There have been some discussion on “the other forum” about Nanananda. Unfortunately, as some might already know, criticism of Nanananda or Nanavira over there is generally forbidden and of course has been met with censorship. Therefore, I have come here to discuss it.
About Nanavira and Nanamoli I am already pretty well informed and know it is a kind of postodernism. They openly believe in solipsism and are against logic and reasoning. It’s pretty standard postmodern stuff with a buddhist hat, just like secular buddhism is materialism with a buddhist hat.
The problem is with Nanananda. I kept hearing Nanananda view is different than the standard postmodernism of Nanavira&Nanamoli, but I never knew in what way. Recently, one informed poster showed it’s actually pretty standard hinduist monism, with uniting the internal and the external, something like that. More discussion can be found here in case it doesn’t get censored in the meantime: https://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&p=442010#p441985
I know there are some pretty informed people here and am curious to find out more about this problem. My biggest question is: If this is hiduist monism, as shown in that thread, then how about the solipsist part ? I once asked followers of Nanananda weather if one dies, will their family, the city, etc. continue to exist and after being asked 5 times, the eventually answered that they have no idea. Besides his followers being solipsist, there are also quotes from Nanananda supporting solipsism such as this one:
The world appears as real to one who is fettered to delusion. He imagines it to be reliable. And so the fool, relying on his assets, is encompassed by the darkness. To him the world appears as eternal. But the one who has the right vision, knows that in reality there is nothing.
So my question is, how does these solipsit parts fit in with the main hinduist monism that is preached by Nanananda ? I’ve asked that on the other forum too but I think that will get censored too after it gets spotted by the dhamma police.
In conclusion, could someone explain me in short Nanananda view ? I understand it is hinduist monism, I understand it is somewhat solipsistic, but I don’t understand the bigger picture, how it all fits together.