Lacks Theravada perspective:
Paul - a) do you happen to know transcriptions of the earlier sessions? I’ve just peeked into them and incidently heard some questions from the listeners which interested me.
b) “lacks theravada-perspective” - could you perhaps say two or three more words?
Thank you.
a) Contact EBU Germany
b) The EBU is Mahayana influenced, and that is a factor of global expansion of Buddhism, that school having wider public appeal as it relies more on compassion, which is readily understood for those from a western religious background. In Theravada compassion (non-harming) is part of the second link of the noble eightfold path, and renunciation has greater emphasis as it deals with self development rather than relations with others. In the suttas the Buddha points out the inferior nature of the brahma-viharas, see Majjhima Nikaya 97.
The Buddha explains right intention as threefold: the intention of renunciation, the intention of good will, and the intention of harmlessness.[14] The three are opposed to three parallel kinds of wrong intention: intention governed by desire, intention governed by ill will, and intention governed by harmfulness.[15] Each kind of right intention counters the corresponding kind of wrong intention. The intention of renunciation counters the intention of desire, the intention of good will counters the intention of ill will, and the intention of harmlessness counters the intention of harmfulness."
—“The Noble Eightfold Path” (book), Bikkhu Bodhi.
Right Intentions from 22 min.
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Thank you very much! I was not aware of the relevant exposition in Bhikkhu Bodhi on MN97 (although I’ve read that sutta already) - so I have now something to chew on, and to clear up some unseen fine details of dispute … 