Perspective

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gad rgyangs
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Perspective

Post by gad rgyangs »

elephant perspectives 6.jpg
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Thoroughly tame your own mind.
This is (possibly) the teaching of Buddha.

"I must finally conclude that this proposition, I am, I exist, is necessarily true whenever it is put forward by me or conceived in my mind."
- Descartes, 2nd Meditation 25
Malcolm
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Re: Perspective

Post by Malcolm »

gad rgyangs wrote:
elephant perspectives 6.jpg

You do realize this analogy was first introduced by the Buddha?
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gad rgyangs
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Re: Perspective

Post by gad rgyangs »

Malcolm wrote:
gad rgyangs wrote:
elephant perspectives 6.jpg

You do realize this analogy was first introduced by the Buddha?
he so smart! How come nobody listen to him?
Thoroughly tame your own mind.
This is (possibly) the teaching of Buddha.

"I must finally conclude that this proposition, I am, I exist, is necessarily true whenever it is put forward by me or conceived in my mind."
- Descartes, 2nd Meditation 25
Malcolm
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Re: Perspective

Post by Malcolm »

gad rgyangs wrote:
Malcolm wrote:
gad rgyangs wrote:
elephant perspectives 6.jpg

You do realize this analogy was first introduced by the Buddha?
he so smart! How come nobody listen to him?

I rather doubt he intended to included his own Dharma in the above description.
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gad rgyangs
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Re: Perspective

Post by gad rgyangs »

Malcolm wrote: I rather doubt he intended to included his own Dharma in the above description.
oh, then he not as smart as I thought....
Thoroughly tame your own mind.
This is (possibly) the teaching of Buddha.

"I must finally conclude that this proposition, I am, I exist, is necessarily true whenever it is put forward by me or conceived in my mind."
- Descartes, 2nd Meditation 25
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dzogchungpa
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Re: Perspective

Post by dzogchungpa »

Malcolm wrote:You do realize this analogy was first introduced by the Buddha?
Is that actually known for a fact?
There is not only nothingness because there is always, and always can manifest. - Thinley Norbu Rinpoche
Malcolm
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Re: Perspective

Post by Malcolm »

dzogchungpa wrote:
Malcolm wrote:You do realize this analogy was first introduced by the Buddha?
Is that actually known for a fact?

Yes.
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Re: Perspective

Post by Malcolm »

gad rgyangs wrote:
Malcolm wrote: I rather doubt he intended to included his own Dharma in the above description.
oh, then he not as smart as I thought....

Certainly not as smart as you and all the perennialists out there. But being a Buddha, he does not have to be smart, merely totally awakened.
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gad rgyangs
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Re: Perspective

Post by gad rgyangs »

Malcolm wrote: Certainly not as smart as you and all the perennialists out there. But being a Buddha, he does not have to be smart, merely totally awakened.
oops. you walked right into that one! Perennialism says that all religions are expressing the same universal truth. My graphix clearly shows that the various religions (as well as science) are all different, partial perspectives on the nature of reality.
Thoroughly tame your own mind.
This is (possibly) the teaching of Buddha.

"I must finally conclude that this proposition, I am, I exist, is necessarily true whenever it is put forward by me or conceived in my mind."
- Descartes, 2nd Meditation 25
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Johnny Dangerous
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Re: Perspective

Post by Johnny Dangerous »

Just out of curiousity, by what is it known for sure that this parable is the words of the Buddha, and not a staple analogy of his times? I was under the impression that this was an old Indian story, of uncertain origin that was attributed to the Buddha, and many other sources.
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when afflicted by disease

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when sad

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when suffering occurs

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when you are scared

-Khunu Lama
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dzogchungpa
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Re: Perspective

Post by dzogchungpa »

Well, it occurs, e.g., here: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .irel.html
I'm not quite sure how it could be established that it originated with the Buddha though. It's also very much a Jain kind of story.
There is not only nothingness because there is always, and always can manifest. - Thinley Norbu Rinpoche
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Re: Perspective

Post by Malcolm »

gad rgyangs wrote:
Malcolm wrote: Certainly not as smart as you and all the perennialists out there. But being a Buddha, he does not have to be smart, merely totally awakened.
oops. you walked right into that one! Perennialism says that all religions are expressing the same universal truth. My graphix clearly shows that the various religions (as well as science) are all different, partial perspectives on the nature of reality.
No, perennialism states that all religions are partial revelations if a universal truth, or reality.
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Re: Perspective

Post by Johnny Dangerous »

dzogchungpa wrote:Well, it occurs, e.g., here: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .irel.html
I'm not quite sure how it could be established that it originated with the Buddha though. It's also very much a Jain kind of story.

Right I know there's a few places with the analogy, or similar analogies...to me though, that could just as easily argue in favor of the story being extant already, since that's sure the case with plenty of other such stuff in the Pal Canon.
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when afflicted by disease

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when sad

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when suffering occurs

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when you are scared

-Khunu Lama
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dzogchungpa
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Re: Perspective

Post by dzogchungpa »

There is not only nothingness because there is always, and always can manifest. - Thinley Norbu Rinpoche
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gad rgyangs
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Re: Perspective

Post by gad rgyangs »

Malcolm wrote: No, perennialism states that all religions are partial revelations if a universal truth, or reality.
there is a fundamental difference between saying that all religions are expressing the same truth, and saying that all human conceptual systems (religious as well as secular science and philosophy) are inherently limited, metaphorical attempts to describe something that is beyond categories and definitions. Perennialism is always couched in language like "all religions are one" and emphasizes similarities among religions and so-called mystical experiences. What I am suggesting with my doodle is more like Perspectivism or Anekāntavāda
Thoroughly tame your own mind.
This is (possibly) the teaching of Buddha.

"I must finally conclude that this proposition, I am, I exist, is necessarily true whenever it is put forward by me or conceived in my mind."
- Descartes, 2nd Meditation 25
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dzogchungpa
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Re: Perspective

Post by dzogchungpa »

gad rgyangs wrote:What I am suggesting with my doodle is more like Perspectivism or Anekāntavāda
Anekantavada is, without a doubt, the only correct view.
There is not only nothingness because there is always, and always can manifest. - Thinley Norbu Rinpoche
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Re: Perspective

Post by Virgo »

dzogchungpa wrote:
gad rgyangs wrote:What I am suggesting with my doodle is more like Perspectivism or Anekāntavāda
Anekantavada is, without a doubt, the only correct view.
:rolling:
Malcolm
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Re: Perspective

Post by Malcolm »

gad rgyangs wrote:
Malcolm wrote: No, perennialism states that all religions are partial revelations if a universal truth, or reality.
there is a fundamental difference between saying that all religions are expressing the same truth, and saying that all human conceptual systems (religious as well as secular science and philosophy) are inherently limited, metaphorical attempts to describe something that is beyond categories and definitions. Perennialism is always couched in language like "all religions are one" and emphasizes similarities among religions and so-called mystical experiences. What I am suggesting with my doodle is more like Perspectivism or Anekāntavāda
Eel wriggling, in other words, like Sanjaya Bellaputtha.
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gad rgyangs
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Re: Perspective

Post by gad rgyangs »

Malcolm wrote: Eel wriggling, in other words, like Sanjaya Bellaputtha.
one person's eel wriggling is another person's intellectual honesty.
Thoroughly tame your own mind.
This is (possibly) the teaching of Buddha.

"I must finally conclude that this proposition, I am, I exist, is necessarily true whenever it is put forward by me or conceived in my mind."
- Descartes, 2nd Meditation 25
Malcolm
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Re: Perspective

Post by Malcolm »

gad rgyangs wrote:
Malcolm wrote: Eel wriggling, in other words, like Sanjaya Bellaputtha.
one person's eel wriggling is another person's intellectual honesty.

Yes, it is good to be honest about one's views, even if it amounts to eel wriggling.

That said, I go by the dictum uttered by Āryadeva, realization proceeds from view. And of course the basis of the Buddhist path is samyakdṛṣtī as you know.
Last edited by Malcolm on Sat Feb 08, 2014 10:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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