Search found 86 matches

by Indrajala
Thu Nov 07, 2013 5:30 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?
Replies: 110
Views: 20287

Re: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?

Yet prima facie the Mahāsaṅghika version seems to contradict your claim. It reports that Bhikṣu Svāgata drank the alcohol thinking that it was water. The clear implication here is that he would not have drunk it had he known what it really was (else why bother drawing attention to the bhikṣu’s mist...
by Indrajala
Thu Nov 07, 2013 5:28 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?
Replies: 110
Views: 20287

Re: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?

You still do not address what is said to you. Your use of the word Pharisee is inappropriate, and you need to address that. I clearly didn't and don't think it is inappropriate. You keep asserting this. It is your problem, not mine. That there are monastics that want to carefully observe the Vinaya...
by Indrajala
Thu Nov 07, 2013 5:04 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?
Replies: 110
Views: 20287

Re: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?

I think you make some good points on the keeping of the letter, but maybe missing the spirit. However, Theravada tradition claims the Buddha laid down the Vinaya thus how could any respectful monk think to change it The Buddha said we could change it as necessary. The Mahīśāsaka Vinaya has him stat...
by Indrajala
Thu Nov 07, 2013 5:01 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?
Replies: 110
Views: 20287

Re: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?

Interestingly, you do not answer questions put to you. The Pharisee carries connotations of rigid rule observing hypocrites. If I said it like that, I'd be accused of slander and probably censored. Hence the use of a rhetorical device. Just because people owned slaves in the past is not a valid arg...
by Indrajala
Thu Nov 07, 2013 4:40 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?
Replies: 110
Views: 20287

Re: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?

So, there is no negative connotations at all to referring to someone by the term Pharisee? I'm using the term rhetorically. Also, what it was truly meant to be, opinions obviously vary. As for whether or not the Vinaya was carefully or loosely followed in Buddhist India as a whole is not a valid ar...
by Indrajala
Thu Nov 07, 2013 3:40 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?
Replies: 110
Views: 20287

Re: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?

Again, you use the Pharisee, which is derogatory, in terms of those may opt to follow the rules closely, and you offer a way of looking at the rules that can be easily characterized as rationalizing not following the rules with care. I don't see in your discussion of these things much balance or nu...
by Indrajala
Thu Nov 07, 2013 3:25 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?
Replies: 110
Views: 20287

Re: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?

I prefer their company to that of the Buddhist version of the Pharisees. Because a monk opts to keep the Vinaya in a struct manner, that does not warrant that monk being called a Pharisee. One could just as easily argue that you are simply offering a sophistic rationale for being slack with the mon...
by Indrajala
Thu Nov 07, 2013 1:51 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?
Replies: 110
Views: 20287

Re: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?

santa100 wrote:And how exactly do you demonstrate wisdom other than mere talks?
Speak wisdom, demonstrate lucidity, maintain equanimity in the face of disaster, etc...

I don't believe an outward display of purity necessarily reflects an internal purity of one's mind.
by Indrajala
Wed Nov 06, 2013 3:52 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?
Replies: 110
Views: 20287

Re: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?

santa100 wrote:...what do monks need to do to earn their identity as noble Sakyan sons?
Display wisdom ideally. That's not necessarily following archaic rule manuals to the letter.
by Indrajala
Wed Nov 06, 2013 6:38 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?
Replies: 110
Views: 20287

Re: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?

But you don't have to be a monk to not kill people. Any decent person, religious or not, can do that. What you've been advocating is like saying that just because some students in a math class cheat when their teacher is away, then it's ok for every students to cheat. A good honest student is someo...
by Indrajala
Wed Nov 06, 2013 6:37 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?
Replies: 110
Views: 20287

Re: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?

The overall effect was a text that was felt to be malleable, where today no one would be comfortable modifying the Patimokkha to have fewer or more rules, would they? But in the past, things were done differently, with interesting consequences for our understanding of how these things developed, an...
by Indrajala
Tue Nov 05, 2013 12:41 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?
Replies: 110
Views: 20287

Re: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?

As you have clearly given considerable consideration to the subject could you tells us which are the "major ones" ? I haven't killed anyone and don't plan to. ;) My point is that it is not a matter of all or nothing, black and white. In real life on the ground the manual is only loosely a...
by Indrajala
Tue Nov 05, 2013 12:35 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?
Replies: 110
Views: 20287

Re: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?

tiltbillings wrote:What sangha life is like in every vihara?
In general.

He gives his long years of experience. It might sting to read it, but hey he's honest. I know him in real life. He's a good man.
by Indrajala
Tue Nov 05, 2013 10:41 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?
Replies: 110
Views: 20287

Re: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?

Well not eating after 12pm is one of the ten precepts, and the ten precepts are definetly major ones not minor as you seem to imply......... Nevertheless, Buddhist monks do what they do. And at the Therevada temple I lived at for 3 months, none of the monks ate after 12pm, in fact when they found o...
by Indrajala
Tue Nov 05, 2013 10:17 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?
Replies: 110
Views: 20287

Re: Schopen: Buddha as Businessman?

lyndon taylor wrote:Does that include the 10 precepts, or even the 5 precepts, pray tell?????
Let's not get so personal.

If you want to seriously ask personal questions, PM me.