Is it compulsory to accept Abhidhamma as a part of doctrine to be considered as Theravada?

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SarathW
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Is it compulsory to accept Abhidhamma as a part of doctrine to be considered as Theravada?

Post by SarathW »

Is it compulsory to accept Abhidhamma a part of the doctrine to be considered as Theravada?
What if a particular Buddhist sect does not accept Abhidhamma as authoritative and reject accepting or teaching it.
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DooDoot
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Re: Is it compulsory to accept Abhidhamma as a part of doctrine to be considered as Theravada?

Post by DooDoot »

Abhidhamma is not authoritative because:

1. Not spoken by Buddha

2. Contradicts suttas

A inquiring person would ask: "How did Abhidhamma become part of scripture?" "Who had the power to include it in scripture?" :shrug:
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JamesTheGiant
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Re: Is it compulsory to accept Abhidhamma as a part of doctrine to be considered as Theravada?

Post by JamesTheGiant »

Do you mean is it necessary to accept Abhidhamma as the literal secret teaching
to the gods and Sariputta, from the Buddha's own mouth?
Or as a teaching which originated as elaboration and interpretation of the suttas, a few hundred years after the Buddha passed away?
SarathW
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Re: Is it compulsory to accept Abhidhamma as a part of doctrine to be considered as Theravada?

Post by SarathW »

The question is what is the technical description of Theravada irrespective of the validity of Abhidhamma.
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SarathW
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Re: Is it compulsory to accept Abhidhamma as a part of doctrine to be considered as Theravada?

Post by SarathW »

DooDoot wrote: Wed Jun 09, 2021 5:43 am Abhidhamma is not authoritative because:

1. Not spoken by Buddha

2. Contradicts suttas

A inquiring person would ask: "How did Abhidhamma become part of scripture?" "Who had the power to include it in scripture?" :shrug:
I don't know who spoke Abhidhamma but I do not agree on it contradicts Sutta.
Again this is off-topic.
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retrofuturist
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Re: Is it compulsory to accept Abhidhamma as a part of doctrine to be considered as Theravada?

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings Sarath,
SarathW wrote: Wed Jun 09, 2021 6:20 am I don't know who spoke Abhidhamma but I do not agree on it contradicts Sutta.
Again this is off-topic.
Actually, no... it's not.

I would think that a Theravadin should value the Buddha's word over anyone else, but then, some seem to prefer sectarian "literary works — the works of poets, elegant in sound, elegant in rhetoric, the work of outsiders, words of disciples" to the Buddha's teaching.

What are you going to do about it? :shrug:

Metta,
Paul. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
SarathW
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Re: Is it compulsory to accept Abhidhamma as a part of doctrine to be considered as Theravada?

Post by SarathW »

My question is what is the definition of Theravada.
Please stay on the topic.
:tongue:
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retrofuturist
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Re: Is it compulsory to accept Abhidhamma as a part of doctrine to be considered as Theravada?

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,
SarathW wrote: Wed Jun 09, 2021 6:44 am My question is what is the definition of Theravada.
Please stay on the topic.
:tongue:
You're missing the point. The Suttas themselves tell us to disregard the Abhidhamma - the Simsapa Sutta, the Ani Sutta, the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, the Abhasita Sutta etc. all do.

So if you "accept Abhidhamma", you don't really accept the Suttas, do you?

Metta,
Paul. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
SarathW
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Re: Is it compulsory to accept Abhidhamma as a part of doctrine to be considered as Theravada?

Post by SarathW »

Did I ask such a difficult question here?
If Abhidhamma is not part of the teaching would that be considered Theravada?
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Dweller
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Re: Is it compulsory to accept Abhidhamma as a part of doctrine to be considered as Theravada?

Post by Dweller »

There are historical examples of some early Theravadins rejecting Abhidhamma, who were still considered Theravadins by others.

But I have no idea from where to quote info about it.
SarathW
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Re: Is it compulsory to accept Abhidhamma as a part of doctrine to be considered as Theravada?

Post by SarathW »

Dweller wrote: Wed Jun 09, 2021 6:48 am There are historical examples of some early Theravadins rejecting Abhidhamma, who were still considered Theravadins by others.

But I have no idea from where to quote info about it.
Thanks, I am not concern about the history.
What are we called Theravada today and whether it is necessary for Abhidhamma to be part of it?
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Assaji
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Re: Is it compulsory to accept Abhidhamma as a part of doctrine to be considered as Theravada?

Post by Assaji »

Dweller wrote: Wed Jun 09, 2021 6:48 am There are historical examples of some early Theravadins rejecting Abhidhamma, who were still considered Theravadins by others.

But I have no idea from where to quote info about it.
See section 3.2.3 of the paper:

DIVERGENT DOCTRINAL INTERPRETATIONS ON THE NATURE OF MIND AND MATTER IN THERAVĀDA ABHIDHAMMA: A STUDY MAINLY BASED ON THE PĀLI AND SIṂHALA BUDDHIST EXEGETICAL LITERATURE
PILASSE CHANDARATANA

https://hub.hku.hk/bitstream/10722/1823 ... llText.pdf (requires name and e-mail)
SarathW
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Re: Is it compulsory to accept Abhidhamma as a part of doctrine to be considered as Theravada?

Post by SarathW »

I can't imagine that there is none in this Theravada Forum who knows what Theravada means!
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robertk
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Re: Is it compulsory to accept Abhidhamma as a part of doctrine to be considered as Theravada?

Post by robertk »

retrofuturist wrote: Wed Jun 09, 2021 6:46 am Greetings,
SarathW wrote: Wed Jun 09, 2021 6:44 am My question is what is the definition of Theravada.
Please stay on the topic.
:tongue:
You're missing the point. The Suttas themselves tell us to disregard the Abhidhamma - the Simsapa Sutta, the Ani Sutta, the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, the Abhasita Sutta etc. all do.

So if you "accept Abhidhamma", you don't really accept the Suttas, do you?

Metta,
Paul. :)
Then should someone who accepts Abhidhamma be considered outside Theravada.
asahi
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Re: Is it compulsory to accept Abhidhamma as a part of doctrine to be considered as Theravada?

Post by asahi »

Thera = elder
Vada = school
So it was a sectarian school .
By the time this name appear it became a sub school of the main three . Pre sectarian do not have school name yet . Traditionally Theravada today are regards synonym with the first Theravada school when the splitting happened . However , abhidhamma pitaka came much later after the splitting happening into three main schools . Therefore , modern Theravada and the earliest ancient Theravada are not the same . Abhidhamma do have their merits but it does more confusions to us then clarity that it could bring us . Why then attach yourself to name and label ? What you wants is properly understanding of the dhamma .
What one should consider and concern , is , are you 《outside of the dhamma-vada》!

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