What Does Buddism Say About Mediums?

[Comehome]

Hi,

I would like to know what Buddism say or think about people with psycic abilities?

In the western world they are often called mediums and psycics. They can see and talk to spirits and pass messages from dead relatives and so on.

One of my friends mother used to work with the police in europe. She was a well known medium and she helped them solve several crimes where people had been killed.

What does the monks think about these kinds of gifts?

Is it a blessing or a curse?

I know monks use tarot cards for fortunetelling and so did my friends mom.

[Brucenkhamen]

I would like to know what Buddism say or think about people with psycic abilities?

In the western world they are often called mediums and psycics. They can see and talk to spirits and pass messages from dead relatives and so on.

One of my friends mother used to work with the police in europe. She was a well known medium and she helped them solve several crimes where people had been killed.

What does the monks think about these kinds of gifts?

Is it a blessing or a curse?

I know monks use tarot cards for fortunetelling and so did my friends mom.

Monks are forbidden to practice these things, though in Thailand a lot of bad monks do it anyway.

I'm not sure what the Buddhist view on laypeople practicing them is, but to me they just create a structure of belief on which to rely on like a crutch and delusion can develop. This is opposite of the Buddhist skeptic self reliance so I think no good can come of it.

[jumnien]

My personal teacher, Ajahn Jumnien, revered meditation master from Krabi, has always had a great ability in Chinese astrology. Another good friend, Santikaro, a translator of Ajahn Buddhadassa, uses the enneagram extensively. As the buddha said, whatever floats your boat!

[camerata]

Hi Comehome.

According to the Pali Canon, some highly attained monks (including the Buddha) had psychic powers, but these were of a specific sort and did not include passing messages to the deceased.

Examples of wrong livelihood from the Brahmajata Sutta include such "priestcraft" as: palmistry, fortune-telling, interpreting dreams, determining propitious dates or sites, exorcism, reciting protective charms, incanting malevolent spells, foretelling a person's remaining lifespan, running errands for laypeople, and casting astrological charts.

Edited August 22, 2008 by camerata

[Comehome]

Oh thank you so much for all your answers.

Another friend of mine in Sweden used to live in Thailand and work as a teacher. She speaks fluently thai and has a degree for teaching from the university.

She has the ability to see spririts but she can not communicate with them at the moment. She talked about this with some monks.

At first they listened and after a while many of them said that they would very much like to see the spirits too but they admitted they couldn't.

I saw on TV in Thailand a monk telling a lady about her past life and what to think about in this life etc.

Isn't that a kind of psycic ability as well?

I do believe in reinkarnation and that certain things from past lives can be recognized in the present life.

I belive that the soul has a "mission" or like a task, something to learn, in every life. It is like a puzzle and for every life the soul gathers more pieces to the puzzle until it is complete and enlighted. Then the soul finally can rest and become one with the unconditional light of love which I believe is the creating lifeforce in the universe.

I think that all of us come to the present life with a great amount of this light, then it is up to us to take care of it. A lot of people quickly shuts the door to all sprirituality what so ever, until things can be proven. They want proof and need to be convinced over and over again. They want to believe but can not and they can not help it. They just need a little more time to open up.

Some people even need a "near-death-experience" to realize what is important for them in life.

If you look at them you can almost see how they put their light in the darkest place inside of them and the light is struggling to survive.

Sometimes all that is needed is a little spark from another human being, something that makes them remember the little light they have inside of them. Just a kind word, sometimes just a hug, a kind nodd, a little empathy.

I believe the light is spread from human to human by doing something good that comes from the heart. It doesnt have to be something big, a kind gesture like a nodd, a kind look in the eyes to show that you dont neglect their presence. I think a little empathy is the fuel to other peoples light.

I am sorry if I sound a little bit "spaced out". I am not sure this is buddism or spiritualism.

I have never leared about buddism from books or had wise monks teaching me. I dont know all the right terms and names for certain things and rituals, this is just something that i believe in for some reason.

You who are probably more wise than me, at least more enlightened in the buddist teachings, does this sound all silly to you?

Take care!

/comehome