the great rebirth debate

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
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Alex123
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Re: Is hell and hungry ghost realm to be taken literally?

Post by Alex123 »

Aloka wrote:Speculative papanca Alex-

The Buddha didn't find Rebirth, Kamma, Hell Beings to be speculation or papañca.
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Zom
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Re: Is hell and hungry ghost realm to be taken literally?

Post by Zom »

Unless you can show them to me Zom, then in my own view its all purely speculative and has no connection to my practice here and now.
Well, you see, these are called "Views", and they are not "A Knowledge". You may call "Right View" as "Right Belief" and "Wrong View" as "Wrong Belief".
This is the 1st, the starting factor of the Path - not the last one (and, by the way, suttas say that only Arahant is endowed with 9th and 10th factors, which are "Right Knowledge", "Right Release"). So at first you must have some "saddha" balanced with at least some "pannya" (wisdom). Saddha here is the belief, the ability to believe in something you've never seen. Without such a belief your way will be very difficult, if possible at all. So we first learn which views are correct, we do our best to put as much belief in Buddha's words as possible - so this will be our fuel on our path. And I'm not sure you can make it if you dismiss saddha completely, trying "to prove everything at first". You see, saddha is one of Five Powers (Indriya) that lead you to Enlightenment. You need all 5 of them - not 4 or less.
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Aloka
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Re: Is hell and hungry ghost realm to be taken literally?

Post by Aloka »

Alex123 wrote:
Aloka wrote:Speculative papanca Alex-

The Buddha didn't find Rebirth, Kamma, Hell Beings to be speculation or papañca.
Oh - you're the Buddha now are you ?....and you keep twisting what I've said Alex and adding your own speculations about views I haven't even expressed - plus I said previously that I didn't want to engage with you because I find your posting manner aggressive.

Do you have a teacher ? Maybe it would be a good idea to find one. Having one -to-one exchanges can be very helpful.

Be well and at ease. :anjali:
Last edited by Aloka on Wed Aug 10, 2011 4:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
PeterB
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Re: the great rebirth debate

Post by PeterB »

Have you Alex ?
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Alex123
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Re: the great rebirth debate

Post by Alex123 »

PeterB wrote:Have you Alex ?
I believe in Rebirth, and have some logical reasons to believe in it:
http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.ph ... 60#p143017" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


If current mental state including delusional feeling of "I AM" with other underlying tendencies, requires and is conditioned by previous mental states, and previous mental states are conditioned by earlier ones, then that means that the first instance of mental state of baby-in-the-womb with its delusion of "I AM" with other underlying tendencies, had to be conditioned by previous mental state. Those previous mental states that condition the first moment of consciousness in the womb, can only be in the former lives before this baby with its body was even conceived.

If the fetters could appear without any cause, then who is to guarantee that an Arahant cannot be fettered again due to chance or whatever.
If the fetters could appear due to purely physical cause, then who is to guarantee that an Arahant cannot be fettered again when certain physical causes happen.
If we allow the possibility of material causes to be the sole reason for delusion of "I AM" and other underlying tendencies, then mental training would be useless. The solution would lie in the physical, and one would need to see psychiatrist not a psychologist or Dhamma.
Last edited by Alex123 on Tue Aug 09, 2011 6:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Alex123
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Re: Is hell and hungry ghost realm to be taken literally?

Post by Alex123 »

Aloka wrote: Do you have a teacher ? Maybe it would be a good idea to find one.
I do, the Buddha. I also read a lot on what other teachers have said to see different interpretations and points of view, but I leave the final word with Buddha Himself.
Aloka wrote: Oh - you're the Buddha now are you ?....
I've posted the quotes from the suttas. They are clear about rebirth.


The Buddha didn't borrow his teaching on Hell from others:
``Bhikkhus, I say this not hearing from another recluse or brahmin, this is what I have myself known and seen and so I say it
http://metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/ ... uta-e.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So much for Buddha merely accepting the doctrine that he was supposed to have heard from others, and it wasn't speculation for Him.
PeterB
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Re: the great rebirth debate

Post by PeterB »

You didnt answer my question.
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Alex123
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Re: the great rebirth debate

Post by Alex123 »

PeterB wrote:You didnt answer my question.
I don't have clairvoyant powers to see my rebirth or of others. I also do not have clairvoyant powers to read the mind of others and see their level of attainment.

So when it comes to the suttas, unfortunately one has to take at least some of it on reasoned faith and risk-reward analysis.
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Re: the great rebirth debate

Post by PeterB »

Or approach the suttas with an entirely different set of questions of a non- ontological kind.
As did Ajahn Buddhadasa for example. And as does Ajahn Sumedho.
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Aloka
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Re: Is hell and hungry ghost realm to be taken literally?

Post by Aloka »

Alex123 wrote:
Aloka wrote: Do you have a teacher ? Maybe it would be a good idea to find one.
I do, the Buddha. I also read a lot on what other teachers have said to see different interpretations and points of view, but I leave the final word with Buddha Himself.
Aloka wrote: Oh - you're the Buddha now are you ?....
I've posted the quotes from the suttas. They are clear about rebirth.

Alex, what's your problem exactly ? You are totally obsessed with rebirth... and I haven't even mentioned it once !


Goodnight.

:buddha1:
Last edited by Aloka on Wed Aug 10, 2011 4:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Alex123
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Re: the great rebirth debate

Post by Alex123 »

PeterB wrote:Or approach the suttas with an entirely different set of questions of a non- ontological kind.
As did Ajahn Buddhadasa for example. And as does Ajahn Sumedho.
So does it mean that one should reject those things (like Hell, rebirth, Kamma) that one doesn't like and doesn't think exist?

Should one follow one's likes in order to accept or reject something that is said in the suttas?

Should one pick and choose what one accepts and what one rejects?
santa100
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Re: the great rebirth debate

Post by santa100 »

PeterB wrote:
Or approach the suttas with an entirely different set of questions of a non- ontological kind.
As did Ajahn Buddhadasa for example. And as does Ajahn Sumedho
It's obvious that the 2 venerables did use non-ontological approach for some group of audience. But it does not mean both venerables endorsed the view that literal rebirth and moment-to-moment rebirth must be 2 mutually exclusive concepts. If they did, please provide the appropriate references.
daverupa
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Re: the great rebirth debate

Post by daverupa »

Alex123 wrote:...Should one pick and choose what one accepts and what one rejects?
These are false dichotomies, as neither accepting nor rejecting views on rebirth is possible while still practicing the Dhamma.

:heart:

"Oh, one world at a time!" ~Henry David Thoreau, when asked about the afterlife
  • "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

    "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.

- Sedaka Sutta [SN 47.19]
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Alex123
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Re: the great rebirth debate

Post by Alex123 »

daverupa wrote:
Alex123 wrote:...Should one pick and choose what one accepts and what one rejects?
These are false dichotomies, as neither accepting nor rejecting views on rebirth is possible while still practicing the Dhamma.
Do you accept, reject or agnostic regarding Rebirth?
PeterB
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Re: the great rebirth debate

Post by PeterB »

santa100 wrote:
PeterB wrote:
Or approach the suttas with an entirely different set of questions of a non- ontological kind.
As did Ajahn Buddhadasa for example. And as does Ajahn Sumedho
It's obvious that the 2 venerables did use non-ontological approach for some group of audience. But it does not mean both venerables endorsed the view that literal rebirth and moment-to-moment rebirth must be 2 mutually exclusive concepts. If they did, please provide the appropriate references.
Ajahn Buddhadasa's writings are so replete with with his eschewing of the three lifetimes model that you could stick a pin in them almost anywhere and hit a suitable passage to that end.
With Ajahn Sumedho the issue is slightly different, he simply will not become involved in such discussions.
If direct questions are put to him on the matter he shifts the emphasis and talks about the importance of not identifying with views.
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