Difference between the Buddha's path and what is taught to others?

[faujidoc1]

@Thito

infinite logic

Some interesting facts on infinity…

if there is an infinite series of numbers that still has numbers left over after being matched up with another infinite series, then we can say that the former series of infinities is actually larger than the infinity that it was matched with. This might seem impossible, but you can probably intuitively grasp a case where this is true: the infinite number of whole numbers (0, 1, 2, 3 . . . ) is smaller than the infinite number of irrational numbers.

[stu]

@Thito

If according to you, on an infinite timeline, all that can happen will happen, then according to that logic, we shouldn’t be existing since we should all be Arahants, yet here we are. Therefore the premise that we’ve all met a Buddha at some point can’t hold true, since if we’ve all met a Buddha at some point, then why not we’ve all attained Arahantship at some point, since on an infinite timeline all that can happen will happen.

Not me. It’s the Buddha that says he can’t see a start to all this. Lucky for both of us he could see an end

[Thito]

Well he says transmitigation is endless, he doesn’t get more specific than that. For all we know each universe cycle is nearly identical to the previous one. So for example, you’ve been stu infinite amount of times, we’ve had this conversation an infinite amount of times, and perhaps when someone attains sotapanna they get off the pre-determined track.

[Thito]

If I understand your question properly, Stef, we can’t know unless we attain the same psychic powers as the Buddha, all we can do from our current position is hypothesize, postulate and speculate.

For example, I don’t think it’s possible to know the future, however if everything in the universe is cyclical, and nearly the same with each pass, then one can predict the future. They’re not actually predicting the future though, just the patterns.

Personally, through meditation I’ve had detailed visions of the future, seeing the buidings, etc… but maybe it’s not the future, maybe it’s just signals from space up ahead of us.

For example, if we’re driving on a road, and you’re up ahead of me on the road, then you can tell me what’s coming up for me. Does that mean you can see the future? no, your position in space is just ahead, that’s all.