Dalai Lama's opinion of Vissudhimagga

[Ben]

I was just interested in the provenance of the article and the circumstances of its origin.

This is actually the foreword written by the DL for the 1999 first edition Pariyatti copy of the Vism. I double checked and it is in my copy.

Hi Bodom
I suspected it was a forward but its certainly not present in my earlier edition.
Thanks for checking it out!
kind regards

Ben

[cooran]

Hello Sonam,

Just wanted you to know that views expressed in this thread are the opinions of the writer of each post, not of all members of Dhamma Wheel or of very many Theravadins.

I have deep respect for the Dalai Lama, and have attended two Retreats with him when we have been fortunate enough for him to visit Australia.

with metta
Chris

[tiltbillings]

Hello Sonam,

Just wanted you to know that views expressed in this thread are the opinions of the writer of each post, not of all members of Dhamma Wheel or of very many Theravadins.

I have deep respect for the Dalai Lama, and have attended two Retreats with him when we have been fortunate enough for him to visit Australia.

with metta
Chris

I do not think anyone in this thread has stated a lack of respect for the Dalai Lama.

[Virgo]

Certainly with no likelihood of a Theravadin recognition of him as an embodiment of " Avalokiteshvara".

What is it that baffles you about the VsM?

Kevin

[tiltbillings]

Certainly with no likelihood of a Theravadin recognition of him as an embodiment of " Avalokiteshvara".

What is it that baffles you about the VsM?

Kevin

I think you might mean this msg by Alan: viewtopic.php?f=14&t=3977&p=58703#p58703

[Virgo]

Certainly with no likelihood of a Theravadin recognition of him as an embodiment of " Avalokiteshvara".

What is it that baffles you about the VsM?

Kevin

I think you might mean this msg by Alan: viewtopic.php?f=14&t=3977&p=58703#p58703

That is the statement I had meant to address. Thank you Tilt.

Alan wrote: "I'm going to admit right here that Visuddhimagga baffles me."

What is it that baffles you about the visuddhimagga, Alan?

Kevin

[bodom]

I would venture to say the visuddhimagga is a little intimidating and baffling to most at first. I know it was for me when I first picked it up. It is basically the entire tipitaka condensed between two covers. There is alot to take in and digest.

[jcsuperstar]

i started to read it on a retreat two years ago, i never got to the meditation part...

[Ben]

Hi jc

i started to read it on a retreat two years ago, i never got to the meditation part...

I started re-reading it again in preparation for my last retreat in December last year. Particularly the section on anapana-sati (in concentration) but also some of the chapters in the wisdom section. Reading the anapana section over and over again over a number of years has been an invaluable aid to my practice.
kind regards

Ben

[Sönam]

hello tiltbillings, ... if vajrayana teachings are so "ignorant" why to be so irritated ?

may you found happiness and appeasement !

I understand that English is not your primary language. I did not say Vajrayana teachings are ignorant. I said that Wallace's approach was grossly sectarian, essentially claiming that the Theravada, especially the vipassana tradition, did not get it right and that the vipassana tradition distorts the Dhamma.

While there is sufficient reason to criticise the Vajrayana, I did not do so; I criticized Wallace's sectarianism, which seriously distorts what he is supposedly criticizing.

ok, so I apologize for not being "immediate" with english !

Sönam

[tiltbillings]

ok, so I apologize for not being "immediate" with english !

That is nothing you need to apologize for. My only point is that it sometime easy to misunderstand what is being said.

[Kim O'Hara]

Veering slightly off the immediate topic ... which translation of the Vsm do you folks like?
Thanks,

Kim

[Ben]

Hi Kim
I think you will find most people will have the Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli translation published either by BPS or Pariyatti.
kind regards

Ben

[BlackBird]

Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli was a gentleman and a scholar.

[mikenz66]

As Ben says, the Nanamoli translation from BPS is probably the realistic choice.
http://www.bps.lk/
Aparrently they are working on a re-typesetting, which will also result in a free PDF. See the post here by Bhikkhu Nyanatusita:
http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.ph ... =20#p32156

As far as I know, the only other option in English is the ancient PTS translation:
http://www.palitext.com/palitext/tran.htm

The Path of Purity,
tr. Pe Maung Tin, 3 volumes, 1923, 1929, 1931, reprinted as one
volume 1975
ISBN 008 8 £45.30 « Add to Basket »
One of the most influential Pāli texts, this compendium of Buddhist doctrine and metaphysics is the most important book written by Buddhaghosa. It provides a systematic exposition of Buddhist teaching and is also a detailed manual for meditation. (5th century C.E.)
Translation of Visuddhimagga.

Metta
Mike

[Ben]

Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli was a gentleman and a scholar.

Indeed! As was Bhadantacariya Buddhaghosa.

[Kim O'Hara]

Thanks, folks.
I'll put it on my wish list.

Kim

[BlackBird]

Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli was a gentleman and a scholar.

Indeed! As was Bhadantacariya Buddhaghosa.

Very true, we're a fortunate lot to have met all this. I think we might just owe a good deal of gratitude to these Bhantes.

[Virgo]

I would venture to say the visuddhimagga is a little intimidating and baffling to most at first. I know it was for me when I first picked it up. It is basically the entire tipitaka condensed between two covers. There is alot to take in and digest.

It's not as bad as it looks. any big book can be intimidating. But it is well worth the read.

Kevin

[d.sullivan]

Here is Wallace's broadside against vipassana practice: http://www.tricycle.com/a-mindful-balance

I am not impressed.

I want to discuss this article further, but don't want to go off topic. So, I'm starting a new thread here:

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=4623