Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Fortune-Telling and Charms


Although Buddhism does not refute belief in deities, spirits, astrology and fortune-telling, the Buddha's advice was that people should not be slaves to any of those forces. A good Buddhist can overcome all his difficulties if he knows how to make use of his intelligence and will-power. The above mentioned beliefs have no significance or value. Man must overcome all his problems and difficulties by his own efforts and not through the medium of deities, spirits, astrology or fortune-telling.

He [the Buddha] believed hard work was the luckiest star and and one should not waste time by consulting stars and luck days in order to achieve success. To do your best to help yourself is better than to rely solely on the stars or external sources.

Although some Buddhists practice fortune-telling and dispense some forms of charms or amulets under the guise of religion, the Buddha at no time encouraged anyone to practice such things. Like fortune-telling, charms come under the category of superstition, and have no religious value.

---K. Sri Dhammananda, in What Buddhists Believe---

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