Buddhism is about learning of the path to the cessation of suffering; and Buddha never said, Buddhists should not believe in Gods. What Buddha did say about Gods was that – from the beginning less time, we have planted seeds of kamma and hence we are recycling in the Samsara (31 planes of existence). To attain liberation from samsara there is no one but you, yourself alone could clean up all your kamma’s you planted; Gods cannot do that for you. That was interpreted by some, that Buddhists don’t believe in Gods.
Those who have not read the Maha Janaka Jataka Story and the Buddha’s foremost lay Buddhist disciples, two merchant brother Sapussa and Bhallika Story and the so frequently chanted “Metta Paritta sutta” and “Yadana Paritta Sutta” should read them again and see how Gods got involved in saving or helping human beings. I will present excerpts and let the reader judge for them whether God has a part to play in our lives.
Do Buddhists believe in Gods?
This is a very good question; because many dhamma teachers will say, Buddhism does not believe in God. I don’t find in any place where Buddha said, we should not believe in Gods. When people take out of context after reading the Pali Canon, they interpret the Canon in many different ways to suit their own ideas.
To answer to the question we must first define Gods. The word God applies to those beings that possess supernatural power; may they be celestial or terrestrial they are all Gods or Devatas. The tenet of Buddhism is to accept the Buddhist Cosmology of the 31 planes of existence. All Buddhists must accept this 31 planes of existence, Buddhist Cosmology because without this Cosmology as basis, there can be no Nibbana.
Let’s look at the 31 planes:
Four states of deprivation – Asuras, Petas, Animals, & hells.
Seven states of sensuous planes – human, Catumaharajika deva, Tavatimsa deva, Yamas deva, Tusia deva, Nimmanariti deva, paranimitta vasavati deva
Who are Gods?
Gods are those beings living in Catumaharajika realm and upward to paranimitta vasavati deva realm - beings living in the six realms above the human realm. They are all classified as Gods. We Buddhist cannot deny that all Gods living in these six realms do not exist nor can we deny of the existence of asuras and petas in the realms of deprivation.
Who are Asuras ?
Asura, a race of celestial beings or the asuras are the powerful beings who are opposed to the devas.. They possessed certain supernatural power, some even more powerful than devas. Some will classify guardian Nymphs (Oksarsaunk nat in Myanmar) as Asuras. In Myanmar there are these guardian Nymphs living around Pagoda’s. In all eight directions around Shwedagon Pagoda, there are Pagoda Nymphs or spiritual beings. The 37 Nats (except Indra – Tagyarmin) can be classified into this state. Many will accept them as truly powerful spirits by the performance of Natgadaws who represent them. In earlier time, they were given their own domain regions for them to govern by early Myanmar kings. They are the supreme power in their own region. There are also tree spirits, mountain spirits, forest spirits, village spirits, district spirits, etcs, with each has influence over their given area of domain. In upper Myanmar, one initiated as novice must present him to the village tree Gods located at the mid of the village under a big tree where a shrine was built. In real life, they exist and they live among us, human being. (You can read the Dhammapada stories written about them and Dhammapada is part of Pali Canon).
We all believe God’s existence.
Buddha at the time when he renounced the world and left for the forest, the prevailing religion then was Brahmanism. It teaches you ascetics and its practice of austerity is the only way to find everlasting peace. Needless to say, he went to ashrams to learn from Brahmin teachers: Alara Kalama and Udaka Ramaputta. Our Bodhisatta learnt everything that the two teachers taught him. He was able to reach out to the Brahma planes through Jhanas practice. That was the ultimate goal for Brahmin to be with Brahma. Prince Siddhatta was not satisfied with their practice, because he still could not find the end of suffering. He said even Brahma at the end of their life span in Brahma realm; they all must be recycled within the 31 planes (Samsara). Buddha after his enlightenment Sakka, the king of Devas was all the time works for Buddha as a facilitator to Buddha. During his 45 years of ministry he had discourses with many devas who came to him for clarifications – many sutta’s and many Dhammapada stories will attest to this fact. How can we Buddhist say, we don’t believe in Gods.
Buddha as the chief protector
Earlier in the history of mankind, human kind fears of the unknown called spirits; spirits can be tree spirits, mountain spirits, etcs. Even today, people traveling by automobile through Htaunkkyan Town en-route to Pyi (Prome) without exception will stop by at ShweNyaungBin to make offering to the Tree spirit for safe journey.
With the appearance of Buddha in Jambudipa, the enlightened being, people starts to understand the true Buddhist cosmology. They come to know what samsara is and what Nibbana is and the path leading to Nibbana – the end of the cycle of rebirths. At one time, Buddha’s disciples (Monks) were sent to secluded forest to practice their meditation in the forest. Five hundred Bhikkhu’s gone to the forest and were haunted by the tree spirits. So they were scarce and came back to report to the Buddha. Buddha then composed “Metta Paritta Sutta” for them to chant and appease the tree spirits. From that time on, for the past 2500 years monks have been chanting this protective sutta “Metta Paritta Sutta” as routine as their daily alms. Insert here is an abridged “Metta Sutta” . This sutta is in essence an appeasement to the tree Gods; forest Gods or the Mountain Gods. This was what happens when you chant paritta sutta in Pali, not knowing the purpose of the sutta and why and where you must recite the sutta.
Why Buddha gave Metta Paritta Sutta to his Monks?
Lord Buddha was then residing at Savatthi in the pleasaunce of Anthapindika; and a group of monks received permission from the Lord to meditate in a distant forest during their retreat for the rainy season. The monks took shelter under huge trees as temporary residence and engaged themselves intensively in the practice of meditation.
The tree deities inhabiting this forest could not stay in their tree-abodes which were above the monks, for the monks were imbued with spiritual power due to meditation, and they had to come down to stay on the ground. So the deities were very much annoyed and frustrated; and when they realised that the monks would spend the whole rainy season there, they tried to scare the monks away during the nights. They purposely harassed the monks in various ways.
Living under such impossible conditions for some time, the disturbed meditators rushed back to the Buddha and informed about their difficulties. So the Buddha advised them to recite the text of Loving-kindness and to radiate the spirit of Love to all sentient beings. Encouraged by this media, the meditators returned to forest and practised in accordance with the instructions to permeate the ten directions with the radiant thoughts of Love. The tree-gods were very much pleased to be affected by this power of love and thenceforth let the monks stay there to meditate peacefully without any further disturbances.
This discourse, as a matter of fact, is the Buddhist doctrine of Love, which promulgates the method of practice to disseminate Love in order to attain Purity and Peace to realize finally the Perfect Emancipation.
Monks forgetful of what they recite when in fear of tree spirits, they will say, Buddhists don’t believe in Gods. Tree gods are also included, can you imagine, Monks scarce of tree Gods?
Yadana Paritta Sutta
When a place is plagued by pestilence, Buddhist Monks will recite this “Yadana Paritta sutta” to make appeasement with the evil spirits so they will depart from the place. Buddha personnel attendant himself (Ananda) and Buddha himself went to Vesali to clean up the city of Vesali the evil spirits, Yakkhas that scarce the inhabitants of Vesali. Here is an abridged “Yadana Paritta Sutta”.
During the lifetime of our Lord Buddha the city of Vesali was afflicted by famine, which killed thousands of poverty stricken families. Due to the presence of decaying corpses the evil spirits haunted the city, and led to inevitable pestilence. Plagued by these three perils of famine, devils and pestilence, the Vesalians sought the help of the Buddha who was then dwelling at Rajagaha. Moved by deep compassionate love, Lord Buddha marched to the plagued city of Vesali, followed by hundreds of monks including the Venerable Ananda. No sooner had the Lord arrived at the city, than the torrential rains poured down and swept away the putrefying dead bodies. So the city was cleansed and the atmosphere became purified. Then the Buddha delivered the Discourse on Precious Jewels (Yadana sutta”to the Venerable Ananda and instructed him to tour the city reciting the discourse as a means of protection to the citizens of Vesali.
The Venerable Ananda obeyed the command and sprinkled the holy water from the alms-bowl of the Lord, to banish the evil spirits consequently. And eventually the pestilence subsided.
Thereafter the Venerable Ananda reported the events promptly to the Lord, who was awaiting his arrival at the City Hall of Vesali. Then again Lord Buddha recited the same discourse and explained the intrinsic value of the text to the assembled disciples. Thus the recitation of the discourse had been approved by the Lord and the assembly.
This discourse is one of the most popular suttas that Monks commit by-heart to their memory for them to recite the suttas, when ever they are invited on various occasions.
Thus, Buddha’s Image is used, since the introduction of Buddhism to Myanmar, people of Myanmar used them as a Protector against all unknown. Again, along with Buddha image, they also brought in “Shin Thiwali” and Shin Upagote” one is for wealth and fortune and the other for protection.
Maha Janaka and Manimekhala Goddess
This was the story retold by Buddha himself one of his past existences when he was King Maha Janaka. This story tells you that there is Goddess who is being assigned to save and care for people of virtue from getting perished in the ocean. Maha Janaka, the posthumous son of king Aritthajanaka who had been killed by his brother, is brought up in exile at Campa, in the house of a brahman who had given hospitality to his mother. His mother puts at his disposal the jewels which she had saved "Well, mother," said he, "give me this wealth, I will take half of it and go to the Land of Gold, I will bring from there much wealth and will recover my throne". He took half of this fortune, procured the articles of trade and embarked on his boat in the company of other merchants who were going to the Land of Gold. Before leaving, he bowed unto his mother and said:
"Mother, I am going to the Land of Gold."
The mother said:
"My child, a voyage does not always succeed, there are many obstacles, better not go. You have abundant wealth for recovering the throne."
"No, I will go there, Mother", and he saluted his mother, went out and got on board the ship.
This very day, Polajanaka, the first younger brother and the murderer of Aritthajanaka, was attacked by illness and took to bed. Seven hundred merchants had embarked on the boat, in seven days the ship had done seven hundred leagues, but on account of her high speed she could not hold out, the planks cracked, water poured in everywhere and the vessel foundered in the deep ocean. The men wept and cried and invoked all kinds of divinities. But the great sage did neither weep nor cry, nor did he invoke any divinity; when he saw that the boat was foundering, he mixed sugar with larified butter, filled his stomach with it, soaked in oil two of his robes which were very smooth, dressed himself tight, and held himself close to the mast. When the boat foundered, the mast floated, the men were eaten up by fishes and tortoises, and the water around was full of blood, The great sage clinging to the top of the mast observed: "It is towards this direction that Mithila lies." He then jumped from the top of the mast over the fishes and the tortoises and fell into the sea at a distance of one hundred and forty cubits. This very day Polajanaka died, and from this very moment he began to cross the ocean by force of his arms like a golden trunk of tree rolling on the waves which had the colour of gems. He swam for a full day and further on till the seventh day when he observed that it was a full moon day. Then he washed his mouth with saline water and observed the fast. There upon the four gods (Lokapala Devas of the four kings), the protectors of the earth, said: "If there are beings that honour their mother even who are in danger of perishing in the ocean, a danger which they did not merit, you ought to save them." This is what they said to Manimekhala, the daughter of a god, appointed to watch the ocean. But during seven days she did not throw her glance at the sea as the fortune she was enjoying had distracted her thoughts. It is also said that the daughter of a god had gone to an assembly of the gods. "It is now seven days", she said to herself, "that I have not thought of the sea. Let me see what passes there." She then perceived Maha Janaka.
"If Maha Janaka had perished I would not have been any longer admitted into the assembly of the gods."
At this thought she went near the great sage, standing in the sky with the ornaments on her body and addressing the great sage she pronounced the first stanza: "Who is there that toils in the high sea without
even sighting the shores? Thou shouldst know why thou
makest such an effort." The great sage told her: "Now it is seven days
that I have been traversing the ocean and I have not
seen any living being except myself. Who is there
that speaks to me?" He looked up into the sky and pronounced the
second stanza: "I know what the world is and what the
price of effort is. This is why I am striving in the
ocean even without sighting the shores." The goddess interested to hear him talking on
religion told him in a verse: "In the endless abyss,
thou seest not the shores. Thy effort is useless and
thou runnest towards death." But the great sage said: "Who tells you that? If after making all my
efforts I must die, I will be blameless." He who acts bravely does not repent. He is
discharged with regard to all, gods, parents, and
ancestors. As much as I can, I will exert myself. I will act
bravely striving towards the shores."
On hearing this the goddess praised him in a
stanza: "On the vast ocean and without the shores in
sight, thou makest a long effort without losing thy
courage. Thou shalt reach the place which your heart
longs for." And she asked him still, "Oh, Sage of great
energy, where shall I lead you?"--"To the city of
Mithila" was the reply. Thereupon she took him in her
arms raising him up like a bunch of garlands and
pressing him in her bosom like a cherished child she
shot forth through the sky. He had had his whole body
burnt while remaining in sea water for seven days,
and so he fell deeply asleep through the touch of the
goddess. Thus she carried him to Mithila. Buddha then reveals the story to his Monks thus:
The goddess of that time, Manimekhala , is to-day the Bhikkhuni Uppalavanna Theri, my chief female disciple; and Maha Janaka is I myself.
After you read the above, how will you judge the statement that Buddhists don’t believe in Gods? There are Gods everywhere, as long as we are living in this human world, we some days are bound to need divine helps. All we need to do is to live a virtuous life, Gods will come to help us; but God cannot stand in to clean your kamma you have planted. Buddhist must believe in Gods and Goddesses. Buddha said so.
Topic: Buddhists believes in Gods, too (Read 3204 times)