50th Anniversary of Nanavira's sotapatti

[BlackBird]

But Ajahn Chah is aware of that, see: http://ajahnchah.org/book/Path_Peace.php

I have read but a portion of this good text, but I can see that this is true.

As one goes along, however, the situation changes and -- as Ajahn Chah points out -- one starts to cling to those steps of the practice which should merely be used and let go of.

So then one needs to refine one's practice and work on the more subtle attachments. If you have been around Buddhist circles for long enough, you will notice that the most difficult people to be around are those who believe to have "got somewhere" in their practice, who have some level of "attainment" or other. Such people tend to be very hard-headed and conceited, you cannot really discuss anything with them, because they assume that others simply "don't get it" and are unenlightened puthujjanas. When they lack feedback from a Sangha and appoint themselves to the position of teachers, they may just stay on that track until their dying day and just continue to affirm what they already believe in. Anything you say will just prove to them even more how mistaken you are. So this is what Ajahn Chah is referring to.

In another example, a monk came once to Ajahn Chah and said to him that he believed to have reached the stage of Sotapanna. Ajahn Chah's comment was: "That's just a little bit better than a dog..." and he walked away. So he did not support anybody's sense of identity (sakkaya-ditthi) like some other teachers might do.

Gavesako

Well said Venerable Sir, well said

[gavesako]

Interesting wikipedia article about the Jain practice of Sallekhana or "fasting to death" which is considered to be the ultimate ascetic practice.

Here is also a video of it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hiwtUTbRT8

[Jechbi]

that's really annoying

[David N. Snyder]

Here is also a video of it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hiwtUTbRT8

Thank God, I mean thank Buddha, we follow the majjhima magga (middle way).

[gavesako]

that's really annoying

But good for educational purposes. It would be good to have a whole thread comparing some Buddhist and Jain ideas because the terms they use are often the same, but the meaning is different (cf. Sallekha Sutta in MN, what the Buddha means by "purification"). A lot has to do with how Kamma is understood and the consequences of that.

[Jechbi]

Ok, I got past the yelling part. The rest of the video is not annoying. Thank you for posting it, Bhante, and for sharing your insights.