Monday, September 30, 2013

The Hungry Ghost Phenomenon 饿鬼的迹象 [1]

Terjemahan Indonesia: Fenomena Hantu Lapar [1]
Image: Bhavacakra - Preta © Schick, Juergen

Preta as depicted within Bhavacakra


[Quoting from Wikipedia – Hungry Ghost]

Hungry ghost is a Western translation of Chinese 餓鬼 (èguǐ), a concept in Chinese Buddhism and Chinese traditional religion representing beings who are driven by intense emotional needs in an animalistic way.

The Chinese concept is related to the preta in Buddhism more generally.

These beings are "ghosts" only in the sense of not being fully alive; not fully capable of living and appreciating what the moment has to offer.

The English term has often been used metaphorically to describe the insatiable craving of an addict.



Chinese folk religion


Hungry ghosts also appear in Chinese ancestor worship. 鬼法界, 鬼界 is "the realm of hungry ghosts".[2] Some Chinese believe[who?] that the ghosts of their ancestors return to their houses at a certain time of the year, hungry and ready to eat. A festival called the Hungry Ghost Festival (TC: 盂蘭盆, SC: 盂兰盆 Yúlánpén) is held to honor the hungry ancestor ghosts and food and drink is put out to satisfy their needs.

When Buddhism entered China, it encountered stiff opposition from the Confucian adherents to ancestor worship. Under these pressures, ancestor worship was combined with the Hindu/Buddhist concept of the hungry ghost. Eventually, the Hungry Ghost Festival became an important part of Chinese Buddhist life.

According to transcribed oral tradition, some Chinese villagers believe that spirits may be granted permission to return to the world of the living, and to take what they can from there, if these spirits had not been given sufficient offerings by their living relatives.




Tibetan Buddhism

Main article: Preta

In Tibetan Buddhism Hungry Ghosts (Tib. ཡི་དྭགས་, Wyl. yi dwags, Sanskrit: pretas) have their own realm depicted on the Bhavacakra and are represented as teardrop or paisley-shaped with bloated stomachs and necks too thin to pass food such that attempting to eat is also incredibly painful. Some are described as having "mouths the size of a needle's eye and a stomach the size of a mountain". This is a metaphor for people futilely attempting to fulfill their illusory physical desires.

According to the History of Buddhism, as elements of Chinese Buddhism entered a dialogue with Indian Buddhism in the Tibetan Plateau, this synthesis is evident in the compassion rendered in the form of blessed remains of food, etc., offered to the pretas in rites such as Ganachakra.

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Dear all, 
Seen these?

Greedily grabbing and seizing of Offering brought by others - These happen all the time on Sundays in rainbow temple after fire puja when students grab greedily at others' stuff from the offering area!

It is a horrible sight indeed to see after an auspicious session by SZ!

Seems most popular are bottled water! 

Don't cost much but also like to take away from others for Self. :)

Watch them next weekend, the look in their eyes and the Joy of "Success" at pilfering is indeed hair-raising! 
O! They would return to "hunting grounds" after storing their loots! 
Some put their loots in their cars and return for subsequent rounds.

It is good practice to Observe and Store and you slowly learn to read auras, with good Qi & Light mobilization.

Hahaha! I seem to be seeing Ghosts too often!!!

Cheers all.


Om Guru Lian Sheng Siddhi Hom
Lama Lotuschef



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