External mental influences

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Heimdall
Posts: 153
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2021 8:28 am

External mental influences

Post by Heimdall »

In Mahayana Buddhism, can spiritual entities influence your thoughts?

If so,
1. To what extent are they able to do so,
2. How does one distinguish these thoughts arising out of your own craving vs. external manipulation

Thanks
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PadmaVonSamba
Posts: 9445
Joined: Sat May 14, 2011 1:41 am

Re: External mental influences

Post by PadmaVonSamba »

External mental influences, internal mental influences, it all depends on how you respond to them. That’s what meditation, study, and discipline is about, training the mind to respond with clarity and non-clinging.
EMPTIFUL.
An inward outlook produces outward insight.
Soma999
Posts: 702
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2016 3:52 pm

Re: External mental influences

Post by Soma999 »

Not only spiritual entities : everything influence your thought. If you investigate, i don’t think you will find any thought that does not relate to an extent or another at something « external ».

Meditation helps you to focus yourself, master yourself and taking some control, not being the puppet of your thoughts. Also, you have power on what do you want to feed with your attention. If you focus on spiritual teachings, that will manifests more beneficial thoughts and connect you with more beneficial influences. There are invisible beings also that are very beneficient. Bodicitta, harmony... attracts them.
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Aemilius
Posts: 4604
Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2010 11:44 am

Re: External mental influences

Post by Aemilius »

Heimdall wrote: Thu Oct 14, 2021 4:47 pm In Mahayana Buddhism, can spiritual entities influence your thoughts?

If so,
1. To what extent are they able to do so,
2. How does one distinguish these thoughts arising out of your own craving vs. external manipulation

Thanks
There are advertisements, TV news, and radio-music playing constantly in public places, that affects you. They are spiritual entities too. Without your noticing they sink into your un- or subconsciousness. The only cure and protection is probably mindfulness. If you watch the setting sun, for example, is it the sun or your impression of it, that affects you? What takes place in your mind (and body), when you are conscious of the setting sun and its light?
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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