Self in Theravada

What do they believe? What do you think? Talk about religion as it exists today.

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Ananda
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Re: Self in Theravada

Post by Ananda »

How do you know dogs aren't already in hell?

Never less alone than when alone! Practice/Enlightenment is performed regardless of how distracting she is!lol

It took faith to ask her out.

Still, we need some time alone for reflection, dogs and coffee.

CASE 2. HYAKUJO'S FOX

Whenever Hyakujo delivered a Zen lecture, an old man was always there with the monks listening to it; and when they left the Hall, so did he. One day, however, he remained behind, and Hyakujo asked,"Who are you?"

The old man replied,"Yes, I am not a human being, but in the far distant past, when the Kashapa Buddha (the Sixth Buddha of the Seven Ancient Buddhas) preached in this world, I was the head monk in this mountain area. On one occasion a monk asked me whether an enlightened man could fall again under the law of karma (cause and effect), and I answered that he could not. Thus I became a fox for 500 rebirths and am still a fox. I beg you to release me from this condition through your Zen words."

Then he asked Hyakujo,"Is an enlightened man subject to the law of karma?" Hyakujo answered, "No one is free from the law of Karma."

At the words of Hyakujo the old man was enlightened, and said with a bow, "I am now released from rebirth as a fox and my body will be found on the other side of the mountain. May I request that you bury me as a dead monk?"

The next day Hyakujo had the Karmadana, or deacon, beat the clapper and he informed the monks that after the midday meal there would be a funeral service for a dead monk. "No one was sick or died," wondered the monks. "What does our Roshi mean?" After they had eaten, Hyakujo led them to the foot of a rock on the furthest side of the mountain, and with his staff poked the dead body of a fox and had it ritually cremated.

In the evening Hyakujo gave a talk to the monks and told them this story of the law of Karma. Upon hearing the story, Obaku asked Hyakujo, "You said that because a long time ago an old Zen master gave a wrong answer he became a fox for 500 rebirths. But suppose every time he answered he had not made a mistake, what would have happened then?" Hyakujo replied, "Just come here to me, and I will tell you the answer!" Obaku then went up to Hyakujo--and slapped the teacher's face. Hyakujo, clapping his hands and laughing, exclaimed, "I thought the Persian had a red beard, but here is another one with a red beard!"

Mumon's Comment:
"The enlightened man is not subject to Karma." How can this answer make the monk a fox? "The enlightened man is not free from the law of karma." How can this answer release him from his fox's life? If you have one eye in regard to this, then you understand Hyakujo's (the old man's) dramatic 500 rebirths.

Free from karma or subject to it,
They are two sides of the same die.
Subject to karma or free from it,
Both are irredeemable errors.

~Faith is not a dirty word!

"Alice laughed: "There's no use trying," she said; "one can't believe impossible things."
"I daresay you haven't had much practice," said the Queen. "When I was younger, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."
Alice in Wonderland.

"Two factors of inner progress which supplement, support and balance each other are intellect (pañña) and faith (saddha)."

"Courageous Faith", by Nyanaponika Thera. Access to Insight (Legacy Edition), 10 November 2013, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... geous.html .
~Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!
iskander
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Re: Self in Theravada

Post by iskander »

"Faith is not a dirty word" true

But why choose the Theravada faith over other faiths? The Buddha come across as a cruel charlatan who sends good sons and husbands to hell because he says so...
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Ananda
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Re: Self in Theravada

Post by Ananda »

Faith is an ingredient in Theravada Buddhism and not similar to generic monotheisms misuse of faith. The faith you need is similar to experiencing a master musician and thinking, hey! I can do it too,

however:

KJV; Hebrews 11.1: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Equanimity, Joy, friendless and compassion are unseen and yet we have faith & hope in our ability to magnify these wholesome states of mind called the four (4) Brahma-viharas.

We don't need to reinvent the wheel with so many tried and true paths to awakening and one should seek until they find the pathless path best for them.

Good Gotoma can't send anybody anywhere, but only exhort one on the path to freedom. Ven. Sudinna opened the gates of hell when he broke his vows. Lying to oneself is just as unwholesome as lying to others and consider this:

"This was said by the Lord...

"Bhikkhus, I say that for an individual who transgresses in one thing, there is no evil deed whatsoever he would not do. What is that one thing? It is this, bhikkhus: deliberately telling a lie."


There is no evil that cannot be done
By a person who deliberately lies,
Who transgresses in one thing,
Taking no account of the next world."

How would one think/feel if after they got married they found out their wife is having a love affair and is pregnant? :tomato:

"Itivuttaka: The Group of Ones" (Iti 24-27), translated from the Pali by John D. Ireland. Access to Insight (Legacy Edition), 24 November 2013, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .irel.html . :goodmorning:
Last edited by Ananda on Sun Mar 26, 2017 8:04 am, edited 3 times in total.
~Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!
iskander
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Re: Self in Theravada

Post by iskander »

Faith in what precisely?
Let us remain in Buddhism.

Both Jodo and Shin belong to the Pure Land school:
Both Jodo and Shin belong to the Pure Land school. Jodo means the 'Pure Land' and the official title of the Shin is Jodo Shin and not just Shin.
Shin means 'true' and its devotees claim that their teaching is truly tariki whereas the Jodo is not quite so, being mixed with the jiriki idea: hence Shin 'true' added to Jodo.


The main points of difference between the Jodo and the Shin teaching are essentially two:
1. Jodo fully believes with Shin in the efficacy of Amida's Vow but thinks that Amida's Name is to be repeatedly recited; whereas Shin places its emphasis upon faith and not necessarily upon the nembutsu,[10] which is the repeated recitation of the Name.

2. Jodo encourages good works as helpful for the devotee being born in the Pure Land; whereas Shin finds here a residue of the jiriki ('self-power') and insists that as long as the devotee awakens his whole-hearted faith in Amida, Amida will take care of him unconditionally, absolutely assuring his entrance into the Pure Land.

Suzuki
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Ananda
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Re: Self in Theravada

Post by Ananda »

Faith in what precisely?
Let us remain in Buddhism.
Well then let us remain in Theravada Buddhism. Why do you keep interjecting Mahayana philosophy :?:

Faith in the ability to take up the 5 precepts as a lay follower;

1) abstains from taking life
2) abandoning taking what is not given
3) abandoning illicit sex
4) abandoning lying
5) abandoning the use of intoxicants

Only one of many mindfulness practices depending on one's temperament personality, kamma, etc.

Faith in your ability to sit perfectly still for 1/2 hour once, twice thrice a day while being mindful of your breath with a recollection of happiness.

Faith in your ability to investigate the four (4) noble truths

Faith in your ability to take up the eight (8) fold path.

"The Five Precepts: pañca-sila", edited by Access to Insight. Access to Insight (Legacy Edition), 30 November 2013, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dham ... asila.html .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY77In3ZYGI

What's your native language :?:
~Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!
iskander
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Re: Self in Theravada

Post by iskander »

Catholics have faith in the Catechism of the Catholic Church ...
Muslims in ...
...

And so forth
I will remember Theravada.:)

The Path of Purification
Visuddhimagga
by
Bhadantácariya Buddhaghosa
Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Ñáóamoli

The Buddha is questioned by a deva,
"This was said. But why was it said? While the Blessed One was living at Sávatthì,it seems, a certain deity came to him in the night, and in order to do away with his doubts, he asked this question:
“The inner tangle and the outer tangle—
This generation is entangled in a tangle.
And so I ask of Gotama this question:
Who succeeds in disentangling this tangle?” (S I 13)."
The Buddha's reply,
"3. However, when questioned thus, the Blessed One, whose knowledge of all things is unimpeded, deity of deities, excelling Sakka (Ruler of Gods), excelling Brahmá, fearless in the possession of the four kinds of perfect confidence, wielder of the ten powers, all-seer with unobstructed knowledge, uttered this stanza in reply to explain the meaning:
...
Who, though they strive, here gain no purity.
To them I shall expound the comforting Path
Of Purification, pure in expositions,
Relying on the teaching of the dwellers
In the Great Monastery;2 let all those
Good men who do desire purity
Listen intently to my exposition"
Purification
"5. Herein, purification should be understood as Nibbána, which being devoid of all stains, is utterly pure. The path of purification is the path to that purification; it is the means of approach that is called the path. The meaning is, I shall expound that path of purification"
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Ananda
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Re: Self in Theravada

Post by Ananda »

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato
sammásambuddhassa

The Opening of the (Visuddhimagga)


CHAPTER I

DESCRIPTION OF VIRTUE

(Sìla-niddesa)

[I. INTRODUCTORY]

1. [1] “When a wise man, established well in virtue,........................................wise.....virtue
Develops consciousness and understanding,........................consciousness and understanding
Then as a bhikkhu ardent and sagacious........................ardent and sagacious
He succeeds in disentangling this tangle” (S I 13).
This was said. But why was it said? While the Blessed One was living at Sávatthì,
it seems, a certain deity came to him in the night, and in order to do away with his
doubts, he asked this question:

“The inner tangle and the outer tangle—...............subjective...........objective
This generation is entangled in a tangle........................KALPA
And so I ask of Gotama this question:
Who succeeds in disentangling this tangle?” (S I 13).
I will remember Theravada.:)
What do you mean rEmEmBeR?

practice! practice! practice!
~Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!
iskander
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Re: Self in Theravada

Post by iskander »

Thank you so much for disentangling this tangle. I will remember that it is the inner tangle and the outer tangle.
What about this other tangle?

Sphinx and her riddle, What goes on four feet in the morning, two feet at noon, and three feet in the evening
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Ananda
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Re: Self in Theravada

Post by Ananda »

Please do tell, your riddle is making my head swell!


A man goes on 4 feet to get out of bed and 2 feet to go to work and 3 feet in bed with his wife. lol

Dear iskander,
You're very skilled at avoiding answering my questions with irresistible statements.

What travels through space, is Great and made in Russia?
~Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!
iskander
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Re: Self in Theravada

Post by iskander »

Ananda wrote:How do you know dogs aren't already in hell?
Gautama sent the barking dog to hell and the barking of Gautama is all that matters .I am a dog lover.



A Buddhist purgatory
Why do some Buddhists " devoutly offer their merit to the beloved departed"?
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