Search found 23 matches

by Abyss
Fri Mar 05, 2010 3:25 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Many lifetimes of paramita development needed to be aryan?
Replies: 591
Views: 117001

Re: Many lifetimes of paramita development needed to be aryan?

Even someone with tremendous Parami can go to hell. We have various accumulations and create various kammas. Therefore, I could devote my lifetime (and many of them) to developing the Parami, yet, the afflictions remaining uprooted, could kill a man who tries to burglarize my home and so forth, esp...
by Abyss
Fri Mar 05, 2010 11:13 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Many lifetimes of paramita development needed to be aryan?
Replies: 591
Views: 117001

Re: Many lifetimes of paramita development needed to be aryan?

According to Theravada it is possible to achieve enlightenment in this lifetime, but only if you have been developing all of the perfections for many. many lifetimes already. I doubt that very much. Take the leper Suppabuddho for example (Udana V, 3) or the nun Isidasi (Therigatha 400 et seq.). Sup...
by Abyss
Sat Feb 06, 2010 5:36 pm
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: the Dhamma without rebirth: amoral and what else?
Replies: 107
Views: 18418

Re: the Dhamma without rebirth: amoral and what else?

What do you get instead of death? Freedom from fear/anxiety. That's what you get when you die too. Dukkha is not an intellectual problem. Emotions are blind. They don't care about "logic" or "reason". Apart from that I don't deny "rebirth". It's just not my main motiva...
by Abyss
Sat Feb 06, 2010 2:12 pm
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: the Dhamma without rebirth: amoral and what else?
Replies: 107
Views: 18418

Re: the Dhamma without rebirth: amoral and what else?

nowheat wrote:
Abyss wrote: What about death? I don't want to die, therefore I seek liberation from death in this very life, which is possible according to the Buddha..
What do you get instead of death?
Freedom from fear/anxiety.
by Abyss
Fri Feb 05, 2010 11:35 pm
Forum: Vipassanā / Satipaṭṭhāna Bhāvana
Topic: Anatta as the basis for insight - What object? What benefit?
Replies: 72
Views: 18138

Re: Anatta as the basis for insight - What object? What benefit?

Why is it that my atta cannot be dukkha? Cannot be anicca? Why is it that things which are dukkha and/or anicca are not fit to be called my atta? Because "atta" involves the idea of mastery over what is regarded as "self". See MN 35 (which unfortunately is not availabe at access...
by Abyss
Fri Feb 05, 2010 9:17 pm
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: the Dhamma without rebirth: amoral and what else?
Replies: 107
Views: 18418

Re: the Dhamma without rebirth: amoral and what else?

I agree that if we do not hold the view that rebirth is a possibility, there is no urgent reason to seek total liberation. What about death? I don't want to die, therefore I seek liberation from death in this very life , which is possible according to the Buddha. Can anyone find wording that makes ...
by Abyss
Thu Jan 28, 2010 9:17 pm
Forum: Theravāda for Beginners
Topic: Best Dharma Talks
Replies: 43
Views: 22670

Re: Best Dharma Talks

Bhante Madawela Punnaji, especially his talks about samadhi.
by Abyss
Thu Jan 28, 2010 8:36 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: strange logic in a sutta
Replies: 12
Views: 2520

Re: strange logic in a sutta

[not sure about where I should post this topic] here are the stanzas. Can anyone help understanding the meaning of the conclusion? Searching all directions with one's awareness, one finds no one dearer than oneself. In the same way, others are fiercely dear to themselves. So one should not hurt oth...
by Abyss
Thu Jan 28, 2010 4:50 pm
Forum: General Theravāda Meditation
Topic: Techniques to keep a daily meditation practice going
Replies: 13
Views: 3953

Re: Techniques to keep a daily meditation practice going

I would like to quote Bhante Punnaji here: When our goal in life changes to tranquility of mind, our thoughts, speech, and actions will fall in line directed towards this goal. You don't have to push yourself to meditate. Meditation will automatically occur in you because meditation is the means to ...
by Abyss
Thu Jan 28, 2010 10:34 am
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: Suicide and rebirth
Replies: 57
Views: 10848

Re: Suicide and rebirth

If we think of suicide only as self -murder, an arahant cannot commit suicide, since he is free from the conceit "I am". But the simple fact that "pain is painful" remains even in the case of an arahant. If his body comes in contact with fire for example, he will certainly make a...
by Abyss
Tue Jan 26, 2010 12:08 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: The path of the Bodhisattva in Theravada Buddhism
Replies: 61
Views: 17140

Re: The path of the Bodhisattva in Theravada Buddhism

I think that the path of a Bodhisattva, as imagined and stated by many, contradicts certain discourses of the Buddha. For example: To me it doesn't make sense to strive for countless aeons in order to attain Buddhahood and then, after Buddhahood is finally attained, to hesitate like this: "This...
by Abyss
Mon Jan 25, 2010 4:57 pm
Forum: Theravāda for Beginners
Topic: How to explain death/rebirth to a child?
Replies: 14
Views: 3674

Re: How to explain death/rebirth to a child?

Maybe the Jataka tales are what you want. They are quite suitable for children and have a moral.
by Abyss
Sat Jan 23, 2010 5:10 pm
Forum: Theravāda for Beginners
Topic: Career in the military?
Replies: 23
Views: 6088

Re: Career in the military?

I never served in the military (albeit I intented to do so in my early youth) but my father and both grandfathers did. It seems that most Buddhists are mainly concerned about the precept against killing when thinking of a soldiers life (which is quite understandable). But I also would like to bring ...
by Abyss
Sat Jan 23, 2010 3:04 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: How to deny Atman - Help defending Buddhadhamma
Replies: 96
Views: 18934

Re: How to deny Atman - Help defending Buddhadhamma

He also keeps quoting this Verily, there is an Unborn, Unoriginated, Uncreated, Unformed. If there were not this Unborn, Unoriginated, Uncreated, Unformed, escape from the world of the born, the originated, the created, the formed, would not be possible; Ud. VIII, 3. There is a great clarity here t...
by Abyss
Fri Jan 22, 2010 4:11 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Are there beings becoming buddhas in deva realms?
Replies: 10
Views: 3232

Re: Are there beings becoming buddhas in deva realms?

While it's difficult for the Devas to keep Uposatha Precepts, do they at least keep the minimum 5 precepts? I should think so right? Otherwise, how different would they be from Petas? I think we have to remember that "deva loka" in general is the community of "the good guys". Th...