Search found 11 matches
- Tue Mar 31, 2020 12:33 pm
- Forum: General Theravāda discussion
- Topic: Is Buddhism a death cult?
- Replies: 35
- Views: 5830
Re: Is Buddhism a death cult?
Do you see Buddhism as a religion that worships death? I would say Buddhism does not worship death, but rather the opposite. It recognizes just how terrible it is that greed, delusion, hatred, dukkha and that death itself even exists at all. Fundamentally, the Buddhist view on Samsara is an incredi...
- Tue Oct 08, 2019 11:41 pm
- Forum: General Theravāda discussion
- Topic: Would Buddhism be better witbout 'devas', 'hell realms' and 'hungry ghosts'?
- Replies: 65
- Views: 8102
Re: Would Buddhism be better witbout 'devas', 'hell realms' and 'hungry ghosts'?
While I respect and am exhilarated by Buddhism (particularly Theravada), I am also alienated by the fact that supernatural beings feature so prominently in Buddhist scripture. Surely the sole focus should be on liberation from incurring karmic debt, eschewing every form of superstition as extraneou...
- Fri Aug 30, 2019 7:44 am
- Forum: General Theravāda discussion
- Topic: Nirvana is the Cessation of Consciousness
- Replies: 51
- Views: 7719
Re: Nirvana is the Cessation of Consciousness
Iti 44: The Nibbāna-element This was said by the Lord… “Bhikkhus, there are these two Nibbāna-elements. What are the two? The Nibbāna-element with residue left and the Nibbāna-element with no residue left. “What, bhikkhus, is the Nibbāna-element with residue left? Here a bhikkhu is an arahant, one w...
- Mon Aug 26, 2019 12:28 am
- Forum: General Theravāda discussion
- Topic: I don’t understand rejecting life’s pleasures
- Replies: 43
- Views: 11274
Re: I don’t understand rejecting life’s pleasures
In my view, for the lay person and practitioner, it’s all about the Middle Path and being present for all of life- leaning in to pain, physical difficulties, a tasty sandwich or a beautiful song- it’s all part of the integrated experience of life, good and bad. All conditioned phenomena are dukkha ...
- Sat Aug 24, 2019 5:13 am
- Forum: General Theravāda discussion
- Topic: Buddhism and What it Offers
- Replies: 73
- Views: 10757
Re: Buddhism and What it Offers
The illusory self is just a process of chemical and electrical signals interacting with stimuli, the illusory self is an emergent phenomenon and once the chemical and electrical signals stop, the self or the illusion that is called self also stops. This process happens in all humans, from the crack...
- Mon Aug 19, 2019 6:41 am
- Forum: General Theravāda discussion
- Topic: What is nirvana/heaven?
- Replies: 48
- Views: 10119
Re: What is nirvana/heaven?
The problem with this is that, regardless of your belief, if there is indeed "rebirth", then parinibbana will not be reached by inducing brain death in an unawakened one. The Buddha did not teach suicide for a reason, specifically because according to his teachings, there is "rebirth...
- Fri Aug 16, 2019 8:42 am
- Forum: General Theravāda discussion
- Topic: What is nirvana/heaven?
- Replies: 48
- Views: 10119
Re: What is nirvana/heaven?
What, exactly, is the difference between the way in which an atheist materialist views brain death, and parinibbana? Functionally, they are identical, no? The ending of this life, with no new rebirth. You don't go anywhere beyond death because there was no substantial "you" to begin with (...
- Mon Aug 12, 2019 7:46 am
- Forum: General Theravāda discussion
- Topic: What is nirvana/heaven?
- Replies: 48
- Views: 10119
Re: What is nirvana/heaven?
unchanging self is extreme no self is extreme between extremes, is the middle way Which involves what, exactly? A changing self, that nevertheless persists on after death in an unconditioned heavenly realm? Sounds like a craving for further existence. On my reading of the suttas, it seems clear tha...
- Sun Aug 11, 2019 10:16 pm
- Forum: General Theravāda discussion
- Topic: What is nirvana/heaven?
- Replies: 48
- Views: 10119
Re: What is nirvana/heaven?
Annihilationism is the belief that there exists an atman, which is destroyed at death. The cessation of an experience which is annata, is not annihilationism, since there exists nothing to be annihilated.cappuccino wrote:that's called annihilation ism
- Sun Aug 11, 2019 8:03 am
- Forum: General Theravāda discussion
- Topic: What is nirvana/heaven?
- Replies: 48
- Views: 10119
Re: What is nirvana/heaven?
It is the end of this life, with no new becoming. Parinibbana is indistinguishable from the way an atheist, scientific materialist views biological death. This life is over, all that remains is the body. There is nothing further for your consciousness (i.e. it doesn't go into some heavenly or euphor...
- Mon Aug 05, 2019 10:32 am
- Forum: General Theravāda discussion
- Topic: Skeptical of Samsara
- Replies: 34
- Views: 4033
Skeptical of Samsara
Firstly, I should note that I am not myself a Buddhist, but have developed a keen interest in the teachings. However, time and time again a major issue keeps popping up, which is that it seems to me that overall Dhamma rests on the reality of Samsara. That is, without Samsara actually being the case...