The practical middle path is enunciated in the equally famous Dhammacakkappavattana-sutta, respected by most Buddhists as the first sermon delivered by the Buddha. Here the middle path is betw e e n the two extremes o f s e l f - i n d u l g e n c e (kaĀ·maiuk.hallikanuyoga) and self-mortification (attak.ilamathanyoga) and consists of the noble eightfold path (anāyo a!{hangiko maggo) leading to freedom and happiness.
Throughout he history of Buddhism, Buddhists have endeavored to remain faithful to the doctrines enunciated in these two discourses, in spite of unfor- cunate divisions into Theravada and Mahayana and in the face of enormous pressures. either from inside or from outside, either social or political, that forced them occasionally to deviated from the original message. For example, in the sphere of philosophical specuÅations, one of the sects belonging to the so-called Sthaviravada, namely, Sarvastivada,presented a theory of āself- natureā or āsubstanceā (svabhava) and some of the Mahayaniscs.admitted a conception of " inherent thought of enlightenment" (bodhi-citta), both of which, as may be indicated in the following discussions, are theories contrary to the fundamental philosophical tenet of the Buddha, namely, ādependent arisingā (paticcasamuppada)
Thatās why the developments in Buddhism have to be properly used or understood. I rather stay away. Thatās my side. Learn some of it. The simple ones
If the question is not too bold, I would ask. How has your study of the Abhidhamma gender analysis reduced your own suffering?
Iām puzzled why there is so much written about something that is effectively renounced with celibacy and never thought discussing it so much might be of any value. Unmindful, weāre attracted to or repulsed by one another and thatās enough cause for restraint and letting go. So the paradox for me is that endlessly discussing gender is essentially an exercise in not letting go, which seems counterproductive.
Why do you think that the Venerable in question listens to these more than his own elders in his own community? Yesterday, you said something very similar to me about me listening to āMarxist professors in liberal arts collegesā over the word of the Buddha, and it was similarly out of left field. I think you might have a small obsession with Marxist professors in imagined liberal arts colleges that your interlocutors supposedly consider a good source for Dharma.
Hello my friends. This is just another opinion amongst all of the ideas and opinions already here. I see very little value in this thread on a sutta study based forum. This thread (which I have been lurking on from the beginning) after the initial post by venerable Brahmali, has very little practical value and almost no connection to sutta studies, other than people being for or against them. And ironically the thread seems to be creating views and attachments, as well creating discord rather than harmony and discourse which is almost the exact opposite goal of Buddhism per the Suttas. Many things are not beneficial to our practice. This thread feels like it is one of them. I say this with no authority whatsoever and coming from love with the intentions to help us move along to more fruitful topics.
Having rejected the commentaries I began to investigate what the suttas mean myself. After a while I found that I was reaching the same conclusions as the commentaries on quite a lot of things. Its then that I started to take them more seriously and began to follow the practice that is laid out in the Visuddhimagga. Looking back iām not quite sure why I was so adverse to the commentaries. The suttas themselves will always need explaining. Once you have done that you have essentially commented on the sutta. With that in mind why wouldnāt I then look back at the most ancient of commentaries, from those who were closet in time to the Buddha? After that the Abhidhamma came quite naturally, since you can not really follow the commentaries without following the Abhidhamma. When reading into the Abhidhamma I came to see how it is all firmly grounded in the suttas. It makes a lot of sense to me and I find the system extremely useful.
Well its important to know the difference between what is convention and so not real (sammuti) and what is ultimate reality and real (paramattha) as this forms part of the insight required for nibbana. On a personal level the Abhidhamma has offered something in the way of an explanation for my own homosexuality.
I was basing it on the venerableās reply, which seemed to come from a secular pov rather than a Dhammic one. However, this is taking us way off topic into discussing people rather than ideas.
I think you might have a small obsession with Marxist professors in imagined liberal arts colleges that your interlocutors supposedly consider a good source for Dharma.
Obsession? No, although naturally I dislike Marxism.
Wow! Thank you for that. I have added āultimate purityā to the Voice examples.
SN4.1:5.1: āI realized that itās pointless; all that mortification in search of immortality is as futile as oars and rudder on dry land. Ethics, immersion, and wisdom: by developing this path to awakening I attained ultimate purity.
dependent origination. One thing leads to the other.