Right, that was experienced too, and has been experienced many times before and after. I guess you are familiar with the breath energy running through the body, and that energy is not so hard to develop and use in different ways
If you feel like discussing these things it might be best to start a new thread as we may be wandering off topic.
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I donāt feel for it, but maybe a relevance can be found in where do one find the clearest path?
Do one just need an hint of or just one simple teaching, and the rest of the path becomes visible by purification of the heart, not giving up, not knowing just going ā¦
Itās quite a ride
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I highly recommend checking the sutta below:
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I am wondering if you mean translation, rather than interpretation, as you talk about ancient languages. A translator, is supposed to avoid interpretation as much as possible, and a noble translator would indicate when they were interpreting, rather than translating, as it would not always be possible to avoid it.
Certainly. I would say any interpretation should be held as inaccurate until one tested it and found it provided the release that the Buddha spoke of, e.g. the eradication of the 10 Fetters, but then one had only tested it for oneself, not the entire world. Any interpretation, based on wrong view, will be inaccurate and I believe, that is why, realisation of Right View is said to be the most important, very difficult and resulting in the eradication of the great majority of suffering.
This is covered by my understanding of the Path to Stream Entry, which is not included in the Noble Eightfold or Tenfold path, (but is spoken of quite clearly in the Pali texts), probably because those Noble paths would be the paths of those already Noble (Stream Enterers+).
As far as translating goes, without the study method I understand the Buddha gave for his teaching, the situation you mention was quite hopeless for me, with constantly having to use mindfulness to settle into resignation rather than depression. With the study method, slight variations in translations are made redundant. Because applying the definitions the Buddha gave for key terms, in which I have not seen any conflict in various translations, reveals a clear picture of the Buddhaās probable Right View, to then be tested.
In this sense, regarding key terms, I follow the consensus view you mention, just that I donāt accept multiple meanings, as promoted by commentators. I consistently apply those precise key term meanings given by the Buddha. That is how I believe āthe/an unexcelled teacherā would teach, to leave no room for confusion on important matters.
I donāt think we could possibly know when the Dhamma-wheel* is/has been reinvented till we realise Right View. We could also not know who has practised well.
(*I have shown āDhamma-wheelā to be a later externalisation of Dhamma-vision, in my study of 17 possible versions of the Dhammacakka sutta.)
I think it would be gullible to rely on anyone who follows their own interpretations, or that of a (respected/well established) tradition, (vis Kalama Sutta) and largely ignore the Buddhaās own advice on how to study his teaching.
The Buddha would have been considered a maverick by the established religionists. That doesnāt mean he was wrong.
If we investigate and test claims, we can prove or disprove them, as the Buddha did and teaches us to do. If we donāt want to do the work of āmaking a thorough investigationā (both theoretically and practically) as the Buddha advised, then we can rely on interpretations from ourselves, or the established religionists, or our own experience, devoid of texts. In the latter case, I think there would be no need to use the word āBuddhaā or derivatives.
best wishes
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I donāt think U Ba Khin practices the body scan, or is that inaccurate?
Sometimes, I think to myself, why listen to disciples of the Buddha when I can just try to go straight to source and try to listen to the Buddha by trying to directly examine the Dhamma-Vinaya taught by him?
The first thought that came to mind is that the clearest explanation and step-by-step description of the path to Nibbana is the Noble Eightfold Path. Though this might sound obvious, it seems easy to forget and seems worth remembering and re-remembering.
The Buddha seems claim that his unique discovery that was not yet made by any other being in this historical era prior to his arising is very specifically the Noble Eightfold Path, which he seems to claim is both necessary and sufficient to attain Nibbana.
The entire Dhamma-Vinaya provided by the Buddha seems to be a support for beings to carefully tread this path, the Noble Eightfold Path, to Nibbana, the end of dukkha (sadness), or unconditional happiness (happiness that does not depend on conditions).
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I agree. It is always best to go to the Buddhaās words over his disciples.
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