Keep away from Mahamuna sect in Sri Lanka?

Discussion of ordination, the Vinaya and monastic life. How and where to ordain? Bhikkhuni ordination etc.
BrokenBones
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Re: Keep away from Mahamuna sect in Sri Lanka?

Post by BrokenBones »

SarathW wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 11:57 pm I think that is the great thing about Sri Lankan Buddhism.
It is a melting pot.
There are many opinions, like this forum.
People can make up their own minds.
This is my opinion and people can accept or reject it.
What bad is the freedom of speech and intolerance for others opinion.
Agreed... are you exhibiting intolerance for other peoples opinion of your opinion?

It's always a two way street... some people think it's a one way street.
SarathW
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Re: Keep away from Mahamuna sect in Sri Lanka?

Post by SarathW »

BrokenBones wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 12:07 am
SarathW wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 11:57 pm I think that is the great thing about Sri Lankan Buddhism.
It is a melting pot.
There are many opinions, like this forum.
People can make up their own minds.
This is my opinion and people can accept or reject it.
What bad is the freedom of speech and intolerance for others opinion.
Agreed... are you exhibiting intolerance for other peoples opinion of your opinion?

It's always a two way street... some people think it's a one way street.
When you give your opinion I give my opinion.
Please open another thread in the suggestions thread if you want to discuss this.
:focus:
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
BrokenBones
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Joined: Sat Nov 10, 2018 10:20 am

Re: Keep away from Mahamuna sect in Sri Lanka?

Post by BrokenBones »

SarathW wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 12:20 am
BrokenBones wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 12:07 am
SarathW wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 11:57 pm I think that is the great thing about Sri Lankan Buddhism.
It is a melting pot.
There are many opinions, like this forum.
People can make up their own minds.
This is my opinion and people can accept or reject it.
What bad is the freedom of speech and intolerance for others opinion.
Agreed... are you exhibiting intolerance for other peoples opinion of your opinion?

It's always a two way street... some people think it's a one way street.
When you give your opinion I give my opinion.
Please open another thread in the suggestions thread if you want to discuss this.
:focus:
Discuss what? I'm still bemused as to what this thread is about.
BKh
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Re: Keep away from Mahamuna sect in Sri Lanka?

Post by BKh »

BrokenBones wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 3:01 am Discuss what? I'm still bemused as to what this thread is about.
It seems to be about "people are saying" gossip and petty grievances (e.g. the fish thing) with just enough truth to keep going.
retrofuturist wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 11:40 pm Conversely, the bigger issue as it appears to me is that Sri Lankan Buddhism is so parochial and nationalistic, that it sets out to demonize anyone who would dare to deviate from the rigid orthodoxy of Sri Lankan Buddhism, even when that means having a closer focus on the historical Buddha's teachings.
...
The Dhammically uninspiring Sri Lankan Buddhist establishment do however seem quite adept at whipping up the laypeople and weaponizing them divisively against non-conforming monks... hell, they've even got you quibbling about a fish tank, of all things.
Sadly, there is a lot of truth to this. Ven. Gnananada has faced endless false and frivolous accusations from the moment he started to become popular. Now 20 years later he has significantly increased people's interest in suttas in Sri Lanka. It has even gone so far as to force other monks to start talking about the suttas because that's what many people expect to hear now.

If you go to the libraries of any of his monasteries you will find many full sets of the complete BJT Tipitaka and at least one set of the BCC's edition of the full Attakatha translation into Sinhala, in addition to Ven. Gnanananda's translation. While public teachings are focused the first four nikayas and the first nine books of the KN, monks are free to read whatever they like and many are quite knowledgeable in all parts of the Pali canon.

In Sri Lanka people very often express their faith in the Buddha through doing various kinds of pujas, many with a wrong understanding of karma and its results. The monks in these monasteries work hard to help people understand the correct mindset to do these with, as well as use the more traditional activities like pujas to broaden people's understanding of the Dhamma. But if you just look at the facebook posts people make about the pujas, then yes, it's going to look like a whole bunch of flowers and not much else.
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SarathW
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Re: Keep away from Mahamuna sect in Sri Lanka?

Post by SarathW »

It seems to be about "people are saying" gossip and petty grievances (e.g. the fish thing) with just enough truth to keep going.
Have you read the translation from his website, that he is saying it is not possible to attain Nibbana in this life and promoting rites and rituals so people can go to Brahma world?
Also, monks are not allowed to study Abhidhamma.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
BKh
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Re: Keep away from Mahamuna sect in Sri Lanka?

Post by BKh »

SarathW wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 10:15 am Also, monks are not allowed to study Abhidhamma.
This is absolutely false. You are just spreading rumors.

I'm going to stop engaging with you because you just pull out more false things when another is challenged. Things that can be read on their websites are one thing. I'm not debating those. But you just continue to spread rumors and false information. Or you start complaining about fish. Or that they chant in both Pali and Sinhala. Petty, petty things. It's never going to end because you mix some facts with some rumors and some (dubious) opinions. And most people on this forum can't read Sinhala or don't have any personal contact with the group to know what's false and what's not.

If you had actual personal experience with the group that would be one thing. And you are of course free to disagree with things that they teach. But all the rest is really unskillful.
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SarathW
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Re: Keep away from Mahamuna sect in Sri Lanka?

Post by SarathW »

BKh wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 3:18 pm
SarathW wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 10:15 am Also, monks are not allowed to study Abhidhamma.
This is absolutely false. You are just spreading rumors.

I'm going to stop engaging with you because you just pull out more false things when another is challenged. Things that can be read on their websites are one thing. I'm not debating those. But you just continue to spread rumors and false information. Or you start complaining about fish. Or that they chant in both Pali and Sinhala. Petty, petty things. It's never going to end because you mix some facts with some rumors and some (dubious) opinions. And most people on this forum can't read Sinhala or don't have any personal contact with the group to know what's false and what's not.

If you had actual personal experience with the group that would be one thing. And you are of course free to disagree with things that they teach. But all the rest is really unskillful.
I post those based on the video and you can see for yourself.
They chant in Sinhalese. In my opinion, this is OK with laypeople, but monks should learn Pali.
If you do not like my post, please simply add me to your foe's list. If you do so please send me a PM, so I can do the same.
:anjali:
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
SarathW
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Re: Keep away from Mahamuna sect in Sri Lanka?

Post by SarathW »

The following video clearly demonstrates that the Mahameunawa reject Abhidhamma. It is in their article of association!!!! (this is so absurd)
The main argument for the rejection is that the Abhidhamma is meant for Deva and Brahma, not for humans. According to Venerable K.N humans are not capable and intelligent enough to understand Abhidhamma. He said that humans can learn Abhidhamma when they go to Brhamaworlds.
The video is in the Sinhalese language and produces to support the source.

“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
shuka
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Re: Keep away from Mahamuna sect in Sri Lanka?

Post by shuka »

I don't live in Sri Lanka. I googled Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thera.

The Venerable Thera donated his kidney to a patient who believes in a different religion. He encourages people to donate their organs. I recall reading about another Sri Lankan bhikkhu who too donated his kidney. That's 'walking the talk'. :bow:
Probably there are many more noble Buddhists like these two persons, in Sri Lanka and other Buddhist countries. I wish I had the opportunity to offer dana to such type of people.
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/magazine-35443941

Monk: Donating organs 'good karma'

Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero is the founder of the Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery in Sri Lanka.

The monk is a champion of the idea that donating body parts after death creates good karma which increases the chances of being reborn into a better life.

This belief has helped Sri Lanka become one of the world's leading suppliers of corneas (the clear front part of the eye).

But while most Sri Lankans wait until they die before giving their parts, Kiribathgoda is doing it while he is still alive.
https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35410148

The Country that Supplies Eyes

Buddhist monks have also played a part in encouraging donations and teaching people to see them as an act of giving, or "dana", that will help them to be reincarnated into a better life.

The venerable Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero, founder of the Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery in Sri Lanka, told me a story from the Jataka, an ancient book of poems about the Buddha's earlier lives.

"In Buddha's previous life, he became a king. A blind beggar came to the palace and met the king. And he requested, 'Oh king, give me your eyes'. So he [Buddha] decided to give," he said.

The Buddha's surgeon then removed the Buddha's eyes, and transferred them to the beggar, restoring his vision.

"Generation to generation, we are listening to those kind of stories. So we are very encouraged to give our body parts to others," Thero says.

He himself has already donated a kidney to a woman with kidney disease.

The certificates handed out by the Eye Donation Society to those who pledge their corneas, explicitly allude to Buddhist teaching by carrying the words, "Let the donor have a good rebirth", though people from other religions have both made donations and received donated corneas.
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Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta
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Re: Keep away from Mahamuna sect in Sri Lanka?

Post by Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta »

SarathW wrote: Wed Sep 01, 2021 9:29 am ...
The main argument for the rejection is that the Abhidhamma is meant for Deva and Brahma, not for humans.
...

Actually that view is a lot less radically extreme than the ones found on the internet forums.

:jumping:
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
SarathW
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Re: Keep away from Mahamuna sect in Sri Lanka?

Post by SarathW »

Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta wrote: Wed Sep 01, 2021 4:20 pm
SarathW wrote: Wed Sep 01, 2021 9:29 am ...
The main argument for the rejection is that the Abhidhamma is meant for Deva and Brahma, not for humans.
...

Actually that view is a lot less radically extreme than the ones found on the internet forums.

:jumping:
Agree.
But you are rejecting 50% of the Tipitaka by doing so and you discourage the free inquiry.
In my opinion you should not have a teacher who rejects Abhidhamma.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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KeepCalm
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Re: Keep away from Mahamuna sect in Sri Lanka?

Post by KeepCalm »

I met Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero, he seems like a awesome monk to me. (He came to my local temple in the UK).

I don't believe he rejects the abhidharma however I think he says that it is designed for Devas to understand and difficult for humans to understand...

Why don't you go and speak to him if you have some issues with something he has said or any of his translations? You live in Srilanka after all. Rather than talk about him on the internet to others.

I think you would not regret meeting him.
SarathW
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Re: Keep away from Mahamuna sect in Sri Lanka?

Post by SarathW »

Tangent-Man wrote: Thu Sep 02, 2021 7:20 pm I met Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero, he seems like a awesome monk to me. (He came to my local temple in the UK).

I don't believe he rejects the abhidharma however I think he says that it is designed for Devas to understand and difficult for humans to understand...

Why don't you go and speak to him if you have some issues with something he has said or any of his translations? You live in Srilanka after all. Rather than talk about him on the internet to others.

I think you would not regret meeting him.
It is in their article of association. (as per the video)
It appears only Mahamenua has an additional code of conduct except Vinaya.
It is a well known fact in Sri Lanka he reject Abhidhamma in his Asapuwa. (he got a different term for his temple.)
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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mikenz66
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Re: Keep away from Mahamuna sect in Sri Lanka?

Post by mikenz66 »

Hi Sarath,
SarathW wrote: Thu Sep 02, 2021 1:32 am In my opinion you should not have a teacher who rejects Abhidhamma.
Do you have any experience with in-person teachers?

:heart:
Mike
SarathW
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Re: Keep away from Mahamuna sect in Sri Lanka?

Post by SarathW »

mikenz66 wrote: Fri Sep 03, 2021 2:26 am Hi Sarath,
SarathW wrote: Thu Sep 02, 2021 1:32 am In my opinion you should not have a teacher who rejects Abhidhamma.
Do you have any experience with in-person teachers?

:heart:
Mike
I don't have a designated teacher even though i contact many different monks for my questions.
For instance you are also was my teacher and anyone answer my post are considered my teacher.
As I said it is my opinion. Nobody has to accept it.
:D
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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