Powerful Amulet

[camerata]

That is why it is said that those that attain enlightenment return in an effort to ease the suffering of all sentient beings, not just their own.

This is Mahayana philosophy, but AFAIK (unlike vipassana) metta meditation is not specifically aimed at realizing no-self. For example, from Buddhanet:

Loving-kindness is a meditation practice, which brings about positive attitudinal changes as it systematically develops the quality of 'loving-acceptance'. It acts, as it were, as a form of self-psychotherapy, a way of healing the troubled mind to free it from its pain and confusion. Of all Buddhist meditations, loving-kindness has the immediate benefit of sweetening and changing old habituated negative patterns of mind.

It's one of the Four Immeasurables:

By cultivating the wholesome attitudes of loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy and equanimity, people can gradually remove ill will, cruelty, jealousy and desire. In this way, they can achieve happiness for themselves and others, now and in the future. The benefit in the future may come through rebirth in the fortunate realms.

[Pakeha]

Thank you Camerata. You are quite right. For me, in practising it, there is a feeling of the oneness of all things. So, by default, I guess I arrive at the no self point.

Must be doing something wrong .

[phetaroi]

This is Mahayana philosophy, but AFAIK (unlike vipassana) metta meditation is not specifically aimed at realizing no-self. For example, from Buddhanet:

Loving-kindness is a meditation practice, which brings about positive attitudinal changes as it systematically develops the quality of 'loving-acceptance'. It acts, as it were, as a form of self-psychotherapy, a way of healing the troubled mind to free it from its pain and confusion. Of all Buddhist meditations, loving-kindness has the immediate benefit of sweetening and changing old habituated negative patterns of mind.

It's one of the Four Immeasurables:

By cultivating the wholesome attitudes of loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy and equanimity, people can gradually remove ill will, cruelty, jealousy and desire. In this way, they can achieve happiness for themselves and others, now and in the future. The benefit in the future may come through rebirth in the fortunate realms.

Very nicely explained...I like this...it's really an attitude adjustment.

[meelousee]

Although I can't find the story right now, it seems as if I recall a story about foreign ambassadors (perhaps back in Lopburi?) being shown a demonstration of how an amulet would stop a bullet.

I think if this were true then it would be world news and kevlar would be a thing of the past.

Well you all can say what you will.

But there are things that are consicered supernatural not just his amulet but many from around the globe.

So what happened?

I think:

1. Faith

2. Karma

3. Will power

The human brain is capable of more than you can ever imagine including jamming a gun.

I saw many strange things while I was a soldier. In Vietnam Laos and Cambodia.

So to redirect your satement yes faith and the human mind is tougher stronger than Kevlar.

[69690jay]

Copied and pasted from THIS THREAD on a similar topic.

By nature, we're visual creatures. So it would follow that visual cues serve as reminders, so to speak. There is no doubt that Buddha images and Wat related things have an impact on our mindset. The same can be said of amulets. Some people wear them out of faith in their maker/blesser and/or powers that they possess. The people who aren't into that who wear amulets do so as a reminder of virtue. Seeing your amulet, feeling it on your person, etc., has a profound effect that can affect choices you make, actions, etc.

Spot on!

It is like having a Buddha image in your house. It's not to worship that image but just to remind you of the middle path.

I found this to be a good opinion/view on the matter:

Sor Plynoi Amuletic Buddha Images : Belief and Faith

Phra Khong Wat Phra Khong

.....Belief and faith have been parts of human beings of all races and languages since the ancient time. For this reason, different forms of amulets and charms have been created through all historical periods to boost morale and give support to believers. In many times, when people were in a critical or perilous situation, they would think of things they had strong faith in or took as their protectors; they then would gain conscience and became determined to fight against obstacles and dangers. Their strong will enabled them to succeed. As a result, people of different times preferred to have amulets and charms for themselves.

. Later, human beings started to have religion as their guidance in life. Symbols of their former belief and faith were developed to be more artistic. Particularly, Buddhists loved to pay homage to the places related to important incidents in the Lord Buddha's life -- Place of Birth, Attaining Enlightenment, Giving the First Sermon and Entering Nirvana. Each year a large number of Buddhists visited there holy places and they also looked for objects of worship so as to take back to enshrine in their own country. The natives living close to those holy places created votive tablets for sale at inexpensive prices. What they did was well received, so the practice of creating votive tablets became more extensive.

The tradition of creating votive tablets in Thailand was not originally for sale as mentioned above. Thai Buddhists created votive tablets with a belief to prolong and firmly establish Buddhism. Therefore, a large number of votive tablets, after being created, would be interred under stupas. It was believed that when the stupas were ruined or destroyed, people might excavate the ruins and found the interred votive tablets. Then, they would realize how Buddhism had been established in this area and they would be reminded of the Lord Buddha's benevolence.

.. Later on, those who created votive tablets were those who had undergone ascetic practice and had thus gained a supernormal will power. They, therefore, made use of auspicious materials to create votive tablets as well as meditated and prayed to transfer the strength of their supernormal will power to the amuletic images they created. So in times of calamities -- diseases or warfare, the Buddhists who took the Lord Buddha's benevolence as their haven, would carry with them small Buddha images to boost their spirit. This started the belief in votive tablets as protectors from dangers. Though these images are not meant to give beleivers an eternal life, they are made to represent the Lord Buddha and are made of auspicious materials. Those who pay homage to the Lord Buddha's images and follow his teaching would bring upon themselves auspices and good fortune.

Auspices in a person would render happiness and prosperity to that person.

[fabianfred]

I thought the object of this meditation was no self. The meta is directed at all sentient beings. Through practising it you come to realise their is no distinction between this and that, I and you. So another beings suffering is your suffering and vice versa. That is why it is said that those that attain enlightenment return in an effort to ease the suffering of all sentient beings, not just their own.

I believe that many people still get confused with the No-self/Not-self thing.

I see it that it isn't that there is no self at all..... there must be something we can call self...which generates karma and suffers the results of karma, and is reborn in successive existences.... but it isn't permanent and unchanging.... I see it at a self in a subtle connecting way...a continuum.

I also believe that Arahants and Buddhas, having attained to the state of Nirvana, after their parinnibbana, can still take on form and return to teach and help others. Note I say 'take on form' ...which doesn't mean rebirth in the human realm...or any other realm in samsara.

[agent69]

Please tell me..Does this amulet nonsense have anything to do with Buddhism.?

It has a lot to do with "popular Buddhism," but nothing to do with Buddhist doctrine.

Quite true. The Buddha himself would tell us not to attach our minds to all this power as they would not bring us the truth.

Yes we do pay respect to the images of Buddha and the Sangha. But to senselessly worshipping them and neglecting the practicing would just be plain ignorance.

[agent69]

I respect your personal beliefs but my logical brain cannot accept that an amulet can protect you from being cut or drowning.

A logical and scientific brain would not discard any theory without proving it wrong.

There are a lot of unexplainable phenomena in Quantum Physics. If all the physicists discarded those unexplainable or unmeasurable events, we would not have all these weird and wonderful gadgets we have these days.

[agent69]

May all beings be well and happy always.......

LOL...well, in a religion or philosophy that recognizes the basic fact of life containing much suffering, his closing statement above would seem very un-Buddhist.

I think you've got it the wrong way round. It's because there is suffering in life that we practise metta (loving-kindness). The above is part of standard metta meditation:

Sit down or lie down comfortably and close your eyes.

Now turn your attention to yourself and say in your mind:

"May I be well, may I be happy."

Then recall in your mind someone very dear to you and say in your mind:

"May (s)he be well, may (s)he be happy."

Then recall to your mind your friends and also wish them well:

"May they be well, may they be happy."

Next turn your attention to the whole world, to all people around you and say in your mind: "May all people be well, may all people be happy."

Finally turn your attention to the whole world, to all beings around you and say in your mind: "May all beings be well, may all beings be happy."

Yep that works.

The thing about all this praying is that it is embedded into our minds. It's like doing the same thing over and over but in this case we're reminding ourselves of wishing all beings well. This will stick with us in most of our waking days. It will always remind us of compassion.

[69690jay]

I came across this story in a review of The Last Executioner at thaiprisonlife.com:

"Between 1984 and 2002, Chavoret Jaruboon shot dead 55 prisoners. In his autobiography, "The Last Executioner", he describes some of the more notable cases. Two stories in particular stand out. One of them was of the execution of a man who pleaded his innocence right up to the last moment. He said that the real guilty party was the son of a policeman and that he was beaten into making a confession. During his execution, it looked like he was almost being saved by divine providence. When Chavoret pulled the trigger the gun jammed and it wouldn't fire. He checked the gun but couldn't see any reason why it wouldn't fire. They then set up the spare machine gun. After it was carefully aimed, Chavoret then pulled the trigger. But, this one jammed too. The prisoner might have been saved, however, a quick thinking guard decided to search the prisoner more thoroughly. They then found a Buddhist amulet called Luang Phor Daeng hidden in his right armpit. They do say that some amulets are powerful enough to protect you from bullets. Or maybe the monk, whose image was on this amulet, was trying to protect an innocent man. Anyway, once the amulet was removed the gun became unjammed and the prisoner was executed."

The thread has shifted from the original post: Powerful Amulet to the Power of meditation and mantras.....

interesting to read but nothing to do with the OP.

I have been interested in amulets for some time and find that there can be energy of ones own perception felt when in the presence of some Buddhist shrines and very occasionally amulets, just as when in the presence of many chanting monks.

I have experienced the same 'energy' in the presence of Christians many years ago; during a meeting held for someone who was in great danger from her drug addiction, the group held hands prayed together for her. I was in the group but did not know most of them as they did not know her, I only knew the Minister through an old school friend, his daughter. During the prayer i felt a sense of relief that i would find her and she would accept my offer of help.

Later when i found her she mention that she was aware of an 'energy' that pushed her to accept my offering to help.

Now 5 years later she is still clean and sober though with the help of AA and NA, she attends meetings 5 days a week.

The proven success of AA and NA is another good example of where this discussion has gone.

I am not Christian, I would like to consider myself to be Buddhist though my lack of devotion and practice is hardly merit of saying i am a buddhist.

Going back to the OP: Amulet collectors warn of many fake amulets, they say it can be difficult to tell if one is fake or not, some collectors feel the 'energy' of real ones, and show great respect to the amulet when holding or passing it back to me, they also show respect to me when they see a fake one by saying that they do not like it much, a gentle way to say it is fake.

I have heard stories of the power of amulets. I pray to the power of LP Thuad everytime i get on my motorbike.

Here is an interesting article:

LP Doem's Conquering Knife

The world only KNIFE

that defeats GUN !!

LP Doem's Conquering knife bears its beautiful Thai name: Meed Prab Pairee; Meed=knife, Prab=conquer, Pairee=enemy. Sometimes, Thai people easily call it "Meed Moh". LP Doem made conquering knife before WWII, most of them are of ivory-tusk handle and case with silver straps, small amount of them are of wood. His knife is a top most amulet and very popular among Thai police, soldiers and real tough guys, but not many can afford it because of its high price. One of LP Doem's greatest disciples also made very efficacious conquering knife as of his Guru is LP Kant, Wat Kao Kaew, Nakonsawan. LP Kant's knife is much cheaper but can be used as a substitution for LP Doem's. It's formidable knife and feared by hooligans. Uncountable events in the past long years proved its very high efficacy. Miraculous phenomena often occured; in fighting events, bad gunners were frightened--their guns disfunctioned or bullets could not penetrate into the knife's owner and at last the bad were killed by only one stab of the little knife. LP Doem's knife is so powerful, he blessed with his very great Kathas that can protect the owner and simultaneously destroy the enemy's invulnerability and impenetrability. The knife blade will go through, nothing can obstruct it. This is why LP Doem tells his disciples do not use the knife-if not being assaulted or harmed severely as if the tears drop down as blood. LP Doem lived a long life,B.E.2403-2494.

Yes, in every fighting GUN defeats KNIFE. But in the case of LP Doem's knife, KNIFE deats GUN!! If there is the greatest knifesmith in this world, LP Doem will be that one!!

Home | More LP Doem Story | LP Kant's Knife

[fabianfred]

for those who can read thai.... a poem attributed to luang por Doem (Derm).... making fun of those monks who do not keep their vows or have no real vocation.

"ไปขอเขากินเรียกว่าบิณฑบาตโปรดสัต์ ........going begging for food...and calling it Bindabaht

กินแล้วนั่งหลับตาเรียกว่าภาวนาปฏิบัติ .......eaten their fill they sit with eyes closed and call it meditating

ถ้ากินแล้วหลับสนิทเรียกว่าบำเพ็ญกิจวัตร ......if they eat then fall asleep its called carrying out their duties

พูดมากน่ารำคาญเรียกว่าเชี่ยวชาญปริยัติ ......speaking too much and annoyingly, they call fluent in the scriptures

เข้าป่าหลายปีเรียกว่ามีดีกรีชะมัด .......go into the forest for several years they call attaining to a high degree

พอออกจากดงก็ประสงค์จะสร้างวัด .......after leaving the jungle they want to make a temple

บอกคนโน้นบอกคนนี้มาลงบัญชีเสียอัฐ ........tell these here and those there to come and make donations for merit

บอกเลขบอกหวยหวังรวยทางลัด .......give out lottery numbers and hope to become rich quickly

พอได้ที่มีสถานหวังเป็นสมภารเจ้าวัด ........after getting a place to stay they want to become the abbot

แจดเครืองรางของขลังหวังจะดังเหมือนจุดประทัด .....give out amulets and potions hoping to be a big noise, like a firework

พอมีเงินมีทองก็คิดจะครองคฤหัสถ์ ............after becoming rich they hope to attract a mate

เห็นสีกงสีกาก็ทำท่าอยากจะฟัด ............seeing a girl they make eyes like they want to 'jump' them

พอสึกหาลาเพศเลยกลายเป็นเปรตอยู่ข้างวัด" ..........after disrobing to marry they live like hungry ghosts around the temple

sorry for my poor translation

Edited June 29, 2009 by fabianfred

[camerata]

sorry for my poor translation

Heh heh. We get the point, though. Great poem.

[kurtd99]

I'm a Dawkins, Sam Harris, Bill Maher guy, but do try to see some benefits of the religious, (not easy).

Please tell me..Does this amulet nonsense have anything to do with Buddhism.?

buddhism in thailand has nothing to do with real buddhism

if old buddha were a live he would be either laughing or crying

buddhism is not a religion- here it seems to be

and there are questions over can a country that claims to be buhhist have some other instution that buhhda did not exactly like too much

amulets are all nonsense- favoured nonsense by the third world

[fabianfred]

To the wise ...amulets are nonsense.....the false thing.

The real thing is mindfulness.... a much surer protection.

[agent69]

To the wise ...amulets are nonsense.....the false thing.

The real thing is mindfulness.... a much surer protection.

I wouldn't call them nonsense. But they are rather unnecessary.

[luangtom]

Amulets are no more foolish for Buddhists than Christians wearing crosses, crucifixes and chanting rosaries. How many of those that condemn Thai amulets wear a cross? Western ideals and customs are deemed faux and irrelevant by many in the East. Such is human nature. Arahant monks are to Buddhism as Saints are to Christianity......."Saint Christopher protect me.".......

[yabaaaa]

I have an amulet (actually I have a lot but several vey special ones) which protects me from being cut by knifes and swords. I have another one that protects me from drowning.

Unfortunately I don't have one that protects from bullets although they do exist.

My brother in law had one of the amulets that protects against bullets mentioned by the OP which his father gave to him. It was said to be worth one million baht. Sadly it was stolen quite a few years back. Strangely he was shot not long after it was stolen - true story! He lived.

Many Thais do believe in the power of these amulets. I know many who swear by their power and don't take kindly to scepticism.

I have to admit I have not tested the 'power' of mine nor do I intend to.

I see many dead at the side of the road next to the remains of their motorbikes.

[phetaroi]

Please tell me..Does this amulet nonsense have anything to do with Buddhism.?

It has a lot to do with "popular Buddhism," but nothing to do with Buddhist doctrine.

I think that depends on how the person uses the amulet. I wear a small jade Buddha amulet. No, I don't think it has any magical power. But on occasion, it has served as a reminder to focus (for example) right thought. In times of fear I sometimes touch the amulet and concentrate a little harder. To me it's a crutch, but to me the various ways people enhance meditation (such as particular breathing exercises) are also crutches.

[phetaroi]

I have an amulet (actually I have a lot but several vey special ones) which protects me from being cut by knifes and swords. I have another one that protects me from drowning.

Unfortunately I don't have one that protects from bullets although they do exist.

My brother in law had one of the amulets that protects against bullets mentioned by the OP which his father gave to him. It was said to be worth one million baht. Sadly it was stolen quite a few years back. Strangely he was shot not long after it was stolen - true story! He lived.

Many Thais do believe in the power of these amulets. I know many who swear by their power and don't take kindly to scepticism.

I have to admit I have not tested the 'power' of mine nor do I intend to.

I see many dead at the side of the road next to the remains of their motorbikes.

Yeah, sort of like in the States where you see white crosses along the highway where someone had a fatal accident.

[sirineou]

I came across this story in a review of The Last Executioner at thaiprisonlife.com:

"Between 1984 and 2002, Chavoret Jaruboon shot dead 55 prisoners. In his autobiography, "The Last Executioner", he describes some of the more notable cases. Two stories in particular stand out. One of them was of the execution of a man who pleaded his innocence right up to the last moment. He said that the real guilty party was the son of a policeman and that he was beaten into making a confession. During his execution, it looked like he was almost being saved by divine providence. When Chavoret pulled the trigger the gun jammed and it wouldn't fire. He checked the gun but couldn't see any reason why it wouldn't fire. They then set up the spare machine gun. After it was carefully aimed, Chavoret then pulled the trigger. But, this one jammed too. The prisoner might have been saved, however, a quick thinking guard decided to search the prisoner more thoroughly. They then found a Buddhist amulet called Luang Phor Daeng hidden in his right armpit. They do say that some amulets are powerful enough to protect you from bullets. Or maybe the monk, whose image was on this amulet, was trying to protect an innocent man. Anyway, once the amulet was removed the gun became unjammed and the prisoner was executed."

thats a really sad ending. i was hoping the guy would escape somehow.

if he was clever he would have stuck it up his arse like in pulp fiction

Thank you ... I am still laughing

[camerata]

I think that depends on how the person uses the amulet. I wear a small jade Buddha amulet. No, I don't think it has any magical power. But on occasion, it has served as a reminder to focus (for example) right thought. In times of fear I sometimes touch the amulet and concentrate a little harder. To me it's a crutch, but to me the various ways people enhance meditation (such as particular breathing exercises) are also crutches.

Right, but that's what I meant. There is nothing in doctrinal Buddhism about wearing amulets but there are numerous ways that popular Buddhism or traditional Buddhism use such psychological aids to achieve Buddhist goals. As you say, it all depends on how one uses the amulet.

[camerata]

thats a really sad ending. i was hoping the guy would escape somehow.

if he was clever he would have stuck it up his arse like in pulp fiction

Thank you ... I am still laughing

Needless to say, a Thai would rather die than stick a Buddha image up his arse.

[somluck]

Limthongkul was said to have a Jartukarm phayant in his hands when he was ambushed, the newspapers reported widely that he survived due to power of the phayant