Too many Pratyekabuddhas, not enough Bodhisattvas
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Too many Pratyekabuddhas, not enough Bodhisattvas
(Numbers below are averages)
Dhamma Wheel
David Snyder: 4.53 posts per day
retrofuturist: 10.06 posts per day
Mikenz: 4.10 posts per day
tiltbillings: 9.28 posts per day
Ben: 8.13 posts per day
Dharma Wheel
Astus: 2.17 posts per day
Ngawang Drolma: 2.88 posts per day
David Snyder: 0.61 posts per day
OgyenChodzom: 0.20 posts per day
mr. gordo: 1.56 posts per day
The Theravada forum seems better -- not just in quantity, but also in quality.
Shouldn't it be the other way around?
Or maybe I'm wrong and the people running this forum are too busy IRL out doing good deeds and meditating.
Dhamma Wheel
David Snyder: 4.53 posts per day
retrofuturist: 10.06 posts per day
Mikenz: 4.10 posts per day
tiltbillings: 9.28 posts per day
Ben: 8.13 posts per day
Dharma Wheel
Astus: 2.17 posts per day
Ngawang Drolma: 2.88 posts per day
David Snyder: 0.61 posts per day
OgyenChodzom: 0.20 posts per day
mr. gordo: 1.56 posts per day
The Theravada forum seems better -- not just in quantity, but also in quality.
Shouldn't it be the other way around?
Or maybe I'm wrong and the people running this forum are too busy IRL out doing good deeds and meditating.
Last edited by Individual on Sun Oct 17, 2010 3:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Too many Pratyekabuddhas, not enough Bodhisattvas
People have 'real' lives offline to manage and live....fortunately ...
Re: Too many Pratyekabuddhas, not enough Bodhisattvas
If you're the same "Individual" who is on Dhammawheel, then I would like to say that I've appreciated your helpful replies on that forum, and I'm sorry that you couldn't find something equally satisfying here.
It would be great if tons of ordained Buddhists and Buddhist scholars posted here, but unfortunately, that's not the case at the moment because this site is still developing.
One person you forgot to mention in your OP is Ven. Huifeng. He is a very knowledgeable Zen Buddhist monk, and we are very fortunate to have him here. One of his short posts can often clear up pages of confusion.
It would be great if tons of ordained Buddhists and Buddhist scholars posted here, but unfortunately, that's not the case at the moment because this site is still developing.
One person you forgot to mention in your OP is Ven. Huifeng. He is a very knowledgeable Zen Buddhist monk, and we are very fortunate to have him here. One of his short posts can often clear up pages of confusion.
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Re: Too many Pratyekabuddhas, not enough Bodhisattvas
Forgive me if my speculations are way off base... I wonder if it is a difference in cultures. The Mahayana seems to emphasize the student-teacher relationship more, whereas the Theravada seem to emphasize a peer-support model more (kalyanamitta).
I am also thinking that my relationships with Theravadan monastics have tended to be very casual, and my relationships with Mahayana monastics (Zen, Vajrayana) have tended to be very formal.
I am also thinking that my relationships with Theravadan monastics have tended to be very casual, and my relationships with Mahayana monastics (Zen, Vajrayana) have tended to be very formal.
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Re: Too many Pratyekabuddhas, not enough Bodhisattvas
(1) First and foremost, why should a Mahayana forum be expected to have a better quality or quantity of posts than a Theravada forum?Individual wrote:
The Theravada forum seems better -- not just in quantity, but also in quality.
Shouldn't it be the other way around?
(2) What makes you think that the quality or quantity of posts has to do with these two traditions and not with the knowledge, desire and time to participate of certain individuals compared to other individuals?
Pema Rigdzin/Brian Pittman
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Re: Too many Pratyekabuddhas, not enough Bodhisattvas
Meh. That's a boring debate. And you are free to do whatever you like.Pema Rigdzin wrote:(1) First and foremost, why should a Mahayana forum be expected to have a better quality or quantity of posts than a Theravada forum?Individual wrote:
The Theravada forum seems better -- not just in quantity, but also in quality.
Shouldn't it be the other way around?
(2) What makes you think that the quality or quantity of posts has to do with these two traditions and not with the knowledge, desire and time to participate of certain individuals compared to other individuals?
I have nothing more to say that would be relevant.
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Re: Too many Pratyekabuddhas, not enough Bodhisattvas
I don't understand what's so boring. You're clearly implying that Mahayana practitioners should be of a better quality than Theravadin practitioners, and should therefore be more diligent in posting and having higher quality posts. Is that not a highly offensive and controversial supposition? (Not to mention baseless and disrespectful). Plus, I'm not sure how spending more time on the internet, Buddhist forum or not, is the sign of a more diligent practitioner of any tradition.Individual wrote:Meh. That's a boring debate. And you are free to do whatever you like.Pema Rigdzin wrote:(1) First and foremost, why should a Mahayana forum be expected to have a better quality or quantity of posts than a Theravada forum?Individual wrote:
The Theravada forum seems better -- not just in quantity, but also in quality.
Shouldn't it be the other way around?
(2) What makes you think that the quality or quantity of posts has to do with these two traditions and not with the knowledge, desire and time to participate of certain individuals compared to other individuals?
I have nothing more to say that would be relevant.
As an aside, since you're expecting a better quality of posts out of Mahayanists, you might start with yourself: according to the Buddha's teachings, pratyekabuddhas only occur in places and times in which not even a trace or memory of a Buddha's teachings remains, so your title for this thread is incorrect. The correct term would be shravakas, not pratyekabuddhas.
Pema Rigdzin/Brian Pittman
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Re: Too many Pratyekabuddhas, not enough Bodhisattvas
<three deep bows>Pema Rigdzin wrote: Plus, I'm not sure how spending more time on the internet, Buddhist forum or not, is the sign of a more diligent practitioner of any tradition.
Re: Too many Pratyekabuddhas, not enough Bodhisattvas
I would not say that the Theravada forum seems "better", it is different.Individual wrote:The Theravada forum seems better -- not just in quantity, but also in quality.
Shouldn't it be the other way around?
In what way is it different?
It seems to be more focused and the reason for that may be that there is (only) one common scriptural basis to refer to when discussing subjects. This sole scriptural basis makes it easier to focus, helps to reduce distraction and also entails that there are more experts as to this basis.
I feel that it is much more difficult to find a common basis in the Mahayana forum since Mahayana is so diverse.
Actually the total amount of user/practioners required for a Mahayana forum would be "Mahayana schools x (amount of users in a Thervada forum)"
Kind regards
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Re: Too many Pratyekabuddhas, not enough Bodhisattvas
(nods) Mahayana is diverse. And Vajrayana for the most part is secret.
You can make Mahayana stronger, you just have to make it more interesting there, talk about Bodhisattva stuff like compassion and wisdom, how to hold the vows with the support of our immeasurable aspirations, talk about all those warm fuzzy things overcoming harshness.
In fact, just make a thread on the noble aspirations of Samantabhadra. I can do it if you'd like
You can make Mahayana stronger, you just have to make it more interesting there, talk about Bodhisattva stuff like compassion and wisdom, how to hold the vows with the support of our immeasurable aspirations, talk about all those warm fuzzy things overcoming harshness.
In fact, just make a thread on the noble aspirations of Samantabhadra. I can do it if you'd like