wow... this is getting a bit out of hand and more like fantasy already... anyway.. first.. i am not a buddist... i am just a knowledge seeker and recently buddism topic arises and interested me... so... i will write a bit on this...

first of all.. there is 6 realms of samsara.. if we have not reached enlightenment... we will "dwell" in either one of this 6 realms... and to be reborned as a human... as buddha teaches it when he grasp the sand on the floor and said that it is as much as the sand in his hands compare to those sands lying around... ie... its precious and hard to get human form... so the guy up there who say you can "choose" is not really that correct... where you go depends on the "balance" of merits... if you are good.. you go to higher "realms".. if not.. lower realms..

ok... buddism is only the "teachings" of buddha... the rest is add in... as some mention.. toaism... and stuff... lets go back to the teachings... first.. you have know.. there is no begining.. and there is no end... no begining no end... our body.. is just like a lease on an apartment.. when "it" expires.. you have to leave... and the concept of "me" does not exist.. that is a topic of its on so i skip.. basically the conclusion is "conciousness" is passed on.. the so call soul in other society.. this conciousness... and "karma" attached... that is the stuff that is pass on.. how long it leaves the body? depends on the meditation depth the person has achieved... some leave the body as soon as "death" (as in brain dead) happens.. and the body began to rot (start to smell).. some sifu or high meditators.. can last longer.. up to a week.. when pronounce "dead" (as in brain dead).. some ppl still observe certain "activity" and the body will not rot.. this is when they say the "conciousness" is still intact and not pass on... "generally" they say about 2 to 3 days... hence the mourning is usually 3 days.. as the "person" can still hear or linger around... some sifu.. as observed during china invade tibet and capture them time.. can meditate and chose to "leave" (dead) and rebirth.. some.. as seen by some sifu.. can "choose" or "know" when they die.. but generally it depends on the depth of meditation one has achieved... ok.. that part covered...

ghost festival.. the 15th day of lunar seventh months.. its also known as buddha joy month (most monks went to meditate and usually this months a lot gain enlighment this month).. at the same time.. another sutra by one of the buddha chief disciple (long name and i forgot).. got mentioned that the diciple dreamt of his mother in one of his past life suffering as a hungry ghost down there and is suffering very badly due to a past evil karmic act.. something abt he give her some money for charity (belongs to sangha) but instead of doing it she selfishly used it for her own benefit (in buddist term its stealing from the sangha which is a very bad bad bad bad bad negative karma).. so she was "thrown" to the hungry ghost realm to suffer until the karma is paid.. and the mother appeared in his dreams and ask him to help her gain some merits.. and the disciple woke up... and asked buddha what can he do to help her... and buddha asked him to help her gain merits by "feeding" the hungry ghost... and hence its also known as the hungry ghost festival as these practices so happen to fall on the 15th day of the 7th chinese lunar calender.. and the keyword is "feed"... not those burning and stuff... those are totally different... but since the practice is mixed over the centuries.... well... it becomes as what we see now... the "feed" mention i believe is "chanting" but i am yet to clear that part as i know buddist "chant" two very long sutras especially for the month.. and of coz some "food" offerings... ok.. that cleared that up...

ok.. the burning and stuff... yes.. as some mentioned its not a buddist practice.. it is in fact not.. its taoism practice.. now have to go back some time.. buddha teachings are only the words that buddha said.. the 4 noble truths.. the eightfold path and the sutras that is passed down.. other than that... its not buddist... but the "followers" who brought the teachings around... incorporated the teachings with the "local" practices... why? coz its easier to accept.. as long as the practice does not harm.. that is why some "evil" practices stopped... but the good ones remains.. the "buddist" have no problem with other practices as long as it does no harm.. hence some places have some sort of "different" practice.. but in the end of the day.. what is important is the sangha.. the dharma.. and the buddha (triple jewel)... as long as there is no harm... as long as the teachings are not diverted... as long as the faith is intact.. ok.. that answers some qs... well.. to be honest... i still find it hard to differentiate buddist and local practices.. but hey.. a scholar/knowledge seeker have to continue

i think i missed something.. typing while working and a lot of distraction.. sorry.... if someone could remind me where i forgot.. i might try to see if i can answer them...

This post has been edited by Wolves: Aug 20 2014, 04:57 PM

ah.. i remembered.. someone mention why ghost cannot just go fridge and take food... well.. in all 6 realms.. they all see things differently... for example.. water.. in human world.. we see them as water... in hungry ghost realm.. they see it as fire... and in the higher being realms... they see it as crystals... so different realms see things differently.. in one of the sutras.. it got mention hungry ghost can only eat puss.. blood and something.... very dirty.. coz of their karmic balance... they are "punished" and other stuff they eat will burnt their throat or something.. and so they appear skinny and cannot swallow stuff.. and one more thing is that each "realms" have different "life span".. and how long we stay there... depends on the karma balance again... this karma thingy will follow us and records whatever we do.. so there is no escape from it..

one more thing to clear... erm.. when we talk abt buddha..... it actually means enlightened beings.. there is actually more than one buddha.... the nearest to us as in the time frame is buddha sakyamuni (i think i spelt it right)...

anything else i forgot? got distracted and i forgot what i wanna write de...

ah crap.. the most important part.. lucky i read chrono-tiger's post again.. his post really good... ok.. praying to "ancestors".. thats actually a mix.. coz the "departed" or ancestors.. depending on the realms they went to... they can help.. as in if they are reincarnated in the higher beings.. and they can be in "ghost" realms... and we can "help"... and yes... we can still transfer merits to them.. as mention on the ghost festival thingy... even animal realms... animals benefitted from listening to sutras.. even though their karmic balance makes them unable to appreciate stuff we can... but they can still gain merits from us.. and only human realms can gain merits (need to read more on this as i am not really that sure but it does seems to be pointing in that direction).. and even if someone has pass away... the "fabric" of karma still interwines with everything or even us.. i think the term is "karmic knots"... that is why we need to slowly untie these knots too.. they can be an obstacles... and why "buddist" dint stop these taoism part (as i say they are mix.. praying to "ancestor" part is taoism) is because "respecting" the dead.. and the elders are good merits.. you gain good merits too.. and depends on their rebirth.. as i mention.. they can help you or in some cases.. you can help them by transfering merits..

I petik(quote) this from The Sutra of the Past Vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva... the two sutra i mention earlier they read during the ghost month... this one is the LONG one... i have been reading a bit for the past few days and not yet finish... it is really really really very long.. I put both the sutra quote.. and the "explaination" by one high monk on it....

(Quote)
Sutra:
For forty-nine days it is as if one were stunned and deaf, or as if in the courts arguing over one's own karmic retribution. Once judgement has been fixed, rebirth is undergone in accordance with one's deed.

Explaination:
During the 49 days while the spirit still does not know whether or not it has offenses or blessings, it is in a state of great confusion (stunned) and as in if deaf (it feels like it still has ears but cannot hear anything!).

This Intermediate Skanda Body is even more impermanent. It dies every seven days. It can last for a maximum of seven lives. Hence 49 days is the maximum amount of time before it goes for rebirth.

The hells, King yama's court, have 5 officials.... "
(Unquote)

(i stop here for this sutra and explaination and jumps to the next since i dunno TS is interested to hear the rest but i think the "spirit" explanation and the days/time after death is important...)

(Quote)
Sutra:
Throughout forty-nine days, one whose life has ended and who has not yet been reborn, in every thought, hopes that all his flesh-and-bone relatives will earn blessings powerful enough to rescue him or her.

Explanation:
During the peroid of the seven weeks following death one is as if in darkness, or as in in a court arguing his case. in the hells there are ten Yamas, each of whom has five subalterns. Within all five divisions there is argument and discussion about the deeds that have been done and retribution to be undergone.

In China it is customary to have monks recite sutras and do various things for the benefit of the dead during the seven weeks following death. This custom is derived from the principle clearly stated in this passage.
(unquote)

ok... earlier it got mention about the types of offerings.. i read until here.. and i remember this thread so i come to type out so TS can understand.. erm.. this is the part where the Earth Store Bodhisattva explain how we.. the one still living can help the deceased and the "merits" we gained in doing so.. erm.. earlier part got mention the "offerings" we can do on their behalf and explaination... basically everything can... incense.. oil lamp and stuff... all that does not involved killing... it got mention if you offer roast pork for example.. it actually created more karma and the deceased will face heavier karma penalty.. and even if he were to go heaven he might be throw down.. no killing punya offering only is allowed.... and it got explains that sometimes humans.. we.. do these coz when we do these stuff and usually "lack of response"... this kinda thing mana ada response and we "eager" to know so we seek out "spirits".. its mention there that spirits can help us "see" depending on what sort of spirits.. they are broken down to types in the text.. anyway.. it says ALL spirits cannot help us when it comes to these karma stuff... they cannot affect anything and to please them... when we offer the "meat" offering... we already committed heavier karmic penalty.. and these spirits will not tell "us" about that part coz it "enjoys" the offering.. so conclusion.. anything none living can be used as offerings.. the one shocked me is "butter".. i dint know until i read this long sutra...

anyway.. i still not yet finish reading but i can tell you i learn a lot from this sutra.. especially the commentary and explaination part... i still got around 200 pages to go at this moment so i am sure to discover more stuff... but i guess this answers the TS qs... over and out..