{"id":118258,"date":"2014-01-11T00:10:02","date_gmt":"2014-01-10T18:40:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=118258"},"modified":"2014-01-17T03:24:30","modified_gmt":"2014-01-16T21:54:30","slug":"law-of-attraction-buddhism-and-faith-based-religions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/law-of-attraction-buddhism-and-faith-based-religions\/","title":{"rendered":"Law Of Attraction, Buddhism And Faith Based Religions"},"content":{"rendered":"

By\u00a0Mahendra De Silva<\/a><\/span>\u00a0\u2013<\/strong><\/p>\n

Recently I had an opportunity to read some inspirational books on Law of Attraction. Law of Attraction theory became popular in the world especially after Napoleon Hill in 1937 published his book \u201cThink and grow rich.\u201d \u00a0Then there was \u201c The Law of Attraction\u201d by Ester & Jerry Hicks.\u00a0 Based on these books Rhonda Byrne has produced a book and a movie \u2018Secret\u201d which gained widespread attention in the media. I also listened Wayne Dyer, an inspirational speaker who is spreading the same message in a very thought provoking manner.<\/p>\n

What is law of Attraction?<\/b><\/p>\n

Law of Attraction (LA) works by \u201cbelieving in something so strongly that it manifests itself into reality\u201d\u00a0In summary LA is simply Ask, Believe and Receive. That is whatever the mind can conceive and believe mind can achieve, regardless of how many times you have failed in the past. We have heard the saying \u201cLike attracts like\u201d and \u201cBirds of feather flock together\u201d Law of Attraction is the extension of same concept further. This belief is based upon the idea that people and their thoughts are both made from pure energy, and the belief that like energy attracts like energy.\u00a0One example used by a proponent of the law of attraction is that if a person opened an envelope expecting to see a bill, then the law of attraction would “confirm” those thoughts and contain a bill when opened. A person who decided to instead expect a cheque might, under the same law, find a cheque instead of a bill.<\/p>\n

\"In<\/a>

In our country Buddhists very often go to churches, Hindu Kovils and many other sacred places to make vows to achieve their desires.<\/p><\/div>\n

First step to accomplish is to have a strong desire to achieve your goal which should be clear in your mind. Your desire should be sincere and genuine. It should always in your heart and in your memory until you achieve it. Esther in her book \u201cLaw of Attraction\u201d also suggests that it would be more effective, if we start implanting the request in mind after a brief breathing meditation session. What happens after some time in meditation is that mind will be in a calm and tranquil stage, which is the best environment to plant the suggestion to inner consciousness.<\/p>\n

The second step is to believe that you would receive it. You should avoid thinking all the obstacles you would encounter to achieve it. You need not think\u00a0 how you are going to get it. Simply believe that you deserve to get it. Napoleon Hill also suggests that you should write it clearly what you want and also why you deserve it in the opposite page and to memorise it daily.<\/p>\n

Last part is the most important and success will greatly depend on this. \u00a0If LA is to work, your eternal vibrations must match with your request. For example if you want something but keep on thinking of lack of it, or negative feelings the chances of success would also be reduced. Having positive feelings \u2013 feeling that your task is already achieved \u2013you should be smart enough to generate the feeling or sensation you obtain when you get your desire, even before you receive it. That would make your vibrations match with your desire.<\/p>\n

According to the theory, everything including your 5 senses is\u00a0 in vibrations. Emotions are a very sophisticated sensor of vibration. In order for LA to work, emotions should be in alignment with your desire. Suspicions, anger sadness create resistance which will block the achievement though source energy.<\/p>\n

Most of the Inspirational books \u00a0suggest that feeling of gratitude is\u00a0 important to be successful in any endeavor. This includes thinking of all the people who has helped you, wishing them good will and also to spread loving kindness to everyone including the people you do not like. This create positive energy within the self.<\/p>\n

LA is allowing you to take over your mind without allowing emotions to take over the mind.\u00a0 The reason why people suffer most of the time is\u00a0 because they have own internal barriers they have imposed on themselves and form patterns of negative behavior and prejudices from the time they were born. In order to get what you want you have to break the barriers and your vibrations should match with the vibrations of what you are asking. It makes no sense to worry about past or things you have no control over because there’s nothing you can do about them. Why \u00a0worry about things you do control? The activity of worrying keeps you immobilize.\u00a0 What we think determines what happens to us, so if we want to change our lives, we need to stretch our minds<\/p>\n

Compatibility of Law of Attraction with Buddhism<\/b><\/p>\n

For a Buddhist ultimate purpose of life is liberation through purification of mind. For that it is essential that we should practice detachment instead of attachment. However this could be practiced fully by renunciation of everything and becoming a monk. Ordinary people still expect pleasure. They have wants and struggle every day to find the resources to satisfy the ever increasing wants. It is a suffering indeed. But LA is a powerful tool that can be used along with the knowledge of Buddhism to reduce anxiety and have happiness in our lives.<\/p>\n

The Dhammapada, first and second verses says that\u00a0 \u201cAll that we are is the result of what we have thought,\u201d and goes on to explain the misery that results from negative thoughts, as well as the joy that follows positive thoughts. The Dhammapada also states that a \u201ctrained mind brings health and happiness\u201d Throughout Buddhism power of mind is emphasised. Accordingly one can achieve good Karma by having wholesome thoughts or positive thoughts all the time.<\/p>\n

Loving Kindness meditation in Buddhism if practiced continuously with devotion would definitely bring marvelous result in changing the character positively. Loving Kindness meditation starts with wishing kindness and compassion to own self. Then you would spread the net of loving kindness to all, including people you do not like gradually. Auto suggestions in, LA could be regarded as an extension of the same concept of loving kindness on own self. In Buddhism thoughts would create Karma. (Chethanaham Bikkawe Kamman Vadami)\u00a0 Karma is a form of energy.\u00a0 Good Thoughts or wholesome thoughts could deliver good results and bad thoughts would deliver bad results Message of LA appears to be the same.<\/p>\n

I listened to the tape where to Esther in a hypnotised state talking the messages relayed by a nonphysical entity called Abraham. At one instance Abraham talks of various lives he spent in physical bodies. According to him Source energy takes different forms. Sometimes as nonphysical and sometimes as physical. It is clear that he speaks of continuous cycle of rebirths mentioned in Buddhist texts…<\/p>\n

Law of Attraction and Christianity<\/b><\/p>\n

The ideas that make up the Law of Attraction can be found in writings of all faith based religions throughout the centuries<\/p>\n

The New Testament Book of Matthew (7:7) states, \u201cAsk and it will be given to you,\u201d<\/p>\n

Mark 11:24 asserts that whatever you desire, if you believe you have received it, \u201cit shall be yours.\u201d These Biblical passages convey what Rhonda Byrne calls the\u00a0creative process<\/i>: \u201cask, believe, and receive\u201d.<\/p>\n

Mark 9:23
\n“Everything is possible for him who believes.”<\/p>\n

\u201cLuke 17:6
\nIf you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this tree, Be uprooted and planted in the sea, and it will obey you I tsi done unto you as you believe\u201d.<\/p>\n

Matthew 21:22
\nAnd all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.<\/p>\n

In our country Buddhists very often go to churches, Hindu Kovils and many other sacred places to make vows to achieve their desires. Some do Bodhi Puja\u2019s for the same purpose while some worship Sai Baba or Buddha himself and ask for favors. Very often I hear success stories saying that particular wish was granted by going to a sacred place. It could be the LA that did the work. When someone go to any statue and worship and ask for a favor, it is unlikely that statue made of cement and bricks would have power to fulfil your desire. What happens is you convey the message to your inner consciousness and have faith on the statue that your desire would be fulfilled. LA delivers what you want to the extent you have faith on the statue and its powers. But people do not realize that same could be achieved with a better success rate at a lesser cost by practicing LA principals and Loving Kindness meditation effectively, by providing some time to be with your own self by staying comfortably at your own home.<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[…]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":116003,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-118258","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-colombotelegraph","category-constitutional-reforms"],"yoast_head":"\nLaw Of Attraction, Buddhism And Faith Based Religions - Colombo Telegraph<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/law-of-attraction-buddhism-and-faith-based-religions\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Law Of Attraction, Buddhism And Faith Based Religions - Colombo Telegraph\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"[…]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/law-of-attraction-buddhism-and-faith-based-religions\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Colombo Telegraph\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2014-01-10T18:40:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2014-01-16T21:54:30+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/M.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"960\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"660\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"COLOMBO TELEGRAPH\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"COLOMBO TELEGRAPH\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/law-of-attraction-buddhism-and-faith-based-religions\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/law-of-attraction-buddhism-and-faith-based-religions\/\",\"name\":\"Law Of Attraction, Buddhism And Faith Based Religions - Colombo Telegraph\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/law-of-attraction-buddhism-and-faith-based-religions\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/law-of-attraction-buddhism-and-faith-based-religions\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/M.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2014-01-10T18:40:02+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2014-01-16T21:54:30+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#\/schema\/person\/9db3d0cfcfa59e1997e3c3524d454cb3\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/law-of-attraction-buddhism-and-faith-based-religions\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/law-of-attraction-buddhism-and-faith-based-religions\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/law-of-attraction-buddhism-and-faith-based-religions\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/M.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/M.jpg\",\"width\":960,\"height\":660},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/law-of-attraction-buddhism-and-faith-based-religions\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Law Of Attraction, Buddhism And Faith Based Religions\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/\",\"name\":\"Colombo Telegraph\",\"description\":\"In journalism truth is a process\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#\/schema\/person\/9db3d0cfcfa59e1997e3c3524d454cb3\",\"name\":\"COLOMBO TELEGRAPH\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/920b3181b0bf86b5c339ad9f0963a89f6a8b19c4b971e629987a021ba7a663df?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/920b3181b0bf86b5c339ad9f0963a89f6a8b19c4b971e629987a021ba7a663df?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"caption\":\"COLOMBO TELEGRAPH\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/author\/colombo_telegraph\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Law Of Attraction, Buddhism And Faith Based Religions - Colombo Telegraph","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/law-of-attraction-buddhism-and-faith-based-religions\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Law Of Attraction, Buddhism And Faith Based Religions - Colombo Telegraph","og_description":"[…]","og_url":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/law-of-attraction-buddhism-and-faith-based-religions\/","og_site_name":"Colombo Telegraph","article_published_time":"2014-01-10T18:40:02+00:00","article_modified_time":"2014-01-16T21:54:30+00:00","og_image":[{"width":960,"height":660,"url":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/M.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"COLOMBO TELEGRAPH","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"COLOMBO TELEGRAPH","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/law-of-attraction-buddhism-and-faith-based-religions\/","url":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/law-of-attraction-buddhism-and-faith-based-religions\/","name":"Law Of Attraction, Buddhism And Faith Based Religions - Colombo Telegraph","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/law-of-attraction-buddhism-and-faith-based-religions\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/law-of-attraction-buddhism-and-faith-based-religions\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/M.jpg","datePublished":"2014-01-10T18:40:02+00:00","dateModified":"2014-01-16T21:54:30+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#\/schema\/person\/9db3d0cfcfa59e1997e3c3524d454cb3"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/law-of-attraction-buddhism-and-faith-based-religions\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/law-of-attraction-buddhism-and-faith-based-religions\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/law-of-attraction-buddhism-and-faith-based-religions\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/M.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/M.jpg","width":960,"height":660},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/law-of-attraction-buddhism-and-faith-based-religions\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Law Of Attraction, Buddhism And Faith Based Religions"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/","name":"Colombo Telegraph","description":"In journalism truth is a process","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#\/schema\/person\/9db3d0cfcfa59e1997e3c3524d454cb3","name":"COLOMBO TELEGRAPH","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/920b3181b0bf86b5c339ad9f0963a89f6a8b19c4b971e629987a021ba7a663df?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/920b3181b0bf86b5c339ad9f0963a89f6a8b19c4b971e629987a021ba7a663df?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","caption":"COLOMBO TELEGRAPH"},"url":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/author\/colombo_telegraph\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/M.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118258","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=118258"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118258\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":118515,"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118258\/revisions\/118515"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/116003"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=118258"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=118258"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=118258"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}