Question asked by Bhavisha
I am very very greatful to the great Tsem Rinpoche and all working here for Dharma, I am really very grateful 🙏
Namo Buddhaya
1.My neighbor have four caged bird and when they go for farming at village they gave it to me for 10 days to care. I literally could see their efforts to get out and felt immeasurable pain. Two of them born in the cage. When they returned I made them to understand to not collect bad karma, make them feel painful by doing so and told them to free. They didn't listen and think vice-versa that in actual they are taking care of them in very good way by doing so. They never release them from the cage. I make some oath by myself for atleast their physical freedom. But I thought they have very short life and whatever I am doing has very slow effect. If anything u can suggest for their freedom to do me mantra or else. I will do. Because I have seen and felt their pain. Two of them were trying so hard with their beak to break iron cage.
2. My mother told me when I born I had a red swastika mark on my front neck bit of left side. When after 4 or 5 day after she told or show everyone it just disappeared. I confirmed everything with my grandmother and she also described same and agreed on event. I want to know if it has something meaningful to say me or anything related to I know. Sometimes question arise out of my ego and sometimes curiosity but here I found the right space and people to talk or ask about it because swastika has special meaning in buddhism.
3. I am keeping eye on my dreams since 4 to 5 years and I have seen there no progress. Even since two years I am living my best life but in my dream I am always in the past while actually I am future oriented person and visit the places with lower vibes which I don't in real life. I actually don't have nightmares but I feel not good about my dreamlife. There is no always scary places but always lower vibes and full of ignorance type of places and people from my past. If anyway I can make lucidity in my dreams or make it more vibrant. I just recently started orange manjushri mantra.
My questions are different and any of them or all are not related to dharma or your scope please ignore.
I am very very greatful.
Thank you 😊
Hi Bhavisha,
Thank you for your questions.
1. In regards to the birds in cages, this is very difficult situation. Unfortunately, there is no much you can do, because the birds belong to their neighbours. Since two of the birds were born in the cage, they probably won’t be able to live outside in the wild on their own. If you free them, you may or may not actually save them if they cannot survive on their own. Similarly it will create trouble with your neighbours.
So you would need to keep talking to your neighbours and figure out a way that you can help the birds. Make sure that they are looked after even if they are in the cages physically. Make sure they are well, looked after, fed, etc. At the same time you should let them hear prayers and mantras so it blesses their mind, so one day they will be free of their suffering. If not in this life then in the next life.
2. Yes, the swastika has very special meaning in Buddhism. In relations to your birth mark, it could have a number of meanings. One of those is that perhaps in a previous life you were a Buddhist practitioner. But that is only one possibility. Even if this were the case this doesn’t actually have much impact on this life unless you practice spirituality. This may lead to the imprints from previous lives to open up in this life, boosting your spiritual practice.
3. In terms of dreams, many people these believe in their dreams. But actually dreams, in most cases is simply the subconscious trying to process things or work things out. Since you stated that your dreams are mostly of the past, you should sit down and contemplate those experiences. Perhaps there is something from your past that you need to work through and resolve.
In terms of lucidity in dreams, there are number of ways this can be achieved. Reciting Manjushri’s mantra can lead to this, but if relying on Manjushri’s mantra alone, depending on how strong your faith and conviction is, together with how much merit you have generated, it may take millions of millions of mantras to start gaining that lucidity. In general however, lucidity in dreams can also come about through single-pointed concentration meditation as outlined in the Lamrim teachings.
I hope this helps.