Buddhism As Education

When we live with another person, to protect each other's happiness, we should help one another transform the internal formations that we produce together. By practicing understanding and loving speech, we can help each other a great deal. Happiness is no longer an individual matter alone. If the other person is not happy, we will not be happy either. To transform the other person's knots will help bring about our own happiness as well. A wife can create internal formations in her husband and a husband can do so in his wife and if they continue to create knots in each other, one day, there will be no happiness left. In this case, as soon as a knot is created, the wife, for instance should know that a knot has just been tied onto her. She should not overlook it. She should take the time to observe it and with her husband's help, transform it. She might say, "darling, I think we would better discuss a conflict I saw growing". This is easy when the states of...

The realm of the Gods (God here does not refer to an almighty creator) or the higher heavens are different planes of increasing refined levels of sensual bliss and gratification. Gods are able to enjoy beauty by their own goodness. They are beings with beautiful subtle bodies who delight with music and dance, and exist in extended peak experiences in which one dissolves into experience of pleasure, merging with the beloved, temporarily crossing the boundaries of ego. Such experiences can be cultivated in meditation but are dangerous as they induce complacency with what is only temporary. After a long time, the gods will fall from their state of bliss. Unless they realize their impermanence and start living the spiritual life, they will be reborn into the lower realms when they had depleted their positive Karma in Heaven. Gods in our World Human Gods such as Kings and Queens in earlier times live in a royal life full of wealth and power. They are able to satisfy any desire at their comm...

The realm of the Demi-gods (Asuras or Titans) in the lower heavens consists of ferocious ugly jealous male demi-gods that are in constant battle with the Gods of the realm of Gods for power and happiness. They embody the ego's striving for power. They never win as the Gods themselves had created the Karma to be able to enjoy their positions. The female Demi-gods are no less jealous and acquisitive, but they win their wars not by force but by seduction and enchantment. Demi-gods are god-like in their power and vigour though not at all happy. Others' success, possessions and qualities make them feel enviously belittled. The deep contentment which others gain from their good fortune leads them to struggle vigorously and violently to grab it for themselves. Demi-gods in our world "Human Demi-gods" are not uncommon in the world of politics, business and organized crimes, and many walks of life where many already somewhat relatively well-to-do people continually try to outd...