Vipassana Meditation Master
Acharavadee Wongsakon
Chinese New Year festival is coming around once more. During this time, we usually hear suggestions from some fortune tellers on how to give offerings to gods for luck and good fortune. So, I would like to write about gods for you to consider.
Who are gods and do they really exist?
Gods originate from humans who had cultivated virtues with the firm mind and sacrificed for others. Since they didn’t practice to reach Nirvana, after they died, the power of good deeds brought them to the realm of deities. The word “god” mentioned here is according to Chinese tradition. To be a “god”, one must be more virtuous than other angels; they must have cultivated greater meritorious deeds up to sacrificing their own lives.
For me, the god that I’m familiar with is a Chinese god named Guan Yu who is well known among most people.
Can gods help people?
Before answering this question, we should ask ourselves that if we are of higher status and very kindhearted, when we see someone facing difficulty and asking for help, and if their request is justified, would we lend a hand or not?
As gods are highly benevolent angels, they don’t want to involve with bad people as they mind are rough. Although some may not be bad, they don’t do any good things, but only give offerings with an expectation that their wishes are fulfilled. So why would gods help such people?
On the other hand, if a good and grateful person prays for help and it’s not beyond the divine power, they will definitely lend their support as long as that the person is not facing Karmic retribution.
When Karmic retribution strikes, the Karmic energy hits that person like a hurricane crashing down, causing series of unfortunate events in that person’s life. Gods can see that energy from the Celestial World and if they don’t have enough power, there’s nothing they can do since they can’t break through the Karmic energy. They can come in only after the Karmic effect subsides.
With overwhelming calls for help from the whole world, how can gods help everyone? If they can’t, who will be chosen first?
Actually, it’s not about ‘choosing’. It’s the people with powerful mind that can reach the gods first. Those without ethical conduct or any virtues will likely be unheard because the piles of impurities and sins become a strong wall that blocks their pleas from reaching the gods even though they made wishes at the religious or holy places. How can weak voices compete with stronger ones?
Another thing is that if a person was related to those gods or used to support them in their previous life of humans, the link will act as a bridge to connect them. For this reason, the gods will definitely hear them and lend their support faster and stronger compared to those without previous connection.
I had experienced this myself. There were many times my mind received messages from the Chinese Goddess of Mercy (Guanyin), asking me to help some students. Those students were related to Guanyin and most of them had served her in previous lives. Goddess of Mercy (Guanyin)’s level of cultivation is much, much higher than many other gods and deities. She is the Bodhisattva who has been devoting countless lifetimes to help all beings from suffering. I mention the goddess here because Thai-Chinese people know and highly respect her.
Why do gods help people?
Heaven is the realm of blissful enjoyment, the stage derived from the power of good deeds. But it’s the nature of gods to sacrifice. They don’t take pleasure the same way like ordinary angels, prefering to spend time in cultivating virtues by helping out. Once their time in that realm ends, their perfections will then be elevated higher.
However, when the gods, especially the famous ones, come down to help, some wandering spirits or ghosts are likely to assume their names. This has happened with many “mediums” and spiritual channels. In that case, their behaviors will be different from real gods – they look unadmirable and often ask for money, worldly returns or unusual offerings.
Those who believe must not be blinded by faith. The best way is to rely on yourself, on your own good deeds. Meritorious deeds will support you in time of trouble. When you ask gods and angels for help, your mind energy will connect with theirs and they will find a way to support you properly.
If you have asked for help or made many wishes, it’s time to switch from asking for a favor to repaying them with the merits of meditation. In this delusional world, most people make decisions based on worldly desires. The awakened ones, however, see the truth from the other side, just like the thought coming from the Knowing Mind that…
“People usually think that a monk who practices very hard to end his Karma has given up his worldly life for nothing. But on Dhamma side, if a person doesn’t persevere like a monk to end their Karma, he is wasting his entire lifetime.”
By reaching Enlightenment, we can overthrow the illusion and bring the truth to light. This article is meant to uncover the truth about gods for everyone to consider.
On this Chinese New Year, may the truth, virtue, and auspiciousness support everyone who maintains good morals in their mind.
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