Luminious mind

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
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bodom
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Re: Luminious mind

Post by bodom »

Mawkish1983 wrote:I think a lot of these questions miss the point (the questions seem to contradict anatta to me), and through insight alone can the truth be known.
I think thats what Goedert was getting at.

:anjali:
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.

- BB
Mawkish1983
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Re: Luminious mind

Post by Mawkish1983 »

bodom wrote:I think thats what Goedert was getting at.
Ah, gotcha. Sorry, too subtle for me
:embarassed:
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Sherab
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Re: Luminious mind

Post by Sherab »

So the Buddha was making statements that he knew nobody can understand even intellectually except through insight? Was the Buddha's action meaningless then?
Mawkish1983
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Re: Luminious mind

Post by Mawkish1983 »

The Buddha's actions were not meaningless :)
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Sherab
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Re: Luminious mind

Post by Sherab »

I said
Sherab wrote:So the Buddha was making statements that he knew nobody can understand even intellectually except through insight? Was the Buddha's action meaningless then?
You replied
Mawkish1983 wrote:The Buddha's actions were not meaningless :)
Now I ask: why?
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jcsuperstar
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Re: Luminious mind

Post by jcsuperstar »

why would they be (meaningless)? the Buddha gave instruction on how to gain insight, so the fault is not that of the Buddha but of those who haven't put those instruction to use.
สัพเพ สัตตา สุขีตา โหนตุ

the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
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Virgo
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Re: Luminious mind

Post by Virgo »

Even if people can only understand them through insight, stating these things was not meaningless in the slightest because it could inspire people to gain that insight. Nothing the Buddha does is meaningless.

Kevin
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Sherab
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Re: Luminious mind

Post by Sherab »

Virgo wrote:Even if people can only understand them through insight, stating these things was not meaningless in the slightest because it could inspire people to gain that insight. Nothing the Buddha does is meaningless.

Kevin
How could something in which you do not even have the possibility of the slightest intellectual understanding be an inspiration to gain that insight? How do you know that it would not be a complete waste of time to pursue that insight?
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jcsuperstar
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Re: Luminious mind

Post by jcsuperstar »

when reading a sutta it is helpful to look at who the sutta is being given to. maybe its being given to monks with insight, maybe to a farmer with no understanding of the dhamma at all. the dhamma was given by the Buddha to different people at different times with different understandings and abilities, maybe this is something you just don't understand yet.
สัพเพ สัตตา สุขีตา โหนตุ

the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
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Sherab
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Re: Luminious mind

Post by Sherab »

Of course the Buddha gave teachings according to the capacity of the audience or recipient. But this does not answer my question about inspiration isn't it?
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Sherab
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Re: Luminious mind

Post by Sherab »

This thread is getting nowhere. Time to kill it.
Thanks everyone for your participation.
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jcsuperstar
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Re: Luminious mind

Post by jcsuperstar »

Sherab wrote:Of course the Buddha gave teachings according to the capacity of the audience or recipient. But this does not answer my question about inspiration isn't it?
it would provide inspiration to those who are ready to be inspired by it.

there are many advanced scientific ideas i do not understand, should i just assume they are of no worth since i cant understand them?
สัพเพ สัตตา สุขีตา โหนตุ

the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
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Sherab
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Re: Luminious mind

Post by Sherab »

Scientific ideas can be understood intellectually.
Certain utterance of Buddha's cannot be understood without having insight - that's the point that some people here tried to make. My point is that there is no point in making statements that only people who already have insight can understand because if they already have the insight, the utterances served no purpose.
Let's end this meaningless discussion. Thank you.
dhamma follower
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Re: Luminious mind

Post by dhamma follower »

Sherab wrote:"Luminous, monks, is the mind. And it is defiled by incoming defilements."
"Luminous, monks, is the mind. And it is freed from incoming defilements."
"Luminous, monks, is the mind. And it is defiled by incoming defilements. The uninstructed run-of-the-mill person doesn't discern that as it actually is present, which is why I tell you that -- for the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person -- there is no development of the mind."
"Luminous, monks, is the mind. And it is freed from incoming defilements. The well-instructed noble disciple discerns that as it actually is present, which is why I tell you that -- for the well-instructed noble disciple -- there is development of the mind."

Anguttara Nikaya I.49-52
Pabhassara Suttas

The above verses seem to say that the key to development of the mind is to discern that as it actually is present. What is that as it actually is present?
IMHU, the luminous mind is the natural quality of the mind to know things as they are before defilements come in. This is also the mind of an arahant. An ordinary person can also experience this luminous mind when he attains the stage of equanimity toward all formations. The minds is extremely sharp, is aware of the minutest details and totally equanimous. It has the quality of being luminous but there's no light, it's simply the luminosity of wisdom or fredom from defilements.
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BubbaBuddhist
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Re: Luminious mind

Post by BubbaBuddhist »

I never found the "luminous mind" references all that murky, especially when the various references are brought together. They seem to describe the qualities of a mind unsullied by defilements. Like scraping mud from a backlit window: perception shines through without obstruction.

J
Author of Redneck Buddhism: or Will You Reincarnate as Your Own Cousin?
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