Search found 1736 matches

by BlackBird
Thu Feb 29, 2024 6:46 pm
Forum: General Theravāda Meditation
Topic: Phenomenological Buddhism and Element Meditation
Replies: 14
Views: 573

Re: Phenomenological Buddhism and Element Meditation

Here is my take. Close your eyes and try not to conceptualize a "body". What sensations are being felt through the "body" as experienced? Hardness (of "teeth', "nails"), warmth, motion (breathing, heart beat, flowing), and wetness (mouth, tears, snot). How else ca...
by BlackBird
Wed Feb 28, 2024 8:53 pm
Forum: General Theravāda Meditation
Topic: Phenomenological Buddhism and Element Meditation
Replies: 14
Views: 573

Re: Phenomenological Buddhism and Element Meditation

Here is my take. Close your eyes and try not to conceptualize a "body". What sensations are being felt through the "body" as experienced? Hardness (of "teeth', "nails"), warmth, motion (breathing, heart beat, flowing), and wetness (mouth, tears, snot). How else ca...
by BlackBird
Wed Feb 28, 2024 1:01 am
Forum: General Theravāda Meditation
Topic: Phenomenological Buddhism and Element Meditation
Replies: 14
Views: 573

Re: Phenomenological Buddhism and Element Meditation

'What does a contemplation of the four/six elements look like in Phenomenological Buddhism?

These two videos address this topic:




Best wishes
Jack
by BlackBird
Tue Feb 27, 2024 1:25 am
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Your Dhamma Verses Here.
Replies: 12
Views: 595

Re: Your Dhamma Verses Here.

Eyes ahead, focused on the task before you, not struggling, not giving up. Do not be weak, do not take it up, it never belonged to you to begin with. train to be like the basalt upon which the waves break. Leave the bait where it lies, learn to eat in between. The axe may fall, you may fail in your ...
by BlackBird
Sun Feb 18, 2024 1:39 am
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Nas Daily on Buddhism
Replies: 21
Views: 866

Re: Nas Daily on Buddhism

the monk said, when asked if there is any thing in life that doesn’t change, ‘yes. the process of change’. The Dhamma as ‘the process of change’ is a simple and good answer. (nibbana is not a thing). Nibbana is most certainly described in the Suttas as a dhamma (a thing). The difference being that ...
by BlackBird
Sat Feb 17, 2024 9:29 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Which disagreements on practice and doctrine are actually aDhammic?
Replies: 41
Views: 1681

Re: Which disagreements on practice and doctrine are actually aDhammic?

If I'm understanding you correctly, you are saying that one needs to look deeply into the motivation and the interpretation of Dhamma rather than the surface appearance of the practice. When it comes to discernment, the only intention that matters is the one behind one’s own action of body, speech ...
by BlackBird
Wed Feb 07, 2024 12:22 am
Forum: Early Buddhism
Topic: There is nothing there, without substance
Replies: 460
Views: 10242

Re: There is nothing there, without substance

Real as such , in that things are present in your experience, you are experiencing them. I think that's an important distinction. But if I'm understanding you correctly, my position is that the problem of existence precedes the problem of essence, and your position is the opposite, correct me if I'...
by BlackBird
Tue Feb 06, 2024 11:28 pm
Forum: Theravāda for Beginners
Topic: Pandaka Interacting with Monks
Replies: 15
Views: 856

Re: Pandaka Interacting with Monks

JamesTheGiant wrote: Tue Feb 06, 2024 8:18 pm
mikenz66 wrote: I wouldn't be so sure if it were a Sri Lankan monastery, as I have had a lot less interaction with their culture.
Yes I agree on this. A trans person might be treated not so great there. Sri Lankan buddists are quite traditionally conservative.
Burma too from what I understand.
by BlackBird
Tue Feb 06, 2024 11:25 pm
Forum: Early Buddhism
Topic: There is nothing there, without substance
Replies: 460
Views: 10242

Re: There is nothing there, without substance

in my experience, it adheres to a notion of real things. Real as such , in that things are present in your experience, you are experiencing them. I think that's an important distinction. But if I'm understanding you correctly, my position is that the problem of existence precedes the problem of ess...
by BlackBird
Tue Feb 06, 2024 10:33 pm
Forum: Early Buddhism
Topic: There is nothing there, without substance
Replies: 460
Views: 10242

Re: There is nothing there, without substance

He's coming from a Phenomenological Theravādin perspective, so he would disagree. All I can say is that this sutra equates substance with atta, and declares the aggregates to be empty. If you don't have substantially existing things, you can't say if they are objective or not. The first fetter to b...
by BlackBird
Tue Feb 06, 2024 9:43 pm
Forum: Early Buddhism
Topic: There is nothing there, without substance
Replies: 460
Views: 10242

Re: There is nothing there, without substance

... He's coming from a Phenomenological Theravādin perspective, so he would disagree. All I can say is that this sutra equates substance with atta, and declares the aggregates to be empty. If you don't have substantially existing things, you can't say if they are objective or not. The first fetter ...
by BlackBird
Tue Feb 06, 2024 9:33 pm
Forum: Early Buddhism
Topic: There is nothing there, without substance
Replies: 460
Views: 10242

Re: There is nothing there, without substance

A translation of the parallel to the Pheṇapiṇḍūpama sutta (SN 22.95) has just been released. It says the same as SN 22.95, but with more emphasis on the lack of substance. Hi Ceisiwr, and everyone else. Someone asked Ven. Anigha about his thoughts on the sutta (pali version) yesterday over at the H...
by BlackBird
Tue Feb 06, 2024 7:57 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Things possibly holding one back from Stream Entry.
Replies: 3
Views: 186

Re: Things possibly holding one back from Stream Entry.

If one isn't ready to give up some sensual or romantic engagement, entering the Stream may be a difficult thing. Elimination of sensual pleasures is accomplished only when you become an Anagami. I think what stops someone from becoming Sotapanna is not knowing what is Sotapanna is. These are the re...
by BlackBird
Tue Feb 06, 2024 4:39 am
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: Christian-Buddhism?
Replies: 876
Views: 19719

Re: Christian-Buddhism?

Greetings SDC, You’re framing it as if it was something sitting out there then and as if it sits out there now. Would you consider your thought of the “order and truth of the Dhamma, and its steadfast nature, which was discovered by the Buddha some 2500-2600 years ago” to be something distinct from...
by BlackBird
Tue Feb 06, 2024 4:00 am
Forum: Theravāda for Beginners
Topic: Is meditation necessary for stream entry?
Replies: 28
Views: 1690

Re: Is meditation necessary for stream entry?

I've been obsessed with sotapanna lately and am very interested in hopefully reaching the first stage of enlightenment (which is widely believed to be available to laity). I'm new to Theravada, so I'm very, very sorry for any mistakes here. Is rigorous practice necessary? Is it hopeless if I don't ...