The wiring behind the board...

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
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Beautiful Breath
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The wiring behind the board...

Post by Beautiful Breath »

Hi all,

Can someone tell me what the mechanics of 'Liberation/Enlightenment' are in the Theravada tradition?

Its very clear in for instance the Tibetan tradition - meditation on Emptiness reveals the true nature of reality - and as the Emptiness of a flower is the same as the Emptiness of the self ... realisation of the Flowers Emptiness will reveal all.

Thanks!

BB...
daverupa
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Re: The wiring behind the board...

Post by daverupa »

From the Ganakamoggallana Sutta we learn that
"It is possible, brahman, to lay down a gradual training, a gradual doing, a gradual practice in respect of this dhamma and discipline, Brahman, even a skilled trainer of horses, having taken on a beautiful thoroughbred first of all gets it used to the training in respect of wearing the bit. Then he gets it used to further training — even so brahman, the Tathagata, having taken on a man to be tamed, first of all disciplines him thus:"
  • "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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Dan74
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Re: The wiring behind the board...

Post by Dan74 »

Beautiful Breath wrote:Hi all,

Can someone tell me what the mechanics of 'Liberation/Enlightenment' are in the Theravada tradition?

Its very clear in for instance the Tibetan tradition - meditation on Emptiness reveals the true nature of reality - and as the Emptiness of a flower is the same as the Emptiness of the self ... realisation of the Flowers Emptiness will reveal all.

Thanks!

BB...
This is a pretty idiosynchratic take of Vajrayana! I don't know of many lamas teaching solely the meditation on the emptiness of the flower method... :D
_/|\_
santa100
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Re: The wiring behind the board...

Post by santa100 »

Regardless of schools, one'll need to practice and perfect the Threefold training of moral precepts, concentration, and insight. Contemplation on emptiness is one training to develop insight. The practitioner still needs to do A LOT more to perfect his/her moral precepts and concentration. Liberation/Enlightenment only happens when the three poisons of greed, aversion, delusion are completely and totally destroyed.
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Beautiful Breath
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Re: The wiring behind the board...

Post by Beautiful Breath »

Dan74 wrote:
Beautiful Breath wrote:Hi all,

Can someone tell me what the mechanics of 'Liberation/Enlightenment' are in the Theravada tradition?

Its very clear in for instance the Tibetan tradition - meditation on Emptiness reveals the true nature of reality - and as the Emptiness of a flower is the same as the Emptiness of the self ... realisation of the Flowers Emptiness will reveal all.

Thanks!

BB...
This is a pretty idiosynchratic take of Vajrayana! I don't know of many lamas teaching solely the meditation on the emptiness of the flower method... :D
....maybe, but after years in a Tibetan tradition this is the way it is.
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Beautiful Breath
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Re: The wiring behind the board...

Post by Beautiful Breath »

No takers on this?

I am really curious how I would explain the MO of liberation in much the same way as I would in the Tibetan Tradition....?

BB...
daverupa
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Re: The wiring behind the board...

Post by daverupa »

Beautiful Breath wrote:I am really curious how I would explain the MO of liberation in much the same way as I would in the Tibetan Tradition....?
IMO, you wouldn't.
  • "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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BlackBird
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Re: The wiring behind the board...

Post by BlackBird »

How could one describe liberation and or enlightenment unless one has a personal experience of it? There's no objective scholarly report from Enlightenment quarterly on what attainment of path and fruits feel like. What The Buddha has taught is the way leading to such a result. To your average practitioner of Theravada, that is what is important. Take care to cultivate the NEP and everything will eventually fall into place.
"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this:
'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I." - MN. 70 Kitagiri Sutta

Path Press - Ñāṇavīra Thera Dhamma Page - Ajahn Nyanamoli's Dhamma talks
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