Expert: Bodhicitta - 7/13/2008

Question
Hi again.

A couple of questions for you as always.

1) His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a reincarnation of Chenrezig, does that make the current Dalai Lama (future and past) a bodhisattva aswell.

2) You mentioned in your last e-mail that Buddhists beleive in Brahma, a HINDU god. Does this mean that they beleive in Ganesh, Lakshmi etc. I thought Buddhism was an atheistic religion.

3) This week in class i am going to teach the children more on buddhism as all the students have taken an real strong interest in Buddhism and i am having to incorperate all my knowledge from the Indian side but i was wondering if you could give me some information on some Tibetan prayers and tibetan worship (prostrations etc).

Thank you very much, yet again,

Elliott

Answer
  
<<Hi again.>>
Hello my friend :-)

<<
A couple of questions for you as always.
>>
You ask good questions - so not a problem.


<<
1) His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a reincarnation of Chenrezig, does that make the current Dalai Lama (future and past) a bodhisattva aswell.
>>
Yes he is a Trulpa (emanation) of the Bodhisattva of comapssion,
and a Trulku (enlightened emanation).

<<
2) You mentioned in your last e-mail that Buddhists beleive in Brahma, a HINDU god. Does this mean that they beleive in Ganesh, Lakshmi etc. I thought Buddhism was an atheistic religion.
>>
Buddhism does believe in the Hindu gods but does not believe they
are the ultimate reality. There is a process of one religion accepting
another older religion  -but absorbing it as a small part of it's
world - in a small box. That is what is happening here. There
are stories of the Buddha talking to Brahma - explaining to him
the real nature of the universe.Brahma and Ganesha accoring  to
Buddhists are just confused beings.They will eventually die and
be reborn - they are within Samsara, they are not enlightened.

<<

3) This week in class i am going to teach the children more on buddhism as all the students have taken an real strong interest in Buddhism and i am having to incorperate all my knowledge from the Indian side but i was wondering if you could give me some information on some Tibetan prayers and tibetan worship (prostrations etc).
>>
Tibetans are particularly keen on Tchenrezi, the bodhisattva of compassion - they recite the
mantra Om Mani Padme Hum - to envoke his presence. They are particularly keen on Tara the female bodhisattva of compassion. They are very keen on Padamasambhava the crazy 8th century Indian saint who introduced Buddhism into Tibet using his magical powers. They invoke his presence by reciting Om Varja Guru Padma SIddhi Hum.
They are keen on Milarepa the 12th century saint who became green through eating nettles while living in the mounbtains, and could fly through the air.

Prostrations to the Buddha are a practise that is widespread Picturing the presence of the Buddha in front of me I postrate again and again
openning myself to the presence of the Buddha with Body, Speech and
Mind.

Where are you located Elliott? I have given many talks to children
in schools in England and have found the opportunity a precious
one.

Best wishes
Bodhicitta