Religious Harmony

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
daverupa
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Re: Religious Harmony

Post by daverupa »

LonesomeYogurt wrote:There is a sutta where the Buddha says that any philosophy in which the Noble Eightfold Path is found can produce arahants, but I can't find it offhand. Any ideas?
That's the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, where ascetics of the four grades can be found where the eightfold path is found.
  • "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

    "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.

- Sedaka Sutta [SN 47.19]
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Murkve
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Re: Religious Harmony

Post by Murkve »

Granted, I am not nearly as we'll versed in the suttas as others here, but I've recently come across a few that seem to illustrate the Buddha as having a "This Dhamma is the complete Truth, gained through knowledge and insight. Others are mere facets of the greater jewel that is this Dhamma." I'm thinking in particular of Ud 6:4; 67–69, the Blind Men and the Elephant sutta.

The general tone, in my readings so far, seems to be one of accepting that most faiths have an element of the truth, but that there is only one Complete Dhamma.
[i]"Change alone is eternal, perpetual, immortal."[/i] - Arthur Schopenhauer
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LonesomeYogurt
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Re: Religious Harmony

Post by LonesomeYogurt »

Murkve wrote:The general tone, in my readings so far, seems to be one of accepting that most faiths have an element of the truth, but that there is only one Complete Dhamma.
I'd say that's pretty much the basic summary!
Gain and loss, status and disgrace,
censure and praise, pleasure and pain:
these conditions among human beings are inconstant,
impermanent, subject to change.

Knowing this, the wise person, mindful,
ponders these changing conditions.
Desirable things don’t charm the mind,
undesirable ones bring no resistance.

His welcoming and rebelling are scattered,
gone to their end,
do not exist.
- Lokavipatti Sutta

Stuff I write about things.
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