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illarraza
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Joined: Fri Dec 09, 2011 4:30 am

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Post by illarraza »

What does rely upon the Law and not upon persons mean?
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PadmaVonSamba
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illarraza wrote: Sat Dec 19, 2020 10:21 pm What does rely upon the Law and not upon persons mean?
The law means the (dharma) teachings.
The person means the one giving the teachings.

The Buddha taught that one should test out the dharma teachings for oneself to determine their validity, just as someone tests gold by burning it, pounding it, to see if it is pure or not, and not just follow blindly because someone famous or powerful said to follow.
EMPTIFUL.
An inward outlook produces outward insight.
illarraza
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Joined: Fri Dec 09, 2011 4:30 am

Re: Question

Post by illarraza »

PadmaVonSamba wrote: Sat Dec 19, 2020 11:41 pm
illarraza wrote: Sat Dec 19, 2020 10:21 pm What does rely upon the Law and not upon persons mean?
The law means the (dharma) teachings.
The person means the one giving the teachings.

The Buddha taught that one should test out the dharma teachings for oneself to determine their validity, just as someone tests gold by burning it, pounding it, to see if it is pure or not, and not just follow blindly because someone famous or powerful said to follow.
True, true. From the perspective of the Lotus and Nirvana Sutras ("Follow the Law and not persons" is a quote from the Nirvana Sutra):

"I must observe sadly that, although it would be simple enough to point out the error of the views propounded by these men, if I did so, the people of today would not even look in my direction. They would go on in their erroneous ways and, in the end, would slander me to the ruler of the country and put my life in jeopardy. Nevertheless, our merciful father Shakyamuni Buddha, when he faced his end in the grove of sal trees, stated as his dying instructions that we are to “rely on the Law and not upon persons.” “Not relying upon persons” means that when persons of the first, second, third, and fourth ranks168 preach, even though they are bodhisattvas such as Universal Worthy and Manjushrī who have attained the stage of near-perfect enlightenment, if they do not preach with the sutra in hand, then they are not to be accepted.

It is also laid down that one should “rely on sutras that are complete and final and not on those that are not complete and final.” We must therefore look carefully among the sutras to determine which are complete and final and which are not and put our faith in the former. Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna in his Commentary on the Ten Stages Sutra states, “Do not rely on treatises that distort the sutras; rely on those that are faithful to the sutras.” The Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai says, “That which accords with the sutras is to be written down and made available. But put no faith in anything that in word or meaning fails to do so.” The Great Teacher Dengyō says, “Depend upon the preachings of the Buddha, and do not put faith in traditions handed down orally.” Enchin, also known as the Great Teacher Chishō, says, “In transmitting the teachings, rely on the written words [of scriptures].” - Opening of the Eyes

Mark
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