Dharma Wheel

The quality of a tree should be known by its fruit, not buy the appearance of its bark. Perhaps the quality of a tree should be known by all its characteristics, not just the ones we have a preference for. I don't know about you, but when I eat fruit, I don't care much about the appearance of the t...

Malcolm wrote:The quality of a tree should be known by its fruit, not buy the appearance of its bark.

Perhaps the quality of a tree should be known by all its characteristics, not just the ones we have a preference for.

Dalai Lama wrote: "I mean not in the same body, but with the same spirit and the same soul."

It seems if the Dalai Lama is now positing an atman in Tibetan Buddhism.

... Thus, emptiness, Dharma Body of all phenomena, dependent origination, etc is the Dharma or Buddhadharma itself. Yes agree LastLegend, this is the very essence of Buddhadharma. And In the same vein as Mkoll quoted from the Vakkali Sutta, we have this from the Maha-hatthipadopama Sutta:The Greate...

I've had the good fortune to meet realized masters in more than one tradition, Tibetan (Nyingma mostly) and Japanese (Tendai) trained. Wherever you go, you find triumphalist rhetoric--only our methods can lead to realization in this lifetime, if you rely on some other methods you're going to take k...

One, we have to make a distinction between sṃṛtī and sṃṛtyupasthāna. The former is a mental factor, the latter is "Close placement of mindfulness", familiar to us as the four foundations of mindfulness. Secondly, sṃṛtī is always accompanied by saṃprajāna, i.e. attentiveness. These two always work i...

A good point. The trouble is, as I see it, that most of the time it is not so much akusalacittas, but habitual mental patterns that occupy our minds. The technique of mindfulness is to help us break out of these habits ans attend to the matter at hand with complete attention and a fresh seeing. Yes...

Yes agreed it is a mental factor, and is closely related to memory and recall. But what is important is its application and its application in Buddhist practice is not concerned with mundanities like “not forgetting to put your pants on” but specifically works in conjunction with Right Effort and Ri...

I have to disagree with your characterisation of mindfulness as being “nothing more profound” than “not forgetting to put your pants on” Malcolm. If you are just talking about common, everyday mindfulness in a non-Buddhist sense, then yes this is true. However, mindfulness in Buddhism (Right Mindful...

Secondly, Buddha taught according to the needs of the disciples he had in front of him. They compiled a canon. He taught other things to devas, brahmans, kṣatriyas, etc. He even says so himself in the Mainstream sūtras, but he does not state what he taught them. Yes, it’s common knowledge that he t...

FWIW, I think Arahat = 8th stage Bodhisattva You "think." And that is the crux of the problem. Speculating and making claims about things which cannot be determined. As these claims can never be determined, it is just irresponsible and provocative to make them. It creates disharmony and is divisive...

I have a book that goes into Arhat and Bodhisattva/Bodhisatta that compares the systems and attainments. I think I remember reading about the differences of an Arhat and the Bhumis of a Bodhisattva. I think the books by Dutt, but I have to go find it. Would you be interested in the data if I can fi...

Adi wrote:All dharma is a fabrication. But the crucial difference is that it is not an untrue fabrication.

Perhaps skilful would be a better description.

FWIW, I think Arahat = 8th stage Bodhisattva You "think." And that is the crux of the problem. Speculating and making claims about things which cannot be determined. As these claims can never be determined, it is just irresponsible and provocative to make them. It creates disharmony and is divisive...

...Or it maybe more the case, that what you don't see is what you get. :) Well, that is certainly true when you get surprise rear-ended in an automobile collision and other places where things not seen really have an impact. But it's old Buddhism 101, though. If you see Buddha as Buddha then that i...

I think the Vajrayana just needs to feel it is special. It has to claim the highest, quickest, most profound path to awakening, but in reality it amounts hot air and sectarian posturing. Who is to say that hot air and sectarian posturing is not a profound path in its own right? What would Buddha sa...

This is the attainment of an Arhat, not even that of a first stage bodhisattva. It is completely different. Here we have another specious claim to go with the original specious claim. Why would the Buddha, the founder of the movement teach such a lowly level of awakening (I.E. the Arahant)? It just...

This is the attainment of an Arhat, not even that of a first stage bodhisattva. It is completely different. Here we have another specious claim to go with the original specious claim. Why would the Buddha, the founder of the movement teach such a lowly level of awakening (I.E. the Arahant)? It just...

Here are timely quotes, quite apropos to the virtual milieu here, too. The first is why now: During the present Age of Strife, it seems as though people are seldom amiable; rather, they are always trying to outdo one another. Our time owes its name to this fundamental competitiveness. But this is e...

santa100 wrote:... then any Buddhist school would be just as good provided that its practitioner puts in their best effort to cultivate virtues, meditation, and wisdom (as mentioned from my previous post here)

quite right santa100, my point exactly. It is the practitioner not the path.