Eckhart Tolle Diluting The Dhamma

The Watercooler
22

This is thb main point missed by many of these teachers, lack of support for the hours and hours on the cushion required to develop the mind sufficiently to be able to begin to see reality at it is, clear from distortion and break through to liberating insight.

Upaññāta Sutta - The Known

“Bhikkhus, I have personally known two things: non-contentment in regard to wholesome qualities and indefatigability in striving. I strove indefatigably, resolved: ‘Willingly, let only my skin, sinews, and bones remain, and let the flesh and blood dry up in my body, but I will not relax my energy so long as I have not attained what can be attained by manly strength, energy, and exertion.’ It was by heedfulness that I achieved enlightenment, bhikkhus; it was by heedfulness that I achieved the unsurpassed security from bondage.

“If, bhikkhus, you too would strive indefatigably, resolved: ‘Willingly, let only my skin, sinews, and bones remain, and let the flesh and blood dry up in my body, but I will not relax my energy so long as I have not attained what can be attained by manly strength, energy, and exertion,’ you too will, in no long time, realize for yourselves with direct knowledge, in this very life, that unsurpassed consummation of the spiritual life for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness, and having entered upon it, you will dwell in it.

“Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will strive indefatigably, resolved: “Willingly, let only my skin, sinews, and bones remain, and let the flesh and blood dry up in my body, but I will not relax my energy so long as I have not attained what can be attained by manly strength, energy, and exertion.”’ It is in such a way that you should train yourselves.”

(AN. i. 50)

23

I like the Rahula Sutta, it makes everything very clear as to responsibility, and I also see that valid question’s is left unanswered. Maybe one should check facebook for those answers in the future, before one’s name is all over the place …

24

Like the famous “Ajahn Chah - lineage”, you also mean, including this site!?

Maybe we all are click baits

25

Well, the reason they don’t mention the Buddha is because none of them are Buddhist. Tolle and Gangaji are kinda generically New Age/“spiritual but not religious”; the other two are Advaita Vedanta. FWIW, I agree with your larger point that sila and kamma are oftentimes unfairly neglected by too many Buddhist teachers, but I don’t see why we should single out non-Buddhist teachers to illustrate this phenomenon.

26

Here is an answer from a non buddhist, which I find more in line with Buddhas teaching then some of the opinions I find here

I believe a lot of the new thought stuff (which I explored - Unity, Agape, Tolle, Religious Science) and science (adult children, IBP therapy) as well have all started turning to ‘being in the moment’ as a piece of attaining enlightenment and happiness just as Buddhism has through meditation and chanting and ideology.

I believe Buddhism was ahead of its time and a lot of other aspects of our society have caught up and aligned. Not sure you need to call them phonies but should instead embrace this wonderful time of alignment we live in.

link

Where do one actually proofread teachings that were written down 200 years after Lord Buddhas pnb?

Is it enough to trow in some scriptures, and say: there you have it, now read and be wise!

27

I don’t think the facebook post takes the right approach to introduce people to the Dhamma because it starts from a place of contention. Maybe a few will be curious and look more into Buddhism, but they will find the Dhamma anyway if their merit would have it. People partial to those teachers will only dig their heels in further, and for what good is that?

2 Likes
28

Ajhan Chah used to answer with comment’s roughly like this:

If it was a matter of sitting still for long periods, then all the chicken’s i Thailand would be enlightened

This is interesting, care to elaborate?

29

The Dhamma is available to all, those who come across it do so though their own conditions. Eckhart Tolle isn’t diluting anything. His teachings may incorporate Buddhist principles, but he is not a monk. He is lay person who uses various teachings to teach some path of sorts to others.

There will always be teachers outside the Dhamma and that is to be expected. The ways in which wisdom will present itself are inconceivable. As a Buddhist we take refugee in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sanghu. We know that the teachings are whole and complete without flaw or imprecision. We rest in or undying faith of this Three Refugees. The teachings outside of that we come across we will see the true and the false.

4 Likes
30

Tolle created his own religious jargon ( words beginning with capital letters ), though he failed to define his terms clearly. In my experience that is a defining characteristic of the New-age approach.
I have read Tolle’s work, it reminded me a little of “Be here now” by Ram Dass. Sort of interesting, but best not to confuse it with Buddhadhamma, IMO.

4 Likes
31

Okay, I’ve come across someone mentioning him visiting Amravati Monastery, so he’s been places before he “took it out”
And I don’t read or speculate about him as a person (not any of the other teachers too), but have been meditating to him in the same manner as i listen to our teachers, by “non-listening”, if you understand me correct

And new age or not, to me it no age, and never mind as long as I feel for it and it provide practical development with lasting results

thanks, friend!

:anjal:

1 Like
32

Sure, I think it is good to be open to wisdom from any source, and exploring different approaches can be very revealing.

4 Likes
33

This put a smile on my face, and now i’m outta here for sure

2 Likes