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Is there any belief of demonic possesion in Buddhism?

personperson Don't believe everything you thinkThe liminal space Veteran
edited September 2011 in Faith & Religion
Just curious, I don't remember hearing anything about it.

Comments

  • CloudCloud Veteran
    Never heard anything like this in Buddhism, and if it exists then it's a sure sign of the end of Buddhism. ;)
  • DakiniDakini Veteran
    If there is, it would stem from pre-Buddhist influences.
  • DhammaDhatuDhammaDhatu Veteran
    edited September 2011
    Of course there is demon possession in Buddhism :hair:

    Then the perfect rightfully enlightened Kakusanda Blessed One, putting on robes in the morning and taking bowl and robes entered the village for alms with venerable Vidura as second recluse. Then Dåsi the Evil One taking possession of a certain boy taking a stone hit on the head of Venerable Vidura. The head split and with blood streaming he followed close behind. The perfect rightfully enlightened Kakusanda Blessed One looked at him with the elephant's look thinking this Màra Dåsi should know his limits and together with that look he was born in the Great Hell.

    Màratajjhaniyasutta

    http://www.metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/2Majjhima-Nikaya/Majjhima1/050-maratajjhaniya-sutta-e1.html


  • kc39850pkc39850p
    It is hard to say. Yes there is the above passage, but it's also no secret that there have been times when demons and evil has been manipulated in buddhism the same way as it has been in Christianity. The red hat sect is a good example, as their founder supposedly purified the mountains of demons. Which in reality were most likely bon practitioners. Then there is also the possiblity that the demons are metaphorical. But I can't imagine modern buddhists would believe in demons and possession in a literal sense. I only know Tibetan Buddhism in belief, and other forms of buddhim in study though, so I could very possibly just not understand something that exists in another form of buddhism. The Dalai Lama has made it clear though that in his personal belief that Buddhism should adapt to the sciences, and not the other way around, so I cannot imagine he believes in demons. But again, I cannot speak for him, or any biddhist sect I am not knowledgeable of. Hope this helped.
  • LostSoulLostSoul Veteran
    Possession, demons, faries, devils, evil, good, and all those other fairy tales are usually more meaningful and helpful if they aren't taken literally.

    I'm sure there are "demonic possessions" in buddhism, just as there are "atheists converted to christians" every day.
  • DazzleDazzle
    Tibetan Buddhists definately believe in demonic possession

    http://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?f=77&t=1997&p=13804&hilit=demons#p13804


    :hair:
  • DazzleDazzle
    Dispelling demons


  • DazzleDazzle
    The commentary under the above video says:

    "Devotion to the Buddha with chanting of Tibetan sutras, followed by a ceremony to dispel demons and a mask dance (symbolizing the old Bon gods as demons subdued by Buddhism). Seen in the village of Lho at 3000 meters in the Manaslu Conservation District / Gorkha District in the Nepal Himalaya. Conducted by Buddhist monks who walked up from a monastery down the valley and camped here for a week. The young lama who symbolically stabs evil spirits etc. is probably considered a reincarnation of an earlier lama. April 2009, prior to the spring planting of barley."

  • DaozenDaozen Veteran
    The only demons are in your head and hearts.
  • cazcaz Veteran United Kingdom Veteran
    Demon isnt really a good word to describe the various beings in Buddhism, If one is familar with the wheel of life and teachings of rebirth then very certainly odd things can happen.
  • zidanguszidangus Veteran
    edited September 2011
    I think that Mara, to which I presume people are referencing to when they talk about demons, is a metaphor for our unskillful emotions. So I believe that Mara is
    1.Klesa-mara, or Mara as the embodiment of all unskillful emotions.
    2.Mrtyu-mara, or Mara as death, in the sense of the ceaseless round of birth and death.
    3.Skandha-mara or Mara as metaphor for the entirety of conditioned existence.
    But Devaputra-mara, or Mara the son of a deva (god), that is, Mara as an objectively existent being rather than as a metaphor. If this is true then I doubt this being could posses someone, as I think we all have free will and at all times have a choice in our actions.

    Thats my opinion anyway. Read the wiki article on it, it gives a good overview.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mara_(demon)
  • DakiniDakini Veteran
    The demon possessions in TB are the result of pre-Buddhist beliefs and practices. Like the oracles.
  • MindGateMindGate United States Veteran
    All depends on your form of Buddhism and what beliefs it incorporates.
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