The Buddhists Talk about Gods Becoming Demons
Finally, the moment has come. You are going to see Him or Her again. It could be a Lover, a Professor, a Teacher...it could be anyone you have fallen in love with for any reason. Somehow, this person has touched you. They seem to responded to you in a way nobody else has ever done before....or maybe it's reminiscent of a father's gentle way, a Mother's listening.
You have learned to trust this person.
So now, you reach out to them, with a open heart, an openness you rarely share - they turn like a lion on prey and close their jaws on your offered heart.
You've been bitten. You are bleeding. You retreat, stunned. What to do?
A God has turned into A Demon.
Lojong Slogan 37 ~ Don’t make gods into demons
We humans have a tendency to go for the Happily Ever After illusion. When something seems too good to be true, we buy lots of it. Because," Look! Finally my dream has come true. I knew heaven was possible!" Heaven, however, has it's counterpart. The other side of the coin. And at some point, through chance or forgetfulness, it's going to turn over.
How do we deal with this without becoming jaded, suspicious, accusing? How do we enjoy the light that a particular God bestows without the bite of the Demon?
One way is to remember that Bliss does not have it's origin outside of you. Whenever true heaven is encountered, it is origin-less. You simply pay more attention, and there it is. If you run into someone or thing that "Makes me feel ___________," you are stepping in this trap. Because the heaven they supposedly make you feel is already existent, waiting for your recognition to shine.
So, here are some of my ideas:
1. When you get that "Heaven on Earth" feeling from somebody, recognize the origin is the divine that is triggered in you. They have gotten lucky and hit that button.
2. Meditation on the Jhana's (blissful stages) can familiarize us with bliss.
3. Active daily recognition, both in meditation and in mindful remembrance during our busy day, of the nature of ever originating bliss as the nature of things can reduce the chance that you attach it to one person or thing.
You have learned to trust this person.
So now, you reach out to them, with a open heart, an openness you rarely share - they turn like a lion on prey and close their jaws on your offered heart.
You've been bitten. You are bleeding. You retreat, stunned. What to do?
A God has turned into A Demon.
Lojong Slogan 37 ~ Don’t make gods into demons
We humans have a tendency to go for the Happily Ever After illusion. When something seems too good to be true, we buy lots of it. Because," Look! Finally my dream has come true. I knew heaven was possible!" Heaven, however, has it's counterpart. The other side of the coin. And at some point, through chance or forgetfulness, it's going to turn over.
How do we deal with this without becoming jaded, suspicious, accusing? How do we enjoy the light that a particular God bestows without the bite of the Demon?
One way is to remember that Bliss does not have it's origin outside of you. Whenever true heaven is encountered, it is origin-less. You simply pay more attention, and there it is. If you run into someone or thing that "Makes me feel ___________," you are stepping in this trap. Because the heaven they supposedly make you feel is already existent, waiting for your recognition to shine.
So, here are some of my ideas:
1. When you get that "Heaven on Earth" feeling from somebody, recognize the origin is the divine that is triggered in you. They have gotten lucky and hit that button.
2. Meditation on the Jhana's (blissful stages) can familiarize us with bliss.
3. Active daily recognition, both in meditation and in mindful remembrance during our busy day, of the nature of ever originating bliss as the nature of things can reduce the chance that you attach it to one person or thing.
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