Cubibobi (Lang) said: “..occasionally an average person asks me about “Buddhism”. I was concerned about consequences if I gave misinterpretations in what I say, as well as about the “teachers” in my group.”
It is not NECESSARILY teaching adhamma that gets one to trouble. Having micca ditthi is the REASON for rebirth in the apayas. Micca ditthi is removed in two stages: First one must remove the 10 types of micca ditthi. Then that makes it possible for one to remove the deeper layer by comprehending Tilakkhana. This has been discussed in many posts; see, for example,”Buddha Dhamma – In a Chart“.
We need to look at it this way. Most people have the perception that rebirth in the apayas can be avoided just by preventing from doing some specific things, for example by avoiding killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, gossiping, etc (mainly by avoiding the akusala done by the body and speech). That part is ESSENTIAL to get to the mindset to remove the three done by the mind: greed (abhijja), hate (vyapada), and especially micca ditthi (wrong views).
One becomes a Sotapanna by removing a big part of micca ditthi, and that is done understanding the true nature of this world, Tilakkhana. When that understanding comes, one is AUTOMATICALLY prevented from doing other 9 akusala to a great extent (the apayagami strength is removed).
If we look at the framework of Buddha Dhamma carefully, we will realize that what is NORMAL for any given living being is to be born in the apayas.
I know that is a scary thought. But that is where we all had spent much of our time in the past. This is why it is said, “dukkham bhayattena” which means, “dukha is to be feared”. Obviously this dukha or suffering is much worse than what anyone can experience in this human life. When one understands the real nature of the 31 realms, one would indeed get scared.
We all had been born in the apayas than in higher realms. The Buddha said that being born in the apayas is like someone always coming back home from trips to other cities or countries. So, the times a given living being spend outside the apayas are like the time we spend on trips.
I am not saying all this to scare people. But we need to know the truth. Just by ignoring the truth is not going to make it go away, which is the approach of many. In a way, we all have done that through an infinite number of rebirths. That is why we are still here in this world.
Therefore, a better way to look at this issue is to understand the ROOT CAUSES for one to be born in the apayas. I think the new series that I just started will help understand this “big picture” if one spends some time thinking about what is discussed there: “Buddha Dhamma for an Inquiring Mind – Part I“.