Movie - The Medium (2021)

[Bigbird]

 

The Medium (2021)

 

Thai movie! 

[Bigbird]

Just saw this movie.  

 

What do u think of this movie? 

 

@Huat Zai @chamfer

 

 

 

Also those "siam" expert, should have some cultural experience on such topics!!

 

 

[XianGe]

Haben watch... Naise?

[Huat Zai]

58 minutes ago, Bigbird said:

Just saw this movie.  

 

What do u think of this movie? 

 

@Huat Zai @chamfer

 

 

 

Also those "siam" expert, should have some cultural experience on such topics!!

 

 

I usually don't watch horror movies, if I want to scare myself, I'll just take a midnight stroll down east coast park.

[chamfer]

This movie actually attracted pple to get interested in shamanism. Saw a few youtube videos discussing about it.

[Bigbird]

4 hours ago, XianGe said:

Haben watch... Naise?

 

Can watch for info lah! 

 

Quite entertaining.

[Bigbird]

3 hours ago, Huat Zai said:

I usually don't watch horror movies, if I want to scare myself, I'll just take a midnight stroll down east coast park.

 

2 hours ago, chamfer said:

This movie actually attracted pple to get interested in shamanism. Saw a few youtube videos discussing about it.

 

I have no idea of non main stream practices. 

 

Since you both have more/good knowledge base on alternated practices.  Maybe u could share more on some details on the events happened in the movie.

 

I didnt understand about the "boosting" of power where both them soak in the bath before the ceremony.

 

Also what is the white string for?

 

How come "karma" can pass down to children when the kid didnt do any wrong? 

 

** the subtitles is hard to understand when i was watching.

[Huat Zai]

2 minutes ago, Bigbird said:

 

 

I have no idea of non main stream practices. 

 

Since you both have more/good knowledge base on alternated practices.  Maybe u could share more on some details on the events happened in the movie.

 

I didnt understand about the "boosting" of power where both them soak in the bath before the ceremony.

 

Also what is the white string for?

 

How come "karma" can pass down to children when the kid didnt do any wrong? 

 

** the subtitles is hard to understand when i was watching.

Never watch and don't plan too, but based on "convenient" knowledge of the practices:

Baths are usually purification exercises, wash off all the extras and you can focus better.

 

There's a very high risk that the entity will "jump" into the exorcist or surrounding people/animals during an exorcism, the white string is to "trap" the entity in the person while the exorcist try to force it to leave via other means.

 

Most asian cultures have a strong sense of lineage, hit them where it hurts. Karma manifests your worse fears.

 

[Bigbird]

2 minutes ago, Huat Zai said:

Never watch and don't plan too, but based on "convenient" knowledge of the practices:

Baths are usually purification exercises, wash off all the extras and you can focus better.

 

There's a very high risk that the entity will "jump" into the exorcist or surrounding people/animals during an exorcism, the white string is to "trap" the entity in the person while the exorcist try to force it to leave via other means.

 

Most asian cultures have a strong sense of lineage, hit them where it hurts. Karma manifests your worse fears.

 

 

Thanks for the explanation sir!! 

 

i watch these genre is for awareness!  I want to be able anticipate when i encounter such events in life.

 

[XianGe]

17 hours ago, Bigbird said:

 

Can watch for info lah! 

 

Quite entertaining.

 

Caught it...

Don't like the shaking beedios as it caused motion sickness... Duno huai they hab to do Blair witch style... 

[Standing Birdy]

18 hours ago, Huat Zai said:

Never watch and don't plan too, but based on "convenient" knowledge of the practices:

Baths are usually purification exercises, wash off all the extras and you can focus better.

 

There's a very high risk that the entity will "jump" into the exorcist or surrounding people/animals during an exorcism, the white string is to "trap" the entity in the person while the exorcist try to force it to leave via other means.

 

Most asian cultures have a strong sense of lineage, hit them where it hurts. Karma manifests your worse fears.

 

What do you think about buddhist view on ghosts? Does the mind or belief somehow confer protection? There are no entities and no separate entities, so there are no ghosts. Even if there are ghosts, their harm can be turned to good.

 

This is from Path to Awakening: A Commentary on Ja Chekawa Yeshe Dorje's - Seven Points of Mind Training by Shamar Rinpoche

Quote

Using the techniques you have to analyze the empty nature of all phenomena and directly apply mindfulness to all experience, apply them to the sensations you experience as bad. You will discover that these so-called bad experiences are the most useful to help you recognize the unborn nature of mind.

 

A really good Mind Training practitioner who is in deep meditation will find even a disturbing ghost to be his or her number one helper. A disturbing ghost can do things like push you, call your name, cause you to experience discomfort or nausea. In short, they will provide you with many disturbances. When that happens, apply all your skills of analysis and direct mindfulness to it. You will undoubtedly come to the conclusion that everything that is experienced is nothing but mind. After some time, you will have absolute confidence and a totally relaxed mind. With that comes the spontaneous realization of the unborn nature of mind. In this way, each and every adversity can be used on the path to awakening, and with this realization you will also see that in fact every adversity - when it is recognized as unborn - carries the truth nature, the dharmakaya.

Quote

Make use of harm from others:
The 'others' in this case are ghosts or spirits who may cause you disturbances and obstructions. Prepare a suitable feast according to the desire filled illusions of the millions of ghosts. Mentally multiply your offerings as much as possible, and then offer them to the ghosts:

From the combined power of my conventional and ultimate bodhicitta, I encourage all ghosts to engender the mind of loving kindness and devotion to the Three jewels. Please enjoy this feast. May your hunger be satisfied and your feelings of envy and jealousy be purified.
I am on the path of the noble dharma practice. Please contribute to my success through either helping me or harming me. Your harm will help me to accomplish my practice of patience and will cause me to increase my compassion ever more for all beings in the lower realms. Additionally, any service and support you give me will be most appreciated.

 

And from the heart sutra https://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/letters/thich-nhat-hanh-new-heart-sutra-translation/

Quote

The Twelve Links of Interdependent Arising
and their Extinction
are also not separate self entities.
Ill-being, the Causes of Ill-being,
the End of Ill-being, the Path,
insight and attainment,
are also not separate self entities.

Whoever can see this
no longer needs anything to attain.

 

[Huat Zai]

5 minutes ago, Standing Birdy said:

What do you think about buddhist view on ghosts? Does the mind or belief somehow confer protection? There are no entities and no separate entities, so there are no ghosts. Even if there are ghosts, their harm can be turned to good.

 

This is from Path to Awakening: A Commentary on Ja Chekawa Yeshe Dorje's - Seven Points of Mind Training by Shamar Rinpoche

 

And from the heart sutra https://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/letters/thich-nhat-hanh-new-heart-sutra-translation/

 

 

sigh, have to type 1000 words again

 

Ok here we go...

Disclaim: this is just my perspective, I'm most likely wrong in some, if not all, parts.

 

Many schools of religions and believe systems agree on the singularity, that we (everything in existence, living or otherwise) are all extension of a single, eternal state of existence. We change from one form to other, one state to another, in an eternal, unstoppable motion. The difference between the system can be broadly summarized into 5  points:

1) Who to thank for bring us that knowledge

2) What to call everything

3) What are we going to do about it

4) Why we need to do something about it

5) How to approach it

 

From what little I know about Buddhism, they call this Samsara or 六道轮回. Of the 6 categories, 饿鬼道 is often described as spirits that are constantly hungry and seek physical food, my understanding is a little different. Imho, they are beings driven by hollow desires, constantly seeking to fill the emptiness inside with external objects, but unknowingly wielding an even bigger gap in their mental state. 

 

Buddhists believe that the eternal, unstoppable motion is driving all of us to achieve Buddhahood, that everything we experience aids us in this journey, 佛眼看人，众生皆是佛.

 

What is your view on the matter @Standing Birdy?

 

 

[Standing Birdy]

9 minutes ago, Huat Zai said:

 

sigh, have to type 1000 words again

 

Ok here we go...

Disclaim: this is just my perspective, I'm most likely wrong in some, if not all, parts.

 

Many schools of religions and believe systems agree on the singularity, that we (everything in existence, living or otherwise) are all extension of a single, eternal state of existence. We change from one form to other, one state to another, in an eternal, unstoppable motion. The difference between the system can be broadly summarized into 5  points:

1) Who to thank for bring us that knowledge

2) What to call everything

3) What are we going to do about it

4) Why we need to do something about it

5) How to approach it

 

From what little I know about Buddhism, they call this Samsara or 六道轮回. Of the 6 categories, 饿鬼道 is often described as spirits that are constantly hungry and seek physical food, my understanding is a little different. Imho, they are beings driven by hollow desires, constantly seeking to fill the emptiness inside with external objects, but unknowingly wielding an even bigger gap in their mental state. 

 

Buddhists believe that the eternal, unstoppable motion is driving all of us to achieve Buddhahood, that everything we experience aids us in this journey, 佛眼看人，众生皆是佛.

 

What is your view on the matter @Standing Birdy?

 

 

I have adopted the mahayana/zen buddhist view, from experience and reading and thinking about it and again from experience. And I agree with the view that buddhahood is inevitable, although we might call it by a different name or define it differently. 

 

I said experience twice because I was brought up as a folk-buddhist - go temple pray for protection and good fortune type. Over the years, I observed from experience that own action has actual repeatable effect but prayer doesn't. So I thought praying was a delusion, like believing in luck when gambling or a broken clock (shows correct time twice a day). If you want repeatable wins at gambling, count cards for blackjack or learn to count the odds for poker. 

 

Then I read about philosophy(stoicism, epicureanism etc), taoism, buddhism and science. There seems to be a common thread that leads towards the truth, and that is the use of the mind. And heading towards the truth is inevitable unless there are delusions.

The scientific method is a repetition of hypothesis and test/experiment, then forming a new hypothesis and test again. So by getting it wrong, we can become less wrong on every iteration and so head towards the truth. I'm not sure if  we will ever arrive at the truth but getting less wrong is inevitable unless we lose our mind and abandon science.

 

Another bit of science that contributes to my view is the ease by which our mind can be fooled. Eg. by optical illusions and system 1 vs 2 thinking. It is possible to learn to not be fooled by learning and training. So the mind can be stupid but it can be made less stupid with effort. A less stupid mind is inevitable unless there are delusions. 

 

From philosophy, the key seems to be using the mind to set your point of view. This is similar to the buddhist view, but not entirely. Eg:

“Here is a rule to remember in future, when anything tempts you to feel bitter: not "This is misfortune," but "To bear this worthily is good fortune.” ― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." — Epicurus

 

My interpretation of the heart of buddhism is there is no good and no bad. We are nothing and we are everything. We do not truly believe or experience this because of delusions.

We interpret things we like as good and cling to them. We interpret things we don't like as bad and try to avoid them. In doing so, we suffer.

Eg. work is bad (do as little as possible), playing game is good (do as much as possible). But we are actually doing work in the gameworld when playing. Why not build  stuff in the real world instead of doing it in the game?  And there are times when I wanted to work because what I was doing was interesting and fun. 

 

Ghosts and other entities can be seen as phenomena existing and acting on a certain scale. Eg. bacteria and cells in my body consuming each other. Or my teeth accidentally biting my tongue. But on the higher level of my entire body, they are not separate.

On the level of the universe, all of us are not separate from Earth. From the level of the galaxy, Earth is not separate from the solar system etc.

 

So if we can live the "truth", where nothing is good and nothing is bad, just what needs to be done, then we are liberated from suffering on that level. But that is not true nirvana because to hold the concept of "what needs to be done" is another delusion.

 

A common analogy of truth used in buddhism is the sun or moon obscured by the clouds. It is always there although it cannot be seen. When the clouds clear, the truth becomes evident. That is inevitable.

 

After typing all that, I finally get to the point that made me ask my question to you. It is also the second experience I speak of. In the recent ghost month, I woke up one night and saw a lady standing beside my bed. I was shocked wide awake. In the past, that would have disturbed my sleep badly. This time, I said om mani padme hom and the heart sutra mantra, and wished for her to reach the other shore (attain enlightenment). Then I fell asleep right after and slept soundly. 

There are a few possibilities I can see here:

- She was just passing through and wanted nothing to do with me. I woke up and saw her by chance.

- If she meant to disturb me, my wish convinced her to leave me alone

- We are separate and not separate, so she does not actively mean to disturb me. This is like my teeth accidentally biting my tongue. My tongue and my body cannot blame it.

 

Regardless, this experience and others from after my reading and thinking have been less and less negative compared to those before. So either my belief confers protection or I am using point of view to "turn" the harm into good.

[Huat Zai]

2 hours ago, Standing Birdy said:

After typing all that, I finally get to the point that made me ask my question to you. It is also the second experience I speak of. In the recent ghost month, I woke up one night and saw a lady standing beside my bed. I was shocked wide awake. In the past, that would have disturbed my sleep badly. This time, I said om mani padme hom and the heart sutra mantra, and wished for her to reach the other shore (attain enlightenment). Then I fell asleep right after and slept soundly. 

There are a few possibilities I can see here:

- She was just passing through and wanted nothing to do with me. I woke up and saw her by chance.

- If she meant to disturb me, my wish convinced her to leave me alone

- We are separate and not separate, so she does not actively mean to disturb me. This is like my teeth accidentally biting my tongue. My tongue and my body cannot blame it.

 

Regardless, this experience and others from after my reading and thinking have been less and less negative compared to those before. So either my belief confers protection or I am using point of view to "turn" the harm into good.

 

Imho, all the above. Most likely she was just passing through, but your state at the point of time allowed you to "sense" her, and as you jolted out of bed, she stopped to do the

 

and after you when back to bed she

 

and move on. Happened to me more times then I care to count.

 

I think the positive side to it, is that you learned the power of mantras, which I'm a firm believer of,

[Bigbird]

On 10/24/2021 at 3:39 PM, XianGe said:

 

Caught it...

Don't like the shaking beedios as it caused motion sickness... Duno huai they hab to do Blair witch style... 

 

So what do u think of the story?

 

I suppose they position the movie as s "Docu-Drama". 

[Bigbird]

@Huat Zai

Chinese saying that those who are dying will see the "Cow & Horse Head" merchant of death! To bring them for "judgement"?

 

Why didnt the "Cow & Horse Men" capture those elements who are still lingering here??

 

What is your view or Buddhism  on this?

[Huat Zai]

1 hour ago, Bigbird said:

@Huat Zai

Chinese saying that those who are dying will see the "Cow & Horse Head" merchant of death! To bring them for "judgement"?

 

Why didnt the "Cow & Horse Men" capture those elements who are still lingering here??

 

What is your view or Buddhism  on this?

I've never seen them before and hope that I won't for a long long time, so I can't really say.

The traditional believe is that some spirits who died violent deaths can't be lead to the next world. If you ever figure out the answer, do pay me a visit and explain it to me..

[XianGe]

2 hours ago, Bigbird said:

 

So what do u think of the story?

 

I suppose they position the movie as s "Docu-Drama". 

 

Story is good... Leaves u guessing what's going on... DocuDrama still ok but the cinematography could've been better

[Bigbird]

21 hours ago, XianGe said:

 

Story is good... Leaves u guessing what's going on... DocuDrama still ok but the cinematography could've been better

 

This one is the Evil wins!

[Bigbird]

21 hours ago, Huat Zai said:

I've never seen them before and hope that I won't for a long long time, so I can't really say.

The traditional believe is that some spirits who died violent deaths can't be lead to the next world. If you ever figure out the answer, do pay me a visit and explain it to me..

 

Is there any info on this in Buddhism?

[Huat Zai]

11 minutes ago, Bigbird said:

 

Is there any info on this in Buddhism?

Each sect has their own definition of that, my own knowledge of Buddhism is grossly limited, maybe @Standing Birdycan shed light on this

[chamfer]

 

[chamfer]

 

[chamfer]

 

[chamfer]

Have not watch the movie yet.