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- Once again, Christian, you can say what you want, but as long as you have not renounced the lay life, you are not in a good position to criticize them. Nowadays it is almost impossible to become a Lay Arahant or Anagami. If one is really serious about attaining Nibbāna as quickly as possible one should take the robe immediately. When one does not do so, it is better to avoid criticizing those who do except if they do bad deeds with the robe.
- The life of a bhikkhu is the most suitable one to easily attain all the stages of Nibbāna. The monks of the monastery all want, for the most part, to become arahants. Most Venerable Bhante Waharaka Thero predicted the advent of many arahants. Personally, I believe that Jethavaranama will be the foundation of this advent. Venerable Abbot Bhante Nivanthpa Thero said that their goal is to become arahants nothing else. Of course, everyone is free to believe or not.
- Personally, I prefer to listen to people who have renounced their worldly life and who have committed themselves to the path of Lord Buddha than to simply lay people on an internet forum. As I said, the life of a bhikkhu is not easy. I have tried it personally, and it is not given to everyone. It takes a level of purity to live it fully. It is a double-edged sword. One can either end up like Venerable Arahant Sariputta or like Bhante Devadatta (if he does evil deeds). It is a testament to their sincerity on the path. Of course, there are corrupt bhikkhus, however, they are relatively easy to recognize. You just have to see if they contradict the Tipitaka and teach wrong views. I have not seen anything wrong in their speeches. My example of the Venerable Nanda and the Lord Buddha was to show that there are different ways of teaching the Dhamma. Of course, Lord Buddha is supreme and no one is comparable to him. However, the disciples of Lord Buddha are led to imitate him in different aspects. No one in this world is immune to criticism. Even Lord Buddha has been abused and accused of manipulating, destroying society and sugarcoating as you like to say. Puthujunas might say that Lord Buddha is a manipulator who only wants to keep his younger brother in the Sangha. Venerable Nanda wanted to leave the Maha Sangha if you read the text. No matter what anyone says, Venerable Nanda became an arahant. You can accuse the noble monks of Jethavaranama of sugarcoating and even manipulating, but that will not stop non-Buddhists from following them and even becoming Bhikkhus or anagarikas. In a Dhamma sermon, one must consider one’s audience. Depending on the audience, one must adapt one’s speech. You can see it as sugarcoating if you want. I am 100% sure that you have not watched most of their video. In some videos, they go further and use the Abhidamma. In their Sinhala videos, they go much further than all their English sermons. Sir Lal and anyone who speaks Sinhala can know this. It is better to give up everything that hinders Nibbāna (including worldly life) to be able to better educate others on the path. Criticizing serious bhikkhus while enjoying worldly life is not beneficial.
- This is just my opinion. I learned the Dhamma from bhikkhus. All my knowledge of the stories of the Dhammapada, the suttas, the Vinaya and some parts of the Abhidamma comes from my stay with bhikkhus and anagarikas in Thailand. This is why I revere the Maha Sangha monks and anagarikas. I learned to recognize corrupt bhikkhus, and I can assure you that Jethavaranama truly represents the ideal of the Maha Sangha, therefore far from corruption. This is a community animated by the 4 Brahmas viharas. By discussing almost every week with them and the testimonies of the members of the forum who live there, I can only admire them.
It is not beneficial to dwell too much on this subject. Sir Lal gave excellent advice that it is more important to practice Dhamma than this kind of subject.
This reminds me of the story of Venerable Arahant Nanda, half-brother of Lord Buddha. Do you know how Lord Buddha convinced him to become an arahant??? He promised that if he became an arahant, he would give him many maiden devis as his wives from Sakka’s Harem. I was confused and laughed while reading this. How can a Lord Buddha promise sensual pleasures in exchange for Nibbana?? However, if we analyze it clearly, he has a trap. An arahant will NOT crave anything!!! Venerable Nanda did not seem to understand this.
All this to say that he has unusual methods of teaching the Dhamma!! Jethavaranama Buddhist Monastery uses a particular method too.
Then the Buddha took Nanda by the arm and, as easily as a strong person would extend or contract their arm, vanished from Jeta’s Grove and reappeared among the gods of the thirty-three.
Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ nandaṁ bāhāyaṁ gahetvā—seyyathāpi nāma balavā puriso samiñjitaṁ vā bāhaṁ pasāreyya, pasāritaṁ vā bāhaṁ samiñjeyya; evamevaṁ—jetavane antarahito devesu tāvatiṁsesu pāturahosi.
Now at that time five hundred dove-footed nymphs had come to attend to Sakka, the lord of gods.
Tena kho pana samayena pañcamattāni accharāsatāni sakkassa devānamindassa upaṭṭhānaṁ āgatāni honti kakuṭapādāni.
Then the Buddha said to Nanda,
Atha kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ nandaṁ āmantesi:
“Nanda, do you see these five hundred dove-footed nymphs?”
“passasi no tvaṁ, nanda, imāni pañca accharāsatāni kakuṭapādānī”ti?
“Yes, sir,” he replied.
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti.
“What do you think, Nanda? Who is more attractive, good-looking, and lovely—the finest lady of the Sakyan land, or these five hundred dove-footed nymphs?”
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, nanda, katamā nu kho abhirūpatarā vā dassanīyatarā vā pāsādikatarā vā, sākiyānī vā janapadakalyāṇī, imāni vā pañca accharāsatāni kakuṭapādānī”ti?
“Compared to these five hundred dove-footed nymphs, the finest lady of the Sakyan land is like a deformed monkey with its ears and nose cut off.
“Seyyathāpi, bhante, paluṭṭhamakkaṭī kaṇṇanāsacchinnā;
She doesn’t count, there’s no comparison, she’s not worth a fraction.
evamevaṁ kho, bhante, sākiyānī janapadakalyāṇī imesaṁ pañcannaṁ accharāsatānaṁ upanidhāya saṅkhyampi nopeti kalabhāgampi nopeti upanidhimpi nopeti.
These five hundred dove-footed nymphs are far more attractive, good-looking, and lovely.”
Atha kho imāni pañca accharāsatāni abhirūpatarāni ceva dassanīyatarāni ca pāsādikatarāni cā”ti.
“Rejoice, Nanda, rejoice!
“Abhirama, nanda, abhirama, nanda.
I guarantee you five hundred dove-footed nymphs.”
Ahaṁ te pāṭibhogo pañcannaṁ accharāsatānaṁ paṭilābhāya kakuṭapādānan”ti.
“If, sir, you guarantee me five hundred dove-footed nymphs, I shall happily lead the spiritual life under the Buddha.”
“Sace me, bhante, bhagavā pāṭibhogo pañcannaṁ accharāsatānaṁ paṭilābhāya kakuṭapādānaṁ, abhiramissāmahaṁ, bhante, bhagavati brahmacariye”ti.
- Venerable Nanda became arahant after that ! He refuses to have them.
- A Lord Buddha can reveal Nibbāna in any unusual situation if a person has the merits to comprehend it. This is why he is referred to as the Supreme Master. While the disciples of Lord Buddha do so to a lesser degree. The Triple Gem is truly immeasurable.
Hi Taryal,
I want to sincerely apologize for my harsh words towards you. My manner of speaking was arrogant, and is not a good way to pass a message. I also apologize to anyone else I may have offended. Since none of us can be certain that we are ariyas, we will inevitably make mistakes. Our goal should be to eliminate our micchādiṭṭhis, maintain complete confidence in the noble association of the Noble Maha Sangha, and strive towards Nibbāna (In the long run, no religion or scientific views can help us to do that. Only the Buddha Dhamma can help us).
May the noble Triple Gem bless us all. 🙏🏿☸️🌸
- Criticizing monks is appropriate when they teach wrong views and when they do not respect the Vinaya.
- However, different methods of teaching with the 4 Brahma viharas and Tilakkhana work in the long run. The Venerable monks of Jethavaranama seem to have these qualities.
“I have searched far and wide and have yet to come across anything that is in the same ballpark as Waharaka Thero and Pure Dhamma. In my opinion, Jethavanarama Monastery is no exception. “
- Please, I don’t think we can talk about Venerable Waharaka Thero if we have never seen him. No one in this forum or website has seen Venerable Waharaka Thero in real life. The Venerable Abbot of Jethavaranama Monastery, Bhante Nivanthapa Thero, is a direct disciple of Venerable Waharaka Thero. Everything he has learned comes from him and he is the best person to talk about his master. None of us here can claim to know Venerable Waharaka Thero or understand his teaching better than Bhante Nivanthapa Thero. If we really mastered the Dhamma, we would have given up lay life. That was to answer you, Dawson. Please don’t take it the wrong way. As I said, it would be better to not discuss this subject again.
Sir, it is derogatory to accuse the monastery of sugarcoating or to associate them with political views like saying, “They sound liberal.” I personally don’t think it is appropriate to say that to people who dedicate their lives 24/7 to the Dhamma. That is my personal opinion, Sir. I have been in the company of monks in Thailand and I was one. I have a lot of respect for the Maha Sangha. I am personally sensitive on this subject. Please, I do not want to dwell on this subject any longer.
Well, that is a bit of a stretch of argument, same with Pothila – I think you using those arguments in the wrong way. Still, they are irrelevant to the actual situation as their situation and story are different, by stretch I mean you trying to make the argument as you take two different things and try to make them look like they are the same while they are whole other things and positions are not relatable to what you are saying. Those Bhikkus were in a very unique scenarios that had nothing to do with what you trying to convey through those arguments.
- You are free to see this like that. I am not there to win something. What I says is without the 4 Brahma viharas you cannot teach the Dhamma. If you are arrogant your path is defiled.
Dhamma is not really “missionary” but I understand the position of Bhikkus in the modern day, they need to do “something” to bring people to their place which is not bad – especially in the case if promoting real things.
- False. See : Dutiyamārapāsasutta
Wander forth, mendicants, for the welfare and happiness of the people, out of sympathy for the world, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans.
Caratha, bhikkhave, cārikaṁ bahujanahitāya bahujanasukhāya lokānukampāya atthāya hitāya sukhāya devamanussānaṁ.
Let not two go by one road.
Mā ekena dve agamittha.
Teach the Dhamma that’s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased. And reveal a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure.
Desetha, bhikkhave, dhammaṁ ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāsetha.
There are beings with little dust in their eyes. They’re in decline because they haven’t heard the teaching.
Santi sattā apparajakkhajātikā, assavanatā dhammassa parihāyanti.
There will be those who understand the teaching!
Bhavissanti dhammassa aññātāro.
- The last thing I want to say on this subject is this: Whether you believe it or not, criticizing the work of the Sangha leads to demerit and creates a blockage on your path to Nibbāna. Accusing the monastery of sugarcoating is inappropriate. Unlike us, these noble monks live the Dhamma 24/7 and strive to maintain the Sasana. How many of you would be willing to give up your home, family, money, and possessions to live the Dhamma? If you cannot make that sacrifice, it is better not to criticize the Sangha; we owe them great respect.
I have personally experienced the life of a bhikkhu, and I can guarantee that few people can support this way of life. If I could, I would not be on this forum; it is only for the wise and resilient. In Sinhala, these monks delve deeply into the Dhamma and offer extremely detailed teachings. Sir Lal and anyone who speaks Sinhala can attest to this.
It is best to maintain respect for the Maha Sangha. I will not speak further on this subject. Again, if I have offended anyone, I apologize.
3 billion humans are either Christians or Muslims. Some became so through spiritual experiences. Of course, they remain in micchādiṭṭhis. However, it is wrong to say that it is based on fables. Personally, I believe that certain passages from the Bible or other religious books can come from elements of the Buddha Dhamma. The famous phrase “the truth will set you free” can lead Christians to ask themselves deeper questions. It is possible through these elements to lead them to explore the Buddha Dhamma and eventually to free themselves.
- The monks of the Jethavaranama monastery are extremely experienced and advanced. It would not be surprising to discover that many are ariyas. I have complete confidence in them and I am sure that their work will bring a large number of people to Nibbāna regardless of their path in life. With wisdom, kusalas and noble association one can attain Nibbāna no matter what religion one practiced in the past.
- They don’t need to do anything superficial to survive. When one practices the Dhamma seriously without arrogance one is naturally protected and supported by others. The anagarikas in the monastery are also extremely advanced in their practice and are naturally protected and supported as the monks. I don’t see anything that will worry them.
Dhammo have rakkhati Dhammacāriṁ
He who takes care of the dhamma, the dhamma takes care of him.
- This is why Jethavaranama lacks nothing not because of sugarcoating.
One thing a monk from the monastery told me. He says that it is easier to teach non-Buddhists than born Buddhists. He says this because most Buddhists are arrogant and think that they don’t need to listen to what they have to say “We already know all that.” The non-Buddhists who come to see them are more open and attentive to the sermon because is a new vision of the world.They don’t take it for granted. They also tell them the truth. They tell them that if they want to attain Nibbāna, they must leave all wrong beliefs, including their religion. THEY SAY THIS WITH COMPASSION without showing that they are superior. They tell them that their religion is right only up to a certain point. THEY TELL THEM THAT ONLY BUDDHA DHAMMA LEADS TO NIBBĀNA IN THE LONG RUN. I have confidence in the noble sangha of Lord Buddha. If they say that they can show elements useful for liberation in other religious books, I believe them completely. Venerable Arahant Culapanthaka became an arahant with the help of a cloth. This does not mean that the rag is the truth. It means that it can be a tool leading to the truth with the help of the noble association. Not everyone becomes an ariya in the same way. It doesn’t matter if you people on the forum see this as sugarcoating; what is certain is that it works, and people are becoming bhikkhus or anagarikas there. I know a forum member who lives there now. He said he is in heaven. With all this noble association, he doesn’t want to leave. He wants to stay there for the rest of his life.
See also the story of Bhikkhu Pothila who knew the teachings of Lord Buddha by heart but was so arrogant that he refused to listen to others. How many Buddhists are like him today? He became an arahant with the help of a child arahant. Let us not be like Bhikkhu Pothila. As long as we are not free from our defilements, we are fools.
Many people who practice Buddha Dhamma lack compassion and kindness. What makes Jethavaranama successful is not the sugarcoating but the KINDNESS AND COMPASSION they express to others. Their mission of preserving the Sasana of Lord Buddha is what makes them successful. Qualities that many lack. It is all well and good to teach the Dhamma, but if you do not have the 4 Brahmas viharas, your Dhamma is empty. Instead of insulting others and showing ourselves to be superior, maybe if we develop the 4 Brahmas viharas and progress in the path, they will be more likely to listen to us, right?
1 user thanked author for this post.
I forgot to say one thing. A noble person is not necessarily a bhikkhu or a bhikkhuni. It is also a layman or a laywoman who has attained one of the 4 stages of Nibbāna. If we have this noble association at home, no need for a monastery. However, our best chance to have this noble association is in a monastery. We, as lay people, are constantly surrounded by ignoble people in place of work, public transportation, social media and even family. Also, look at billboards and commercials on TV. These are things that encourage wrong views. How can a puthujunas attain Nibbāna in such an environment? An ignoble person is a person who thinks that the world can give us true happiness. He is a person who has views contrary to the Dhamma. This is the main disadvantage of lay life. We are also constantly surrounded by sensual temptations. If we are at least sotāpanna, it does not matter, nothing can deviate us from the Dhamma. If we have doubts about our attainment of magga phala, it is better to go to a noble environment like a monastery. In this place, we will have the chance to take the right view and be in contact with ariyas. Otherwise, we will be constantly bombarded by wrong views and will never attain Nibbāna.
- Let us not make the mistake of Venerable Bahiya who was in a great illusion. He thought he was an ariya but, he was not. It took an anagami Brahma to tell him that he was not even on the path of the ariyas. Thanks to the noble association of Lord Buddha, he became an arahant in a few seconds. That is why it is important to always seek the noble association.
Then as he was in private retreat this thought came to his mind,
Atha kho bāhiyassa dārucīriyassa rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṁ cetaso parivitakko udapādi:
“I am one of those in the world who are perfected or on the path to perfection.”
“ye kho keci loke arahanto vā arahattamaggaṁ vā samāpannā, ahaṁ tesaṁ aññataro”ti.
Then a deity who was a former relative of Bāhiya, having sympathy and wanting what’s best for him, approached him and said:
Atha kho bāhiyassa dārucīriyassa purāṇasālohitā devatā anukampikā atthakāmā bāhiyassa dārucīriyassa cetasā cetoparivitakkamaññāya yena bāhiyo dārucīriyo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bāhiyaṁ dārucīriyaṁ etadavoca:
“Bāhiya, you’re not a perfected one, nor on the path to perfection.
“neva kho tvaṁ, bāhiya, arahā, nāpi arahattamaggaṁ vā samāpanno.
You don’t have the practice by which you might become a perfected one or one on the path to perfection.”
Sāpi te paṭipadā natthi yāya tvaṁ arahā vā assa arahattamaggaṁ vā samāpanno”ti.
Sir Lal : That is not correct. Only a Buddha can discover the ultimate truth, and we have discussed this in many posts: “pubbe ananussutesu Dhammsu” or “previously unknown teachings.”
Again, I am not sure what the objective of the discourse was. It may have been for beginners to the Buddha’s teachings.
- He gave this talk to help Christians and Muslims in the audience feel more comfortable. While it is impossible to attain Nibbana outside of the Buddha Dhamma, a sufficiently experienced ariya can recognize elements of the Dhamma in other sacred texts and share this understanding with others. If these individuals possess the necessary merits, they may achieve Nibbana by associating with a disciple of Lord Buddha. If not, they can cultivate additional merit and attain Nibbana later on.
- A perfect example is Venerable Bhante Maitri (Daniel St). Like me, he comes from a very Christian background. He has also had the fortune of encountering the Buddha Dhamma. We discuss these topics regularly, and he tells me that his relatives are increasingly interested in the Buddha Dhamma. He uses passages from the Bible to teach them, as he is not yet able to reference the Tipitaka directly. We need to be compassionate and recognize that not everyone shares the same level of understanding as we do. The best approach to teaching is to communicate in a way that resonates with their level of comprehension.
- Now, let’s consider how I could become your student in advanced mathematics, Sir Lal. I must be alert and ready to learn. While I know how to count and calculate, that alone is not sufficient. You would need to evaluate my calculation skills, right? You would likely introduce me to increasingly complex calculations, taking familiar examples and expanding upon them with more complicated ones. This is a methodical process. In your class, some students may progress faster than I do and might not require additional examples, while others may take longer. As a teacher, you would want us all to succeed, adapting your teaching to each student’s abilities.
- This approach is similar to teaching the Buddha Dhamma. Consider Brahmāyu the Brahmin and compare him to Venerable Arahant Bahiya. Brahmāyu had faith in Lord Buddha because of the Vedās, and Lord Buddha strengthened that foundation before he make him a sotāpanna. In contrast, Venerable Bahiya needed no such reinforcement or sacred text; he attained arahantship on the spot. For most people, Lord Buddha begins with moral teachings, guiding them towards rebirth in a deva or Brahma realm, and finally towards Nibbāna. They became sotāpanna. However, Venerable Bahiya did not require this foundational teaching.
See Brahmāyusutta
He had mastered the three Vedas, together with their vocabularies and ritual performance, their phonology and word classification, and the testaments as fifth. He knew them word-by-word, and their grammar……
Then the Buddha taught him step by step, with
Atha kho bhagavā brahmāyussa brāhmaṇassa anupubbiṁ kathaṁ kathesi, seyyathidaṁ—
a talk on giving, ethical conduct, and heaven.
dānakathaṁ, sīlakathaṁ, saggakathaṁ;
He explained the drawbacks of sensual pleasures, so sordid and corrupt, and the benefit of renunciation.
kāmānaṁ ādīnavaṁ okāraṁ saṅkilesaṁ nekkhamme ānisaṁsaṁ pakāsesi.
And when the Buddha knew that Divinityyu’s mind was ready, pliable, rid of hindrances, elated, and confident he explained the special teaching of the Buddhas:
Yadā bhagavā aññāsi brahmāyuṁ brāhmaṇaṁ kallacittaṁ muducittaṁ vinīvaraṇacittaṁ udaggacittaṁ pasannacittaṁ, atha yā buddhānaṁ sāmukkaṁsikā dhammadesanā taṁ pakāsesi—
suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.
dukkhaṁ, samudayaṁ, nirodhaṁ, maggaṁ.
Just as a clean cloth rid of stains would properly absorb dye,
in that very seat the stainless, immaculate vision of the Dhamma arose in the brahmin Brahmāyu:
evameva brahmāyussa brāhmaṇassa tasmiṁyeva āsane virajaṁ vītamalaṁ dhammacakkhuṁ udapādi:
“Everything that has a beginning has an end.”
“yaṁ kiñci samudayadhammaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ nirodhadhamman”ti.
Let the Blessed One teach me the Dhamma! Let the Holy One teach me the Dhamma!
Desetu me, bhante, bhagavā dhammaṁ;
That would be for my lasting welfare and happiness.”
desetu sugato dhammaṁ, yaṁ mamassa dīgharattaṁ hitāya sukhāyā”ti.
“In that case, Bāhiya, you should train like this:
“Tasmātiha te, bāhiya, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:
‘In the seen will be merely the seen; in the heard will be merely the heard; in the thought will be merely the thought; in the known will be merely the known.’
‘diṭṭhe diṭṭhamattaṁ bhavissati, sute sutamattaṁ bhavissati, mute mutamattaṁ bhavissati, viññāte viññātamattaṁ bhavissatī’ti.
That’s how you should train.
Evañhi te, bāhiya, sikkhitabbaṁ.
When you have trained in this way,
Yato kho te, bāhiya, diṭṭhe diṭṭhamattaṁ bhavissati, sute sutamattaṁ bhavissati, mute mutamattaṁ bhavissati, viññāte viññātamattaṁ bhavissati,
you won’t be ‘by that’.
tato tvaṁ, bāhiya, na tena.
When you’re not ‘by that’,
Yato tvaṁ, bāhiya, na tena;
you won’t be ‘in that’.
tato tvaṁ, bāhiya, na tattha.
When you’re not ‘in that’,
Yato tvaṁ, bāhiya, na tattha,
you won’t be in this world or the world beyond or between the two.
tato tvaṁ, bāhiya, nevidha na huraṁ na ubhayamantarena.
Just this is the end of suffering.”
Esevanto dukkhassā”ti.
Then, due to this brief Dhamma teaching of the Buddha, Bāhiya’s mind was right away freed from defilements by not grasping.
Atha kho bāhiyassa dārucīriyassa bhagavato imāya saṅkhittāya dhammadesanāya tāvadeva anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimucci.
- Not everyone learns in the same way. Only a Lord Buddha knows perfectly how to teach a being every time. Lord Buddha is constantly in the 4 Brahma viharas, which is also why beings feel peaceful in his presence. If we give the Dhamma without having this in mind, others will not be mentally incomfortable. Being compassionate and benevolent means taking into account the mental predispositions of others. Of course, we can make mistakes about what to do. Only a Lord Buddha does not make mistakes. The monastery tries its best to make the audience comfortable regardless of each person’s religion. The goal is to show them the ultimate truth and this can never be done without compassion.
If I have offended anyone, please forgive me. 🙏🏿 I am not perfect, and we are here because we believe in the Noble Triple Gem. I believe that truth and supreme happiness cannot be discovered without the help of the Lord Buddha or his disciples. However, the ultimate truth is always present, and one only needs to learn it through the noble association with the Triple Gem.
Once a person has acquired this Dhamma and has become at least a sotāpanna, they can recognize this truth everywhere and discern it from erroneous beliefs. Most Venerable Waharaka Thero is an example. I am very sure that without him the majority of us will continue to take Annica for impermanence. He recognized the misinterpretations of Tilakkhana and other concepts of the Tipitaka. A knowledgeable ariya can illustrate Nibbāna found in other sacred texts while separating micchādiṭṭhi (wrong views). The Lord Buddha demonstrated Nibbāna through the Vedas to Māgandhiya. See Vedās Originated With Buddha Kassapa’s Teachings
When one is wise enough and established in magga phala (the path and its fruition), one can teach the Dhamma through various examples, including texts from other religions. This is what Venerable Bhante Nivanthapa Thero meant when he stated that he could find Nibbāna in the Bible or the Quran.
I have shared this message for the sake of any non-Buddhist readers. Even though I strongly disagree with Taryal and Yash’s remarks, I apologize to him as well. I should not have labelled him as a toxic person; I went too far in my comments, even though my intentions seemed right to me. I spoke angrily. Taryal, please forgive me🙏🏿.
- As long as you have not reached Nibbāna you are not able to really talk about others. This is what the monks of the monastery said, and this is what the Lord Buddha will also say. These people whom you despise and whom you accuse of being ignorant can you really judge their spiritual level?? The Venerable Arahant Mahapanthaka thought that his little brother, the Venerable Culapanthaka, could not reach Nibbāna and was harsh with him and was mistaken about him. However, he is an arahant and, therefore, has no bad intentions in his mind. We on this forum are subject to our defilements, and therefore, our intentions are based on ignorance of reality. Knowing that a Venerable Arahant like Mahapanthaka was mistaken about the spiritual faculties of a person imagine us when we judge others. If Lord Buddha were here today, many of these non-Buddhists would have the best chance of reaching Nibbāna. A Lord Buddha knows perfectly how to teach everyone according to their spiritual level.
- Other ariyas have this ability but, it is not perfect like that of a SammāsamBuddha. The monks of the monastery use this ability.
- We do not possess this quality so we must be careful not to discourage others, ESPECIALLY IF WE ARE NOT FREE FROM ALL DEFILEMENTS. Some people among them are Bodhisattas, some will attain Nibbāna in future Sasanas, and others will be paccekabuddhas. WE DO NOT HAVE THE INFINITE KNOWLEDGE OF A LORD BUDDHA TO JUDGE.
- Another thing. Knowing that this cycle of rebirth is infinite and that we have committed all kinds of akusalas in the past. Maybe you two who are judging these people were religious masters who propagated these religions. We have been the worst radicals and extremists in this cycle of rebirth how can we not understand this simple fact? If you suffer the inconveniences of their presence then you are reaping the kammic seeds of the past. If you truly believe in Buddha Dhamma you should know this.
Cultivate Metta, Karuna and Tilakkhana until you become ariya and you will not be disturbed by them.
TARYAL : “You know nothing about me so I think you should refrain from making such silly accusations. I will continue to stand by what I believe and do not care how it makes you feel. If Bible/Quran/Bhagavad Geeta can lead you to “Nibbana”, why bother looking into the Pali Canon (Buddha’s teachings)? Making a statement like that can be misleading and that is what I’ve seen in some of the Jethavanarama discourses.”
- It seems to me that you prefer direct language, so I will be straightforward with you. Your presence has made this forum toxic. Your rudeness and use of profanity, along with remarks that verge on religious hatred, tarnish the reputation of this forum. Who do you think you are, insulting others as “bastards” and “idiots”? Have you freed yourself from your own defilements? If not, it would be wise to mind your language, as it will only harm others and yourself. I now understand why some members of the forum are less active than before; they have noticed that hateful and derogatory comments are becoming the norm for some.
A person with noble friend and proper merits can achieve Nibbāna, even in unlikely circumstances. For instance, Venerable Arahant Culapanthaka attained arahantship with the help of a rag and a sermon from the Buddha. If a disciple of the Buddha can explain Dhamma concepts using examples from another holy book, why should it be considered impossible? Personally, I find the Pali Canon sufficient and do not feel the need for any other books. However, I recognize that others may require different sources of support. This may be difficult for someone who disregards the feelings of others to comprehend.
Good luck on your journey toward magga phala with an attitude of “I don’t care about others feelings, and I will speak as I please.”
That is what the Buddha said.
Idamavoca bhagavā.
Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:
Idaṁ vatvāna sugato athāparaṁ etadavoca satthā:
“A man is born
“Purisassa hi jātassa,
with an axe in his mouth.
kuṭhārī jāyate mukhe;
A fool cuts themselves with it
Yāya chindati attānaṁ,
when they say bad words.
bālo dubbhāsitaṁ bhaṇaṁ.
What does that mean *Sound liberal*???
You don’t have the skills to teaching people according to their life experience. Of course you will find strange.
Sir, listen to this video from 13 min to 14 min. https://youtu.be/ShNhaycQXik?si=l42Plr5z3K5RT0Vq
Also, listen to this video at 1 hour 36 minutes
Nibbāna is the Supreme truth. It cannot be only found in the Tipitaka. A noble friend(ariya) with special knowledge can help other people to see this truth in their life experience. Even if the Tipitaka disappear, as long as an ariya teaches Nibbāna in the world, it doesn’t matter. If the last ariya dies, even if the Tipitaka is there, nobody will achieve Nibbāna. This is how a Sasana end. The Kalyāṇamittasutta give hint to this idea.
If Buddha Dhamma increases your hatred towards non-Buddhists you are no better than all these radicals. You will have to watch your language for the sake of the forum and your own good. I am not one to tell anyone what to do, but the forum will become more and more toxic if we do not denounce this type of degrading and anti-Dhamma behaviour.
