今天终于，提起精神，把已经几个月没有抹的客厅给打扫了。。。
唔。。。那桶水真的是惨不忍睹。。。非常的黑，可以与墨水媲美。。。哈哈！！
在扫着的当儿，看着方块白色的地砖，仿如一片片的田地。。。这一片片的田地，实在是太久没有打理了。。。杂草丛生。。。唉！ 就比如当初辛苦翻地、播种的地，在没有细心打理之下，就变成荒地了、就被打回原型了。。。那么，当初，为什么还那么不辞劳苦的去播种呢？浪费心血。。。。
话说回打扫客厅，虽然，我只是扫地和抹地而已。。。但是，我一共扫了三次地，抹了两次地。。。哈哈！因为地上实在是太脏了。。。当我扫地一遍的时候，没什么感觉。。。可是，当我抹第一遍的时候，呵呵。。。还没有抹完十分之一，那桶水就有一些黑了，抹了大概六分之一，水的颜色就如凉粉水一样；还没抹到二分之一，墨汁出来了，可以写墨字了。。。哈哈哈！！
我们都不愿去面对，大家都认为自己很忙，结果没有人愿意打扫客厅；我呢，也只是扫扫地而已，很少抹地，因为很麻烦、很浪费时间。。。。。。而在大家都不愿意承当下，灰尘也越积越多。。。脚踏在上面，都很不舒服、脚底也很容易脏。。。大家都知道很脏，可是都没有人要去解决它，就这样搁置它，希望有一天它自己会变干净或者希望其他人会去处理它。。。是这样的吗？你不去面对处理，它就会自行解决吗？？真的吗？
我，花了几个小时，才把它打理得比较像样，虽然不是一百巴仙干净，可是尚可见得人的。。。呵呵。。。想想看，如果把那几小时除起来，也相等于这几个月来的打扫的时间。。。天天打扫不是更好吗？每个人都开心，不必等到灰尘堆积如山后才打理吧。。。如果真得很忙，至少一个月打理一次就好。。。如果其他人愿意分担，那就如虎添翼。。。哈哈！！每天一点点。。。灰尘说再见，噢，不是再见，而是拜拜。。。哈哈！！不要再见咯。。。。嘻嘻。。。
灰尘，就好像我们遇到的问题；地上的砖块，就比如我的心。。。有多久没有打扫我的心了？已经生很厚的灰尘了也没有察觉？还是不敢、不想面对？？？接受它、面对它、处理它、放下它。。。你做到了吗？？加油哦！！
就好像那些灰尘一样，越拖越久的问题，越需要时间、精神、耐力、体力去解决它。。。今天，你已经领教到了，哈哈！怕了吗？？
在打扫的时候，我不断地告诉自己，这是自作自受，谁叫你平时那么懒惰，本来就应该至少一个星期抹一次地的。结果，却是几个月才抹一次地，搞到自己身疲力尽，腰酸背痛。。。
在扫着的当儿，无名火即将爆发，马上有一把声音说，都是逃避惹的祸，如果你乖乖的去做，就不会有今天了。。。哈哈! 是的是的。。。唯有继续努力的打扫着。。。不要怨人，要怪的首先是自己。。。
在打扫的当儿，看到地上慢慢的变回原来的样貌。。。在阳光的照射下，很明显的看得到，当我用扫把扫了一遍后，地上的一层乌黑也被扫掉了，变白了一些。。。被我用拖把抹过的地，跟旁边尚未被我抹过的比较，很显然的是比较干净亮丽。。。可以想象，灰尘是多么的厚。。。。。阳光，让我把灰尘看得更加清楚。。。
现在，它在白白净净的地上，感觉很舒服。。。 :)
以后，要勤力一些咯。。。不要等到堆到生蜘蛛网才来打扫；心，要每一天都打理。。。不然，心死了都不知道。。。哈哈！！ 辛苦播种的田，要经常检查、打理，以免枉费心机。。。
突发奇想：我们就如父母辛辛苦苦播种、培养的种子；现在，长大了一些，是不是个更加的要好好努力修养，然后培育下一代，让这个好的种子可以传下去？不要培育下一代也可以，好好的打理自己的"菜园"就好。。。
2009年6月10日星期三
2個虛擬圓(很棒的文章)
我們都希望在廿一世紀，有更多彩的人生；有更豐盛的經歷，但是這樣的美夢是否一定會成真呢？這樣的期待是否一定會實現呢？
在這樣的自我對話之中，不覺又聯想到一個我和許多學生都喜歡的益智遊戲，這個遊戲的規則很簡單──「請用一筆畫完四條線，這四條線正好穿連下圖之九個點，且每點只能被穿越一次。」
遊戲紙發下去之後，大家都會很努力的玩，尤其從沒有玩過這個遊戲的同學更是興奮，努力連了半天，興奮中慢慢滲入了疑惑─
「咦！奇怪，怎麼總是有一個點連不上」，一位同學望著自己的遊戲紙托腮苦思。
另一個同學側頭過去看了他的畫法，說──「我才慘呢？我畫了半天還比你多漏了一個點呢？」原來他是這樣畫的──
此時另一位同學興奮大叫「我有答案了」大家湊過去看，他的畫法是：
馬上有同學提醒他──「這樣畫不行啦！因為規定是要四條連線，你的四條線又沒有連在一起。」接連碰壁之後，有的同學開始對規則提出質疑──「老師五條線行不行？」
「不行！」
「老師四條線一定都要相連嗎？」
「沒錯」
「非要一筆畫不可嗎？」
「對！」
既然規則沒得商量，同學們只好識趣地再埋頭苦思…大約又過了煮一壺咖啡的時間，終於有同學興奮大叫「我有答案了！」
我立刻請他上台，打開投影機將一張遊戲紙投射在白板上，請他將結果秀給大家看，只見他手起筆落一下就畫好了
台下有驚嘆聲、也有抗議聲，我先請發出抗議聲的同學表示意見──
「老師，這不算啦！」
「為什麼不算？」
「因為他把線畫出框框了嘛！」
「請問規則中有沒有任何和框框有關的規定呢？」
「哦！好像沒有哦！」他似有所悟。
「既然沒有，那麼剛才這位同學的畫法，可不可以算一種答案呢？」
「當然算啦！」剛才先發出驚嘆聲的幾位同學搶先回應。
我順勢作一個現場調查「請問剛才有多少同學在努力求解的過程中，從來沒有將線畫出框框過？」
約有95%的手都舉了起來。
「其實你們都很正常，因為大多數百思不得其解的人都是受限於那個框框。我這樣說絕非安撫之辭，因為我也曾經和大家一樣受困在框框之內。」
話鋒一轉，接著我請問大家「請大家想一想，這個框框倒底是什麼？」
「老師我覺得他代表一種先入為主且沒有經過驗證的想法。」
「怎麼說呢？」
「因為雖然遊戲規則上，沒有提到框框，但是從一開始我就自以為不可以超過框框！」
「好極了！讓我們用掌聲謝謝這位同學精彩的分享，好不好？！」
熱烈的掌聲之後，我再請問大家──
「如果我們每個人的周圍都有一些框框，那麼這些框框是怎麼形成的呢？」
「老師，我覺得框框可能是由 “成長的背景” 構成的。」
「沒錯，除此之外，還有沒有別的可能呢？」我繼續鼓勵他們
「 “價值觀念” 是否也會和框框有關？」
「能不能請您舉個例子？」
「像我爸爸本性很節儉，所以他就對我買最炫的手機很有意見。」
「所以都是你爸爸不對囉？」
「以前我是這樣想，可是現在我覺得反而可能是因為自己跳不出那種追求時髦的框框。」他的一席話引起不少同學的共鳴，我真為這群學生的自省能力感到驕傲。
為了讓同學能有更多的參與機會，所以繼續鼓勵他們──
「還有沒有一些構成框框的因素呢？」
「老師，“人生的經驗” 算不算？」
「對， “人生的經驗” 和框框的確息息相關，尤其 “過去成功的經驗” 更會對框框形成 “正增強效應” 。請大家想一想為什麼 “成功” 會強化框框的約束力呢？」
「因為成功會帶來掌聲、喝采與榮譽，而這些感受又特別甜美，所以只要一想到這些甜美的記憶，人們也許就會情不自禁的Copy以前的成功作法。」
「所以框框就開始愈來愈牢不可破？」
許多同學都點頭認同…
「所以不僅失敗為成功之母，如果我們繼續陶醉在成功中，說不定成功也會成為失敗之母呢！」另一位同學馬上舉一反三，為框框內隱藏的危機下了一個清楚的註解。
「這位同學講的好極了，所以最後我們不妨來想一想，如何才能跳脫框框，在成功之後繼續超越呢？」
一陣沈思之後，有位同學舉手發言：
「老師我有一點想法，不知道可不可以到白板上畫出來給大家參考？」
「當然好啊！」
他走到白板前，拿起筆，在剛才前一位同學所畫的圖上，又用虛線加上了兩個圓
他畫完後，我立刻問他：「能不能請你把加上兩個圓的想法告訴大家？」
「我非常認同剛才大家對跳出框框的看法，但是令我感受更深的是──我若能早一點看出框框之外這兩個虛擬的圓，說不定我早就能想到這個遊戲的解法了。」
經過他這樣一說明，全班才發現原來這個九點連線的益智遊戲，是要加上 “兩個虛擬的點” 才會迎刃而解，這真是一個既有趣、又高明的看法，大家情不自禁地對他報以熱烈的掌聲。
我順勢追問下去──
「那麼，請大家想一想這 “兩個虛擬的圓” 又代表什麼意義呢？」
「老師，因為這些虛擬的圓都在框框之外，所以我覺得它似乎可以代表我們自己以外的資源。」
「能否舉例說明？」
「譬如 “虛擬的圓” 就是我爸爸的Money。」全班哄堂大笑，我真喜歡這群同學在認真思考之餘仍不忘嬉笑的學習態度。
「如果你老爸的股票都變成水餃了，他已經沒有多少Money可以成為你的助力了，那麼這些虛擬的圓還可能代表什麼呢？」
「老師，我覺得它還可以代表我現在尚未擁有的知識。」
「好極了！所以這就是身為知識分子就要終身不斷學習的道理，除此之外虛擬的圓還可以代表什麼意義呢？」我繼續鼓勵大家……
結果，在下課前，我們發現 “虛擬的圓” 還可以是：
接納別人的建議(特別是批判式的意見)
勇於嚐試的好奇
不再虛妄的坦誠
擁抱未知的熱情
欣賞別人的謙虛
融入天地的謙卑
……………………
……………………
……………………
願我們能在虛擬中謙虛、在虛擬中超越、在虛擬中樂觀、在虛擬中進取，這樣虛擬的圓就會慢慢充實，直到圓滿了另一個新的世紀。
在這樣的自我對話之中，不覺又聯想到一個我和許多學生都喜歡的益智遊戲，這個遊戲的規則很簡單──「請用一筆畫完四條線，這四條線正好穿連下圖之九個點，且每點只能被穿越一次。」
遊戲紙發下去之後，大家都會很努力的玩，尤其從沒有玩過這個遊戲的同學更是興奮，努力連了半天，興奮中慢慢滲入了疑惑─
「咦！奇怪，怎麼總是有一個點連不上」，一位同學望著自己的遊戲紙托腮苦思。
另一個同學側頭過去看了他的畫法，說──「我才慘呢？我畫了半天還比你多漏了一個點呢？」原來他是這樣畫的──
此時另一位同學興奮大叫「我有答案了」大家湊過去看，他的畫法是：
馬上有同學提醒他──「這樣畫不行啦！因為規定是要四條連線，你的四條線又沒有連在一起。」接連碰壁之後，有的同學開始對規則提出質疑──「老師五條線行不行？」
「不行！」
「老師四條線一定都要相連嗎？」
「沒錯」
「非要一筆畫不可嗎？」
「對！」
既然規則沒得商量，同學們只好識趣地再埋頭苦思…大約又過了煮一壺咖啡的時間，終於有同學興奮大叫「我有答案了！」
我立刻請他上台，打開投影機將一張遊戲紙投射在白板上，請他將結果秀給大家看，只見他手起筆落一下就畫好了
台下有驚嘆聲、也有抗議聲，我先請發出抗議聲的同學表示意見──
「老師，這不算啦！」
「為什麼不算？」
「因為他把線畫出框框了嘛！」
「請問規則中有沒有任何和框框有關的規定呢？」
「哦！好像沒有哦！」他似有所悟。
「既然沒有，那麼剛才這位同學的畫法，可不可以算一種答案呢？」
「當然算啦！」剛才先發出驚嘆聲的幾位同學搶先回應。
我順勢作一個現場調查「請問剛才有多少同學在努力求解的過程中，從來沒有將線畫出框框過？」
約有95%的手都舉了起來。
「其實你們都很正常，因為大多數百思不得其解的人都是受限於那個框框。我這樣說絕非安撫之辭，因為我也曾經和大家一樣受困在框框之內。」
話鋒一轉，接著我請問大家「請大家想一想，這個框框倒底是什麼？」
「老師我覺得他代表一種先入為主且沒有經過驗證的想法。」
「怎麼說呢？」
「因為雖然遊戲規則上，沒有提到框框，但是從一開始我就自以為不可以超過框框！」
「好極了！讓我們用掌聲謝謝這位同學精彩的分享，好不好？！」
熱烈的掌聲之後，我再請問大家──
「如果我們每個人的周圍都有一些框框，那麼這些框框是怎麼形成的呢？」
「老師，我覺得框框可能是由 “成長的背景” 構成的。」
「沒錯，除此之外，還有沒有別的可能呢？」我繼續鼓勵他們
「 “價值觀念” 是否也會和框框有關？」
「能不能請您舉個例子？」
「像我爸爸本性很節儉，所以他就對我買最炫的手機很有意見。」
「所以都是你爸爸不對囉？」
「以前我是這樣想，可是現在我覺得反而可能是因為自己跳不出那種追求時髦的框框。」他的一席話引起不少同學的共鳴，我真為這群學生的自省能力感到驕傲。
為了讓同學能有更多的參與機會，所以繼續鼓勵他們──
「還有沒有一些構成框框的因素呢？」
「老師，“人生的經驗” 算不算？」
「對， “人生的經驗” 和框框的確息息相關，尤其 “過去成功的經驗” 更會對框框形成 “正增強效應” 。請大家想一想為什麼 “成功” 會強化框框的約束力呢？」
「因為成功會帶來掌聲、喝采與榮譽，而這些感受又特別甜美，所以只要一想到這些甜美的記憶，人們也許就會情不自禁的Copy以前的成功作法。」
「所以框框就開始愈來愈牢不可破？」
許多同學都點頭認同…
「所以不僅失敗為成功之母，如果我們繼續陶醉在成功中，說不定成功也會成為失敗之母呢！」另一位同學馬上舉一反三，為框框內隱藏的危機下了一個清楚的註解。
「這位同學講的好極了，所以最後我們不妨來想一想，如何才能跳脫框框，在成功之後繼續超越呢？」
一陣沈思之後，有位同學舉手發言：
「老師我有一點想法，不知道可不可以到白板上畫出來給大家參考？」
「當然好啊！」
他走到白板前，拿起筆，在剛才前一位同學所畫的圖上，又用虛線加上了兩個圓
他畫完後，我立刻問他：「能不能請你把加上兩個圓的想法告訴大家？」
「我非常認同剛才大家對跳出框框的看法，但是令我感受更深的是──我若能早一點看出框框之外這兩個虛擬的圓，說不定我早就能想到這個遊戲的解法了。」
經過他這樣一說明，全班才發現原來這個九點連線的益智遊戲，是要加上 “兩個虛擬的點” 才會迎刃而解，這真是一個既有趣、又高明的看法，大家情不自禁地對他報以熱烈的掌聲。
我順勢追問下去──
「那麼，請大家想一想這 “兩個虛擬的圓” 又代表什麼意義呢？」
「老師，因為這些虛擬的圓都在框框之外，所以我覺得它似乎可以代表我們自己以外的資源。」
「能否舉例說明？」
「譬如 “虛擬的圓” 就是我爸爸的Money。」全班哄堂大笑，我真喜歡這群同學在認真思考之餘仍不忘嬉笑的學習態度。
「如果你老爸的股票都變成水餃了，他已經沒有多少Money可以成為你的助力了，那麼這些虛擬的圓還可能代表什麼呢？」
「老師，我覺得它還可以代表我現在尚未擁有的知識。」
「好極了！所以這就是身為知識分子就要終身不斷學習的道理，除此之外虛擬的圓還可以代表什麼意義呢？」我繼續鼓勵大家……
結果，在下課前，我們發現 “虛擬的圓” 還可以是：
接納別人的建議(特別是批判式的意見)
勇於嚐試的好奇
不再虛妄的坦誠
擁抱未知的熱情
欣賞別人的謙虛
融入天地的謙卑
……………………
……………………
……………………
願我們能在虛擬中謙虛、在虛擬中超越、在虛擬中樂觀、在虛擬中進取，這樣虛擬的圓就會慢慢充實，直到圓滿了另一個新的世紀。
2009年6月1日星期一
BUDDHISM AND ASTROLOGY By Ven. Dr K Sri Dhammananda
Share with u "BUDDHISM AND ASTROLOGY". Feel free to go this link:
http://www.what-buddha-taught.net/Books6/Dhammananda_Buddhism_and_Astrology.pdf.
Page 1
BUDDHISM AND ASTROLOGY
By
Ven. Dr K Sri Dhammananda
Introduction ( by Ven. Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda )
Ever since man began to observe the world and its surroundings, he has suspected that
there is a link between himself and the stars. He has felt that their movements influence his life and as a result thinkers from every culture have tried to explain this relationship and find some meaning in it. This article explores the Buddhist point of view regarding this fascination of man with the Universe. Buddhism rejects the cold scientific attitude of materialism towards phenomena. It also warns the ignorant against total enslavement to the workings of the external powers. It advocates an intelligent attitude towards our relationship between ourselves and the stars.
Buddhism and Astrology
From the very beginning of time man has been fascinated by the stars and he has
always tried to find some links between them and his own destiny. His observation of the stars and their movemenst gave rise to two very important areas of study, namely
Astronomy and Astrology. Astronomy can be considered a pure science which is
concerned with the measurement of distances, the evolution and destruction of stars,
their movements and so on. Of course all these calculations are always made in relation to planet earth and how these interplanetary movements affect mankind on a physical level. Modern astronomy seeks to find answers to the still unanswered questions regarding the origin of man and the final, possible end of his existence as a member of the human race. It is fascinating area of study and our new knowledge of the Universe and the galaxies has put much pressure on many religions to evaluate their old-age postulations regarding a creator and the creation of life.
Buddhism does not face any such dilemma, simply because the Buddha did not
encourage his followers to speculate on things which were beyond their comprehension.
However he has made many allusions which in the light of our new knowledge gained
through science, shows us that the Buddha was very much aware of the true nature of
the Universe, that it was never created in one glorious moment, that the earth is merely
a tiny even relatively unimportant speck in all space, that there is a constant creation and
destruction and that everything is in constant motion.
Astrology, however is a completely different area of study altogether. Ever since early
man began to think, he was deeply concerned about his relationship with the universe.
When man developed from hunting to agriculture, he began to notice a link between the
movement of the sun through the year and his own activities of planting, harvesting and
similar projects. As he became more sophisticated he was able to predict the movement
of the sun and he invented time, dividing it into years, months, days, hours, minutes and
seconds.
He associated this knowledge with his existence whereby he felt that there was a
relationship between his own life cycle and the movement of the planets. This gave rise
to the Zodiacs - the apparent path of the sun. It contains twelve constellations. A study
of these movements in relation to the human being’s personal life is called a horoscope.
1
Page 2
The study of astrology involves a great understanding of human nature, an ability to
assess planetary movements precisely, together with an insight into the seemingly
unexplainable phenomena in the universe. There have been many brilliant astrologers in
the past and some exist even today. Unfortunately there are an even larger number of
charlatans who give astrology a bad name. They hood-wink people by predicting
seemingly true events about their future. They make large sums of money by exploiting
the ignorance and fear of the gullible. As a result scientists scoffed at astrology and did
not depend on it. However their hostile attitude is not really justifiable. The main
purpose of reading a horoscope should be to give one an insight into one’s own
character, in the same way that an x-ray photograph can show the physical make-up of
a man.
Statistics have shown that the influence of the sun in the signs of the Zodiac accounts
for the birth of unusual people during certain months. Certain crimes have been found to
correspond with Zodiac signs in which the sun is moving during certain months of the
year.
Thus an understanding of this relationship will help a man to plot his life more
meaningfully in harmony with his innate tendencies, so that there is less friction as he
goes through life.
A new born baby is like a seed. It contains within itself all the ingredients which will make
him a similar, yet completely different individual from all fellow human beings. How his
potential is developed depends like the seed, on the kind of training he receives. The
nature of a man born within him, but his own freewill determines whether he will make
really good use of his talents and abilities. Whether he will overcome his potential for
vice or weakness depends on how he is trained in his youth. If we recognize our nature
– our tendency towards laziness, irritability, worries, frustrations, wickedness,
cunningness, jealousy – we can take positive steps to overcome them. The first step in
solving problems is to recognize them for what they are.
Astrological interpretations indicate our inclinations and tendencies. Once pointed out we
must take the necessary steps to chart our lives in a manner that will make us useful
citizens of the world. Even a person with criminal tendencies can become a saint. If he
recognizes his nature and take steps to lead a good life.
A horoscope is a map drawn to shown the karmic force man carries, calculated from the
time of his birth. The force determines the time of birth and knowing this time, a skilful
astrologer can accurately chart a man’s destiny within a given life-span.
Everybody knows that the earth takes approximately one year to move around the sun.
This movement, viewed from the earth, places the sun in various zodiacal areas during
year. A person is born (not accidentally but as a result of karmic influence) when the sun
is in transit in one of the twelve Zodiacal signs.
Through the horoscope, the map of your life, you can determine certain times in your life
when you have to slow down, certain times when you can push yourself to great levels
2
Page 3
of creativity, and certain period when you have to watch your health and related
activities.
The question most people ask is whether Buddhism accepts or rejects astrology. Strictly
speaking, the Buddha did not make any direct pronouncement on this subject because
as in many other cases, he stated that discussions on matters such as these do not
pertain to spiritual development. Buddhism, unlike some other religions, does not
condemn astrology and people are free to use the knowledge they can get from it to
make their lives more meaningful. However, if we study the Buddha’s teaching carefully
we will come to accept that a proper and intelligent understanding of astrology can be a
useful tool. Modern science is in accordance with the teachings of Buddhism. This
means that there is a direct link between the life of an individual human being and the
vast workings of the cosmos. We know for example that there is a close link between the
movement of the moon and our behavior. This is seen especially among mentally
disturbed and abnormally violent people. It is also true that certain sicknesses like
asthma and bronchitis are aggravated when the moon waxes. There is therefore no
reason for us not to believe that other planets can also influence our lives.
Buddhists accepts that there is an immense cosmic energy which pulsates through
every living thing, including plants. This energy interacts with the karmic energy which
individual generates and determines the course that a life will take. The birth of an
individual is not the first creation of a life but the continuation of one that always existed
and will continue to exist so long as the karmic energy is not quelled through final
liberation in the unconditioned state. Now, for a life to manifest itself in a new existence,
certain factors, namely seasons, germinal order and nature must be fulfilled. These are
supported by mental energy and karmic energy and all these elements are in constant
interaction and interdependent with each other resulting in constant changes to a human
being’s life.
According to astrologers the time at which a person is born is predetermined by the
cosmic energy and the karmic energy. Hence, it can be concluded that life is not merely
accidental; it is the result of the interaction between an individual’s karma and the
universal energy force. The course of a human life is predetermined, cause partly by a
being’s own actions in the past and the energies that activate the cosmos. Once started,
a life is controlled by the interaction between these two forces even to the moment at
which a birth takes place. A skilful astrologer then, as one who understands cosmic as
well as karmic influence, can chart the course of one’s life, based on the moment of the
person’s birth.
While we are in one sense at the mercy of these forces, the Buddha has pointed out a
way through which we can escape its influence. All karmic energies are stored in the
subconscious mind-normally described as mental purities and impurities. Since karmic
forces influence one’s destiny, a person can develop his mind and negate certain evil
influences caused by previous bad kamma. A person can also “purify” his mind and rid
himself of all karmic energies and thus prevent rebirth. When there is no rebirth, there is
no potential life and there will consequently be no “future” existence which can be
predicted or charted. At such stage of spiritual and mental development, one will have
transcended the need to know about his life because most imperfections and
unsatisfactoriness would have been removed. A highly developed human being will have
no need of a horoscope.
3
Page 4
Since the beginning of the 20th
century, psychologist and psychiatrists have come to
recognize that there is much more to the human mind than the hard core materialists
have been ready to accept. There is more to the world that can be seen and touched.
The famous Swiss psychologist, Carl Jung, used to cast the horoscopes of his patients.
On one occasion when he made an astrological analysis of about 500 marriages, he
discovered that the findings of Ptolemy, on which modern western astrology is based,
were still valid, that favourable aspects between the sun and the moon of the different
partners did produce happy marriages.
The well-known French psychologist, Michel Gauguelin, who originally held a negative
view of astrology, made a survey of about 20,000 horoscopical analyses and found to
his surprise that the characteristics of the persons studied coincided with
characterization produced by modern psychological methods.
The planting of certain tree and vegetables at different times of a year will produce
differences in strength or appearance of the plants. So there is no reason to doubt that
people born in certain times of the year will have different characteristics from people
born at other times. By knowing his weakness, failures and short-comings, a man can do
his best to overcome them and make himself a better and more useful person to the
society. It will also help himself a great deal to get rid of unhappiness and
disappointments. Going away from the country where a person is born, can help one
avoid the influence of the stars.
Shakespeare says: “ The fault is not our stars but in ourselves that we are underlings”. A
well known astrologer had said: “ The stars impel; they do not compel”. St. Thomas
Aquinas says: “ The planets influence the more elemental part of man than passions”,
but through his intellect man can arrange his life in harmony with the planets, and also
cultivate his inherent talents and manipulate them for his betterment.
But astrology cannot automatically solve all your problems. You must do that yourself.
Just like a doctor who can discover the nature of disease, an astrologer can only show
certain aspects of your life and character. After that it is left to you adjust your way of life.
Of course, the task will be made easier, knowing what it is you are up against. Some
people are too dependent on astrology. They run to the astrologer everytime something
happens or even if they have a dream. Remember, even today astrology is very much
an imperfect science and even the best astrologers can make serious mistakes. Use
astrology intelligently, just as you would use any tool which would make your life more
comfortable and more enjoyable. Above all beware of fake astrologers who are out to
cheat you by telling you not the truth, but what you want to hear.
Do not expect good luck to come to you or be handed to you easily without any effort on
your part. If you want to reap the harvest, you must sow the seed and it must be the right
seed. Remember, “Opportunity knocks at the door, but never break the lock to gain
entrance”.
http://www.what-buddha-taught.net/Books6/Dhammananda_Buddhism_and_Astrology.pdf.
Page 1
BUDDHISM AND ASTROLOGY
By
Ven. Dr K Sri Dhammananda
Introduction ( by Ven. Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda )
Ever since man began to observe the world and its surroundings, he has suspected that
there is a link between himself and the stars. He has felt that their movements influence his life and as a result thinkers from every culture have tried to explain this relationship and find some meaning in it. This article explores the Buddhist point of view regarding this fascination of man with the Universe. Buddhism rejects the cold scientific attitude of materialism towards phenomena. It also warns the ignorant against total enslavement to the workings of the external powers. It advocates an intelligent attitude towards our relationship between ourselves and the stars.
Buddhism and Astrology
From the very beginning of time man has been fascinated by the stars and he has
always tried to find some links between them and his own destiny. His observation of the stars and their movemenst gave rise to two very important areas of study, namely
Astronomy and Astrology. Astronomy can be considered a pure science which is
concerned with the measurement of distances, the evolution and destruction of stars,
their movements and so on. Of course all these calculations are always made in relation to planet earth and how these interplanetary movements affect mankind on a physical level. Modern astronomy seeks to find answers to the still unanswered questions regarding the origin of man and the final, possible end of his existence as a member of the human race. It is fascinating area of study and our new knowledge of the Universe and the galaxies has put much pressure on many religions to evaluate their old-age postulations regarding a creator and the creation of life.
Buddhism does not face any such dilemma, simply because the Buddha did not
encourage his followers to speculate on things which were beyond their comprehension.
However he has made many allusions which in the light of our new knowledge gained
through science, shows us that the Buddha was very much aware of the true nature of
the Universe, that it was never created in one glorious moment, that the earth is merely
a tiny even relatively unimportant speck in all space, that there is a constant creation and
destruction and that everything is in constant motion.
Astrology, however is a completely different area of study altogether. Ever since early
man began to think, he was deeply concerned about his relationship with the universe.
When man developed from hunting to agriculture, he began to notice a link between the
movement of the sun through the year and his own activities of planting, harvesting and
similar projects. As he became more sophisticated he was able to predict the movement
of the sun and he invented time, dividing it into years, months, days, hours, minutes and
seconds.
He associated this knowledge with his existence whereby he felt that there was a
relationship between his own life cycle and the movement of the planets. This gave rise
to the Zodiacs - the apparent path of the sun. It contains twelve constellations. A study
of these movements in relation to the human being’s personal life is called a horoscope.
1
Page 2
The study of astrology involves a great understanding of human nature, an ability to
assess planetary movements precisely, together with an insight into the seemingly
unexplainable phenomena in the universe. There have been many brilliant astrologers in
the past and some exist even today. Unfortunately there are an even larger number of
charlatans who give astrology a bad name. They hood-wink people by predicting
seemingly true events about their future. They make large sums of money by exploiting
the ignorance and fear of the gullible. As a result scientists scoffed at astrology and did
not depend on it. However their hostile attitude is not really justifiable. The main
purpose of reading a horoscope should be to give one an insight into one’s own
character, in the same way that an x-ray photograph can show the physical make-up of
a man.
Statistics have shown that the influence of the sun in the signs of the Zodiac accounts
for the birth of unusual people during certain months. Certain crimes have been found to
correspond with Zodiac signs in which the sun is moving during certain months of the
year.
Thus an understanding of this relationship will help a man to plot his life more
meaningfully in harmony with his innate tendencies, so that there is less friction as he
goes through life.
A new born baby is like a seed. It contains within itself all the ingredients which will make
him a similar, yet completely different individual from all fellow human beings. How his
potential is developed depends like the seed, on the kind of training he receives. The
nature of a man born within him, but his own freewill determines whether he will make
really good use of his talents and abilities. Whether he will overcome his potential for
vice or weakness depends on how he is trained in his youth. If we recognize our nature
– our tendency towards laziness, irritability, worries, frustrations, wickedness,
cunningness, jealousy – we can take positive steps to overcome them. The first step in
solving problems is to recognize them for what they are.
Astrological interpretations indicate our inclinations and tendencies. Once pointed out we
must take the necessary steps to chart our lives in a manner that will make us useful
citizens of the world. Even a person with criminal tendencies can become a saint. If he
recognizes his nature and take steps to lead a good life.
A horoscope is a map drawn to shown the karmic force man carries, calculated from the
time of his birth. The force determines the time of birth and knowing this time, a skilful
astrologer can accurately chart a man’s destiny within a given life-span.
Everybody knows that the earth takes approximately one year to move around the sun.
This movement, viewed from the earth, places the sun in various zodiacal areas during
year. A person is born (not accidentally but as a result of karmic influence) when the sun
is in transit in one of the twelve Zodiacal signs.
Through the horoscope, the map of your life, you can determine certain times in your life
when you have to slow down, certain times when you can push yourself to great levels
2
Page 3
of creativity, and certain period when you have to watch your health and related
activities.
The question most people ask is whether Buddhism accepts or rejects astrology. Strictly
speaking, the Buddha did not make any direct pronouncement on this subject because
as in many other cases, he stated that discussions on matters such as these do not
pertain to spiritual development. Buddhism, unlike some other religions, does not
condemn astrology and people are free to use the knowledge they can get from it to
make their lives more meaningful. However, if we study the Buddha’s teaching carefully
we will come to accept that a proper and intelligent understanding of astrology can be a
useful tool. Modern science is in accordance with the teachings of Buddhism. This
means that there is a direct link between the life of an individual human being and the
vast workings of the cosmos. We know for example that there is a close link between the
movement of the moon and our behavior. This is seen especially among mentally
disturbed and abnormally violent people. It is also true that certain sicknesses like
asthma and bronchitis are aggravated when the moon waxes. There is therefore no
reason for us not to believe that other planets can also influence our lives.
Buddhists accepts that there is an immense cosmic energy which pulsates through
every living thing, including plants. This energy interacts with the karmic energy which
individual generates and determines the course that a life will take. The birth of an
individual is not the first creation of a life but the continuation of one that always existed
and will continue to exist so long as the karmic energy is not quelled through final
liberation in the unconditioned state. Now, for a life to manifest itself in a new existence,
certain factors, namely seasons, germinal order and nature must be fulfilled. These are
supported by mental energy and karmic energy and all these elements are in constant
interaction and interdependent with each other resulting in constant changes to a human
being’s life.
According to astrologers the time at which a person is born is predetermined by the
cosmic energy and the karmic energy. Hence, it can be concluded that life is not merely
accidental; it is the result of the interaction between an individual’s karma and the
universal energy force. The course of a human life is predetermined, cause partly by a
being’s own actions in the past and the energies that activate the cosmos. Once started,
a life is controlled by the interaction between these two forces even to the moment at
which a birth takes place. A skilful astrologer then, as one who understands cosmic as
well as karmic influence, can chart the course of one’s life, based on the moment of the
person’s birth.
While we are in one sense at the mercy of these forces, the Buddha has pointed out a
way through which we can escape its influence. All karmic energies are stored in the
subconscious mind-normally described as mental purities and impurities. Since karmic
forces influence one’s destiny, a person can develop his mind and negate certain evil
influences caused by previous bad kamma. A person can also “purify” his mind and rid
himself of all karmic energies and thus prevent rebirth. When there is no rebirth, there is
no potential life and there will consequently be no “future” existence which can be
predicted or charted. At such stage of spiritual and mental development, one will have
transcended the need to know about his life because most imperfections and
unsatisfactoriness would have been removed. A highly developed human being will have
no need of a horoscope.
3
Page 4
Since the beginning of the 20th
century, psychologist and psychiatrists have come to
recognize that there is much more to the human mind than the hard core materialists
have been ready to accept. There is more to the world that can be seen and touched.
The famous Swiss psychologist, Carl Jung, used to cast the horoscopes of his patients.
On one occasion when he made an astrological analysis of about 500 marriages, he
discovered that the findings of Ptolemy, on which modern western astrology is based,
were still valid, that favourable aspects between the sun and the moon of the different
partners did produce happy marriages.
The well-known French psychologist, Michel Gauguelin, who originally held a negative
view of astrology, made a survey of about 20,000 horoscopical analyses and found to
his surprise that the characteristics of the persons studied coincided with
characterization produced by modern psychological methods.
The planting of certain tree and vegetables at different times of a year will produce
differences in strength or appearance of the plants. So there is no reason to doubt that
people born in certain times of the year will have different characteristics from people
born at other times. By knowing his weakness, failures and short-comings, a man can do
his best to overcome them and make himself a better and more useful person to the
society. It will also help himself a great deal to get rid of unhappiness and
disappointments. Going away from the country where a person is born, can help one
avoid the influence of the stars.
Shakespeare says: “ The fault is not our stars but in ourselves that we are underlings”. A
well known astrologer had said: “ The stars impel; they do not compel”. St. Thomas
Aquinas says: “ The planets influence the more elemental part of man than passions”,
but through his intellect man can arrange his life in harmony with the planets, and also
cultivate his inherent talents and manipulate them for his betterment.
But astrology cannot automatically solve all your problems. You must do that yourself.
Just like a doctor who can discover the nature of disease, an astrologer can only show
certain aspects of your life and character. After that it is left to you adjust your way of life.
Of course, the task will be made easier, knowing what it is you are up against. Some
people are too dependent on astrology. They run to the astrologer everytime something
happens or even if they have a dream. Remember, even today astrology is very much
an imperfect science and even the best astrologers can make serious mistakes. Use
astrology intelligently, just as you would use any tool which would make your life more
comfortable and more enjoyable. Above all beware of fake astrologers who are out to
cheat you by telling you not the truth, but what you want to hear.
Do not expect good luck to come to you or be handed to you easily without any effort on
your part. If you want to reap the harvest, you must sow the seed and it must be the right
seed. Remember, “Opportunity knocks at the door, but never break the lock to gain
entrance”.
博文
