Sages' Biographies

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
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Nicholas Weeks
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Sages' Biographies

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

Buddha's direct disciples I know of and some major Theravadin figures in the 19-20th centuries, but that leaves a vast period of time I am ignorant of. Aside from Buddhagosha and Ashoka there must have been many Arahants or sages that Theravadins admire.

So please give us some short bios here or references to books about sages from the Southern tradition between, say, 300 bce and 1800.
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Cittasanto
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Re: Sages' Biographies

Post by Cittasanto »

Hi Will
Arahant Upatissa who wrote the Vimuttimagga
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Sages' Biographies

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

Manapa wrote:Hi Will
Arahant Upatissa who wrote the Vimuttimagga
Thanks Manapa.

Now maybe others will add more and fill in the blanks about Bhante Upatissa. When did he live, where did he live & any bios in English?

Good ole Wiki has a little - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upatissa_of_Sri_Lanka" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. So he was a King of Lanka around 500bce.

By the way, is Buddha's parinibbana date settled firmly now? If so, what is it?
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Cittasanto
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Re: Sages' Biographies

Post by Cittasanto »

no it was about 1AD the work I mentioned was written, http://www.wisdom-books.com/ProductDeta ... 30&MATCH=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; :oops:
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
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gavesako
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Re: Sages' Biographies

Post by gavesako »

Will wrote:Buddha's direct disciples I know of and some major Theravadin figures in the 19-20th centuries, but that leaves a vast period of time I am ignorant of. Aside from Buddhagosha and Ashoka there must have been many Arahants or sages that Theravadins admire.
As far as I know, neither Buddhaghosa nor Asoka are regarded as arahants (except as product of much later glorification).

Have you seen R. Ray's book "Buddhist Saints in India"? It deals with this subject.
Bhikkhu Gavesako
Kiṃkusalagavesī anuttaraṃ santivarapadaṃ pariyesamāno... (MN 26)

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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Sages' Biographies

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

gavesako wrote:
Will wrote:Buddha's direct disciples I know of and some major Theravadin figures in the 19-20th centuries, but that leaves a vast period of time I am ignorant of. Aside from Buddhagosha and Ashoka there must have been many Arahants or sages that Theravadins admire.
As far as I know, neither Buddhaghosa nor Asoka are regarded as arahants (except as product of much later glorification).

Have you seen R. Ray's book "Buddhist Saints in India"? It deals with this subject.
No Bhante, I am not familiar with that title. But Reginald Ray is a Mahayanaist, so I suspect most of the saints mentioned would be of that variety. Besides the couple of blurbs I read about suggest it is more of an academic study about Buddhist sainthood. I am looking for simple biographies of Theravadin sages, that need not be Arahants, in the time frame mentioned above.

Surely such bios exist, Mahayana has traditional lives of Milarepa, Nagarjuna, Asanga, Chih-I etc. so there must be some out there giving traditional stories of revered latter-day followers of Buddha.

If little or none exist, in English, then there is a need.
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Sages' Biographies

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Time to bump this thread up. Unless there is another one that gives some English books or articles on non-Mahayana sages who lived before 1850 or so. Arahant status not required.
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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SDC
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Re: Sages' Biographies

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Nicholas Weeks wrote: Sat Sep 26, 2020 5:09 pm Time to bump this thread up. Unless there is another one that gives some English books or articles on non-Mahayana sages who lived before 1850 or so. Arahant status not required.
Theragatha and Therigatha
“Life is swept along, short is the life span; no shelters exist for one who has reached old age. Seeing clearly this danger in death, a seeker of peace should drop the world’s bait.” SN 1.3
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Nicholas Weeks
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Re: Sages' Biographies

Post by Nicholas Weeks »

SDC wrote: Mon Sep 28, 2020 1:02 am
Nicholas Weeks wrote: Sat Sep 26, 2020 5:09 pm Time to bump this thread up. Unless there is another one that gives some English books or articles on non-Mahayana sages who lived before 1850 or so. Arahant status not required.
Theragatha and Therigatha
That is nice, yet a tad less ancient was what I had in mind.

But was and still am looking for some short English bios or references to books about sages from the Southern tradition between 500 and 1850.
Good and evil have no fixed form. It's as easy to turn from doing bad to doing good as it is to flip over the hand from the back to the palm. It's simply up to us to do it. Master Hsuan Hua.
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Re: Sages' Biographies

Post by unknown »

I believe translations from this period are lacking because sages were too Abhidhammic and leaning too much on commentaries in the eyes of modern Buddhists.

And in the later part of the period, teachings were tainted with non-Buddhist practices.

So now Theravadins are interested in the early stuff and those who revived these early teachings and put them into practice.
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