Dreams and Kamma

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
Bundokji
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Re: Dreams and Kamma

Post by Bundokji »

jwstone wrote: Fri Jun 02, 2023 1:26 pm Sometimes I have dreams about people I have never met in waking life. Their details are extremely clear, like they could definitely exist in the waking world. I always wonder if they do exist somewhere else on some level.
Or you could use Sabba sutta to use the dream to provide meaning to what you experienced. Those people you saw were not "grounded" enough for you to be called real, so they appear to belong to somewhere else.

One feature of the dream-like world is that there are no facts, only interpretations (as Nietzsche once said).

One major benefit of bring truthful is that you it keeps you grounded by providing you with references (not-self).
And the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, saying: "Behold now, bhikkhus, I exhort you: All compounded things are subject to vanish. Strive with earnestness!"

This was the last word of the Tathagata.
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jwstone
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Re: Dreams and Kamma

Post by jwstone »

I think I saw that verse before and was wondering about that. What is "The All" that it references? In other spiritual traditions that references sort of an amorphous overall God-like being.
Bundokji
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Re: Dreams and Kamma

Post by Bundokji »

jwstone wrote: Fri Jun 02, 2023 3:00 pm I think I saw that verse before and was wondering about that. What is "The All" that it references? In other spiritual traditions that references sort of an amorphous overall God-like being.
The meaning of the "All" is determined by context. For example, Sabbe sankhara anicca refers to all conditioned things, but sabba sutta focuses on the relationship between the all and what can be said/explained.

Same thing can be said about god. You will have to figure out its meaning by paying attention to context. For example, in a chain of causality/events, god can mean the first chain that not only triggered other events, but also provides the best explanation of how things came to be. It is thought of as "the all" in the sense that without it, the chain of references would not longer stand/be grounded/ make sense.

Also in Buddhism, there is no one central god, but taking refuge is still important. For a muslim dreamer, the Quran would be the best scripture to interpret his/her dreams. Same thing for Buddhist, Christians and other traditions.
And the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, saying: "Behold now, bhikkhus, I exhort you: All compounded things are subject to vanish. Strive with earnestness!"

This was the last word of the Tathagata.
Ontheway
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Re: Dreams and Kamma

Post by Ontheway »

Actually I do believe that dreams can be quite mysterious and unexplainable.

Recently months ago, my mother dreamed of two gigantic green cobra snakes were entering our house living room and she was so scared in her dream. But then in the dream, she saw giant figure with golden coloured wings hovering outside our house, she couldn't see the figure face-to-face as it was too bright. But the figure easily caught the two gigantic snakes and taken them outside. She remembered how shining and bright the wings of the figure with all feathers golden colour.

She told me this but she doesn't know what are these creatures in the dream and the dream is so strange to her. She is not really into mythology stories, and don't even know much about planes of existence or type of beings as recorded in Buddhist scriptures.

But then I explained the possibility of the snakes symbolised the nagas, and the giant golden figure with wings and shining feathers could be a Garula or Supanna. She was like why would she dream something like this... But she did not know that I always invite/ include Garula to share my merits after Buddha puja and sutta recitations every session all this while in our house.

And recently I made promises to do Sangha Dana (food) and I do it quite frequently nowadays, and openly discuss with my family members to plan it. Then, it was my habit to inform the departed relatives that were reborn in Peta realm and asked them to follow me and anumodana my merits whenever I go perform the Sangha Dana.

Then my sister one night last week dreamed of one entity: a woman figure with only a head, without body, and with neutral pale face is following me around in the dream. She was so shocked in the dream with such horrible sight and told me in the morning. But I don't feel any emotion like fear or surprise because I am inviting these spirits to follow me to witness the meritorious deeds. Afterward I just perform the Dana and dedicated the merits to all departed relatives including the entity in the dream.

All these occurrences can be quite mysterious and it is quite unbelievable sometimes.
Hiriottappasampannā,
sukkadhammasamāhitā;
Santo sappurisā loke,
devadhammāti vuccare.

https://suttacentral.net/ja6/en/chalmer ... ight=false
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jwstone
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Re: Dreams and Kamma

Post by jwstone »

That's really intriguing!
Nanny85
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Re: Dreams and Kamma

Post by Nanny85 »

Dreams are not inherently meaningful but can provide insights into one's mental state and karmic tendencies. While dreams may present scenarios contrary to waking conduct, one isn't held karmically accountable for dream content, as they arise from the subconscious and lack intentional action.
justindesilva
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Re: Dreams and Kamma

Post by justindesilva »

Bundokji wrote: Fri Jun 02, 2023 2:08 pm
jwstone wrote: Fri Jun 02, 2023 1:26 pm Sometimes I have dreams about people I have never met in waking life. Their details are extremely clear, like they could definitely exist in the waking world. I always wonder if they do exist somewhere else on some level.
Or you could use Sabba sutta to use the dream to provide meaning to what you experienced. Those people you saw were not "grounded" enough for you to be called real, so they appear to belong to somewhere else.

One feature of the dream-like world is that there are no facts, only interpretations (as Nietzsche once said).

One major benefit of bring truthful is that you it keeps you grounded by providing you with references (not-self).
I sometime back read that when one is in deep sleep one's 5 senses as sight, sound, smell, taste and touch get closed from its doors while the mano or imaginative sense become conscious or aware. This can be the time one dream of stored past memories or even stored past time memories. One who has ridden them of delusions, greed and ill will or dvesha could open there past memories in a clearer manner to see them in dreams because they are not conscious about there 5 active senses.
If I may I wish to bring to note the 16
dreams by King kosala , that was interpreted by lord budda as events to happen in time to come even politically [ to happen even today was interpreted].
Another is the dream of queen mahamaya to dream a white elephant entering her womb at the time of conceiving siddartha in to the womb.
Interpretation of dreams are even a science today with modern psychology and with astrology a analists in India mostly.
With dream analysis various symbols are analysed as events to come in to the life of the dreamer..
The 16 dreams of king kosala pasenadhi and its interpretations can be read from Internet.
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