Belief in rebirth, realms, siddhis, etc

[nathan]

An honest assessment of the situation, for individuals and in the world as a whole, is that ignorance predominates. Most people may prefer to believe things as opposed to accepting the much less flattering truth that there is a great deal of ignorance to deal with. Theravada buddhists that study and practice the teachings according to the Tipitaka are probably coming to terms, to one extent or another, with the fact that ignorance predominates for them as individuals and in the world at large.

In this context it is not helpful to bettering one's understanding of the nature of the community to approach it by means of polls that are concerned with what Theravada buddhists believe. It completely misses the much more important point which is that we are people and that people are predominantly ignorant. Becoming aware of the ignorance, accepting it and working to overcome it to some extent is what properly concerns people who are actually benefiting from the practice of Theravada buddhism. That doesn't fit neatly into conventional thinking about what religions are more commonly concerned with and I think that is a very good thing about Theravada buddhism.

Personally, I don't 'believe in' anything. It serves no purpose for me to do so.

[Sobeh]

I voted for A1 and A2.

[retrofuturist]

I believe in coyotes and time as an abstract
Explain the change, the difference between
What you want and what you need
There's the key, your adventure for today

-- "I Believe" (R.E.M.)

[kirana]

i do believed it

[Refugee]

Voted for A1 and D1 only. I have not given subjects included in B & C sections much attention in my actual practice and therefore cannot vote with any degree of confidence. But I am inclined to "believe" that B1 and C1 are possibilities ... but in more subtle forms.

[jcsuperstar]

i was thinking about spirits, or what ever you want to call non material beings the other day, and then i thought about plants, we are supposed to believe that these things are living creatures with all the features of a living creature, they are born, they live and die, they eat, they reproduce, the respond to stimulus etc yet they have no mind they are a creature of nothing but form so why couldn't there be a creature of nothing but mind? i don't know, just a thought

[retrofuturist]

Greetings JC,

Maybe... though it feels a little to me like wondering how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.

Metta,
Retro.

[Ben]

I believe in coyotes and time as an abstract
Explain the change, the difference between
What you want and what you need
There's the key, your adventure for today

-- "I Believe" (R.E.M.)

Good to see you're developing some taste in music, Retro!