tiltbillings wrote:
Things are talked about on one of two levels.

Could you explain further? Are you saying that the arising and ceasing of phenomena is only conventional truth, according to Madhyamaka?

. . . The Prajñāpāramitā literature is not to be taken at literal face value. Dharmas are empty of any unchanging, unconditioned characteristics. So when Mahāyāna commentators say that dharmas do not come into existence or become non-existent they are not talking of dependently originated phenomena...

Does Madhyamaka/Theravāda deny that phenomena [dhammas/dharmas] (conditionally) arise and therefore can (conditionally) cease? Are phenomena empty of characteristics? Nope. Yet, unless I am mistaken some Mahāyāna commentators take this to be the case. From the longer Prajñāpāramitā Hṛdaya Sūtra: Śā...

Does Madhyamaka/Theravāda deny that phenomena (conditionally) arise and therefore can (conditionally) cease?
Are phenomena empty of characteristics?

Although, craving for Parinibbāna is in fact unwholesome, what is described in the passage is the belief in a self that perishes after death. This is false on two accounts, since there is no self to annihilate and rebirth will occur, seeing as an Arahant cannot have the false view of annihilationis...

On the subject of craving for parinibbāna: Itivuttaka 49: This was said by the Lord… “Bhikkhus, held by two kinds of views, some devas and human beings hold back and some overreach; only those with vision see. “And how, bhikkhus, do some hold back? Devas and humans enjoy being, delight in being, are...

However, even if this is just a stereotype, the question would still apply to a number of those gay open relationships: no progeny to worry about, no partner to offend... is it then sexual misconduct? where to draw the line? I don't think it is sexual misconduct necessarily. As Sam mentions, the Bu...

The brahmavihāras are appamaññā, immeasurable. They apply to all beings, even murderers and rapists. But having compassion and sympathy does not mean that all beings are treated the same. The suttas show a wide variety of of ways in which the Buddha teaches people, even to the point of cutting bad p...

I picked up a copy of "The Living Thoughts of Gotama the Buddha presented by Ananda K. Coomaraswamy and I.B Horner" in a second-hand bookshop a while ago. It's a nice little compilation of suttas, but does present some whacky and unorthodox interpretations regarding anatta. It claims the Buddha made...

Happy Birthday!

The splinter of a view, that had penetrated to my core, O Mighty One, was paining me intensely, being very sharp; Via the jaws of the pincers of your words -- by means of a means and by way of a mouth -- It was pulled out of me as a splinter is removed by a surgeon. I like it. Thanks for sharing.

Sorry for your loss.

There's a great explanation of how the twelve nidānas link together in chapter 4 of treatise 1 of the Paṭisambhidāmagga. Unfortunately I don't have the text otherwise I would post it for you, but you can find Ñāṇamoli's translation online. It's a much more condensed explanation than the one found in...