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Little green men

twobitbobtwobitbob
edited February 2006 in General Banter
One of the things that facsinated me with buddhism was how in the texts it would refer to 'sentient beings' when you might expect it to say human beings.

Being brought up on sci-fi the idea of buddhism being willing to accept the possibilty of aliens is cool. If little green men were to pop down to say hi it would have major implications for many religions but would it change a thing in buddhism at all?

Comments

  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited October 2005
    I don't personally see any reason why it should. We've never had proof they exist - but there again, we've never had proof they don't. So it would astound me to hear anyone discount the possibility of their existence just because we've never knowingly met one.
    Buddhism speaks of many realms, and Buddha-fields... why should a Buddhist bat an eyelid when or if man's omnipotent arrogance is shot down in flames?
  • ajani_mgoajani_mgo Veteran
    edited October 2005
    Well I would offer myself to be the hosts of these aliens if they popped in, as long as they don't try to convert me into some religion which says we got sneezed out or something by some creature...

    Anyway a little while before I picked up serious Buddhism I once came out wih the idea that WE HUMANS WERE IN FACT, GODS. 'Cause we had the power over so many animals and almost verything of our world except Nature... Well in the stories of Adam I think he was conferred by God to be "King of the Animals" or something... Maybe it's true that we are the animals gods then...

    Hey all monkeys! This is Ajani the Monkey Dude your patron god... Make a statue of me now and offer me incense right now if you apes want food... Or I'll take all your bananas to make birth-control equipment! Heehee... :tongue2:
  • SatoriSatori
    edited February 2006
    Well, I have heard of the other worlds connection through Tibetan Buddhist beliefs, but I think the term "sentient beings" has been used to include animals as well as humans. That's my understanding of it, anyway. :)
  • zenmonk_genryuzenmonk_genryu
    edited February 2006
    Buddhism views the universe, or more correctly universes, as containing many worlds with living beings on them.
  • SatoriSatori
    edited February 2006
    zenmonk_genryu wrote:
    Buddhism views the universe, or more correctly universes, as containing many worlds with living beings on them.

    Thanks. I thought I had read that somewhere. :)
  • hopehope
    edited February 2006
    twobitbob wrote:
    One of the things that facsinated me with buddhism was how in the texts it would refer to 'sentient beings' when you might expect it to say human beings.

    Being brought up on sci-fi the idea of buddhism being willing to accept the possibilty of aliens is cool. If little green men were to pop down to say hi it would have major implications for many religions but would it change a thing in buddhism at all?

    well.. Buddha did describe many different realms/worlds... and types of living beings (categorized variously as Gods and Demons)... so I'm sure they are out there.. :)
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited February 2006
    Hope.... that's just what ZenMonk put...! You guys must go to the same kindergarten....!! :lol:
  • harlanharlan
    edited February 2006
    Compared to the deities in the Tibetan cosmology...little green men would be considered 'tame'. ;)
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