Question on Ganesha and Buddhism

[Guest guest]

I have another question...LOL

 

 

This is a more deep question than it could seem. It is a deep question

for me cause I am following the buddhist path but althought I do so, I

still consider Ganesha to be an important part in my life and my path.

Ganesha seems to symbolise the self and buddhism seem to speak of the

non-self, both contradictory statements in a first and simple look.

 

What would be if there is, the relationship between Ganesha and

Buddhism?

 

Althought it doesn´t seem to be a clear link there are some signals

that indicate that there are common things between buddhism and the

tradition around Ganesha...at least my intuition tells me it is not a

crazy thing to consider...

 

For instance...tantrism is common to hinduism and to buddhism

also, there is a symbol in buddhism related to the vajra of the heart,

a tantric knowledge. And today I found on this book about Ganesha,

"Song of the Self" by John A. Grimes, that there is a tantric way of

depicting Ganesha thru geometric shapes. My scanner doesn´t work but

the figure representing Ganesha that way would be from up to bottom the

following symbols one beneath the other:

 

1. a Kind of circle flame (crown chakra)

2. a quarter of a moon

3. a triangle pointing downwards (head)

4. a circle (belly of Ganesha)

5. a rectangle (legs of ganesha in meditation posture)

 

the Tantric symbol representing Ganesha is also said to represent the

five elements: space,air,fire,water and earth

 

 

All this is exactly what is represented in the vajra of the heart

symbol, the five elements, the five dhayani Buddhas....

 

The only "problem" I have connecting all this together is that Buddhism

seem to establish the non-self while Ganesha seems to represent the

divine self...

 

The only way to link all this would be,in my opinion, to consider the

Self to be what buddhist call Buddha Nature, wich is self and non self

at the same time...

 

Any hint?

 

Love to all

Barbara

[Guest guest]

Greetings:

I've thought a good deal about the issues you raise on my own... I am

(basically) Buddhist, of the Pure Land School, but cannot deny my love for Lord

Ganesha. I have a statue of a dancing Ganesha on one side of my main Buddhist

image, with Guan Yin on the other...

I have a couple of thoughts... first, as I understand it, Ganesha is worshipped

by both the Buddhists and Jains, as well as by the Hindus... the only Indian

God, I believe, to be so honored... although I haven't found much information

on the details of this...

The more important question is the one you raise... is the Buddha Nature the

same as the Hindu idea of Atman, or self? Scholars have argued this for a

couple of thousand years... but many sages, including Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi

in the last century, felt that it was only a difference in terminology, and

that both Atman and Buddha Nature refer to the same experience... I'm no

scholar, and I haven't realized either Atman or Buddha Nature... but I'm

inclined to believe that the difference is one of words, not substance...

Anyway, I hope that this is of some help... If I find anything on the Buddhist

worship of Ganesha, I'll let you know...

Rick G.

"aqesa" <aqesa >

 

Wed, 15 May 2002 15:20:55 -0000

 

Question on Ganesha and Buddhism

I have another question...LOL

This is a more deep question than it could seem. It is a deep question

for me cause I am following the buddhist path but althought I do so, I

still consider Ganesha to be an important part in my life and my path.

Ganesha seems to symbolise the self and buddhism seem to speak of the

non-self, both contradictory statements in a first and simple look.

What would be if there is, the relationship between Ganesha and

Buddhism?

Althought it doesn´t seem to be a clear link there are some signals

that indicate that there are common things between buddhism and the

tradition around Ganesha...at least my intuition tells me it is not a

crazy thing to consider...

For instance...tantrism is common to hinduism and to buddhism

also, there is a symbol in buddhism related to the vajra of the heart,

a tantric knowledge. And today I found on this book about Ganesha,

"Song of the Self" by John A. Grimes, that there is a tantric way of

depicting Ganesha thru geometric shapes. My scanner doesn´t work but

the figure representing Ganesha that way would be from up to bottom the

following symbols one beneath the other:

1. a Kind of circle flame (crown chakra)

2. a quarter of a moon

3. a triangle pointing downwards (head)

4. a circle (belly of Ganesha)

5. a rectangle (legs of ganesha in meditation posture)

the Tantric symbol representing Ganesha is also said to represent the

five elements: space,air,fire,water and earth

All this is exactly what is represented in the vajra of the heart

symbol, the five elements, the five dhayani Buddhas....

The only "problem" I have connecting all this together is that Buddhism

seem to establish the non-self while Ganesha seems to represent the

divine self...

The only way to link all this would be,in my opinion, to consider the

Self to be what buddhist call Buddha Nature, wich is self and non self

at the same time...

Any hint?

Love to all

Barbara

Sponsor

 

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