[satthackacibe]

Greetings forum,

I was reading “Living Experiences of Enlightenment” by Erika Dias (pp 74-75) when I came across the following in the section on ahimsa (harmlessness)…

“The Tibetans who can communicate by psychic means had been in communication with the UFOs for many, many years and say that these aliens come over the earth-planet to observe man “the dangerous animal roaming in a zoo!”. They take specimens of dead animals to their spacecraft to exhibit “how cruel man is”.

Is there any one here who can provide some more details on how the Tibetans engage in psychic communications with extra-terrestrials, and/or which teachers within the Tibetan tradition one might approach if they were interested in learning this skill, or through use of a Tibetan medium transmit certain important messages through to the alien races and/or their spacecraft?

Thanks.

Metta,
Retro.

[Evdokia]

Hi Retro,

Is the author serious? Sounds like something from a Sci-Fi magazine or the tabloid press !

In my own past experience of Tibetans and TB teachers I never heard any interesting snippets about communications with extra terrestrials.

with kind wishes,

Aloka

[Menierofe]

Are these Tibetans suppose to be Buddhists? If they are, why would they think they are talking to ET, but not Mara?

[Eltabaco]

Greetings,

Aloka-D ~ Yes, it seems the author is serious.

Yuan ~ It's a Buddhist book published by the Buddhist Cultural Society, so I suppose so, though perhaps she could be talking about Bon practitioners, or non-Buddhists. She doesn't really say any more about it than what I quoted above.

Metta,
Retro.

[Anfester]

Is there any one here who can provide some more details on how the Tibetans engage in psychic communications with extra-terrestrials, and/or which teachers within the Tibetan tradition one might approach if they were interested in learning this skill, or through use of a Tibetan medium transmit certain important messages through to the alien races and/or their spacecraft?

greetings Retrofuturist

i can suggest two methods

the first method is found in the video, below, and the second method is found in the Pali extract, below

otherwise, i can suggest to ask your question at this link, of which you are one of the Founders & Administrators

all the best









Monks, for one in whom mindfulness immersed in the body is cultivated, developed, pursued, handed the reins and taken as a basis, given a grounding, steadied, consolidated & well-undertaken, benefits can be expected.

He wields manifold supranormal powers. Having been one he becomes many; having been many he becomes one. He appears. He vanishes. He goes unimpeded through walls, ramparts & mountains as if through space. He dives in & out of the earth as if it were water. He walks on water without sinking as if it were dry land. Sitting crosslegged he flies through the air like a winged bird. With his hand he touches & strokes even the sun & moon, so mighty & powerful. He exercises influence with his body even as far as the Brahma worlds.

Mindfulness Immersed in the Body

[adultcomicssitedessaa]

You can speak to the ego without travelling to Tibet and contacting UFO's!

[quottrethew]

Element are you being serious; do you believe that Pali extract to be true? Walking thru walls? Swimming through the earth? Flying? I don't buy it, nor do I buy this supposed psychic communication with aliens.

[LottiFurmann]

This is nothing to do with Buddhism, it's pure nonsense. People come here to investigate Buddhism and anyone reading this thread is likely to run a mile.

[Teprophopay]

This is nothing to do with Buddhism, it's pure nonsense. People come here to investigate Buddhism and anyone reading this thread is likely to run a mile.

Absolutely right.

[Caluabdum]

Absolutely right.

if that is the case, then delete the thread

as suggested, the originator of this thread could have asked their question at one of the sites they founded and administer

kind regards

[daguy]

People come here to investigate Buddhism and anyone reading this thread is likely to run a mile.

They will discover it eventually in any case, if they investigate Buddhism at length. Supernaturalism isn't limited to Tibetan traditions; it can be found in Theravada as well, and a basis exists in certain suttas of the Pali Canon. Paranormal powers have been ascribed to some highly regarded yogis -- I'm not going to name names here, but cast around and the stories are easy enough to find.

It's best, in my view, to accept that this side of Buddhism exists -- so we don't end up averting our eyes or experiencing some painful hour of doubt whenever we run into it. Obviously we have a range of choices when it comes to what we make of it. And it's certainly peripheral (at best) to the Buddha's core teachings.

[southernplayer99]

Paranormal powers...

If they exist, they are merely natural phenomena (rather than "supernatural")

For example, the transmission of sounds waves is a natural phenomena

Similarly, wireless energy transfer or wireless power is the transmission of electrical energy from a power source to an electrical load without artificial interconnecting conductors

Similarly, we understand the human brain & nervous system function using electrical energy and, if the human mind has the capacity to transmit thought energy, it would probably follow similar laws of physics about the transmission of wireless electrical energy, dependent on atmospheric electricity, etc

For example, Nikola Tesla and Hermann Plauson investigated the production of energy and power via atmospheric electricity. Tesla also proposed to use the atmospheric electrical circuit to transmit energy wirelessly over large distances

kind regards




Tesla went on to become renowned for his electrical inventions that were far ahead of their time. As a consequence of his work on the wireless transmission of energy through the earth he was theoretically able to transmit energy to light a bulb anywhere on the planet without the use of wires. His dream was to give ‘free energy to all’ and, financed by JP Morgan, he built a magnifying transmitter at Wardenclyffe on Long Island between 1901 and 1905 designed to broadcast both signals and power. Morgan pulled the plug on the project with the comment ‘If anyone can draw the power, where do we put the meter?’

Free energy for all: Nikola Tesla

[djmassk]

I've actually got a bit lost now - what are people objecting to ? The mention of communication with extra terrestrials ?.....or the mention of supranormal powers?

[herrdwq]

Supernaturalism isn't limited to Tibetan traditions; it can be found in Theravada as well, and a basis exists in certain suttas of the Pali Canon.

thank goodness , I wasnt imagining things ,

thankyou lazy eye .


I'm not going to name names here, but cast around and the stories are easy enough to find. this will be interesting , I would love to hear peoples honest responces to what they find ?

It's best, in my view, to accept that this side of Buddhism exists -- . there are different levels which buddhism encompases , and I would like to see more people appriciate this without freaking out !!!

no I am not talking about lobsang rampa , I am being perfectly serious ,

namaskars ratikala

[johnlohanmclee]

there are different levels which buddhism encompases , and I would like to see more people appriciate this without freaking out !!!

hello ratikala

supernormal powers are a given in the Pali suttas (example, the intro to the Sona Sutta)

however, it is reported the Buddha did not entirely praise them (see Kevatta Sutta)

nor were they regarded as anything necessary in relation to the path & liberation (see Susima Sutta)

nor were they the domain of all fully enlightened beings (such as Sariputta)

nor were they the exclusive domain of enlightened beings. many unenlightened beings (Brahma Gods, Mara, etc) were reported to have supernormal powers

kind regards

[marcusdexz]

Greetings Lazy Eye,

Paranormal powers have been ascribed to some highly regarded yogis -- I'm not going to name names here, but cast around and the stories are easy enough to find.

It's not a subject with which I'm particularly familiar, but are there "stories" to be found that relate specifically to communication with extra-terrestrials, or are you referring to more "traditional" powers such as those referenced in Element's sutta quote from page 1?

Thanks.

Metta,
Retro.

[TeNuaTe]

I've actually got a bit lost now - what are people objecting to ? The mention of communication with extra terrestrials ?.....or the mention of supranormal powers?

I am objecting to the opening post that seems to ridicule Tibetan Buddhism, the Dhamma and the reported powers of the Tathagata

The Dhamma holds all things are the natural creations of nature following the laws of cause & effect, which condition & combine (sankhara) the six basic elements of earth, wind, fire, water, space & consciousness into solar systems, planets, life & sentient beings

Thus, not being the same as the Judeo-Christian view, in which a Creator God (exclusively) created man in his image, the natural view of Buddhism would not rule out the possibility of other sentient life forms in other solar systems.

Yes...the natural view of Buddhism would not rule out the possibility of UFOs (even if they have not been discerned by the mind)

The natural forces which created the Earth and life upon it would obviously be operating elsewhere in the universe

Regards



Now on that occasion Sunakkhatta, son of the Licchavis, was making this statement before the Vesali assembly: "The recluse Gotama does not have any superhuman states, any distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones"

[The Buddha replied:]

And he will never infer of me according to Dhamma: 'That Blessed One enjoys the various kinds of supernormal power: having been one, he becomes many; having been many, he becomes one; he appears and vanishes; he goes unhindered through a wall, through an enclosure, through a mountain, as though through space; he dives in and out of the earth as though it were water; he walks on water without sinking as though it were earth; seated cross-legged, he travels in space like a bird; with his hand he touches and strokes the moon and sun so powerful and mighty; he wields bodily mastery even as far as the Brahma-world.'

Maha-sihanada Sutta: The Great Discourse on the Lion's Roar

[MADwanker]

I don't see any intention to 'ridicule' Tibetan Buddhism in the OP if this is a query about a quote from a Buddhist book.

Also, I think if we get into talking about stories and anecdotes relating to
supernormal powers in general, which are probably mentioned in all traditions, then we're straying from the OP and the book mentioning extra terrestrials.

I can certainly relate many stories of gurus with 'powers' from Tibetan Buddhism -- its full of such tales - but that's certainly not the point of the thread and this isn't the Mahayana/Vajrayana forum.

The Beyond Belief forum is...

"A forum for free enquiry and critical exploration of Buddhism in the modern world."

.

[Pateeffelty]

It's not a subject with which I'm particularly familiar, but are there "stories" to be found that relate specifically to communication with extra-terrestrials, or are you referring to more "traditional" powers such as those referenced in Element's sutta quote from page 1?

The latter -- from the Theravada tradition and, indeed, the Pali Canon. If one can accept siddhis as plausible, communication with starry visitors shouldn't be much of a stretch!

I see from your OP that you wanted to discuss the particular example from Tibet, but it's a bit hard to avoid the larger issue at stake -- namely, "what should I, the sincere but modern-minded Buddhist, do when I encounter teachings that seem impossible to believe?"

[mxzjxluwst]

...but are there "stories" to be found that relate specifically to communication with extra-terrestrials, or are you referring to more "traditional" powers such as those referenced in Element's sutta quote from page 1?

greetings Retro

i would suggest the distinction made, above, is artifical & invalid

if there was extra-terrestrial life, then traditional powers could be used to communicate with them

regards