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Ok, we are getting closer. You said: “…I just believe that the answer to this question, whether to affirm existence or escape it, or if there’s an answer that transcends this dichotomy, is crucial to humanity’s future.”
With this you want to go further than the Buddha did. The Buddha saw that there is no other option than to remove all attachments to this world. Without attachment your time in samsara runs out and you will not be reborn again. In other words: if you want to stay here you have to keep at least some defilements/attachment and that will lead to suffering in the long run. If we talk about societies we have to deal with a very colorful bunch of attachment. In order to reduce at least the most horrible defilements the societies all over the world would have to understand the bigger worldview as delivered by the Buddha. They have to understand that deeds have consequences. If that would be achievable societies could become more peaceful and less addicted to (bad) sense pleasures. The bunch of attachment would lose some shrill or dark colors, but still many colors would remain. The people would still be bound to samsara and experience suffering. There is no solution, just reduction.
As we know from Buddha Dhamma there is no stable self in any being and very bad gathi can surface anytime if conditions are sufficient. That is also part of anatta sanna. Here is no refuge where one can count on.
Hi Austin,
it is good, that you are on the spiritual path. This will make things better for you.
I will speak directly. I do not want to hurt you, insult you or despise your efforts. I appreciate your openness and your courage.
When reading on your website I realised that you see the suffering filled world, but you do not want to escape from this suffering and this world as the Buddha taught. You want to stay here and live like a superhero (Avenger) to pacify the societies and to overcome suffering. The books you mention are esoteric clutter. Somehow you take a piece from here and there and you hope that it will make sense overall.
You mention Daniel Ingram who sees the Theravada as the most antiquated form of Buddhism (“limited emotional range model”). As he says: “And yet, their maps of enlightenment still contain a hefty helping of scary market-driven propaganda and so much garbage that is life-denying, dangerously out of touch with what happens, and an impediment to practice for millions of people.”
or
“They are chained to the texts, myths and the ancient lies, seemingly doomed to indoctrinate and brainwash generation after generation of monks, practitioners and devoted followers with their delicious poison. What a freakish paradox that the meditative techniques and technologies that I consider among the most powerful and direct ever created should come from a tradition whose models of awakening contain some of the worst bullshit of them all. …”Especially the removal of greed and hate is not understood by Daniel Ingram. He claims to be an Arahant and at the same time he says it is not necessary/not possible to overcome lobha and dosa. He also says some Arahants he knows are full of greed or hate. I don’t know if Daniel Ingram is aware of rebirth and the causes for rebirth.
But Lals website is based on the Tipitaka where it is stated again and again, that one must reduce and finally remove those defilements. The teachings of the Buddha, which we now have recovered by Waharaka Thero and Lal, are self consistent and full of logic. Therefore I suggest to learn the Buddha Dhamma and see if it makes sense to you. If it makes sense you will let go all the rest as there is no use in it anymore.
I know from my experience that for other people it is very hard to look at the suffering or just to dare to overcome it. Normally the people go with the flow, they do not want to escape. Habits are so strong.
With metta,
Tobiaslink to post
Please see #5:
“It is important to realize from #4 above that a Sōtapanna Anugāmi will never “die” from the Ariya birth, and that no time limit is given. Only upon getting to the Sōtapanna stage, that one will have limited number of births…”What does it mean: will have only births in the human realm or above until the Sotapanna stage is reached?
It is strange that King Yama speaks in terms of Buddha Dhamma as if he would know the Buddha Dhamma. Then he could have reached stream entry. King Yama would also not support the torture of others.
Also strange these hell wardens create very bad kamma for themself while punishing other beings.
Is the hell not a place where all those bad gathi gather and torture each other? So no one would be safe in hell because there are too many beings with hate.What rupa are experienced by a gandhabba when he/she is in paraloka or by a deva or a brahma? There is no brain to produce vanna, sadda, rasa, ghanda, pottabba rupa.
As I understand all rupa are made of the 4 great elements. Thus even vanna rupa and also cakkhu rupa are made of these 4 great elements. What determines a cakkhu rupa or what is the “addon” here compared to e.g. a photon?
I wrote above “The eye, for example, comes in contact with photons.”
But you, Lal, said: “No. The photons (light) just help in capturing an image of the tree by the eyes. Then the eyes pass that captured image to the brain. The brain processes that information and passes it along to the cakku pasada in the mental body.”
What is wrong in my sentence? The physical eye receives photons from the tree, or not?
Also photons are made of the great elements, thus they are not vanna rupa but a mixture of apo, tejo, vayo, patavi, correct?
Thank you Lal. Can I conclude that the tree is made of vanna rupa because a tree is something visible? As I understand external rupa make contact with the internal rupa. The eye for example comes in contact with photons. But the tree is not made of photons. What is what here?
I can tell some views of catholic people regarding questions raised in the post.
Babys/kids who die early are going to heaven because they are so pure in the mind. Also all other people who had no chance to hear about the christian religion are “excused” in similar way, even e.g. indians of the Amazonas river.
Animals are indeed a problem. They are thought to be inferior and not really worth to be considered. Actually catholics become silent when asked in such a way and do not have an answer.
The big differences among the people are also not seen. Again no (good) answer from a catholic.
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There is another new age theory which says that each being has chosen its “type of life”, say as a disabled person or a child that gets raped someday. We all come from God and we are actually God. God is thought to be so pure that he cannot perceive himself. In order to perceive himself he created the earth and sends parts of himself to earth to experience life. All our deeds have no consequences, even this life is an illusion, the world is an illusion. …This view is in my eyes totally twisted and sick. But with such a view you can “explain” some things and relax, because it does not matter how you behave…1 user thanked author for this post.
Do I understand it right, the Bodhisatta reached only close to each Jhana and stayed in the vicinity of that Jhana. There is no word that he entered the Jhana.
What is the meaning of the word Bodhisatta (bhodi+satta?)?
I wonder what is fear in relation to kilesa? Is fear a kilesa or upakilesa? Is it part of dosa or moha? Is it part of panca nivarana (e.g. thina middha or uddacca-kukkucca)?
Plants are alive but not sentient. They do not have a mind. There are people who lovingly or evilly speak to cooked rice. The rice reacts with a certain consistency or just rottenness. How can this be explained in terms of Buddha Dhamma?
Under #9 it is said: “…However, the first cells that appeared in the Earth were created by kammic energy (in javana cittas)…”
Also somewhere on this website Lal said that the evolution theory of Darwin is not correct (evolution through natural selection).
I do not understand how the first dinosaur or the first elephant or the first human appeared on earth. Can someone please explain?
