requesting help from devas
- jcsuperstar
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requesting help from devas
how is this done? i see people talk about not relying on devas etc, but never have i been taught, outside of a christian perspective, how to actually ask a deva for help or whatever it is that is done. is there a sutta that talks about this? or was this just some common indian practice? is it just a matter of plopping some food in front of a statue and making a wish?
สัพเพ สัตตา สุขีตา โหนตุ
the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
- Dhammanando
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Re: requesting help from devas
Hi JC,
Dhammanando Bhikkhu
In the Atanatiya Sutta (DN. 32) the Buddha gives the names of those devas who have vowed to render assistance to those who have gone for refuge. So, learn their names and when you're in dire straits just give them a yell.jcsuperstar wrote:how is this done? i see people talk about not relying on devas etc, but never have i been taught, outside of a christian perspective, how to actually ask a deva for help or whatever it is that is done.
- "Learn by heart, monks, the Atanata protection, constantly make use of it, bear it in mind. This Atanata protection, monks, pertains to your welfare, and by virtue of it, monks and nuns, laymen and laywomen may live at ease, guarded, protected, and unharmed."
— Atanatiya Sutta: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .piya.html
Dhammanando Bhikkhu
Yena yena hi maññanti,
tato taṃ hoti aññathā.
In whatever way they conceive it,
It turns out otherwise.
(Sn. 588)
tato taṃ hoti aññathā.
In whatever way they conceive it,
It turns out otherwise.
(Sn. 588)
- retrofuturist
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Re: requesting help from devas
Greetings,
But would they still be devas 2500ish years on?
They could have been George W Bush by now...
Metta,
Retro.
But would they still be devas 2500ish years on?
They could have been George W Bush by now...
Metta,
Retro.
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
Re: requesting help from devas
Hi Retroretrofuturist wrote:Greetings,
But would they still be devas 2500ish years on?
They could have been George W Bush by now...
Metta,
Retro.
I think they're yakkhas actually in the Atanatiya and I'm not sure how long their lifespans are.
Kind regards
Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road
Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725
Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global Relief • UNHCR
e: [email protected]..
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road
Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725
Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global Relief • UNHCR
e: [email protected]..
- Dhammanando
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Re: requesting help from devas
Hi Retro,
One thing I forget to mention regarding the Atanatiya Paritta is that it was regarded by the commentators as a last resort for persons being harrassed by an amanussa. According to Buddhaghosa the victim of harrassment should first spend seven days reciting the Mettasutta, Dhajaggasutta and Ratanasutta. Only if this fails to solve the problem should he chant the Atanatiya Paritta to summon help from the yakkha chieftains.
Best wishes,
Dhammanando Bhikkhu
Probably. They are very long-lived and there are lots of modern anecdotes testifying to the efficacy of the Atanatiya Paritta in instigating interventions on their part.retrofuturist wrote:But would they still be devas 2500ish years on?
One thing I forget to mention regarding the Atanatiya Paritta is that it was regarded by the commentators as a last resort for persons being harrassed by an amanussa. According to Buddhaghosa the victim of harrassment should first spend seven days reciting the Mettasutta, Dhajaggasutta and Ratanasutta. Only if this fails to solve the problem should he chant the Atanatiya Paritta to summon help from the yakkha chieftains.
The word 'yakkha' can be used as an honorific for devas, gandhabbas, nagas etc. The ones named in the sutta belong to several different classes of amanussa.Ben wrote:I think they're yakkhas actually in the Atanatiya...
Best wishes,
Dhammanando Bhikkhu
Yena yena hi maññanti,
tato taṃ hoti aññathā.
In whatever way they conceive it,
It turns out otherwise.
(Sn. 588)
tato taṃ hoti aññathā.
In whatever way they conceive it,
It turns out otherwise.
(Sn. 588)
Re: requesting help from devas
Thank you Bhante, that is an interesting sutta.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I have heard that we can offer the merits of our practice (keeping the precepts, meditation etc.) to the devas, and they will help us when we are facing danger.
With metta,
Nadi
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I have heard that we can offer the merits of our practice (keeping the precepts, meditation etc.) to the devas, and they will help us when we are facing danger.
With metta,
Nadi
With Metta,
Nadi
Nadi
- jcsuperstar
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Re: requesting help from devas
thanks a lot
very interesting stuff
very interesting stuff
สัพเพ สัตตา สุขีตา โหนตุ
the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
- SeerObserver
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Re: requesting help from devas
In addition to what is intentional there is a belief that often times when a practitioner is making a resolution before a Buddha statue, to an arahant, or other similar examples, that it is actually devas and the like who sometimes intervene. Though this is not to say that there are not instances where "prayers" (I prefer to call them resolutions) have not been heard/answered by the targeted party.jcsuperstar wrote:how is this done? i see people talk about not relying on devas etc, but never have i been taught, outside of a christian perspective, how to actually ask a deva for help or whatever it is that is done. is there a sutta that talks about this? or was this just some common indian practice? is it just a matter of plopping some food in front of a statue and making a wish?
The premise is similar to the justification often used for kumon tong. These beings increase their own merits by aiding another presumably virtuous being in a virtuous task/situation. These devas and other such beings are in need of merit and linger before their next rebirth. Performing merits will obviously lead to a better rebirth for them and in order for them to have the maximum opportunity they linger around merit fields. Wats, uposathas, shrines (presumably at the residences of virtuous people), and other such locations are merit fields.
Last edited by SeerObserver on Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: requesting help from devas
Here is an interesting perspective from Ven. Dhammika, which happens to coincide with the timing of this thread and subject:
http://sdhammika.blogspot.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; March 22, 2009 blog post
http://sdhammika.blogspot.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; March 22, 2009 blog post
- DNS
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Re: requesting help from devas
Most deva realms include lifespans of around 9 million years or greater, so we are pretty safe that it is not George W. Bush.retrofuturist wrote: But would they still be devas 2500ish years on?
They could have been George W Bush by now...
- Lucas Oliveira
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Re: requesting help from devas
Gratefulness Bhante!Dhammanando wrote: ↑Sat Mar 21, 2009 8:59 am Hi JC,
In the Atanatiya Sutta (DN. 32) the Buddha gives the names of those devas who have vowed to render assistance to those who have gone for refuge. So, learn their names and when you're in dire straits just give them a yell.jcsuperstar wrote:how is this done? i see people talk about not relying on devas etc, but never have i been taught, outside of a christian perspective, how to actually ask a deva for help or whatever it is that is done.
Best wishes,
- "Learn by heart, monks, the Atanata protection, constantly make use of it, bear it in mind. This Atanata protection, monks, pertains to your welfare, and by virtue of it, monks and nuns, laymen and laywomen may live at ease, guarded, protected, and unharmed."
— Atanatiya Sutta: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .piya.html
Dhammanando Bhikkhu
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- confusedlayman
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Re: requesting help from devas
What is merit and how to transfer merit? Its not commodity to give others. One action determines one action result. Result is what ia shared or a tion is shared? Mentally reciting let the merits go to someone will not work as if thats the case all 7 billion people do metta a d tranafer to each other and everyone should be in deva worldjcsuperstar wrote: ↑Sat Mar 21, 2009 7:00 am how is this done? i see people talk about not relying on devas etc, but never have i been taught, outside of a christian perspective, how to actually ask a deva for help or whatever it is that is done. is there a sutta that talks about this? or was this just some common indian practice? is it just a matter of plopping some food in front of a statue and making a wish?
I may be slow learner but im at least learning...
Re: requesting help from devas
Unfortunately the member you quoted passed away a few years ago.confusedlayman wrote: ↑Mon Mar 09, 2020 1:11 amWhat is merit and how to transfer merit? Its not commodity to give others. One action determines one action result. Result is what ia shared or a tion is shared? Mentally reciting let the merits go to someone will not work as if thats the case all 7 billion people do metta a d tranafer to each other and everyone should be in deva worldjcsuperstar wrote: ↑Sat Mar 21, 2009 7:00 am how is this done? i see people talk about not relying on devas etc, but never have i been taught, outside of a christian perspective, how to actually ask a deva for help or whatever it is that is done. is there a sutta that talks about this? or was this just some common indian practice? is it just a matter of plopping some food in front of a statue and making a wish?
“Life is swept along, short is the life span; no shelters exist for one who has reached old age. Seeing clearly this danger in death, a seeker of peace should drop the world’s bait.” SN 1.3
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Re: requesting help from devas
The power of prayer: Science proves it works, has positive physiological effects
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/the-pow ... al-effects
Efficacy of prayer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Efficacy_of_prayer
Prayer and healing: A medical and scientific perspective on randomized controlled trials
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2802370/
This is your brain on prayer and meditation
How does the ritual, regardless of personal faith or intention, affect our behavior? Deeply, experts say.
https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/y ... ncna812376
What Prayer Is Good For — and the Evidence for It
https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/04/ ... ce-for-it/
Testing Prayer: Can Science Prove the Healing Power of Prayer?
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/testing- ... _b_1299915
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/the-pow ... al-effects
Efficacy of prayer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Efficacy_of_prayer
Prayer and healing: A medical and scientific perspective on randomized controlled trials
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2802370/
This is your brain on prayer and meditation
How does the ritual, regardless of personal faith or intention, affect our behavior? Deeply, experts say.
https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/y ... ncna812376
What Prayer Is Good For — and the Evidence for It
https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/04/ ... ce-for-it/
Testing Prayer: Can Science Prove the Healing Power of Prayer?
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/testing- ... _b_1299915
I participate in this forum using Google Translator. http://translate.google.com.br
http://www.acessoaoinsight.net/
http://www.acessoaoinsight.net/
- confusedlayman
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Re: requesting help from devas
oh no. let him attain bliss forever. SDC can u clarify my doubt. how can merit transfer work and why buddha didnt transfer merit to us that will fast track our progress?SDC wrote: ↑Mon Mar 09, 2020 1:17 amUnfortunately the member you quoted passed away a few years ago.confusedlayman wrote: ↑Mon Mar 09, 2020 1:11 amWhat is merit and how to transfer merit? Its not commodity to give others. One action determines one action result. Result is what ia shared or a tion is shared? Mentally reciting let the merits go to someone will not work as if thats the case all 7 billion people do metta a d tranafer to each other and everyone should be in deva worldjcsuperstar wrote: ↑Sat Mar 21, 2009 7:00 am how is this done? i see people talk about not relying on devas etc, but never have i been taught, outside of a christian perspective, how to actually ask a deva for help or whatever it is that is done. is there a sutta that talks about this? or was this just some common indian practice? is it just a matter of plopping some food in front of a statue and making a wish?
I may be slow learner but im at least learning...