Why did you choose Theravada?

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
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Monkey Mind
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Re: Why did you choose Theravada?

Post by Monkey Mind »

I've studied with teachers/ sanghas who followed the Elders, and I've studied with some different Zen and Tibetan groups. I agree with a lot of what is said above. The Tibetan and Zen conceptualization of compassion was hard for me to swallow. And the sectarian thing. Although I know historically the Theravadans were not blameless angels in that dispute, most modern practitioners tend to shrug and say "To each their own" (as has already modeled in this thread). From the other side of things, I encounter a lot of strange claims about the Theravada teachings.
"As I am, so are others;
as others are, so am I."
Having thus identified self and others,
harm no one nor have them harmed.

Sutta Nipāta 3.710
alan
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Re: Why did you choose Theravada?

Post by alan »

Surely you have all gone through a process of looking at the various interpretations available.
And then after much thought have decided on Therevada....right?
Or maybe I'm living in an intellectual fantasy land.

I'm asking in a spirit of openness. Not trying to upset anyone.
Was there an idea or concept in Mahayana you (all) did not agree with?
If so, which? why?

Thanks so much for putting up with my questions.
Laurens
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Re: Why did you choose Theravada?

Post by Laurens »

thereductor wrote: In addition to that was the emphasis Tibetan Buddhism placed on the
teacher-student relationship. Basically it seemed that I could not expect any benefits from Buddhism unless
I moved and took up with a teacher; to do less would be a waste of time (so I understood at the time).
Yes this was an aspect that put me off Mahayana too, I didn't have a teacher nearby and I was told that practice without was a pointless affair.

Certain practices in Thervada are advised to be taken under instruction of a teacher, but basic practice is open to everyone, I like that.
"If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?"

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
seanpdx
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Re: Why did you choose Theravada?

Post by seanpdx »

alan wrote:Surely you have all gone through a process of looking at the various interpretations available.
And then after much thought have decided on Therevada....right?
Or maybe I'm living in an intellectual fantasy land.
I would find it surprising if many people (converts) put much intellectual thought into the decision. Such a thing just isn't necessary, nor a priority, for most people.
alan
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Re: Why did you choose Theravada?

Post by alan »

Oh, I'm a having such a hard time trying to understand this. Will you please explain?
What is a convert, how does it apply to this discussion, and why would most people not put much thought into such an important decision?
Thanks!
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Cittasanto
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Re: Why did you choose Theravada?

Post by Cittasanto »

alan wrote:Surely you have all gone through a process of looking at the various interpretations available.
And then after much thought have decided on Therevada....right?
Or maybe I'm living in an intellectual fantasy land.
maybe you are maybe your not? but some peoples first meeting with Buddhism will be Theravada and they never needed to look for or at alternatives!
alan wrote:I'm asking in a spirit of openness. Not trying to upset anyone.
Was there an idea or concept in Mahayana you (all) did not agree with?
If so, which? why?
Everyone can only answer for themselves!
alan wrote:Thanks so much for putting up with my questions.
what is to put up with?
a quote from a sutta I linked in another thread
SN 7.2 Akkosa Sutta: Insult wrote:"When, brahman, one abuses back when abused, repays anger in kind, and quarrels back when quarreled with, this is called, brahman, associating with each other and exchanging mutually. This association and mutual exchange we do not engage in. Therefore you alone, brahman, get it back; all this, brahman, belongs to you."
different topic but could be applied here, more or less.

ps a convert is someone who changes religion.
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He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
alan
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Re: Why did you choose Theravada?

Post by alan »

Thank you for the responses. But I'd like to get back to the original question.
What is it, exactly, that you do not agree with about the Mahayana view?
Exactly. Specifically. In plain English. Without an emotional focus.
Convert me, if you like that idea. Show me why. Tell me why. Give me a glimpse into your world view. Here's your chance. Take it!
seanpdx
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Re: Why did you choose Theravada?

Post by seanpdx »

alan wrote:Thank you for the responses. But I'd like to get back to the original question.
What is it, exactly, that you do not agree with about the Mahayana view?
Exactly. Specifically. In plain English. Without an emotional focus.
Convert me, if you like that idea. Show me why. Tell me why. Give me a glimpse into your world view. Here's your chance. Take it!
Why? What's the point?
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Monkey Mind
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Re: Why did you choose Theravada?

Post by Monkey Mind »

A visitor asked this question: "How is this Sangha different than other Sanghas here in town?"
Teacher: "We meditate differently, we chant differently, our rituals are different, our festivals are different."
Visitor: "Yeah, but how are your TEACHINGS different?"
Teacher: "The teacher we call Buddha told his followers that there were no secret teachings. Other Sanghas learned secret teachings from the one they call Buddha."
Visitor: "Well, what are the secret teachings?"
Teacher: "I don't know, I didn't study with those sanghas."
"As I am, so are others;
as others are, so am I."
Having thus identified self and others,
harm no one nor have them harmed.

Sutta Nipāta 3.710
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Cittasanto
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Re: Why did you choose Theravada?

Post by Cittasanto »

Monkey Mind wrote:A visitor asked this question: "How is this Sangha different than other Sanghas here in town?"
Teacher: "We meditate differently, we chant differently, our rituals are different, our festivals are different."
Visitor: "Yeah, but how are your TEACHINGS different?"
Teacher: "The teacher we call Buddha told his followers that there were no secret teachings. Other Sanghas learned secret teachings from the one they call Buddha."
Visitor: "Well, what are the secret teachings?"
Teacher: "I don't know, I didn't study with those sanghas."
a man visits a goenka center
visitor - what style of meditation did the buddha teach
goenka teacher - the goenka style
V - imposible!
GT - how so?
V - the MAhasi monk said the buddha taught Mahasi style,& the zen Master said he taught Zazen you all can not be right!
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
Mawkish1983
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Re: Why did you choose Theravada?

Post by Mawkish1983 »

What answer would you like to hear Alan? I am under the impression you have an answer in mind that you were expecting to see, but haven't.

I'm not sure how being negative about another tradition would fit with the forum rules. I'm not sure how being negative about another tradition would fit with the dhamma.

Why do you assume we have something on our chests that we'd like to get off? Maybe explore your expectations a bit and be reflective :)
seanpdx
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Re: Why did you choose Theravada?

Post by seanpdx »

A man walks into a bar...

Wait, wrong forum. Nevermind.
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Cittasanto
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Re: Why did you choose Theravada?

Post by Cittasanto »

Mawkish - Sadhu
Sean - ROLF :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
alan
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Re: Why did you choose Theravada?

Post by alan »

I ask a honest question and get no reply. I press further and then my motivation is called out. This is all very discouraging.
If you can't answer the question then please just say so.
Thought I might encounter some wise people here; perhaps I was mistaken...
Goodnight.
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BlackBird
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Re: Why did you choose Theravada?

Post by BlackBird »

Read some of the Pali suttas, read some of the Mahayana sutras.

Problems I had with some Mahayana Sutras:
- Seemed pretty circular and recursive (ie. the Buddha spends a lot of time extolling the virtues of the particular sutra, within the sutra itself)
- Persistent warnings that anyone who denigrated such a Sutra would go to hell for sure.
- Seemed incongruous compared to the Pali suttas I had read, there seemed to be a completely different voice behind them.

There was also a lot of doubt in my mind that repeating a mantra could actually have such a high kammic intrinsic value as is commonly proposed. My western scepticism just could not reconcile itself with what appeared to me to be just colour a fluff.

Looking back now, I know there's a lot more to the Vajra and Mahayana paths than might appear on the surface, just didn't seem like it at the time. But I think Theravada definitely has that almost 'scientific' appeal to the intellectual mind, it's very stimulating.
"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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