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Will Hitler become a Buddha?

betaboybetaboy Veteran
edited September 2011 in Buddhism Basics
Eventually, that is. He was a murderer only in that particular life, so can we believe that with good karma in subsequent births, he could become a Buddha later on? Buddha himself was a murderer in one of his previous lives, so is it possible that everyone could become a Buddha?

Comments

  • MindGateMindGate United States Veteran
    edited September 2011
    If you believe in rebirth, yes. What makes him any different? It may take him longer, but just because Hitler failed at one life doesn't mean he will fail all others (considering he has an infinite number to try).
  • ddrishiddrishi
    Is he dead?
  • MindGateMindGate United States Veteran
    Is he dead?
    No. Neither is Elvis. Or Abraham Lincoln.
  • CloudCloud Veteran
    edited September 2011
    There is no Hitler. Hitler's just an idea, a thought, that the mind thinks represents a separate self... just like it thinks there's an "I" right now that independently exists. There's nothing but conditions; emptiness. I mean really, what was Hitler before Hitler was born? If Hitler has always existed, the question is irrelevant, because we then never have been without Hitler. If Hitler was only a temporary aggregation born of conditions, and this is the case because we only identify with "Hitler" because of the poor choices that were made, then we should only be worried about the conditions arising again (anyone can be a "Hitler").

    Whatever suffering mind arises, it won't be Hitler or anyone else, it will only be suffering mind. That mind has no identity, it is empty of identity. The delusion of self is itself a part of mind-wrought suffering. That mind has no permanency, is not separate from conditions and form, and experiences dukkha due to craving born of ignorance (of its nature).
  • tbuntontbunton
    Is he dead?
    No. Neither is Elvis. Or Abraham Lincoln.
    Hahaha,
    They're all on board a space ship!
  • CinorjerCinorjer Veteran
    edited September 2011
    "Hitler" has come and gone, as have the other sociopaths who did such damage. He did not die a Buddha by any definition. Whatever survives in rebirth does not carry guilt from decisions by dead people. So if you believe in reincarnation, then yes, every new life has the potential to be a Buddha in spite of anything past lives might have done.

    Stop and think for a moment. You have more of a connection to your father than some hypothetical reincarnation has, since you inherited none of the memories or habits or even genetic information. With your parents, you share genetic predisposition, and in most cases you even share memories and part of a lifetime and learned habits. How would you feel if someone told you that it was impossible for you to be a good person, because your father did evil things? This reincarnation as judgement is the exact same thinking. It even exists as a belief, as "contaminated blood lines".

    I won't go into how we think of Hitler as some ultimate evil. There are millions of Hitlers running around all the time, people who would commit genocide for their goals if they could. Replace Jews with Muslims and there's a line of people ready to create concentration camps today in our own Western world. It's just that Hitler was the wrong man in the wrong place at the wrong time and a nation went insane.



  • shanyinshanyin Novice Yogin Sault Ontario Veteran
    I heard a story that Ananda explained to a follower who wanted to ask the Buddha how many beings will reach nirvana, that the Buddha is focused on getting people there. He used a metaphor of a fortress with a moat and one brigde to the moat or something. Not a good recollection of mine but,

    I tried googling for it couldn't find it maybe look into it it could help.
  • cazcaz Veteran United Kingdom Veteran
    Hitler will not become a Buddha because Hitler was a self identity that ceased in dependence on its causes and conditions at the time of death, The mind that was Hitler has taken rebirth most likely in lower realms where it shall remain for a long time. Future lives being very long it is most likely this mind will come into contact with Dharma and eventually acheive enlightenment.
  • I_AM_THATI_AM_THAT Veteran
    There is light in all!
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    The Jewel Ornament of Liberation says that whoever is in the deepest hell if they can visualize giving a flower to a buddha then they can also eventually attain complete enlightenment.
  • DakiniDakini Veteran
    His seed consciousness and its karmic load will be reborn. How the entity carrying that seed consciousness and karmic consequences of Hitler's action handles all of that would determine the circumstances of the next rebirth.
  • MountainsMountains Veteran
    Why are we concerned?
  • MindGateMindGate United States Veteran
    Why are we concerned?
    Because we have compassion for Hitler. :)
  • MountainsMountains Veteran
    edited September 2011
    Hitler has been dead for 66 years. His energy could have been reborn and died several times since then. Dozens or even hundreds of times possibly.
  • I_AM_THATI_AM_THAT Veteran
    My teacher has said, your level of compassion can be a good barometer for your practice.
  • MindGateMindGate United States Veteran
    Hitler has been dead for 66 years. His energy could have been reborn and died several times since then. Dozens or even hundreds of times possibly.
    What? No... he's still alive. Along with Elvis. Where'd you get YOUR information?
  • MountainsMountains Veteran
    edited September 2011
    Do we have compassion for former beings? If so, somebody's going to have to explain the point to me. If Hitler is dead, why does he need my compassion? I have compassion for all beings. But Adolf Hitler isn't a being. He's dead. There are plenty (way more than enough) living beings that need our compassion.
  • tmottestmottes Veteran
    Is having compassion for former beings an attachment? I hear buddhists say they give prayers for the meat they eat, the insects they accidentally crush, the loved ones that they hope to send on to better situations, etc. Is this merely for the living?
  • CloudCloud Veteran
    Having compassion for the dead is having compassion for a dried shit stick. We should have compassion for the living who suffer.
  • DakiniDakini Veteran
    edited September 2011
    ROFL!!! You guys have given me some of the best comic relief I've had in weeks. "If Hitler is dead, why does he need my compassion?" Very logical! And yes, who knows how many times that particular combination of seed consciousness and karmic burden has already been reborn and died. maybe he was one of those babies who died from SIDS, or who got cancer in infancy and died, then came back again a few years later as his own sibling. Maybe he came back as Bernie Madoff or Charles Manson. Maybe he (or she) is walking among us now.. **GASP** :hair: Maybe s/he is on this very forum!!! QUICK! Form a posse to roust him out!

    My theory is that someone like Hitler would be reborn as a member of a despised minority. Maybe he was a Hutu tribesman in Uganda, and got snuffed out by the Tutsis. (or was it the other way around?) He could be a garden slug in your garden this very moment! I don't think we need to worry about the journey of Hitler's seed consciousness/karma baggage. It'll take care of itself.
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    Compassion is not the same thing as sympathy.
  • TheswingisyellowTheswingisyellow Trying to be open to existence Samsara Veteran
    Hitlers actions bore fruit in the form of a cyanide capsule and a bullet in the head. He is no more.
    :sawed:
  • SpacelessSpaceless
    For Hitler, it depended his last breath. There may be practitioner whose whole life in non-grasphing but the last breath grasped on "Hitler" :om:
  • DakiniDakini Veteran
    Hitlers actions bore fruit in the form of a cyanide capsule and a bullet in the head. He is no more.
    :sawed:
    Oh, that's right--suicide! I forgot. More bad karma for him!
    Kinda funny how it's Hitler people bring up on these threads. Let's not forget the rest of the gang: Goebels, Mengele, et al. Anyone feeling any compassion for Mengele?
  • TheswingisyellowTheswingisyellow Trying to be open to existence Samsara Veteran
    Magda Goebbels was a real peach. Couldn't envision a life without national socialism so before she killed herself she gave her children a cocktail to put them to sleep and then put cyanide in each of their mouths.

  • DakiniDakini Veteran
    Hi, Swing. Long time no see. :) I think I'll pass on these cheery little videos you posted. :p But thanks for the info.
  • TheswingisyellowTheswingisyellow Trying to be open to existence Samsara Veteran
    Hey Dakini!
    I've been lurking around. Had to walk through the desert a little bit but I think I have come out the better for it, strengthened my practice and committment. In regards to Magda, it is amazing that when her ideas of self died or were dying along with the German reich, she could see no future. Her delusion ended in her death and the murder of her children. What ego-grasping does.
    All the best,
    Todd
  • MindGateMindGate United States Veteran
    edited September 2011
    Who?
  • TheswingisyellowTheswingisyellow Trying to be open to existence Samsara Veteran
    edited September 2011
    The wife of Joseph Goebbels, Hitler's propaganda minister. Dakini mentioned Goebbels along with the good Dr. Mengele. With the mention of Goebbel's name I remembered his charming wife and her, shall we say, "unskillful" behavior. Will anyone of them be Buddhas? NO they are all dead! :sawed: :zombie:
  • RandomRandom
    edited September 2011
    Eventually, that is. He was a murderer only in that particular life, so can we believe that with good karma in subsequent births, he could become a Buddha later on? Buddha himself was a murderer in one of his previous lives, so is it possible that everyone could become a Buddha?
    I think that what we should ask ourselves instead is, will the conditions come again for a human to act with such cruelty toward others? To cause such suffering? If so then the best course of action is to address the causes that gave rise to the Adolf Hitler of memory. His life on this Earth led him to judge and kill many people. The devil didn't make him do it and he wasn't born evil.
  • DakiniDakini Veteran
    What's encouraging is that these days, when there are Neo-Nazi marches or demonstrations, there are counter-demonstrations. People are willing to stand up and send a clear message that hate, oppression and abuse won't be tolerated. That's one way to keep charismatic leaders of deviant movements at bay.
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    edited September 2011
    Compassion is more like a burning passion to never give up on any sentient beings. It is not a warm fuzzy for a serial killer. It is in full knowledge of how trapped sentient beings are, how much they suffer, how rare a chance is to come in contact with the dharma, and how right causes lead to right effects.
  • DakiniDakini Veteran
    edited September 2011
    @Jeffrey Good point, well said. Still, one can be cognizant of how deluded and trapped in their own prejudices and machinations Hitler and company were.
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