From a series of tweets between Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo and two of her followers, Michelle9647 and Seedsdown:
Michelle asked Jetsunma about ghosts after sharing a video of a “ghostly image” she had seen online. She asked Jetsunma if she had ever had an encounter.
Jetsunma: Yes. Some seem to be repetitive emotional “bodies”. Others seem to be temporary thinning of other dimensional systems.
Seedsdown: Demons you mean? There are those too!
Jetsunma: There are demons. But they aren’t ghosts.
Michelle: Are some of the classes of demons subject to the thinning dimensional systems?
Jetsunma: Maybe, but I think hell-beings are there due to Karma. The heinous crimes especially – cause and effect. Not a god punishing us. If that doesn’t fly, think about this: do we have nightmares? They are our own emotions being worked through in a display. In that way at time of death all emotions, concepts appear outwardly, jumbled in time. If we are haters, that is one hellish appearance. If greedy, another hell. We are drawn to repeat our own habitual tendencies. Like draws like. So we are attracted to what we know in the Bardo. As many hell-dreams as there are “dreamers” to “dream” them. That is why it is so precious to awaken. As Buddha did.
Michelle: Just a thought. If mankind was to wake up one day and live a life of love and the karma is purified, what then happens to the demons?
Jetsunma: Very good question. It is very difficult to change habits in a hell realm, but it can be done, must be done. In the same way it is so difficult to let go of the addiction to samsara when living. Or to wake up from a dream. We must accumulate a storehouse of merit and virtue to draw from. It is like money in the bank, simply stated.
Was that clear enough for twitter? Any more questions?
Michelle: I’ve heard stories of great beings taming the demons. How is this done if merit is needed, because I do believe these stories to be true.
Jetsunma: Those stories are true. The merit of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is so great it can transform all through Bodhicitta, thereby transforming the habit and non-virtue of hell beings. That is the power of many lifetimes living compassion and love. So don’t waste time.
Sometimes, demons (hell beings) can affect the world we know. They are powerful in their laser like focus on hate. Some remain in one habitual place, like a haunting. Some want to return to their old ways desperately. I once knew an alcoholic (raging!) and three pitiful demons possessed him, trying to get their mouths and noses where his were. They were trying to smell and drink the liquor he always stank of. So the poor gent’s craving was magnified three times! So disgusting to see!
Another time a little girl had cerebral palsy and I saw a bag like thing sucking from her lower brain. She had a mild case. When I removed it the doctors were amazed, said she had “grown out of it.” Easier to take I guess! It seemed they had a karmic bond, hurting each other life after life. When it came off it tried to go to me and was transformed, able to take a higher rebirth. Some are easy to deal with, others extremely difficult.
But we should never fear if we can help it. They love that. One can visualize oneself in a sphere of light to protect. Buddhists have more options, puja, smoke offering, mantra, deity generation. Eventually we get strong and naturally repel them.
Michelle: It makes one wonder how many of these conditions are more “beings” based than medical.
Jetsunma: Many more than we can imagine.
Michelle: What you just said was heartbreaking and for some reason it was also very freeing.
Jetsunma: Goes to show. We live in our own karmic stream, and our own awareness and view is the door to samsara and enlightenment both.
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