Eightfold Path

[Nicholas]

Luis, although I quote you and apparently respond to you individually, I do not expect anything other than your 'dubious significance' regarding others' views.

I really am writing for open-minded quiet lurkers.

 

[LuisDantas]

Then maybe you should welcome us. You could have made more of an effort.

 

[Aupmanyav]

I do not acknowledge you - or that Bhikshuni - the right to proclaim what the standard view is. Even if I did, it would still be of dubious significance.

If you do, that will be a violation of Kalama Sutta. Even acknowledging Buddha is a violation if one has himself/herself not put his/her mind to it.

I do not expect anything other than your 'dubious significance' regarding others' views. I really am writing for open-minded quiet lurkers.

Even that is not correct. It makes for a wrong mentality according to Buddhism. Thinking for oneself before accepting a view is an inalienable part of Buddhism. That is the beauty of Buddhism (and Hinduism too). What conclusions, then, you make is your choice and right.

 

[Ekanta]

The door of entrance to the teaching of the Buddha is the going for refuge to the Triple Gem — that is, to the Buddha as the fully enlightened teacher, to the Dhamma as the truth taught by him, and to the Sangha as the community of his noble disciples.

Just a question:
What is the use in taking refuge in Buddha, you do know he is dead?
And what is the use in taking refuge in the Sangha, since is mostly for monks/nuns?
Surely there must be a deeper meaning behind the tripple refuge? I have an answer, but would like you to answer first.

 

[Nicholas]

Just a question:
What is the use in taking refuge in Buddha, you do know he is dead?
And what is the use in taking refuge in the Sangha, since is mostly for monks/nuns?
Surely there must be a deeper meaning behind the tripple refuge? I have an answer, but would like you to answer first.

Read the first page where Bhikkhu Bodhi answers. Also the refuge Sangha is not the monastics, as the first page explained.

 

[Ekanta]

Read the first page where Bhikkhu Bodhi answers. Also the refuge Sangha is not the monastics, as the first page explained.

Ok he says in summary: "Sangha is the spiritual company and Buddha is the ideal.... ", nice eplanation!
But its possible to drive it even deeper (and Im writing this since its not often heard of):

• Dharma is the essential nature of a thing, i.e. Buddha-nature (its the same as truth, and teaching based on it/leading to it is hence also called dharma).
• Buddha is buddhi/discrimination, i.e. the individual (after all thats why he is called Buddha).
• Sangha is the spiritual company, i.e. society.

So we end up with the triplet of world-individual-God or body-mind-atma [yes Buddha-nature is atman, look my signature. And Buddha-nature is a God concept in the monistic sense]

 

[Aupmanyav]

And Buddha-nature is a God concept in the monistic sense.

Buddhism does not make it into a God.

 

[Ekanta]

Buddhism does not make it into a God.

I didnt write "a God", I wrote "God concept in the monistic sense".
To quote zen master Deshimaru:
"Zen studies the true mind, the essence of the mind (shin jin means faith in mind), the essence of the mind of Christ, Buddha or God. In the depths of consciousness, in true silence exists Atman (in the Upanishads), or in Buddhism, ku (existence without noumena; nirvana, satori). And this deep consciousness in the end becomes cosmic consciousness."
"So shin jin means faith in cosmic consciousness, in the cosmic system, the return to God or Buddha, and (in fact) faith in zazen."
http://www.nozt.org/teachings/tdshinjinmeino1.shtml

 

[Aupmanyav]

You did not, I was only making the point clear.