Bikkhu Bodhi and Buddhist leaders convene at White House

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paul
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Bikkhu Bodhi and Buddhist leaders convene at White House

Post by paul »

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts ... ite-house/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Bikkhu Bodhi presented the four noble truths of climate change:
"Many scientists have concluded that the survival of human civilization is at stake. We have reached a critical juncture in our biological and social evolution. There has never been a more important time in history to bring the resources of Buddhism to bear on behalf of all living beings. The four noble truths provide a framework for diagnosing our current situation and formulating appropriate guidelines—because the threats and disasters we face ultimately stem from the human mind, and therefore require profound changes within our minds. If personal suffering stems from craving and ignorance—from the three poisons of greed, ill will, and delusion—the same applies to the suffering that afflicts us on a collective scale. Our ecological emergency is a larger version of the perennial human predicament. Both as individuals and as a species, we suffer from a sense of self that feels disconnected not only from other people but from the Earth itself."
Last edited by paul on Sat May 23, 2015 5:29 am, edited 4 times in total.
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retrofuturist
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi and Buddhist leaders convene at White House

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,

The Bodhisatta had the choice between becoming a fully enlightened one or a world-turning monarch. He made his choice and not even Mara could tempt him away from his chosen path. It seems certain disciples (so called "leaders") are much more susceptible to the worldly lure of Mara than the Buddha was.

Very unfortunate.

Metta,
Retro. :(
"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."
chownah
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi and Buddhist leaders convene at White House

Post by chownah »

retrorote:It seems certain disciples (so called "leaders") are much more susceptible to the worldly lure of Mara than the Buddha was.
Very unfortunate.
It seems that virtually ALL humans are much more susceptible to the worldly lures than the buddha was. Is this unfortunate or just the way things really are?
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tiltbillings
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi and Buddhist leaders convene at White House

Post by tiltbillings »

So, it is a bad thing these people went to the White House.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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mikenz66
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi and Buddhist leaders convene at White House

Post by mikenz66 »

Bhhikkhu Bodhi: Buddhists at the White House
Bhikkhu Bodhi is cool. :thumbsup:

To me, it's heartening to see a Buddhist group expressing opinions about issues. The Buddhist path involves dana, sila, bhavana, panna (generosity, morality, development, wisdom). What I see Bhikkhu Bodhi and others doing is emphasising the importance of dana and sila in the larger context of local, national, and global issues, not just the personal or Buddhist-community oriented context.

One of our local Sri Lankan monks commented on a related issue a few years ago at a gathering of Buddhist groups from around our city. His community, and the Thai community, are very good at dana (both financial and labour) directed towards monks and monasteries. They are not so good at extending that to those in need in our city, or to larger issues.

:anjali:
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SDC
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi and Buddhist leaders convene at White House

Post by SDC »

Image






And the band played on...
“Life is swept along, short is the life span; no shelters exist for one who has reached old age. Seeing clearly this danger in death, a seeker of peace should drop the world’s bait.” SN 1.3
sattva
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi and Buddhist leaders convene at White House

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Having freely admitted that I am not the scholarly type, I seem to remember a story where Buddha tried to stop fighting between two clans three times before he finally gave up. I remember that it was said that he couldn't stop that karma from unfolding. However, the fact that he tried to do so means just as much as the fact that he ultimately gave up trying. If I have gotten this story wrong I am sorry. I have picked up bit and pieces over many years and never usually remember where I read or heard them.
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tiltbillings
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi and Buddhist leaders convene at White House

Post by tiltbillings »

Have these 125 Buddhists '(so called "leaders")' succumb to "the worldly lure of Mara?"
Image
http://www.tricycle.com/blog/buddhists-go-washington
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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robertk
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi and Buddhist leaders convene at White House

Post by robertk »

retrofuturist wrote:Greetings,

The Bodhisatta had the choice between becoming a fully enlightened one or a world-turning monarch. He made his choice and not even Mara could tempt him away from his chosen path. It seems certain disciples (so called "leaders") are much more susceptible to the worldly lure of Mara than the Buddha was.

Very unfortunate.

Metta,
Retro. :(
:sage: :anjali: :namaste:
dhammarelax
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi and Buddhist leaders convene at White House

Post by dhammarelax »

tiltbillings wrote:So, it is a bad thing these people went to the White House.
I guess it would depend on their spiritual development, the arahants among this group can do whatever they want, the anagamis have still work to do so spending their time in the White House should come second in priority, the sakadagamis and sottapanas should be even more careful.

Now the leaders below this levels should go and sit.

MN 152: "There are these roots of trees, these empty huts. meditate, Ananda, do not delay, or else you will regret it later. This is our instruction to you."

If I remember correctly even the arrangements for the funeral of the Buddha were assigned to lay men, not sure why was done like that but I think is a good precedent to understand our reality.

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Even if the flesh & blood in my body dry up, leaving just the skin, tendons, & bones, I will use all my human firmness, human persistence and human striving. There will be no relaxing my persistence until I am the first of my generation to attain full awakening in this lifetime. ed. AN 2.5
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tiltbillings
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi and Buddhist leaders convene at White House

Post by tiltbillings »

dhammarelax wrote:
tiltbillings wrote:So, it is a bad thing these people went to the White House.
I guess it would depend on their spiritual development, the arahants among this group can do whatever they want, the anagamis have still work to do so spending their time in the White House should come second in priority, the sakadagamis and sottapanas should be even more careful.

Now the leaders below this levels should go and sit.
Seriously, you can make that judgement?
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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Aloka
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi and Buddhist leaders convene at White House

Post by Aloka »

dhammarelax wrote:
.... the arahants among this group can do whatever they want, the anagamis have still work to do so spending their time in the White House should come second in priority, the sakadagamis and sottapanas should be even more careful.

Now the leaders below this levels should go and sit.
Wut ?

.
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Alobha
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi and Buddhist leaders convene at White House

Post by Alobha »

retrofuturist wrote:Greetings,

The Bodhisatta had the choice between becoming a fully enlightened one or a world-turning monarch. He made his choice and not even Mara could tempt him away from his chosen path. It seems certain disciples (so called "leaders") are much more susceptible to the worldly lure of Mara than the Buddha was.

Very unfortunate.
Although I highly respect Bikkhu Bodhi, I feel similar. (also see here. Big plans for "political buddhism" and their "political awakening" as it seems.
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mikenz66
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi and Buddhist leaders convene at White House

Post by mikenz66 »

Aloka wrote:
dhammarelax wrote:
.... the arahants among this group can do whatever they want, the anagamis have still work to do so spending their time in the White House should come second in priority, the sakadagamis and sottapanas should be even more careful.

Now the leaders below this levels should go and sit.
Wut ?

.
And, of course, everyone else posting on this thread should quit their jobs and stop wasting their time on speculation...

:anjali:
Mike
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Siha
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi and Buddhist leaders convene at White House

Post by Siha »

retrofuturist wrote:Greetings,

The Bodhisatta had the choice between becoming a fully enlightened one or a world-turning monarch. He made his choice and not even Mara could tempt him away from his chosen path. It seems certain disciples (so called "leaders") are much more susceptible to the worldly lure of Mara than the Buddha was.

Very unfortunate.

Metta,
Retro. :(
Retro,

How do you know that it is Mara who is motivating these people to do what they are doing? How do you know that what they are now doing is a distraction from something better that they were fomerly doing and not, say, an improvement over what they were formerly doing? Do you really know all these 125 Buddhists well enough to be able to make such claims?
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