Expert: Bodhicitta - 11/7/2006

Question
Thank you for your reply to my question.  My name is Joshua and I am 32 years old. I live in a rural area of Okahoma (U.S.A.), and I am currently a student at a local university.  I have been somewhat intrigued by Buddhism for a while, but I have only recently begun reading in more depth concerning the Dharma.  I am finding myself more drawn to the Tanric forms of Buddhism for some reason.  I am still far from understanding it to my satisfaction, but I will keep studying.  I wish I had a sangha to which I might belong, but there are none in my vicinity, and since I have no vehicle, I have no real means to travel to a larger city to find a suitable sangha for further inquiry and community.

So, if I understand correctly, the brahma deities are simply spirits who are further along the path toward enlightenment?  The other gods of whom you speak (the Tibetan, Japanese and Chinese manifestations of enlightenment) sound more like metaphors for positive qualities, e.g-compassion.

Anyway, thanks again.
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The text above is a follow-up to ...

-----Question-----
I do not understand the place of deities in Tibetan Buddhism, since, when asked about the nature of god, Gautama Buddha reportedly said absolutely nothing.  Can you explain to me why there is a mythological textual current in Tibetan Buddhism that seemingly would be at odds with the teachings of Gautama Buddha?
-----Answer-----
Hi Joshua
Thank you for your question. I usually ask people to introduce themselves i.e. what country they are in and anything they want to share about their own background or interest?

If you look into the buddhist sutras and in particular into the abhidharma the Buddha does talk alot about a various complex cosmos. There are different types of Gods, ghosts, hell realms. Many different types of world etc. In the God realm there are great Brahma gods including the greatest Brahma who is perhaps equivalent to the Western idea of a God. All these exist in what Buddhists would call the three worlds - they are in samsara and are confused or unenlightened although they are very powerful and live for vast period of time - so compared to humans they appear to be very amazing beings.

There is a specific occassion when the Buddha refused to answer questions on how old the Universe was and the nature of God as you say.There are perhaps specific reasons for this due to the specific way the questions are asked.

What you refer to as 'deities' in Tibetan Buddhism are not these Bhrahmas that exist in the samsaric world. They would perhaps be better refered to as 'manifestations of enlightenment'. They are not actually unique to Tibetan Buddhism but exist in some forms of Chinese and Japanese Buddhism too. According to these teachings enlightenment can
appear in any form that could help beings. maybe these forms will appear as beings, maybe as objects. Maybe peaceful or maybe in an energetic wrathful form. So you might get an enlightened form that represents compassion.

Buddhists of both the Mahayana schools and tantric schools practice in this way and believe that this is a particularly powerful way of dealing with confusion.

Hope this helps a little
My best wishes

Bodhicitta

Answer
Thanks for your follow up and background Joshau.

<<So, if I understand correctly, the brahma deities are simply spirits who are further along the path toward enlightenment? >>
They are beings who might be more powerful than humans in some ways. But they are just caught in a confused existence and part of Samsara like humans. Traditionally there is an image of a wheel of rebirth.  Being can be reborn as Gods, Humans animals, ghosts or hell beings...These are the confused states. We can move from one to another according to our Karma. So One moment your a God next minute your an animal next your in the human realm. So no they are not any further to enlightenment than humans - not necessarily anyways.

<<The other gods of whom you speak (the Tibetan, Japanese and Chinese manifestations of enlightenment) sound more like metaphors for positive qualities, e.g-compassion.>>
Well metaphor isnt the right word. Because we could interact with them. The Buddha is such a manifestation and people spoke to him and received teachings. In some ways you could say they are more real than you can me. Because there is no confusion. So no not metaphors.

Keep searching
Bodhicitta