monkey mind

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I didn't mean to be insulting, I just honestly thought that those teachings answered your questions. The importance os the middle way, four noble truths and eightfold path teachings are stressed in all forms of Buddhism and I think there is a good reason for this. Perhaps I am wrong.

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I'm interested in your opinion on this. Could you give me a general idea of where contemporary interpretations are wrong?

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I believe that in practice, I have to somewhat adapt the teachings to my environment. Things are different for me in some ways then for people in India circa 500 b.c.. On the other hand I certainly can't pick and choose what I will or will not follow. But there has to be some balance there.

To me, Buddhism is a means for any person. It's not reasonable to expect a person to learn Pali in order to practice Buddhism.

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I'm curious as to why you call it the 'Small Vehicle'. I've heard the term 'Hinayana' used in seperate instances for Theravadan Buddhism, cults that existed in about the first century, and even all non-Buddhist practices. This is why I asked for clarification.

In fact, it is my understanding that Theravadans find this term derogatory when used for their form of Buddhism.

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or feed the poor, or wash your car or shovel the sidewalk or smile at somebody? I don't know, the list goes on and on. It might be more likely that you'll spend your free (non bowing time) in a non-productive way. I know I probably would. Bowing to a Buddha statue has it's benefits for the practioner. Asian people don't seem to have a problem with it, and they've been protecting the Dharma for a long time.

Seeker196

1.OK, yes more study is always good.

2. Not now, I'm about to go, it will take me a while to mull.

3. I didn't mean actually reading in Pali, merely making sure to read those texts that originated in Pali and are closer to the source.


I think any Buddhist who doesn't want to delude himself with mysticism should read the Abhidharma (Abhidamma in Pali). It is overlooked as a 'book of lists' but it is the most important philosophical text in my opinion.

4. It's a derogatory term that Mahayana believers used to describe Theravada, believing that their incorporation of mysticism, 'boddhisattvas' and local gods and tradition would allow more people to learn because of its popular appeal. They were right. The Theravada did not appeal much to supersitious peasants unwilling to let go of the idea of beings they could pray to for divine intercession.

I used it (wrongly I see) because I thought it was more widely known.

Today Theravada is confined mostly to a few small countries, while Japan, Korea, Tibet, etc practice Mahayana, which doesn't appeal to our logical minds because it incorporates ghosts, 'gods', supernatural powers etc more than the 'sterile' appearing atheistic philosophy of the earlier buddhism.

gwh00

In absolute no-thing there is no observer to recognize the division of self and other. In unity (not absolute) the observer recognizes the division of self and other as an apparent reality based on the illusion of duality, while he or she abides or rest in the non-dual source or whole (no-thing).

You are that someone and that universe is the spectrum of your (all) consciousness. In stillness you will penetrate the veil and move from division to unity and into the non-dual ground of being.

Peace

Gary.

Revelation-Initiation

Seeker196

"You are that someone and that universe is the spectrum of your (all) consciousness. In stillness you will penetrate the veil and move from division to unity and into the non-dual ground of being. "

WTF?

Can someone tell me what this means?

How can stillness be penetrative? What is the difference between the veil and reality?

"universe is the spectrum of your (all) consciousness."

I'm having a lot of trouble understanding this statement. Not just what observations it is based on, or how it flows from those observations, I'm having trouble understanding what it means at all.

In fact, the whole previous post just set off my mysticism alarm.

gwh00

If you are interested in cutting edge psychology/philosophy I suggest that you investigate the writings of Ken Wilber. A good place to start is The Spectrum of Consciousness or A Brief History of Everything.