Pali subforum

[Modus.Ponens]

Hello

I would like to sugest that the pali subforum get out of the Classical Mahavihara category. Ben said that when posting there:

" (...) all answers should present references from either Pali language texts or expositions from scholars representative of the Mahavihara tradition. Any post that fails to comply with these guidelines may disappear without warning."

The pali language subforum shouldn't be restricted to the opinion of Mahavihara scholars. Modern scholars also have valid opinions.

Metta

[Ben]

Thanks Modus Ponens

We will take your suggestion on board and consider it.
kind regards

Ben

[cooran]

Modus Ponems said: The pali language subforum shouldn't be restricted to the opinion of Mahavihara scholars. Modern scholars also have valid opinions.

Can you give us an example of where there are differing opinions, and on what?

with metta
Chris

[Modus.Ponens]

Hi cooran

This comes in the sequence of the "Anapanasati" discussion on the pali forum. There, bodom says:

"I would say the first two steps in the first tetrad refer specifically to mindfulness OF breathing. There is some doubt regarding the third and fourth steps due to the ambiguity of the term "whole body", whether it refers to the breath body or the physical body. The second, third and fourth tetrads corresponding to feelings, mind and dhammas, are specifically mindfulness WITH breathing .This is supported by Buddhadasa and Analayo who both say that "Awareness of breathing in and out forms the background to each step." See Analayo's Satipatthana commentary along with Buddhadasa's Mindfulness with Breathing."

And I agree. But that does not seem to be the established position of the Mahavihara.

Another type of discussion that might arise is the dating of texts acording to language analysis, which is not apropriate in the Classical forum.

Metta

[cooran]

Hello Modus Ponems,

I disagree with your reasoning for considering shifting the Pali sub-forum.

I think it should stay where it is.

with metta
Chris

[mikenz66]

Hi Modus.Ponens,

This comes in the sequence of the "Anapanasati" discussion on the pali forum. There, bodom says:

"I would say the first two steps in the first tetrad refer specifically to mindfulness OF breathing...."

I would say that that just indicates that the discussion was not on-topic for the Pali Forum. It turned into a discussion about opinions about technique rather than a discussion about the definitions of the words.

In fact, looking at the topic again http://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=3978 the question really seems to be "how should we interpret this in a practise sense", rather than a question about Pali grammar, and should have been in the meditation section in the first place. Where, of course, it would be appropriate to have discussion like "the literal meaning of the phrase is X, but here's how it seems to be interpreted in practise..."

Metta
Mike