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Hi Taryal, it’s been a while! I’m in the same age group as you so my opinion will be different from a more experienced person. I advise you to see a therapist for this kind of problem. It can bring relief (at least temporarily) and bring to light our own traumas. We have accumulated traumas since our early childhood that remain and leave traces. The therapist will be able to bring them to light and will propose solutions that can alleviate them. Personally, I will soon make an appointment to diagnose certain toxic aspects of my mind. I have certain behaviours that can be toxic for those around me. This kind of behaviour comes from the environment where I grew up. The good thing is that at least we realize our problems early. It is better to be aware of this than at 60 for example. The older we get, the worse our mental health will get. However, therapy will never be able to get to the root of the problem which is Avijjā, Tanha and Patigha. Bhantes aren’t always qualified to help us with our current mental health. They can only give us the ultimate solution. Therapy fails to see past lives traumas and the toxicity of the rebirth process. It is the Pure Dhamma of Lord Buddha or his noble disciples that will cure us forever of all mental suffering. You and I are very fortunate since we have the true Dhamma thanks to people like Sir Lal and the monks of Waharaka and Jethavanarama Monasteries.
As the Most Venerable Waharaka Thero said, on our path to Nibbana, we must not ignore the supporting conditions. Supporting conditions are actions that help us on the path, but they should not be put above everything else. I believe that seeing a therapist is a supportive condition. May you attain the Supreme Bliss of Nibbāna and the end of all mental suffering. 🙏🏿🪷🌸
Sir Lal : He must have fulfilled most of his pāramitā (meaning “setting up the necessary background”) in previous lives.
- In the Jayaddisa Jātaka, Venerable Arahant Angulimala was a cannibal who became a yogi. He changed thanks to the Bodhisatta and decided to renounce the world and became a yogi under the guidance of another great yogi, who was the Venerable Arahant Sāriputta in a past life. He probably developed all jhanas and that’s maybe why it was easy for him to accept the path under the Lord Buddha.
Sir Seng Kiat : This the reason why most people (puthujjana) will take sappurisa as “true person” and assume any “moral person” with the traits or quality of the above “Sappurisa in Various Suttas – Traits & Moral vs Noble Emphasis” chart and will lead one to stages of Enlightenment without the need for the “moral person” to be a “Noble Person.”
- Yes, this is why it is important to clarify this concept. Because many people will think that any highly moral person can enlighten us. This view aligns with “all religions that teach the same, and we need to be a good person”. Of course, morality is good, but the goal is to be free of this Samsāra, not to be a good person. Be good will automatically happens when one progresses in the path of Nibbāna. Sunetta was a highly moral yogi who possessed the jhānas. He led many people in the sugati world with his teachings. However, he was not free from suffering and even fell from the Brahma worlds in the devas world and in the human world. That means noble view needs to come from an Ariya.
His story is told in the Sunetta Sutta and in the Sattasūriyasutta
The Sattasūriyasutta is also linked to this article Buddhism and Evolution – Aggañña Sutta (DN 27). The Aggañña Sutta explains how the world is formed, but the Sattasūriyasutta explains how the worlds are destroyed.
Sādhu Sādhu Sādhu how blessed you are, my friend Dosakkhayo 🙏🏿. May you attain the Supreme Bliss of Nibbāna with this noble association 🙏🏿.
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Thank you very much, Stacy and Sir Lal, for your deep replies! Sorry for the late response.
The person is on the social media site Reddit. He is the moderator of the Theravada community there. The people there banned Ven Waharaka Thero’s teaching, so it is useless to discuss with them.
- 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.
