Mental Wards

[Nosta]

My question will sound silly.

Is there any mantras to protect one against mental attacks (mind control, controlling and seeing toughts...)?

Even if you dont believe on such things, do you know mental wards on the scriptures, regarding such matters?

I am not being possessed by demons or anything like that, but i was reading a serious book about alien abductions. In the reports, many abductees seem to be controlled by the aliens. Then, i made myself the question: if such cases are real and if i was abducted, could i protect myself using mantras or any other skills?

[Wesley1982]

Mental wards and hospital units are real.

Aliens and UFO's are probably not.

I'm sure a experienced Psychiatrist knows about the subtle delusions in the mind (illness) and seeks the best method of treatment for the problem.

[LastLegend]

No ideas my friend. If you are mind is one with Dharma, nothing can control your mind.

[Nosta]

LastLegend, probably thats true, specially for highly advanced masters and meditators. But what about buddhists with no skills, could there be mantras powerful enough against demons?

Wesley, i believe in ufos, there is hard evidence about their existence. But thats another topic and another conversation, that doesnt fit here

[catmoon]

Just opinion here but....

The only demons that exist are creations of the mind. As we become attached to these creations, as we gain a stake in their being real, they gain power over us. As we realize their imaginary nature, they lose power completely. No one fears Santa Claus, because they realize his imaginary nature. Some people are terrified of the Devil, simply because they are very convinced he is real and have staked their integrity, sanity and reputations on the idea. Someone who has done this will have great difficulty relegating their demons to the land of imagination.

[plwk]

[Nosta]

Just opinion here but....

The only demons that exist are creations of the mind. As we become attached to these creations, as we gain a stake in their being real, they gain power over us. As we realize their imaginary nature, they lose power completely. No one fears Santa Claus, because they realize his imaginary nature. Some people are terrified of the Devil, simply because they are very convinced he is real and have staked their integrity, sanity and reputations on the idea. Someone who has done this will have great difficulty relegating their demons to the land of imagination.

I think that some demons come from our mind as you said, pure imagination, but i think that there are realms of existence where beings suffer really much and may be very selfish and evil - the so called demons.

i also believe that there is a realm of existence where beings contact with this world, thats the world of ghosts.

From the moment we accept things like Karma and Rebirth, its natural to believe in such things. Just my opinion

[Grigoris]

Dear Nosta,

I know of no mantra to deal with alien abduction, but if it's a mantra against mind control/manipulation you're after there are plently out there. Ask your teacher to give you one/some. In the meantime the vajra guru mantra and/or the eight line prayer to Guru Rinpoche will definitely do the trick. Guru Rinpoche has promsied to appear to and assist any being that, with a heart full of pure faith, calls for his help.

[Mr. G]

LastLegend, probably thats true, specially for highly advanced masters and meditators. But what about buddhists with no skills, could there be mantras powerful enough against demons?

Nosta, you're a Pure Land practitioner right? These passages may interest you:


The Wang-sheng li-tsan (Hymns in Praise of Birth) says:

• If anyone recites [the name] of the Buddha in hope of birth, he or she will always be protected by all of the Buddhas of the six directions as numerous as the sands of the Ganges.

In Chapter 15 of the Senchakushu, Honen declares that they [nembutsu practitioners] are additionally protected by Amida Buddha, by his attendant bodhisattvas Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta, by the twenty-five bodhisattvas who appear in the Shih wang-sheng ching, by all the beings of the heavens, by the four kings, by the dragon deities and by all the other tutelary deities of Buddhism.

And Shinran writes:

• When we realize the diamondlike true mind, we transcend crosswise the paths of the five courses and eight hindered existences and unfailingly gain ten benefits in the present life. What are these ten?
  
  1. The benefit of being protected and sustained by unseen powers.
  2. The benefit of being possessed of supreme virtues.
  3. The benefit of our karmic evil being transformed into good.
  4. The benefit of being protected and cared for by all the Buddhas.
  5. The benefit of being praised by all the Buddhas.
  6. The benefit of being constantly protected by the light of the Buddha's heart.
  7. The benefit of having great joy in our hearts.
  8. The benefit of being aware of Amida's benevolence and of responding in gratitude to his virtue.
  9. The benefit of constantly practicing great compassion.
  10. The benefit of entering the stage of the truly settled.

[plwk]

http://www.drba.org/dharma/amitabhasutra.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Shariputra, what do you think? Why is it called Sutra which all Buddhas protect and bear in mind?
Shariputra, if a good man or good woman hears this Sutra and upholds It, and hears the names of all these Buddhas, this good man or good woman will also be one whom all Buddhas protect and bear in mind, and will attain non-retreat from anuttara samyak sambodhi. Therefore, Shariputra, all of you should believe and accept My words and the words all Buddhas speak.

The other Sage of the Sukhavati, who stands with Amitabha Buddha, the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, from Chapter 25, Lotus Sutra...

http://cttbusa.org//lotus/lotus25.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
“Inexhaustible Intention, one who receives and upholds the name of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva obtains the benefit of blessings and virtues as limitless and boundless as those.”
“Inexhaustible Intention! Guanshiyin Bodhisattva has accomplished merit and virtue such as this and, in all manner of forms, roams throughout the land, saving and liberating living beings.”
“Therefore you should all single-mindedly make offerings to Guanshiyin Bodhisattva. Guanshiyin Bodhisattva Mahasattva can, in the midst of fear, crisis, and hardship, bestow fearlessness. That is why in this Saha World, all call Him the “Bestower of Fearlessness.”
“Inexhaustible Intention, such is the self-mastery and spiritual power of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, who roams throughout the Saha World.”

I shall now tell you in brief,
That for those who hear His Name or see Him,
And who are mindful of His Name unceasingly,
He can extinguish the suffering of all realms of existence.

Living beings are beset with hardships,
And oppressed by limitless sufferings.
The power of Guanyin’s wondrous wisdom
Can rescue the world from suffering.

Complete with the power of spiritual penetrations,
Vastly cultivating wisdom and expedient means,
Going throughout countries in the ten directions,
He manifests everywhere in all places.

The various evil destinies,
Those of the hells, ghosts, and animals,
And the pain of birth, old age, sickness, and death
Are all gradually wiped away.

In thought after thought we have no doubt.
Guanshiyin is pure and sagely.
In times of suffering, agony, danger, and death,
He is our refuge and protector.

[Nosta]

Thank you for the answers so far.

I must remember that i am doing this question for curiosity. I am not afraid of being abducted or the like. I believe in ufos and other things, but honestly i am really not afraid of being kidnaped, controled, possessed by demons, etc.

As i said earlier, the reason for my question was just because i was reading a book about the subject (alien abduction).

Anyway, Mr G an plwk pointed very well that Amitabha buddhists may have some kind of protection against such "attacks".


But what if the attack come from weapons, real weapons from high tecnology? Thats not crap:
http://rt.com/news/weapons-future-zombie-media-486/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If such news are real, its scary! Would an Amitabha follower be capable to resist?

[Jesse]

Not to discredit the article, but rt.com is heavily associated with conspiracy theory websites, and should probably be taken with a grain of salt in most cases.

Imo, you nailed the problem yourself with, "its scary".. imo the best mental ward is identifying thoughts and feelings of fear when they come up and recognizing them as such. Whatever form they take, aliens or future weapons.

[Grigoris]

But what if the attack come from weapons, real weapons from high tecnology? Thats not crap:
http://rt.com/news/weapons-future-zombie-media-486/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yeah, right, for sure it's not crap!

If such news are real, its scary! Would an Amitabha follower be capable to resist?

You obviously need to spend more time practicing and less time obsessing with this garbage. You see the Buddha talked about a range of meditation and contemplation subjects that are not conducive to liberation. I imagine if he was around now conspiracy theories would definitely be on his lists of "don't waste your time" subjects!

[Infinite]

I just happen to be reading What the Buddha Taught by Walpola Rahula and it discusses how the Buddha says a lot of thinks are not worth contemplation and will keep you from proper understanding. Like is the galaxy infinite or finite? And other questions I think this would fall under the same. It isn't really useful for contemplation of any sort and has little to do with better understanding the Dharma and the Buddha's teachings. Just my $.02

[greentara]

Where? Where can I enter the way? How? How can I study? '

Kyosei asked: 'What is the noise outside?'

'That’s the voice of the raindrops, that’s the rain.' the student said.

'Enter from there.' Kyosei replied.

As he listened

mindlessly

The eavesdrops entered him.

[Nosta]

Indeed, as many of you said, such questions are not that important and one need to focus on Dharma and forget these matters.

Thank you all of you, once again