saddhānusāri's and saddhā-vimutta's or faithful theravadins

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vitellius
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saddhānusāri's and saddhā-vimutta's or faithful theravadins

Post by vitellius »

Hello all,

I'm looking for biographies of teachers and practitioners who had faith (saddha) on a central or an important place of their personal spiritual way.

It seems that for most Christian or Tibetan 'saints' faith played most important role, but do you know any theravadins who benefited much from their devotion?
Last edited by vitellius on Fri Sep 11, 2009 2:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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retrofuturist
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Re: saddhānusāri's and saddhā-vimutta's or faithul theravadins

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings Oleksandr,

The first thing that comes to mind is that faith and wisdom need to be in balance, so that if any were successful on account of their faith, it would only be because of the conjoinment with wisdom.

Metta,
Retro. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
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Guy
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Re: saddhānusāri's and saddhā-vimutta's or faithul theravadins

Post by Guy »

Hi Oleksandr,

I agree with Retro. Saddha/Faith and Panna/Wisdom must be developed side by side. In extreme cases faith without wisdom leads to holy wars and suicide cults all in the name of "religion". Real religion should be based on wisdom as much as faith.

With Metta,

Guy
Four types of letting go:

1) Giving; expecting nothing back in return
2) Throwing things away
3) Contentment; wanting to be here, not wanting to be anywhere else
4) "Teflon Mind"; having a mind which doesn't accumulate things

- Ajahn Brahm
vitellius
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Re: saddhānusāri's and saddhā-vimutta's or faithul theravadins

Post by vitellius »

Thanks Retro and Guy! I agree with your points in general.

But I would like to repeat the question:
I'm looking for biographies of teachers and practitioners who had faith (saddha) on a central or an important place of their personal spiritual way.

Do you know any?
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piotr
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Re: saddhānusāri's and saddhā-vimutta's or faithul theravadins

Post by piotr »

Hi, :smile:
Oleksandr wrote:Do you know any?
Ajaan Mun had faith that arahantship was still possible, contrary to the 'official line' which stated that no one can even practice jhānas, let alone attaining path and fruits.
Bhagavaṃmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā...
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tiltbillings
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Re: saddhānusāri's and saddhā-vimutta's or faithul theravadins

Post by tiltbillings »

Oleksandr wrote:Thanks Retro and Guy! I agree with your points in general.

But I would like to repeat the question:
I'm looking for biographies of teachers and practitioners who had faith (saddha) on a central or an important place of their personal spiritual way.

Do you know any?
Any teacher who has attained to a level of ariya will have had faith, but maybe you need to tell us what you mean by faith.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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Re: saddhānusāri's and saddhā-vimutta's or faithul theravadins

Post by cooran »

Hello all,

This may be of interest:

Does Saddha mean Faith? Parts I and II - Ñanamoli Thera
http://www.bps.lk/new_wheels_library/wh ... aMeanFaith" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;?

metta
Chris
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vitellius
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Re: saddhānusāri's and saddhā-vimutta's or faithul theravadins

Post by vitellius »

Particularly, do you know any teachers whose main meditation object was recollection of Buddha or Sangha, Dhamma, devas, Peace?

Or in terms of 5 indriyas: some meditators are best in jhanas (samadhi), some are very mindful (sati), some are doing best with vipassana insights (pañña).
And are you aware of any teachers, monks or practitioners whose strongest power is in their saddha or viriya?
Last edited by vitellius on Wed Sep 16, 2009 5:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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gavesako
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Re: saddhānusāri's and saddhā-vimutta's or faithful theravadins

Post by gavesako »

You could include pretty much all the well-known Thai Ajahns in this category, that is how their mind works, they have strong Saddha (with the exception of people like Ajahn Buddhadasa and even Ajahn Chah, who had more investigative minds).
Bhikkhu Gavesako
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vitellius
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Re: saddhānusāri's and saddhā-vimutta's or faithful theravadins

Post by vitellius »

Dziękuję, Piotr and děkuji vám, Bhante!

Bhante, can you please name several Ajahns of this 'category' whose teachings you personally like?'
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gavesako
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Re: saddhānusāri's and saddhā-vimutta's or faithful theravadins

Post by gavesako »

You can simply look up http://www.forestdhammabooks.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and pretty much all of this tradition fall in this category (Ajahn Khao, Ajahn Maha Boowa, Mae Chee Kaew, etc.).
Bhikkhu Gavesako
Kiṃkusalagavesī anuttaraṃ santivarapadaṃ pariyesamāno... (MN 26)

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Ancient Buddhist Texts - Translations and history of Pali texts
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tiltbillings
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Re: saddhānusāri's and saddhā-vimutta's or faithul theravadins

Post by tiltbillings »

Oleksandr wrote:Particularly, do you know any teachers whose main meditation object was recollection of Buddha or Sangha, Dhamma, devas, Piece?
Within traditional Theravada these recollections, while useful, are not considered as bases for insight.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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piotr
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Re: saddhānusāri's and saddhā-vimutta's or faithul theravadins

Post by piotr »

Hi, :smile:
tiltbillings wrote:Within traditional Theravada these recollections, while useful, are not considered as bases for insight.
But on a broader plane one can consider them as a good means to the nibbāna:

  • "And what, bhikkhus, is that way going upwards, which leads to utter disenchantment ... to Nibbāna. Here, bhikkhus, a noble disciple possesses confirmed confidence in the Buddha thus: 'The Blessed One is ... teacher of devas and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.' He possesses confirmed confidence in the Dhamma ... in the Sangha ... He possesses the virtues dear to the noble ones, unbroken ... leading to concentration.

    "This, bhikkhus, is that way going upwards, which leads to utter disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbāna."

    Brāhmaṇa-sutta: The Brahmins (SN 55.12), translated from the Pāli by Bhikkhu Bodhi
Bhagavaṃmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā...
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Re: saddhānusāri's and saddhā-vimutta's or faithul theravadins

Post by appicchato »

piotr wrote:Hi, :smile:
tiltbillings wrote:Within traditional Theravada these recollections, while useful, are not considered as bases for insight.
But on a broader plane one can consider them as a good means to the nibbāna:
[/list][/size]
Indeed...insight to the max... :thumbsup:
vitellius
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Re: saddhānusāri's and saddhā-vimutta's or faithful theravadins

Post by vitellius »

Hi all,

Has anyone read "Faith: Trusting Your Own Deepest Experience" by Sharon Salzberg?
http://books.google.com/books?id=rBIBAAAACAAJ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If yes, what useful have you learned from this book?
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