Search found 149 matches

by Vidyaraja
Tue Mar 25, 2014 2:52 am
Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
Topic: Question about Bodhisattvas
Replies: 19
Views: 3759

Question about Bodhisattvas

I've always been more attracted to Mahayana, primarily because of Chan/Zen, and, while extraneous, its artistic and aesthetic traditions, as well as a great love for various Mahayana sutras, such as the Avatamsaka, over that of Therevada. However, one thing I never really "got" was the Bod...
by Vidyaraja
Tue Mar 25, 2014 1:59 am
Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
Topic: Prayer
Replies: 80
Views: 14711

Re: Prayer

Prayer has such a Judeo-Christian connotation. I really dislike the use of that word in regards to Buddhism. Sometimes the popular image of prayer in the Christian tradition doesn't reveal the depths. Take for example the object of prayer according to the medieval English Christian mystical text, t...
by Vidyaraja
Mon Mar 24, 2014 10:02 pm
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Your gender and sexuality
Replies: 353
Views: 51014

Re: Your gender and sexuality

...Either way, my statement is nonetheless true: the vast majority of humanity for the vast majority of human history would consider such nonsense as insanity….. No it is not as it is based on a logical fallacy. See any common definition of argumentum ad populum . Furthermore the criteria for what ...
by Vidyaraja
Mon Mar 24, 2014 9:48 pm
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Your gender and sexuality
Replies: 353
Views: 51014

Re: Your gender and sexuality

I'm a cis-straight male and a serial monogamist. None of these distinctions impact me. That's a form of privilege. However there are people for whom these distinctions matter. All of this is outside of my professional expertise (physical sciences, engineering), but I've educated myself because ther...
by Vidyaraja
Sat Mar 22, 2014 4:00 am
Forum: Suggestion Box
Topic: Policy of Tolerance
Replies: 32
Views: 8911

Re: Policy of Tolerance

There's a difference between compassion and dumb compassion. Being tolerant of racists, homophobes, misogynists, etc. has it's place relatively, but there's a difference between a bit of tolerance and enabling ignorance. There are ignorant people in the world, whether naturally or conditioned, so i...
by Vidyaraja
Sat Mar 22, 2014 3:19 am
Forum: Suggestion Box
Topic: Policy of Tolerance
Replies: 32
Views: 8911

Re: Policy of Tolerance

What about tolerance of viewpoints which contradict politically correct dogmas and thus are incorrectly labeled "hateful" because they disagree with modern, politically correct memes, such as the support of feminism or homosexuality? If a person felt that those things were incorrect and ha...
by Vidyaraja
Sat Mar 22, 2014 1:39 am
Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
Topic: Prayer
Replies: 80
Views: 14711

Prayer

What is the role or function, if any, of prayer in Buddhism? By this I mean Buddhism in general but Mahayana Buddhism in particular. Is there anyone to pray to in Buddhism? What do Buddhists do when they feel distress or wish to call upon forces for aid in some matter? Are there any forces which can...
by Vidyaraja
Tue Oct 22, 2013 4:17 pm
Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
Topic: Becomeing a buddhist monk in china
Replies: 85
Views: 15075

Re: Becomeing a buddhist monk in china

China is a big country. I know a degree of religious activity goes on underground, be it Roman Catholic congregations or Buddhist temples in private homes. But unless you've already lived there and have connections, don't anticipate getting into that scene. Yeah I hear ya. I was hoping by attemptin...
by Vidyaraja
Tue Oct 22, 2013 1:54 am
Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
Topic: Becomeing a buddhist monk in china
Replies: 85
Views: 15075

Re: Becomeing a buddhist monk in china

This is of some interest to me as well. To those who say it is impossible or illegal to become a monk in China or stay for extended periods, what do we make of Edward Burger who filmed Amongst White Clouds? In the film stated he was in China for 5 years, and since the first film he has made other fi...
by Vidyaraja
Wed Sep 25, 2013 6:53 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Early Buddhism and Mahayana
Replies: 707
Views: 133995

Re: Early Buddhism and Mahayana

But you, from the beginning of this discussion have asserted that the other emptiness asserted by Dolbupa is exactly the affirmation of the atman of the Vedantins and so on. This is why I say you have no idea what Dolbupa's actual perspective is. I didn't assert that what Dolpopa is affirming is ex...
by Vidyaraja
Wed Sep 25, 2013 6:38 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Early Buddhism and Mahayana
Replies: 707
Views: 133995

Re: Early Buddhism and Mahayana

Hi Vidyaraja, To help move the discussion forward a bit, would you mind stating what facets the Self has? That way we can do some constructive comparison. For example, are you in favor of the using the vedanta notion of Self as sat-chit-ananda (translated as existence-awareness-bliss). If so, what ...
by Vidyaraja
Wed Sep 25, 2013 6:12 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Early Buddhism and Mahayana
Replies: 707
Views: 133995

Re: Early Buddhism and Mahayana

It is not who you are, since it is empty of all extremes. It is who you are since it is the basis of designating a person. We have an experience of clarity all the time. It is when we mistake the reflections in it for itself, that we reify outer objects as real. When we mistaken it for being a self...
by Vidyaraja
Wed Sep 25, 2013 5:54 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Early Buddhism and Mahayana
Replies: 707
Views: 133995

Re: Early Buddhism and Mahayana

According to the Phagguna Sutta , this presupposition is an unskillful mode of inquiry: I don't know if you are familiar with the concepts of the Atman, but it isn't maintained that the Atman feels, craves, clings, etc. For example, in the Avadhuta Gita: I am pure knowing, imperishable and infinite...
by Vidyaraja
Wed Sep 25, 2013 5:14 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Early Buddhism and Mahayana
Replies: 707
Views: 133995

Re: Early Buddhism and Mahayana

The falsity of the rest is something repeatedly stated in the Pali canon and throughout the history of Buddhist critiques of other systems. In brief, since they never burn the seed of existence because of their extreme views of self, they never get out of the triple realm. Almost all religious trad...
by Vidyaraja
Wed Sep 25, 2013 4:54 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Early Buddhism and Mahayana
Replies: 707
Views: 133995

Re: Early Buddhism and Mahayana

I think it's a shame you would deny all others the possibility of becoming 'realized sages' since its inception from 2500 or so years ago. I don't deny that, I just deny that they held the no-self view as applying to the ultimate or denied transcendence. I think Gautama and many Buddhists have been...
by Vidyaraja
Wed Sep 25, 2013 4:43 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Early Buddhism and Mahayana
Replies: 707
Views: 133995

Re: Early Buddhism and Mahayana

Vidyaraja, if?? page after page of textual citations have shown that this is in fact the case. However, this truly does not have to be a bad thing and doesn't make Buddhism a "false doctrine" It actually makes Buddhism quite unique amongst all of the worlds teachings/philosophies. This ca...
by Vidyaraja
Wed Sep 25, 2013 3:01 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Early Buddhism and Mahayana
Replies: 707
Views: 133995

Re: Early Buddhism and Mahayana

Man, it is a real shame for Buddhist philosophy and soteriology if the no-Self doctrine is the actual doctrinal position as its supporters maintain for, if such is truly the case, then Buddhism is a false doctrine. Though at least it would prove that even false doctrines can produce realized sages u...
by Vidyaraja
Mon Sep 23, 2013 9:27 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Early Buddhism and Mahayana
Replies: 707
Views: 133995

Re: Early Buddhism and Mahayana

Because I am a pretty objective scholar who spends my time weeding away what is not present in the texts I am reading. So you are beyond confirmation bias while those who disagree with you are still susceptible? Interesting. It is irrational to claim that with a map you cannot find a city. It is ev...
by Vidyaraja
Mon Sep 23, 2013 9:05 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Early Buddhism and Mahayana
Replies: 707
Views: 133995

Re: Early Buddhism and Mahayana

The Selfless Mind: Personality, Consciousness and Nirvana in Early Buddhism by Peter Harvey. If you do not read this, it is really hard to take anything you say about this seriously. It will simply appear as if you are engaging in confirmation bias. He systematically goes through all the claims you...
by Vidyaraja
Mon Sep 23, 2013 8:50 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Early Buddhism and Mahayana
Replies: 707
Views: 133995

Re: Early Buddhism and Mahayana

It is both, and the former will lead to the latter, which is why Āryadeva proclaimed "Realization proceeds from view." This is why there is such a huge emphasis on developing a correct view in sūtrayāna. Whereas in Vajrayāna in general, the view is taught only after empowerment, because t...

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