Why does Classical Theravada become your favorite choice, rather than all the other paths?

Exploring the Dhamma, as understood from the perspective of the ancient Pali commentaries.
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Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta
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Why does Classical Theravada become your favorite choice, rather than all the other paths?

Post by Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta »

.

  • Why?


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Inspired by this topic:
Why did you choose Theravada rather than Mahayana? https://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=23772
==============================
A little gentle reminder:
This topic is under Classical Theravada forum & exclusive to those who have still chosen (or inclined to choose) Classical Theravada as (1) the only path, (2) the preferred path, or (3) the favorite path. This topic is not for those who prefers the other paths outside Classical Theravada.





:heart:
𝓑𝓾𝓭𝓭𝓱𝓪 𝓗𝓪𝓭 𝓤𝓷𝓮𝓺𝓾𝓲𝓿𝓸𝓬𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓓𝓮𝓬𝓵𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽
  • Iᴅᴇᴀ ᴏꜰ Sᴏᴜʟ ɪs Oᴜᴛᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴀɴ Uᴛᴛᴇʀʟʏ Fᴏᴏʟɪsʜ Vɪᴇᴡ
    V. Nanananda

𝓐𝓷𝓪𝓽𝓽ā 𝓜𝓮𝓪𝓷𝓼 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓣𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓘𝓼
  • Nᴏ sᴜᴄʜ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴀs ᴀ Sᴇʟғ, Sᴏᴜʟ, Eɢᴏ, Sᴘɪʀɪᴛ, ᴏʀ Āᴛᴍᴀɴ
    V. Buddhādasa
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Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta
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Re: Why does Classical Theravada become your favorite choice, rather than all the other paths?

Post by Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta »

.

Because, it makes things fall into place, imo, regarding Buddha's teachings. And, there seems no better alternative out there.

:heart:
𝓑𝓾𝓭𝓭𝓱𝓪 𝓗𝓪𝓭 𝓤𝓷𝓮𝓺𝓾𝓲𝓿𝓸𝓬𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓓𝓮𝓬𝓵𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽
  • Iᴅᴇᴀ ᴏꜰ Sᴏᴜʟ ɪs Oᴜᴛᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴀɴ Uᴛᴛᴇʀʟʏ Fᴏᴏʟɪsʜ Vɪᴇᴡ
    V. Nanananda

𝓐𝓷𝓪𝓽𝓽ā 𝓜𝓮𝓪𝓷𝓼 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓣𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓘𝓼
  • Nᴏ sᴜᴄʜ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴀs ᴀ Sᴇʟғ, Sᴏᴜʟ, Eɢᴏ, Sᴘɪʀɪᴛ, ᴏʀ Āᴛᴍᴀɴ
    V. Buddhādasa
sunnat
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Post by sunnat »

I didn't choose anything. I learnt a way of meditating and living that made a lot of difference to me.. Much later I found out that what I was practicing was part of a lineage and tradition of theravada. It makes not much difference to me except here I get less involved in discussions. I know people from other traditions. I try not to get involved in discussing things with them. If i talk with anyone irl it's with theravada monks. Less need to explain.
Inedible
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Re: Why does Classical Theravada become your favorite choice, rather than all the other paths?

Post by Inedible »

It is about the books for me. All the other branches of Buddhism say you can't learn on your own. I haven't found a good teacher where I live and I can't just move. Theravada is the only branch to encourage me to study Dhamma, practice Dhamma, and make progress now. It doesn't depend on fixing my outer life first, saving up money, finding a new job and a new home in a new city, and hoping there will finally be a good teacher there.
lostitude
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Re: Why does Classical Theravada become your favorite choice, rather than all the other paths?

Post by lostitude »

Because it seems closest to what the Buddha actually taught, and because in general it seems to be the branch of Buddhism that attaches the least importance to mythology and focuses instead on the cure-disease approach through individual responsibility.
bodhifollower
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Re: Why does Classical Theravada become your favorite choice, rather than all the other paths?

Post by bodhifollower »

Because it seems true.
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Dhamma Chameleon
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Re: Why does Classical Theravada become your favorite choice, rather than all the other paths?

Post by Dhamma Chameleon »

lostitude wrote: Sun Dec 06, 2020 2:12 pm Because it seems closest to what the Buddha actually taught, and because in general it seems to be the branch of Buddhism that attaches the least importance to mythology and focuses instead on the cure-disease approach through individual responsibility.
Same!
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dharmatheway84
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Re: Why does Classical Theravada become your favorite choice, rather than all the other paths?

Post by dharmatheway84 »

lostitude wrote: Sun Dec 06, 2020 2:12 pm Because it seems closest to what the Buddha actually taught, and because in general it seems to be the branch of Buddhism that attaches the least importance to mythology and focuses instead on the cure-disease approach through individual responsibility.
I am brand new to Buddhism, but this answer makes perfect sense to me. Thank you for posting.

-Michael
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pitithefool
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Re: Why does Classical Theravada become your favorite choice, rather than all the other paths?

Post by pitithefool »

For me, it's got to be because the canon is the single most internally consistent religious text anywhere I've ever seen and I'm actually able to practice what's described there. it all makes logical sense, and there's more than enough info in the canon to sortof figure where to go. All the other traditions in Buddhism seem to very closely border on wrong view or add unnecessary doctrine to the theravadin teaching or worse, slander arahants.
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cappuccino
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Re: Why does Classical Theravada become your favorite choice, rather than all the other paths?

Post by cappuccino »

Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta wrote: Sun Dec 06, 2020 6:15 am Why?
Buddha is the first enlightened in our time


perhaps the only enlightened teacher still
Last edited by cappuccino on Mon Feb 15, 2021 11:25 pm, edited 3 times in total.
dharmacorps
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Re: Why does Classical Theravada become your favorite choice, rather than all the other paths?

Post by dharmacorps »

I don't know what "classical" theravada really is. I guess it would be a doctrinaire approach approved by a state sangha of some kind maybe thai or sri lankan. In other words, it sounds like a label of limited use.
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Ceisiwr
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Re: Why does Classical Theravada become your favorite choice, rather than all the other paths?

Post by Ceisiwr »

dharmacorps wrote: Mon Feb 15, 2021 11:22 pm I don't know what "classical" theravada really is. I guess it would be a doctrinaire approach approved by a state sangha of some kind maybe thai or sri lankan. In other words, it sounds like a label of limited use.
Theravadin commentaries, Abhidhamma and other Theravadin texts.
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
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one_awakening
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Re: Why does Classical Theravada become your favorite choice, rather than all the other paths?

Post by one_awakening »

It feels like the closest to what The Buddha taught
“You only lose what you cling to”
dharmacorps
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Re: Why does Classical Theravada become your favorite choice, rather than all the other paths?

Post by dharmacorps »

Ceisiwr wrote: Mon Feb 15, 2021 11:28 pm
dharmacorps wrote: Mon Feb 15, 2021 11:22 pm I don't know what "classical" theravada really is. I guess it would be a doctrinaire approach approved by a state sangha of some kind maybe thai or sri lankan. In other words, it sounds like a label of limited use.
Theravadin commentaries, Abhidhamma and other Theravadin texts.
That makes sense as a source text that a person practicing "theravada" would refer to, but is this as contrasted with what exactly? Modern theravada like the Forest tradition?
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Ceisiwr
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Re: Why does Classical Theravada become your favorite choice, rather than all the other paths?

Post by Ceisiwr »

dharmacorps wrote: Tue Feb 16, 2021 7:43 pm
Ceisiwr wrote: Mon Feb 15, 2021 11:28 pm
dharmacorps wrote: Mon Feb 15, 2021 11:22 pm I don't know what "classical" theravada really is. I guess it would be a doctrinaire approach approved by a state sangha of some kind maybe thai or sri lankan. In other words, it sounds like a label of limited use.
Theravadin commentaries, Abhidhamma and other Theravadin texts.
That makes sense as a source text that a person practicing "theravada" would refer to, but is this as contrasted with what exactly? Modern theravada like the Forest tradition?
Possibly, although the Forest Tradition doesn’t always reject those texts.
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
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