Search found 211 matches
- Thu Jan 08, 2015 9:30 pm
- Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
- Topic: Achieving Death
- Replies: 41
- Views: 7182
Re: Achieving Death
Yes, of course, but notice I said buddhas and aryabodhisattvas : meaning their wisdom of the nonarisen nature of dharmas. To buddhas and aryabodhisattvas, phenomena are equivalent to illusions and therefore are empty. Conventional and ultimate exist as only mere designations for buddhas and aryabod...
- Thu Jan 08, 2015 8:14 pm
- Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
- Topic: Achieving Death
- Replies: 41
- Views: 7182
Re: Achieving Death
I could quote any number of passages, from a variety of Mahayana sutras, if you wish? To summarize the point I made: samsara and nirvana are nonarisen, therefore buddhas and arya-bodhisattvas do not abide in either samsara or nirvana. The Prajnaparamita Sutras , further state that nirvana is equiva...
- Thu Jan 08, 2015 7:55 pm
- Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
- Topic: Achieving Death
- Replies: 41
- Views: 7182
Re: Achieving Death
I hope it's understood that this is an extreme in Mahayana doctrine; reading the "Perfection of Wisdom in 8000 lines", etc., completely turns the Hinayana notion of nirvana on its head. Off topic, but your rash overgeneralisation begs the question: How so? I could quote any number of pass...
- Thu Jan 08, 2015 5:54 pm
- Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
- Topic: Achieving Death
- Replies: 41
- Views: 7182
Re: Achieving Death
Nirvana is quite correctly translated as extinction. The reply of the Buddha to which Tenso was referring actually was to the question of whether the Tathagata exists after death, does not exist after death, both, or neither - to which the answer is abyākatato dhāretha, you should hold it as not de...
- Thu Jan 08, 2015 7:46 am
- Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
- Topic: Achieving Death
- Replies: 41
- Views: 7182
Re: Achieving Death
. If death (as a final extinction) is possible then I'd argue it would indeed be a form of liberation. Why? Extinction would not induce rebirth. Logically; liberation from birth and death is a form of non-liberation because one is still subject to existence.The cycle (of birth and death) has been b...
- Thu Jan 08, 2015 5:41 am
- Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
- Topic: Achieving Death
- Replies: 41
- Views: 7182
Re: Achieving Death
. If death (as a final extinction) is possible then I'd argue it would indeed be a form of liberation. Why? Extinction would not induce rebirth. Logically; liberation from birth and death is a form of non-liberation because one is still subject to existence.The cycle (of birth and death) has been b...
- Thu Jan 08, 2015 5:13 am
- Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
- Topic: Achieving Death
- Replies: 41
- Views: 7182
Re: Achieving Death
. If death (as a final extinction) is possible then I'd argue it would indeed be a form of liberation. Why? Extinction would not induce rebirth. Logically; liberation from birth and death is a form of non-liberation because one is still subject to existence.The cycle (of birth and death) has been b...
- Thu Jan 08, 2015 1:01 am
- Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
- Topic: On uprooting samsara
- Replies: 11
- Views: 2804
Re: On uprooting samsara
It would seem the end of earth's sentient life is something which can only be understood by Buddhas. If I thought that life on earth is both beautiful and worthwhile then presumingly I stand in alliance with Mara. That brings me onto the subject of Buddha Shakyamuni's liberation... It is said that ...
- Tue Dec 09, 2014 5:30 am
- Forum: Ethical Conduct
- Topic: Judgement
- Replies: 20
- Views: 5821
Re: Judgement
Ultimately, how do you ground your sense of judgment? What is the foundation of your moral compass? From whence do you derive your values and how do you rationalize them? Do you regard your moral/ethical orientation as necessary or contingent? If the former, how do you account and accommodate for c...
- Sat Dec 06, 2014 8:49 am
- Forum: Zen
- Topic: Zen smell, Zen stink and Zen pong
- Replies: 139
- Views: 34717
Re: Zen smell, Zen stink and Zen pong
Yeah, Zen is not cultural or historical at all. It´s more of an evolution of Buddhism that´s not tied to any set of official rules. A kind of non-cultural and non-academic institution. Contradiction 1. How can something be an evolution (observable change over time) without being historical (observa...
- Thu Dec 04, 2014 5:43 pm
- Forum: Zen
- Topic: Zen smell, Zen stink and Zen pong
- Replies: 139
- Views: 34717
Re: Zen smell, Zen stink and Zen pong
Zen a religion? It meets three major criteria for designation as a religion: 1. It has a mythology centered within "mind-to-mind" transmission tracing back to Shakyamuni Buddha. 2. A priestly class. 3. An infrastructure for a priestly community which disseminates this mythological transmi...
- Thu Dec 04, 2014 5:22 pm
- Forum: Zen
- Topic: Zen smell, Zen stink and Zen pong
- Replies: 139
- Views: 34717
Re: Zen smell, Zen stink and Zen pong
Zen a religion? It meets three major criteria for designation as a religion: 1. It has a mythology centered within "mind-to-mind" transmission tracing back to Shakyamuni Buddha. 2. A priestly class. 3. An infrastructure for a priestly community which disseminates this mythological transmi...
- Tue Dec 02, 2014 9:05 pm
- Forum: Meditation
- Topic: Request for something super specific
- Replies: 31
- Views: 7588
Re: Request for something super specific
During one meditation our teacher made us count how many thoughts we were having during a two minute period. Not all that difficult if you have a good base in shamatha. Problem is do you also count the thoughts, about counting the thoughts? What about the counting itself? Is that a thought? Ad naus...
- Tue Dec 02, 2014 7:32 pm
- Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
- Topic: what makes Buddhist deathlessness not eternalism?
- Replies: 238
- Views: 43811
Re: what makes Buddhist deathlessness not eternalism?
Of course. I have made that clear for many years. When someone practices Vajrayāna, intellectual constructs like Madhyamaka are of little use. As Drogmi Lotsawa says, sūtra relies intellectual analysis, whereas Vajrayāna relies on direct perception. I am a regular poster here, and I have never hear...
- Tue Dec 02, 2014 5:46 pm
- Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
- Topic: what makes Buddhist deathlessness not eternalism?
- Replies: 238
- Views: 43811
Re: what makes Buddhist deathlessness not eternalism?
Maybe I don't know my ancient history so well. But in the more recent history, like the last 24 hours, you've called the guru to several of your gurus an outlier. How's that work? Were they mistaken when they took him to be their guru? When you do your lineage prayers, isn't he someone you pray to?...
- Tue Dec 02, 2014 5:44 am
- Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
- Topic: what makes Buddhist deathlessness not eternalism?
- Replies: 238
- Views: 43811
Re: what makes Buddhist deathlessness not eternalism?
Nope. I saw how well regarded he was during his life. Plus, usually people that are called "head of the lineage" are pretty mainstream. The thought never crossed my mind that he was anything other than a standard bearer for the tradition. (At least you didn't call him a tirthika!) From wh...
- Tue Dec 02, 2014 5:08 am
- Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
- Topic: what makes Buddhist deathlessness not eternalism?
- Replies: 238
- Views: 43811
Re: what makes Buddhist deathlessness not eternalism?
Nope. I saw how well regarded he was during his life. Plus, usually people that are called "head of the lineage" are pretty mainstream. The thought never crossed my mind that he was anything other than a standard bearer for the tradition. (At least you didn't call him a tirthika!) From wh...
- Tue Dec 02, 2014 4:41 am
- Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
- Topic: what makes Buddhist deathlessness not eternalism?
- Replies: 238
- Views: 43811
Re: what makes Buddhist deathlessness not eternalism?
... The Mind Mirror of Vajrasattva states: The sugatagarbha exists intrinsically in all sentient beings. That exists just as sesame seeds are permeated with oil. Its basis — it is based on the material aggregate. It’s location — it is located in the center of the heart. Since the sugatagarbha exist...
- Tue Dec 02, 2014 3:25 am
- Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
- Topic: what makes Buddhist deathlessness not eternalism?
- Replies: 238
- Views: 43811
Re: what makes Buddhist deathlessness not eternalism?
Dudjom R. did not simply make stuff up that was not part of the tradition. Did it ever occur to you that Dudjom Rinpoche is an outlier? Because in point of fact, his book is not part of the main curriculum of Nyingmapa Khenpos — it is more influential among westerners. What texts and who's commenta...
- Tue Dec 02, 2014 1:10 am
- Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
- Topic: what makes Buddhist deathlessness not eternalism?
- Replies: 238
- Views: 43811
Re: what makes Buddhist deathlessness not eternalism?
So Dudjom R. had no problem utilizing the 3 Turning paradigm to explain and define how Dzogchen is superior to the other yanas. Since he saw it as appropriate, so do I. Ironically, following the interpretation of the three turnings as explained by a Korean master, but never by any Indian master, in...