Dear @sujato,
As a practitioner, I see the texts as something that interpellates me, something I enter into a dialogue with. And I feel that us modern educated people are very inclined towards theories that work on all cases, statements that are true just as the law of gravity is true. I’m not saying these are not found in the suttas! But from this approach one misses a lot of lessons. These are things I would have liked to read when I began and that I might say to a beginner now:
Look for examples of what the suttas say in your own life.
There’s a kind of mind that, whenever is faced with a statement, looks for some example where that statement doesn’t work well, so that one can dismiss the whole thing. This is a great way of not doing the work. Be pragmatic. As well as being critical with the text, let the text be critical with you: find those cases where what it says is true, where it does apply and it does work (even if you think it doesn’t work in all situations) and see what can you discover or improve there.
If you have found a good personal example, replace generic or abstract statements in the text with it, and read the sutta again so it speaks to your condition.
Be aware that, inevitably, you have a certain preconceived idea of the historical Buddha (his personality, his tone of voice, his beliefs, his behaviour) and that the texts may sometimes challenge it.
Metaphors and imagery can be much richer than they look at first sight.
A common device of oral literature are strings of synonyms. Don’t read too much into them as if each was referring to a clearly delimited, distinguishable and non-overlapping reality.
Thanks so much for the suggestions, these are all great points.
However I would like to temper your first point:
In my experience, readers almost compulsively try to see how the suttas are relevant to themselves. I think that’s not quite what you’re saying here, but it is, I think, inviting misinterpretation. I continually have to remind students that they are experiencing another time, another culture, with other backgrounds and expectations, and I encourage them to try to first suspend their own needs and figure out what these things meant to them. Don’t assume that anything is relevant to your life. If you’re reading a sutta on formless attainments, chances are it isn’t actually relevant right now! If you go in looking for “relevance”, all you’ll find is shallow things that reflect your own values, not deep things that challenge your values.
You’ve acknowledged this later on, so I think this is more a matter of phrasing and emphasis. Perhaps something like,
Read with compassion for the people in the story. Try to understand their pain and their happiness, and what they get out of the teaching. Then ask yourself, “Might this apply to me, too?”
Well, here’s a try at answering Bhante @sujato’s question in the OP. I’m sure it’s imperfect in many regards but might perhaps work as an intro for some.
