| Aug 29 @ 5:29 PM |
The Seven Levels
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bevrice
Posts: 11,145
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Okay, I believe there are seven levels in heaven. I believe that, say, if Ted Bundy found the Lord in his dying breath, he would go to heaven.
That always used to bother me, that someone like him could come to heaven just like I could, when I have worked so hard to be the best Christian I could. Of course I have failed at times, I am not perfect, but since I found out there are levels of heaven it made sense. Also did you know that others, the ones from the lower levels, have to be servants. My minister brought that one up the other night.
Now, I think Buddhism has seven levels, too. Shall we discuss levels and what they are.
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| Aug 29 @ 5:30 PM |
The Seven Levels |
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16knots
Posts: 3,627
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The Buddhist Concept of Heaven and Hell
The wise man makes his own heaven while the foolish man creates his own hell here and hereafter.
The Buddhist concept of heaven and hell is entirely different from that in other religions. Buddhists do not accept that these places are eternal. It is unreasonable to condemn a man to eternal hell for his human weakness but quite reasonable to give him every chance to develop himself. From the Buddhist point of view, those who go to hell can work themselves upward by making use of the merit that they had acquired previously. There are no locks on the gates of hell. Hell is a temporary place and there is no reason for those beings to suffer there forever.
The Buddha's Teaching shows us that there are heavens and hells not only beyond this world, but in this very world itself. Thus the Buddhist conception of heaven and hell is very reasonable. For instance, the Buddha once said, 'When the average ignorant person makes an assertion to the effect that there is a Hell (patala) under the ocean he is making a statement which is false and without basis. The word 'Hell' is a term for painful sensations. 'The idea of one particular ready-made place or a place created by god as heaven and hell is not acceptable to the Buddhist concept.
The fire of hell in this world is hotter than that of the hell in the world-beyond. There is no fire equal to anger, lust or greed and ignorance. According to the Buddha, we are burning from eleven kinds of physical pain and mental agony: lust, hatred, illusion sickness, decay, death, worry, lamentation, pain(physical and mental), melancholy and grief. People can burn the entire world with some of these fires of mental discord. From a Buddhist point of view, the easiest way to define hell and heaven is that where ever there is more suffering, either in this world or any other plane, that place is a hell to those who suffer. And where there is more pleasure or happiness, either in this world or any other worldly existence, that place is a heaven to those who enjoy their worldly life in that particular place. However, as the human realm is a mixture of both pain and happiness, human beings experience both pain and happiness and will be able to realize the real nature of life. But in many other planes of existence inhabitants have less chance for this realization. In certain places there is more suffering than pleasure while in some other places there is more pleasure than suffering.
Buddhists believe that after death rebirth can take place in any one of a number of possible existences. This future existence is conditioned by the last thought-moment a person experiences at the point of death. This last thought which determines the next existence results from the past actions of a man either in this life or before that. Hence, if the predominant thought reflects meritorious action, then he will find his future existence in a happy state. But that state is temporary and when it is exhausted a new life must begin all over again, determined by another dominating 'kammic' energy. This repetitious process goes on endlessly unless one arrives at 'Right View' and makes a firm resolve to follow the Noble Path which produces the ultimate happiness of Nibbana.
Heaven is a temporary place where those who have done good deeds experience more sensual pleasures for a longer period. Hell is another temporary place where those evil doers experience more physical and mental suffering. It is not justifiable to believe that such places are permanent. There is no god behind the scene of heaven and hell. Each and every person experiences according to his good and bad kamma. Buddhist never try to introduce Buddhism by frightening people through hell-fire or enticing people by pointing to paradise. Their main idea is character building and mental training. Buddhists can practise their religion without aiming at heaven or without developing fear of hell.
What Buddhists Believe
Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda Maha Thera
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| Aug 29 @ 5:33 PM |
The Seven Levels
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16knots
Posts: 3,627
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Basically, there is an infinite number of heavens and hells that we create for ourselves here in this life and also realms of future life times.
But within other realms their main aspect can be grouped into 18 levels within Buddhist Cosmology. (If I remember correctly).
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| Aug 29 @ 5:40 PM |
The Seven Levels |
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bevrice
Posts: 11,145
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Do you know who katherine Kuhlman was, knots?
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| Aug 29 @ 5:45 PM |
The Seven Levels
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bevrice
Posts: 11,145
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I DO believe we can bring hell into our lives here on earth. But I also believe we can reap the rewards of hell after we die. Now, unlike you, I am not so sure that we can work our way up.
I have seen testimonials of people who have died and gone to heaven and come back who said that the rewards of heaven are quite different according to the life you led down here. They said that the would see a business man come in in a plain white robe, saying, "Whew, I barely made it." They would see those in maginificent robes who had lived more of a life like they should have.
The ones on the lower levels had to be servants and study about the Lord so they could advance to a higher level.
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| Aug 29 @ 5:46 PM |
The Seven Levels |
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BandTMom
Posts: 28,234
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>>click<<
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| Aug 29 @ 5:46 PM |
The Seven Levels
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16knots
Posts: 3,627
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Yes, her Evangelical Spiritualism is rather in poor taste.
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| Aug 29 @ 5:49 PM |
The Seven Levels |
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bevrice
Posts: 11,145
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She is dead, knots, but she had many medically documented healings in her ministry.
Now, she believed, and mind you, this was a Christian minister, that you died and you became this tiny seed on some other planet. That you were reincarnated again and again until you lived the best life that you could possibly live and then you got to go to heaven.
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| Aug 29 @ 5:53 PM |
The Seven Levels
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bevrice
Posts: 11,145
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Now, the cosmic awareness people, if I remember correctly believe that in the beginning God was lonely and He created the earth and then man. They think that He put a part of himself in to mankind because He couldn't create life.
Now, every man, to them, has this tiny part of God in them. When they die, they believe they go back into God and are a part of this one great spirit. They believe they are reincanated, too, and live many lives, but they believe that they can choose their next life, and the circumstances of it, as well as the events.
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| Aug 29 @ 5:57 PM |
The Seven Levels |
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16knots
Posts: 3,627
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I DO believe we can bring hell into our lives here on earth. But I also believe we can reap the rewards of hell after we die. Now, unlike you, I am not so sure that we can work our way up.
We are what we are when we die. Nothing can be taken from this world to the next (eye of the camel). The only thing we do have is our mind. Our spiritual soul. What ever state that is in you take with you, it is you as you conceive it to be. If it is good and progressing then you will advance your state or condition of being.
I have seen testimonials of people who have died and gone to heaven and come back who said that the rewards of heaven are quite different according to the life you led down here.
it is a differebt state of mind they were in. It is different and also what they perceive it to be in respect if you expect Godly looking figures, that is what you will get. The proble being is that your mind is on a higher level. Its senses are far refined, impressionable, uncontrolled. Same as when you astral travel, everything is brighter, clearer and beaming with a radiance. People will see what they wish and come back telling different or similar stories. Often far from the truth of the real, absolute reality behind it all.
They said that the would see a business man come in in a plain white robe, saying, "Whew, I barely made it." They would see those in maginificent robes who had lived more of a life like they should have.
As they expect as in a dream they dream what ever the Psyche has been impressioned with throughout the waking day or deep routed fears and desires.
The ones on the lower levels had to be servants and study about the Lord so they could advance to a higher level.
As they perceive. What truly happens is when the mind is free from impressions that a life time here has impregnated into their psyche from their belief systems, eventually all this "dream" dissipates into a clearer reality for them. Still fed by their own desires, to live the life they have had expected, the dream world will continue. The desire to rebirth will soon have them born again to this world or if they have clearer minds to a higher plain.
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| Aug 29 @ 6:12 PM |
The Seven Levels
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hammertime
Posts: 14,071
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She is dead, knots, but she had many medically documented healings in her ministry. Then why is she dead?
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| Aug 29 @ 6:13 PM |
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bevrice
Posts: 11,145
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Here we disagree. I don't think there is a higher level than to enter throne room of God himself.
You know Islam has seven levels, too.
Okay, there is a minister, and I know you won't like this testimony, who was praying and he said that God translated him into heaven. The first thing he saw were the green fields and the colors beyond description. He was met by David, who he said had red hair. It was an amazing story. He said there was one tree that he had to eat the fruit of to be able to be in such close presence with the Lord.
Now most everyone comes back with the stories of the beautiful colors and trees. and mountains and streams and flowers.
Now, let's talk about those who when they die meet the Lord and He asks them how they came there.
Their whole life flashes before them in a matter of minutes and they see themselves as they really were and begin to feel great remorse.
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| Aug 29 @ 6:13 PM |
The Seven Levels
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BandTMom
Posts: 28,234
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| Aug 29 @ 6:14 PM |
The Seven Levels |
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bevrice
Posts: 11,145
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Ignore me, hammer, please.
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| Aug 29 @ 6:15 PM |
The Seven Levels
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hammertime
Posts: 14,071
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Why? You dead too?
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| Aug 29 @ 6:20 PM |
The Seven Levels |
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BandTMom
Posts: 28,234
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*snort
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| Aug 29 @ 6:25 PM |
The Seven Levels
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bevrice
Posts: 11,145
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Mom, if you don't want to discuss these things, please do like the others, and ignore me please.
That minister's name is Jesse Duplantis.
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| Aug 29 @ 6:33 PM |
The Seven Levels |
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BandTMom
Posts: 28,234
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I was responding to Hammer. Feel free to ignore me too. 
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| Aug 29 @ 6:36 PM |
The Seven Levels
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hammertime
Posts: 14,071
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Sorry Bev, who can ignore you and who can you ignore? If you want something, you have to give something. Just ask. Jesus said to ask. If you want peace then be peaceful. If you want war, just be yourself. If you want things to change, then change. Your prayers are bullshit and your religion is a lie so if you want anything different then create something new.
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| Aug 29 @ 8:06 PM |
The Seven Levels |
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16knots
Posts: 3,627
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Bev,
the ministers experience is his alone. This is the point I am trying to make. Each one of us unless we are open minded without all the worldly attachments we have are going to experience what is "comfortable" to us in our religious beliefs. Or, what is most troublesome within our deep routed psyche.
Christians will experience seeing God, jesus, Angels and all the rest. Other beliefs according to their beliefs. It IS what they are most attached too and when we die or visit a realm we create our own illusions, again, unless we are clear minded from all these impressed upon us in this life we create.
At the momet I am Joe blogg. I am a male, live like a male, educated in physics, likes sailing and diving, like blonde, blue eyed women, loves money, et cetera and this is the whole picture I think I am. It is so deep routed I can not see anything else. Part of it will be an illusion. I might be greedy because my mom breast fed me too much. I might be annul because Sigmund Freud said I retained my butt too long.
The military turned me into a killing machine, My ex-wife made a bad lover of me and it goes on.
This is the picture of Joe Blogg and all his beliefs no matter what.
But, one day I got ran over and lost my memory completely. Now who am i???? Nopw I can create one one i wish all over again.; My same essence is their. It might even be better because I was really a very decent, kind person. My new identiy sends me to collage and become a nurse to help others. I love my wife much better and I read Romeo and Juliet and took my wife to see the play and now she thinks I am a wonderful lover... my new identity is forming into another persona of who i think I am. A new Self.
The point is when we die we still try to maintain this persona although it is no longer necessary. We cling on to our old belief system where man has created this world we live in. It doesnt work outside of this world and what we take into the next realm soon dissipates. All the imaginery Gods, Angels jesus cease to be our illusions of reality.
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