Buddha's emanation

[wmw111]

Buddhas and high level bodhisattvas can emanate many forms, the more realized  the more forms it can emanate to .

So question is , let say it is a being that Buddha emanates into , let say a dog. The dog has the Buddha mind in it is that correct?  so whatever the dog does benefits other beings?

Question again , if there are so many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas who have become enlightened in the past, won't there be many of them around us.  So how many of us are not emanations?

[Crazywisdom]

I'm not sure what an emination is    Is it a dog or such, and then a Buddha goes 'into' it to help other beings, or, is it there is no dog then the Buddha appears as a dog to help beings   

I would think that in either case, if there is a Buddha in there somewhere then the actions will benefit other beings.

Well i know i'm not an emination I was going to say i hope i'm not the only one left who isn't an emination but realised that in fact i hope i am the only one left 

Jon 

[spiritnoname]

I think the term emanation is not really well understood, I'm not entirely sure what it means even because I'd have to know how it works.

[Joey]

from what  I understand, an emanation is a being or an object that has the same nature of the Buddha that emanated it - meaning that it is enlightened although it appears worldy and it exists for a specific purpose. It is somewhat like the Buddha creates another consciousness from the Buddha's own mindstream.

Je Pabongkha has mentioned that they would even emanate as inanimate objects such as bridges and roads in order to benefit others, so to really attempt to answer your question would be mind boggling.

and even if we are emanations, we will never know until the Guru points out that we are and remind us of what we're supposed to do.

[spiritnoname]

 My thoughts on emanations are that one uses their view in such a way to bring into being whatever they need, necessities become present and they are brought about in accordance with the goals of the practitioner, since the consciousness of the practitioner made it possible for these things to appear by mental action, they're called emanations, but the practitioner did not create them and they may (if it's a person) have their own karma and consciousness.

 Correct me if I'm wrong, this is like entirely my own ideas and no teaching on this subject comes to mind.

[greasypalm]

from what  I understand, an emanation is a being or an object that has the same nature of the Buddha that emanated it - meaning that it is enlightened although it appears worldy and it exists for a specific purpose. It is somewhat like the Buddha creates another consciousness from the Buddha's own mindstream.

Je Pabongkha has mentioned that they would even emanate as inanimate objects such as bridges and roads in order to benefit others, so to really attempt to answer your question would be mind boggling.

and even if we are emanations, we will never know until the Guru points out that we are and remind us of what we're supposed to do.

Well put Joey.

So when we get stuck in a traffic jam (inanimate), we are tested to the limit on our patience.

As to so many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas - hmmm... I always thought there is only ONE who emanates in so many different forms.

[Joey]

from what  I understand, an emanation is a being or an object that has the same nature of the Buddha that emanated it - meaning that it is enlightened although it appears worldy and it exists for a specific purpose. It is somewhat like the Buddha creates another consciousness from the Buddha's own mindstream.

Je Pabongkha has mentioned that they would even emanate as inanimate objects such as bridges and roads in order to benefit others, so to really attempt to answer your question would be mind boggling.

and even if we are emanations, we will never know until the Guru points out that we are and remind us of what we're supposed to do.

Well put Joey.

So when we get stuck in a traffic jam (inanimate), we are tested to the limit on our patience.

As to so many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas - hmmm... I always thought there is only ONE who emanates in so many different forms.

there is only 1 Buddha but Rinpoche has also mentioned that each emanation has its own aggregates and consciousness. It has also been compared to a moon and its reflections in water: the moon is one but it can appear anywhere where there is water reflecting the moon, all appears to be independent but the moon is still the source...

oh well, i'd rather just take it as it is than to intellectualize, after all in some pujas you are to visualize everyone and everything around you as a holy being, perhaps this concept helps to keep that in check.

[wmw111]

I don't quite understand the context in which you say there is only one Buddha.

All Buddhas are of the same nature , Buddhas are like water mixing with water.  But does that mean if I become a Buddha I will be merged into one continuum ? But prior to becoming a Buddha , it was individuals beings who strove for enlightenment . Am I getting this correct?

[Joey]

I don't quite understand the context in which you say there is only one Buddha.

All Buddhas are of the same nature , Buddhas are like water mixing with water.  But does that mean if I become a Buddha I will be merged into one continuum ? But prior to becoming a Buddha , it was individuals beings who strove for enlightenment . Am I getting this correct?

so far i do feel that way, based on what i have read so far as the best masters from all traditions will only say the same thing,the merging of the mind to the source can be observed from there. So, the better our practice is the more our mind will resemble our Guru's which is the Buddha's mind. Another clue to why i feel that way is because Rinpoche, Pabongkha Rinpoche and Milarepa have mentioned that all Gurus are the same in nature - even if they appear differently. That's what i feel it may be but i do not know for sure until i am enlightened