Expert: Justin Choo - 9/19/2010

Question

In Buddhism, God has no place in Buddhism. Buddhist don't take refuge in Supreme God. I am referring


the following passage answered by you.

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http://en.allexperts.com/q/Buddhists-948/2010/3/reincarnation-7.htm

"firstly in Buddhism is it possible to return to the earth many times or do you live only once as a  
human being?"
So long as we have not attained enlightenment, we will be subject to repeated rebirths in various  
forms, including as human beings.


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Questions:

1.How is it possible to get enlightenment without Supreme God's grace?

2.If somebody has committed gravest sins then just by attaining the enlightenment(without God's  
grace), how can he get rid of his past bad deeds(karma). Is it so easy to get rid of past deeds?  
Then anybody would conveniently kill millions of innocent people and animals/torture them and get  
rid of that sin/bad deeds just by attaining enlighten? It is just like fooling the judiciary  
system of the universe/God which compels every human being to suffer the consequences of his bad  
deeds.

To my knowledge, one can get rid off his bad karmas only after the grace of Supreme God. Please  
correct me if I am wrong.

3. Did Buddha attain enlightenment without any Guru?

4. Did Buddha meditate on Supreme God to attain enlightenment?

5. Was Buddha a liberated soul?

6. Do buddhist enlightened being still get guidance from Buddha in dream state or in meditation?

Answer
Hi Gunjan,

Before answering your questions, there is a need to understand that Buddhist concepts are very different from those of other religions.  Buddhists do not subscribe to the believe of the existence of a Supreme God and the soul.  

Non Buddhists are free to question Buddhist concepts.  This is not a problem.  Even Buddhists are encouraged to analyze the Buddha's teachings before accepting them.

Now, answers to your questions.


1."How is it possible to get enlightenment without Supreme God's grace?"
Buddhists do not subscribe to the existence of a Supreme God.  In simple term enlightenment is the total eradication of greed, hatred and delusion.

2."If somebody has committed gravest sins then just by attaining the enlightenment(without God's  
grace), how can he get rid of his past bad deeds(karma). Is it so easy to get rid of past deeds?  
Then anybody would conveniently kill millions of innocent people and animals/torture them and get  
rid of that sin/bad deeds just by attaining enlighten? It is just like fooling the judiciary  
system of the universe/God which compels every human being to suffer the consequences of his bad  
deeds.

To my knowledge, one can get rid off his bad karmas only after the grace of Supreme God. Please  
correct me if I am wrong."

As I wrote above, since Buddhists do not subscribe to the existence of a Supreme God, the idea of God's intervention is a non issue.

The concept of kamma is that good action begets good result; and bad action begets bad results.  If the person has accumulated a lot of bad kamma, this person will not be able to attain enlightenment.  It is only when a person has wholesomely cultivated his mind for numerous life-time that he is able to work positively towards enlightenment.

So if a person has evil tendencies, he will never see enlightenment.



3."Did Buddha attain enlightenment without any Guru?"
The Buddha had already the "ingredients" or right attributes cultivated through his  numerous lives. His last birth was therefore ready for his enlightenment.  The Buddha gained enlightenment through his own effort.


4. "Did Buddha meditate on Supreme God to attain enlightenment?"
He meditated on the true nature of existence and was able to see the true nature of existence; its unsatisfactoriness, the cause of this unsatisfactoriness, the end to this unsatisfactoriness, and the cure for this unsatisfactoriness.  The concept is called the Four Noble Truths.


5. Was Buddha a liberated soul?
The Buddha was simply The Buddha, the Fully Enlightened One.  The One who had surpassed the grasp of greed, hatred and delusion. In a sense, the Buddha was a liberated person, with no more rebirth into this existence of unsatisfactoriness.


6. Do buddhist enlightened being still get guidance from Buddha in dream state or in meditation?
The Buddha is dead and gone.  Buddhists follow THE TEACHINGS of the Buddha which are useful for living a life of contentment and inner peace.

Hope this helps.

Take care.

Justin Choo