Search found 17 matches

by male_robin
Tue May 21, 2013 9:51 pm
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: Mahayana ontology:skillful means for early Buddhist ideas?
Replies: 12
Views: 3654

Re: Mahayana ontology:skillful means for early Buddhist idea

No worries, to judge from the number of responses I'm not making much sense either. :D I am not real clear on the distinction between samatha (calm abiding) and vipassana (insight). In the past I identified samatha with jhana and deep, narrowly focused fixed concentration. I identified vipassana wi...
by male_robin
Mon May 20, 2013 8:20 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: "The Deathless" (amata)
Replies: 423
Views: 93909

Re: "The Deathless" (amata)

. I would say you are pushing the definitions beyond what these definitions, as I have shown above, clearly say and into a realm of some thing . I guess it depends on the definition of thing and it. The usual use of both words is rather casual. People use the words it and thing in reference to abst...
by male_robin
Sun May 19, 2013 4:58 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: "The Deathless" (amata)
Replies: 423
Views: 93909

Re: "The Deathless" (amata)

I think I now see where the confusion might come in. Are the words in question denotations for concrete nouns or abstract nouns? Duroiselle suggests that the - ta suffix is used in secondary derivation to indicate "state of, quality, abstract idea" (at para 585). So, yes, the existential ...
by male_robin
Sun May 19, 2013 4:45 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: "The Deathless" (amata)
Replies: 423
Views: 93909

Re: "The Deathless" (amata)

Well, one "wakes up to" freedom from, which is an utter transformation. The arahant is one who is nibbana-ized, which is not an issue of negation or affirmation, and this can be be supported by the suttas, as this thread shows. Otherwise, if we are "waking up to" something, we c...
by male_robin
Sun May 19, 2013 5:07 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: "The Deathless" (amata)
Replies: 423
Views: 93909

Re: "The Deathless" (amata)

I agree with Tilt’s analysis that the string of epithets “ajātaṃ abhūtaṃ akataṃ asaṅkhataṃ” are modifiers, rather than nouns. It will be obvious that these translations rely on the presence of the antonyms to the epithet, ie “the born, the become, the made, the fabricated” to furnish a basis to tre...
by male_robin
Sun May 19, 2013 3:56 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: "The Deathless" (amata)
Replies: 423
Views: 93909

Re: "The Deathless" (amata)

I think in the end, we know what words like amata mean through the direct experience of doing the practices. Yes and no. Still, I place a lot value in a disciplined academic approach to guide one's discovery through experience. Practice alone will not elucidate the meaning of the word (or any word)...
by male_robin
Sat May 18, 2013 6:22 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: "The Deathless" (amata)
Replies: 423
Views: 93909

Re: "The Deathless" (amata)

I prefer to think of it as an elliptical construction, where what is elided is a noun. I'm not familiar with every form of MIA, but from what I know of Pali and the Upanisadic Vedic, the word atthi/asti is a purely existential qualifier, and does not furnish any noun. From what little I've read of ...
by male_robin
Fri May 17, 2013 4:59 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: "The Deathless" (amata)
Replies: 423
Views: 93909

Re: "The Deathless" (amata)

Sorry, I'm unfamiliar with that alphabet. Is it an m or an ṃ? If the latter, it should be showing the accusative case I suspect that म् would be ṃ -- the letter m with a dot under it. I think asaṅkhata would be the same as asaṃskṛta in Sanskrit. I am seeing this written असंस्कृत. I gather that is a...
by male_robin
Thu May 16, 2013 7:07 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Why does arahant's Cetana not produce kamma/vipaka?
Replies: 16
Views: 4061

Re: Why does arahant's Cetana not produce kamma/vipaka?

If Kamma is Cetana, why does an Arahant's Cetana not produce kamma-vipaka? Does it have something to do with the lack of ignorance in the Cetana? I think, yes, the lack of kilesas; of afflicted motivation. That is from AN 6.63 Nibbedhika Sutta The passage in transliterated Pali: Cetanāhaṃ, bhikkhav...
by male_robin
Thu May 16, 2013 10:53 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: "The Deathless" (amata)
Replies: 423
Views: 93909

Re: "The Deathless" (amata)

You can see this in the -ssa declension highlighted in red above. This form principally functions in the genitive case, although it is also used for the dative
Thank you. Any idea what adding म् (m sound I think) to the -त / -ta does, if anything?
by male_robin
Thu May 16, 2013 10:44 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: "The Deathless" (amata)
Replies: 423
Views: 93909

Re: "The Deathless" (amata)

How is kata (created, made) different from saṅkhata? Obviously the words overlap, but as to how they are to be understood is dependent upon how they are used throughout the suttas. Thank you for the reply. One of my hypotheses or hunches is that jata refers to rupa-khanda, bhuta to vedana-khanda, k...
by male_robin
Thu May 16, 2013 1:23 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: "The Deathless" (amata)
Replies: 423
Views: 93909

Re: "The Deathless" (amata)

I agree with Tilt’s analysis that the string of epithets “ajātaṃ abhūtaṃ akataṃ asaṅkhataṃ” are modifiers, rather than nouns. Here’s a boring grammatical analysis. Let’s take a look at Ajahn Thanissaro’s translation of Ud 8.3, which is pretty representative of the translators who render the epithet...
by male_robin
Thu Mar 14, 2013 4:56 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Nibbana used for evil
Replies: 18
Views: 4747

Re: Nibbana used for evil

How does Kamma is cetana apply to the question posed?
by male_robin
Tue Mar 05, 2013 9:42 am
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: Path to Buddhahood
Replies: 326
Views: 63701

Re: Path to Buddhahood

Hi Geoff, Tilt, etc, ... My understanding, and the point that I thought Tilt was making, was that: 1. The Arahant's awakening/liberation from Samsara/whatever you want to call it/ is the same as a Buddha's. He is fully liberated. 2. A Buddha has some extra skills, as in the Suttas you quoted, becau...
by male_robin
Mon Mar 04, 2013 8:20 am
Forum: Classical Theravāda
Topic: Sāvakabuddha
Replies: 14
Views: 14359

Re: Sāvakabuddha

Thank you for the link tiltbillings. I'll enjoy reading that thread. It appears there is a diversity of views within Theravada. There is a lot of value in bouncing ideas off others in forums like this one. Every time I think I have sorted things out, I discover some error in my thinking. So i always...