Mahayana's "Shurangama Sutra" - any use to a Theravadin?

[Dan74]

..it left him with an empty feeling?

ok..bad pun

Hiya Folks,

Well I am still only half way through and I am guessing that it is not the best sutra to read for a Theravadin. A lot of it builds on Yogacara teachings and maybe reminiscent of some of the Abhidhamma stuff, I am not sure.

It definitely deals with anatta though, removing any false identifications and misconceptions about the nature of the mind. It's pretty tough-going for me, although much resonates with other material and a smidgen of experience.

Some of it is analytic, some seems to come directly from a very deep absorption and some goes completely over my head. All I can say is that I will keep reading and re-reading. If I can be so bold as to venture advice is to keep practice balanced. Study is only one side of it.

Be well!

[retrofuturist]

Thanks for checking in, Dan.

Metta,
Retro.

[Fede]

Dan, I wish you'd been around in my Scholastic algebra days..... never saw the point then, and am still nonplussed by it now....!

I think this is the type of thing that swayed me definitively towards approaching Buddhism through the Theravada portal. There was much I was trying to plough through in Mahayana that simply absolutely left me wallowing face down in deep blue blancmange....
Not that there has been a marked improvement since, but I far prefer reading Theravada Suttas and teachings.....
In fact, I need to immerse myself far more than of late....

[Sanghamitta]

I second that emotion..blue blancmange and all.