Ghost? Christianity vs. Buddhism (Part 4)

Ghost? A dialog among Buddhist, Catholic and Christian (Buddhist point of view, author's comment)

-This is a post in response to the talk by Buddhism representatives-

After listening to the speech given by Venerable Hui Xian and Venerable Chang Hui, they are many good points for us to ponder.


#1 Ghost are one of the sentient beings in the six domains of the desire realm

In Buddhism, it is viewed that all sentient beings possesses the seed to Buddhahood. It is just a matter of acheiving enlightenment.
杨次公云：‘爱不重，不生娑婆，念不一，不生极乐。’
Yang CiGong: "Without desire, will not I be born in desire realm; without enlightened mind, will not I achieve Nirvana'

I would like to be given the opportunity to talk about the Six Domains of the Desire Realm. In the desire realm, we have Heavenly realm, Asura realm, Human realm, Animal realm, Preta (hungry ghost) realm and Hell realm.
To be reborn into one of these realms, it follows one's karma.

Heavenly realm - able to hold firm to the ten precepts
Asura realm - able to hold firm to the ten precepts but with mindful of anger and jealousy
Human realm - able to hold firm to the five precepts
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Precepts)
Animal realm - dominated by ignorance
Preta realm - dominated by greed
Hell realm - dominated by hatred
(http://buddhismteacher.com/three_poisons.php)


#2 Spreading the gospel to ghost?

As mentioned above, ghost in Buddhism, is one of the sentient beings in the Preta Realm. It is mentioned by the two representatives of Buddhism in the dialog that we should treat them with compassion and lending them a helping to leave the realm.

The question is how?
By virtue and kind conduct with the recitation of the sutra and counseling, merits can be transferred and becomes a helping force to deliver the ghost from its suffering.

The problem lies with, it is easier said than done.

Similar to prayers, reciting sutras may generate a good merits. However, without proper understanding of the recitation as well as without a pure kind heart and virtues, those merit will not formulate. Reciting sutra will be just like reading any other books/magazines/newspapers if its recited with a superstitious mind or craving for merits.

It is by their sin for they fall into the lower realm. Spreading gospel to the ghost is similar compared to spreading gospel to other human beings. It is to preach repentance.

I would suggest the repentance is defined as the following:
i) To know of a sin
ii) To confess the sin
iii) To refrain from commiting again
忏悔即是不二过
All these three must be present. If you know not a sin, you may not confess it. If you confess not a sin, you may not refrain from commiting it. If you refrain not from sinning, it becomes pointless to knowing or confessing it.

#3 It's from the heart

In Buddhism, it preaches that we change not the environment but our heart and precepts.
"What you think you become" -Buddha-

By cultivating unholy thoughts, we invite unholy incident. In this sense, it is also psychological work.

For example, staying in a eerie place, if you fear of paranormal activities, your mind will play tricks on you.

Pastor Enoch Lam gave a good example to explain this point. "If you are afraid of ghost, there is only one solution, invite Lord JesusChrist into your life."

In Christian and Buddhist point of view, Pastor Enoch Lam is right.
Rather than filling your heart and mind with fear and ghostly images, creating a loophole for the demon to invade your heart to lead you astray, you invite God into your life and fill your heart with the glory of God. Thus, it leaves not even a crack for the demon to ambush our soul and mind.


#4 Muslim ghost??

As mentioned in my previous post, Venerable Chang Hui apologized if there are any Malays attending the talk before expressing about the fasting ghost.

There many things that we should clarify.

a) Almost every Malay in Malaysia is of Islamic faith but there are also Chinese and Indians who are muslims.

b) The Ramadhan is a month whereby Muslims refrain themselves from eating, drinking and sexual relations from dawn until dusk. It is a holy month intended for Muslim to cultivate patience, humility and spirituality.

Bear in mind, most of ghost-feeding ceremony (放蒙山) is done in the evening. Even if there are Muslim ghosts (which there are not supposed to be any) going after your earthly food, they are allowed to eat. It is halal to break fast after Magrhib (sun-set prayers).

c) Muslim believe that the present life is a trial in preparation for the next realm of existence

And they say, "There is not but our worldly life; we die and live (i.e. some people die and others live, replacing them) and nothing destroys us except time." And they have of that no knowledge; they are only assuming. And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, their argument is only that they say, "Bring [back] our forefathers, if you should be truthful." Say, "God causes you to live, then causes you to die; then He will assemble you for the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt," but most of the people do not know.
-Quran, 45:24-26-

Surely God will raise all the dead. But God has His own plan of things. A day will come when the whole universe will be destroyed and then the dead will be resurrected to stand before God. The day will be the beginning of a life that will never end, and on that day every person will be rewarded by God according to his or her good or evil deeds

(http://www.islam-guide.com/life-after-death-by-wamy.htm)

d) When you claim that you saw Muslim ghost eating/fasting for your food (or even any ghost), was it a claim made with evidence where there are eye-witnesses?




#5 Ullambana vs. Chinese Ghost Festival

This is something that every Buddhist, especially Chinese should know of the difference between Ullambana (盂兰盆会) and Chinese Ghost Festival.

Chinese Ghost Month falls on the seventh month of the lunar calender. The fesitval is held on the 14th day of the month. During this month, it is said that the hell gates open and unleashed all the deceased to go back to the living for food and offerings, revenge etc. During this month, it is claimed (although no formal statistic by any institution, especially the bureau of statistic) that many supernatural and ghost encounters happen. During this unholy month, Chinese burn offerings and refrain from staying out at night. Buddhism which caught into this local practice too offers food to the deceased and holds many ceremony for the dead, whether to deliver them from hell/Preta realm or to feed them.

Ullambana should never be mistaken nor be explained parallel with the Ghost Festival. Although the Ullambana Sutra was preached by the Buddha during the seventh month to instruct his disciple Mahamauggalyayana on how to obtain liberation for his mother in the lower realm, it is different from the Chinese practice.

Ullambana is in the rainy season of summer, whereby Buddha disciples who were sent out to preach, comes back to the forest to be united with the sangha to celebrate the completion of their meditation, reporting their progress to the Buddha as well as Q&A session for the difficulties they encounter while preaching.

The reason Ullambana was set to be during the rainy season comes from the compassionate nature of Buddha towards the living beings who comes out of the earth after the rain. As people of that time travel on foot, it is advisable for the travelling disciples to stay at one place to avoid stepping (accidental kill) on those little living creatures.

Number of monks who attained enlightenment during that period was high and thus it is a joyful day for Buddhist. In Buddhism point of view, the seventh month can be consider the month of joy, contrary to a eerie feeling that Chinese gives it.





To attend such inter-faith dialogs, one should be well prepared and well educated in their own religious study as well as doing sufficient research in other religion (e.g. the Holy Bible, the Holy Quran, the Puranas etc) in order to effectively deliver the message through.

Poor preparation will give others a poor impression on your side as you are chosen to be representing the whole of your community. A very good example of a good inter-faith dialog speaker, Ahmed Deedat. Google up.


-Proper faith-