ghengis

I have never asked someone 'hey are you enlightened'. However, those people I have experienced who I assume to be enlighened do have different characteristics from other people - and this is not what they say.

Everyone has an aura - a kind of energy field around the body. This has various levels, and many people (including myself) can see colours, and sense the energy in the aura around other people. If you are sensitive to it, standing next to an enlightened person is a bit like being plugged into mains electricity.

There are some books which speculate that Jesus survived the cross and went to India. See Jesus In India Books

Both Christians and Buddhists have fallen into the view that "we can't achieve what we should in this life, maybe it will be OK in the next life".

In the Middle Ages the Church had a roaring trade in "tickets to heaven" and would burn at the stake anyone who threatened this. Sins could be forgiven by the simple measure of paying the church some cash (an indulgence).

The problem in the west is that this corruption of spiritual teaching has been unmasked, and has left the 'man in the street' a sceptical non-believer.

In the east religion has not be so corrupted by power. However, the 'old ways' are associated with a life of poverty in contrast to the shining lure of western materialism and luxury.

Religions in the east and west both need to be rediscover their true nature. People will find that although money can buy happiness, it cannot buy eternal bliss. That requires spiritual development - in this lifetime.

I was interested in Christianity when I was about 12. I used to belong to a Christian group. I went to Christian camps in Wales every summer. Lots of singing, reading the bible etc.

The problem was that I could never buy into this 'being saved' thing where your sins are removed by 'believing some dogma'. I felt if something is absolutely true then it would be illogical for the whole of the Universe to dependent of one event is space and time - i.e. Jesus dying.

It didn't make sense that an all Loving God would create a universe where 99% of the people would be condemned to an eternity of h€ll and suffering.

If you strip away all the dogma and listen to what Jesus taught you will find that it is not too different from Buddhism. Jesus’s message was simple - seek the 'Kingdom of Heaven'. This is the same as seek Nirvana. If you re-read the bible armed with the concept of Enlightenment then it all begins to make a lot more sense.

Another word for an enlighened Christian is a Saint. Another word for h€ll is rebirth.

There are two ways to rid yourself of karma

1. Work it Off
   
2. Burn it Off
   

Work if off way is the slow way, burn it off is the fast way. Spiritual Development allows negative karma to be averted or 'burn off'. This is not the same as doing good.

There seems to be a few people here with a Quaker background.

I must be one of the few people who have married a Thai lady in a traditional Quaker wedding ceremony - which is where the ceremony is in performed in silence (like a meditation) except when the two of you stand up (as the time of your choosing) and exchange vows. This is followed by more silence and a few people who fell inspired to say a few words of their choosing.

Of all the types of marriage available in the UK I think we were lucky to have something which my Buddhist Thai wife could feel totally comfortable with.

And now, to make this joke even less funny, a translation into Thai ...

They don't have terephone's in Thairand cause they might LING the LONG Number.

Or How about ...

A waitress walks up to one of her tables in a New York City restaurant and notices that the three Japanese businessmen seated there are furiously masturbating.

She yells, "What the ###### do you guys think you are doing?"

One of the Japanese men explains, "Can't you see? We are all berry hungry."

The waitress begs the question, "So, how is whacking-off in the middle of the restaurant going to help that situation?"

One of the other Japanese men replies, "The menu say,FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED!"

Or some English subtitles used in Chinese language films made in Hong Kong.

• I am d@mn unsatisfied to be killed in this way.
  
• Fatty, you with your thick face have hurt my instep.
  
• Gun wounds again?
  
• Same old rules: no eyes, no groin.
  
• A normal person wouldn't steal pituitaries.
  
• ######, I'll burn you into a BBQ chicken!
  
• Take my advice, or I'll spank you without pants.
  
• Who gave you the nerve to get killed here?
  
• Quiet or I'll blow your throat up.
  
• You always use violence. I should've ordered glutinous rice chicken.
  
• I'll fire aimlessly if you don't come out!
  
• You daring lousy guy.
  
• Beat him out of recognizable shape!
  
• I have been scared shitless too much lately.
  
• I got knife scars more than the number of your leg's hair!
  
• Beware! Your bones are going to be disconnected.
  
• How can you use my intestines as a gift?
  
• The bullets inside are very hot. Why do I feel so cold?
  

I went on a two-week meditation trek in Nepal back in 1999. It was a very moving experience. We went days without seeing cars. The Nepal people in the country seemed to look much happier than people back in the UK, despite having a difficult life.

I was much more impressed with the Buddhist Temples and Gompas than the Hindu Temples we saw. The Buddhist Temples had an air of tranquillity, whereas the Hindu temples were often used for sacrificing animals.

We visited a gompa high up in the mountains with prayer flags streaming out in all directions. When the sun shone in the right direction you could see the peaks of the Himalayas covered with snow in the distance. It was a very beautiful and moving experience.

The most memorable day was when we trekked for a day in total silence through a forest. This was the best holiday I have ever had.

Thai women and money.....

Some recent surveys on other Thai Forums show indicate that the vast majority (over 80%) of successful Thai-farang relationships do not have any issues with giving large sums of money to the lady and her family.

It appears that those relationships and marriages where money becomes an issue are much more likely to end in tears. The anecdotal evidence suggests that “arguments about money” is the number one cause for Thai-farang relationships to break up.

Whilst there are always good reasons for giving significant amounts of cash to a Thai woman (sick buffalos etc. ), it would appear that in most of these cases the relationship is doomed to failure.

I read somewhere that for marriages of US men to women of other nationalities...

1. Marriages to Filipinos are the least likely to end in divorce
   
2. Marriages to Thai women are the most likely to end in divorce
   

The reasons for the differences is that Philipino women can understand English better and are often Catholics, whereas there are often much more cultural and language difficulties with Thai women.

Native Americans have the concept of "Walk your Talk" and "Talk your Walk". In other words, do as you speak, speak as you do.

How many practicing Christians follow the Bible's teaching of giving up everything and sharing what they have with others. The best "Christians" I have met recently were at a Hari Krishna Temple.

How many Buddhists follow the five precepts - many eat meat (killing animals), drink beer, have Mia Noi etc. Somehow the purity of religion gets corrupted by our desires in everyday life - what is left is an imperfect compromise.

Should we worry about this? It has been assumed by many that "leading a good (righteous) life leads to enlightenment". However, I would suggest the opposite - "leading a more enlightened life leads to more righteous behaviour".

It is inevitable that a person in a state of ignorance will make mistakes, sin, incur karma etc. Focussing on our inadequacies in following the strict religious path only serves to make us depressed. However, all religions are a way to "bind back to the source" and as such through spiritual practice people become more enlightened - closer to Nirvana, experience more of the "kingdom of heaven" within. This inner experience is what counts - I would say that a Good Buddhist is also a Good Christian etc.

The Perils of Conversion - a Lesson From History

The Khmer Empire was originally Hindu.

The Ankor Kings were worshipped as a deva-raja, or "god-king". The king was revered as an incarnation of the Hindu god Shiva. Most of the Temples in Ankor are not Buddhist, but are to Hindu gods Shiva and Vishnu. The supreme status of the king allowed him to mobilise huge numbers of people to serve the army, maintain the extensive irrigation system and build massive temples.

Theravada Buddhism was introduced to the Khmer from Sri Lanka in the 13th Century AD. As it became established in Cambodia, the power of the King diminished. He was no longer considered a God. This weakened the king’s authority which led to the ultimate collapse of downfall of the Khmer empire in the 15th Century - and indirectly to the rise of independent Thai states.

It appears that it is these Sri Lankan Theravada Buddhists who have been causing all the trouble with religious conversion in South East Asia.

In the year 2000 there 50.2% of the Thai population were female.

The ratio of Men to Women (100 x M / W) in Thailand by age range is as follows:

0- 14 = 102.6

15-49 = 101.3

50-59 = 93.7

60+ = 85.2

So more boys are born than girls. The excess males tend to get killed off by motor cycle accidents, shootings etc. There are lots of extra women in Thailand over 50 years old.

On a tour of North Thailand last December we went to various Hill Tribe villages. In one there was a Christian Missionary Hall and these missionaries were trying to provide water, education and other benefits to these people.

At the other end of the village there was a carved man and woman at the entrance with the man having an oversized penis. Clearly these people are not all Buddhists, and worship of earth spirits is a large part of their culture.

Hill Tribe people are not Thai - technically they are asylum seekers with limited rights in Thailand. Despite that they are exploited to bring tourism to the region. If the Thai government took care of these people better then missionaries would not be needed.

My wife prays the she, her family and husband will have good health, will be protected from harm etc. She say that many people in Thailand pray to Buddha.

My father tried to commit suicide when I was about 10. I found him on the bathroom floor with his wrists cut with a razor. He spent the rest of his life in mental hospitals or other institutions.

What drives a person to suicide? I think it is when you have lost control of your life. When you are in a hole and there is no way to get out. When you have lost hope.

Thailand is a great place for rich farangs - a kind of paradise, but if your finances take a dive then it can turn into a nightmare. Having burnt bridges to come to live in Thailand, many people despair at the idea of going back to the old country. Living in Thailand can be a brutal experience for the poor. So many poor people take what they think is the only way out.

What Makes My Wife Laugh? When she lets out a very load fart in response to a more muted version from myself. "I am the winner !" she proudly exclaims.

My wife prays to Buddha every night - in Pali, Sanskrit, Thai and English for good measure. Her father was a monk for 10 years and taught Sanskrit and Pali at a University in Thailand. Her mother was a nun for a year. So she comes from a very devout Buddhist background.

Most religions have the concept of a supernatural being - a god, or in the case in Hindus many gods. Buddhism does not. So what is the theory behind this practice for Buddhists?

There is a saying "a picture is worth a thousand words". In terms of religion - experience is worth 10,000 words. There is a quote in the Bhavat Gita "To an enlightened man, the scriptures are as useful as a well in an area flooded with water".

I started reading about Buddhism 35 years ago. Quite frankly, none of it made any sense until I had several years of meditation experience. The intellect is too feeble a tool to grasp the concept of the absolute. One second of divine experience is greater that a lifetime studying books.

Many people in this forum are married to devout Buddhists. It is important to understand the nature of this religeon because it has a direct influence on our lives.

Forums tend to be like a school yard. In the imortal words of Homer Simpson -

Always make fun of those different from you.

Never say anything, unless you're sure everyone feels exactly the same way you do.

Maybe not everyone wants to be one of the crowd. Maybe some of us want to be 'more spiritual than the average farang'. The rules of the school yard dictate that 'people make fun of whats different', so you might expect some smart-arsed remarks from the more ignorant members of the forum. So what !!

If only one post in a hundred provides inspiration then it would be worth-while.

While every religeous group thinks they have the 'one true faith', we all know that it is the differences which are most likely to be false, and the similarities which are most likely to be true. Buddhism has a lot to offer, even if do not become a total believer.

The cost of 'care' in Thailand must be a lot cheaper than in the UK, Europe or North America. The problem is that old people tend to run out of money at precisely the time they need it most for medical expenses - like when they get into their 80s.

I think people have two options when they retire in Thailand:

1. Live in Thailand for 10-20 years then go back to the old country
   
2. Stay in Thailand forever
   

The 10-20 year people will have enough cash when they retire, but may not allow for inflation and get gradually poorer as time passes. After 10-20 years they cannot afford medical insurance, but their health needs make them return to the old country for free care.

I have heard people say things like "my dad died at 67, I hope I don't live longer than that". These people have not heard that life expectancy is more then 75.

The Stay forever camp have a long-term plan. Their income is significantly more than they spend for the first 10-20 years, allowing them to put cash aside for their long-term health care when they are getting really old.

Marriage is mostly for the benefit of the wife - who has additional security later in life. She won't have to pay inheritance tax, she will inherit her husbands property, private pension, be entitled to government widows pensions etc.

For those men who have been stung by a divorce, the idea of getting married again is not always a happy one. It is usually the man who has most to lose in a divorce.

For those couples who have the choice whether to marry or not, I think they get married when their concern for their life-time partner is greater than their fear of future divorce. Other couples may be forced to marry to entitle them to live in their spouse’s country.

Growing old in an old-folks home in Thailand? Maybe old peoples homes in Thailand will become a new growth industry.

poiuy9

Five years ago I set up a charity to help pay for a two of Nepalese teachers in a small village close to Kathmandu. Recently, there have been a lot of problems - strikes, Maoist killing policemen, people not being able to visit villages etc. Government funds are not getting through to pay many teachers.

There is obviously a great demand for teachers in Nepal. If you can get a NGO to sponsor you then you will be needed. But, be careful, the situation there is a little dangerous at the moment.

My wife has just got off the phone to her friend Lek who has been living in the UK for many years. Lek had been complaining of stomach problems for more than 2 years, but her doctor said there was nothing wrong ... until yesterday when she discovered large live worm when she was having a crap. Her husband took her to the local hospital for treament (with the worm in a jar). This worm was the result of eating uncooked meat in Thailand.