Vimanas & ufos in tantric buddhism

General discussion, particularly exploring the Dharma in the modern world.
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Aemilius
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Vimanas & ufos in tantric buddhism

Post by Aemilius »

Ven. Tsem Tulku Rimpoche has taught in his web site the multiplying mantra: OM SAMBHARA SAMBHARA VIMANA-SARA-MAHA-JAVA HUM ( OM cherish, cherish, you of the very-swift-moving aerial chariot HUM!). Buddhists generally do not like the concept of Vimana very much because it means an aerial chariot, and it has been understood as a form of ancient aircraft, or ancient flying vehicle, flying palace, or even an ancient UFO. Buddhists are really vulnerable to the eight worldly Dharmas, and because of being subject to ridicule they will easily forsake valuable things in Buddhism, like the Vimanas as an example. Modern hindus are in this respect more sturdy people, and they have preserved things like the Vimanas. Here is interesting hindu tantric information about the Vimanas http://www.stephen-knapp.com/ufos_and_vimanas.htm
svaha
"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Sarvē mānavāḥ svatantrāḥ samutpannāḥ vartantē api ca, gauravadr̥śā adhikāradr̥śā ca samānāḥ ēva vartantē. Ētē sarvē cētanā-tarka-śaktibhyāṁ susampannāḥ santi. Api ca, sarvē’pi bandhutva-bhāvanayā parasparaṁ vyavaharantu."
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 1. (in english and sanskrit)
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Paul
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Re: Vimanas & ufos in tantric buddhism

Post by Paul »

If you're interested in vimanas, I really recommend this film: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Objective" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - I thought it was great.

It helps to know a bit about Arabic legends too.
Look at the unfathomable spinelessness of man: all the means he's been given to stay alert he uses, in the end, to ornament his sleep. – Rene Daumal
the modern mind has become so limited and single-visioned that it has lost touch with normal perception - John Michell
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Nosta
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Re: Vimanas & ufos in tantric buddhism

Post by Nosta »

I dont get the idea: why buddhists dont like Vimanas?

I believe vimanas were real vehicles.

The reports of Vimanas in the past are, in my opinion, an evidence for the reality of UFOs.

And speaking on the relation between Vimanas and Buddhism, i think that probably some of the Devas described in the sutras are ET entities. I mean, when we read that Buddha was talking to an assembly with some strange creatures, i suppose that some of them were aliens.
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Paul
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Re: Vimanas & ufos in tantric buddhism

Post by Paul »

There's also the wheel that a Charkravartin owns that allows him to move anywhere: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=-380 ... in&f=false" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Look at the unfathomable spinelessness of man: all the means he's been given to stay alert he uses, in the end, to ornament his sleep. – Rene Daumal
the modern mind has become so limited and single-visioned that it has lost touch with normal perception - John Michell
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Aemilius
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Re: Vimanas & ufos in tantric buddhism

Post by Aemilius »

Nosta wrote:I dont get the idea: why buddhists dont like Vimanas?

I believe vimanas were real vehicles.

The reports of Vimanas in the past are, in my opinion, an evidence for the reality of UFOs.

And speaking on the relation between Vimanas and Buddhism, i think that probably some of the Devas described in the sutras are ET entities. I mean, when we read that Buddha was talking to an assembly with some strange creatures, i suppose that some of them were aliens.
Because anything even remotely connected with ufos belongs to the fringe area of society, not to the respetected, honorable establishment of the human society. Most buddhists want to be part in the last mentioned, and therefore in modern translations of Lotus sutra and some other sutras where Vimanas appear, the word has been translated as just a "palace", and as a "treasure platform"(!?). So we have now quite conveniently disposed with the vimanas.

There is a collection called Vimanavastu in the Theravada Canon, tranlated as Stories of Heavenly Mansions. Vimanas are mentioned also in King Ashokas Rock edicts, in Sravasti Dhammika's translation of them. They don't belong only to the Mahayana.

The question is about the categories of beings that we have in our culture, in our society. We tend to see beings for which we have a word, a category.
svaha
"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Sarvē mānavāḥ svatantrāḥ samutpannāḥ vartantē api ca, gauravadr̥śā adhikāradr̥śā ca samānāḥ ēva vartantē. Ētē sarvē cētanā-tarka-śaktibhyāṁ susampannāḥ santi. Api ca, sarvē’pi bandhutva-bhāvanayā parasparaṁ vyavaharantu."
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 1. (in english and sanskrit)
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Nosta
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Re: Vimanas & ufos in tantric buddhism

Post by Nosta »

But ufos belong to the fringe area of society because we have not an open mind.

If within 10 years ufos get to be a respectable area of society will buddhists talk about that?

Its not society that defines whats respectable or not fot the Sangha, Dharma is. A buddhist must think that an ufo is just the vehicle of othe being needing to be saved, needing to learn Dharma. And thats respectable. This is my opinion. :)
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Grigoris
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Re: Vimanas & ufos in tantric buddhism

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beam me up scotty.jpg
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