We need to find ways to bring them to the true dharma. We need to make offerings to them so that they will be moved, correct their evil ways, and do good.
Evil View #1: THE VIEW THAT GHOSTS AND GODS ARE ONE’S LIBERATION MASTERS
Those with this view regard ghosts and gods as masters upon whom we should rely for liberation and as leaders upon whom we should rely to attain accomplishment in the dharma. Those with this view firmly believe that ghosts and gods can save us from the sufferings of birth, aging, sickness, and death. A person holding this view believes that ghosts and gods are the only masters who can save him through ending the cycle of birth and death. In reality, ghosts and gods have not even ended their own cycles of birth and death. Therefore, they definitely are not masters of liberation for Buddhist cultivators.
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