I remember a conversation between a Tibetan Buddhist (Namdrol) and a Zen Buddhist (Genkaku). The Tibetan Buddhist said that view is more important than practice, while the Zen Buddhist disagreed, saying that practice is more important than view.
What would a Theravada Buddhist say?
More important: view or practice?
- reflection
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Re: More important: view or practice?
They are both right.
Re: More important: view or practice?
Which is more important to physical vision: the visual cortex, or the eyes? If either goes missing, you don't have much left.
- LonesomeYogurt
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Re: More important: view or practice?
Perhaps the division between view and practice is a false one. After all, Right View is in itself a practice. It's not just about sitting there with the right opinions and thoughts - it's about training yourself to see things in a way that is in accord with the Dhamma, and it is as much a skill to develop as Right Mindfulness or Right Concentration.
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.
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.
Re: More important: view or practice?
Practice runs and circles around right view, ideally.
- "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]
Re: More important: view or practice?
LonesomeYogurt wrote:Perhaps the division between view and practice is a false one. After all, Right View is in itself a practice. It's not just about sitting there with the right opinions and thoughts - it's about training yourself to see things in a way that is in accord with the Dhamma, and it is as much a skill to develop as Right Mindfulness or Right Concentration.
Though I would go further and say that right view has primacy in that it is the beginning and end of the path.
"If beings knew, as I know, the results of giving & sharing, they would not eat without having given, nor would the stain of miserliness overcome their minds. Even if it were their last bite, their last mouthful, they would not eat without having shared."
Iti 26
Iti 26
Re: More important: view or practice?
"Right view" without practice is like any other view, just another source of pride, disappointment and discontent.
“The truth knocks on the door and you say, "Go away, I'm looking for the truth," and so it goes away. Puzzling.” ― Robert M. Pirsig
- retrofuturist
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Re: More important: view or practice?
Greetings,
Retro.
That's precisely what I was thinking...daverupa wrote:Practice runs and circles around right view, ideally.
Metta,MN 117 wrote:"One tries to abandon wrong view & to enter into right view: This is one's right effort. One is mindful to abandon wrong view & to enter & remain in right view: This is one's right mindfulness. Thus these three qualities — right view, right effort, & right mindfulness — run & circle around right view.
Retro.
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
Re: More important: view or practice?
I would say it is more important to have a practicable view.Stephen K wrote:I remember a conversation between a Tibetan Buddhist (Namdrol) and a Zen Buddhist (Genkaku). The Tibetan Buddhist said that view is more important than practice, while the Zen Buddhist disagreed, saying that practice is more important than view.
What would a Theravada Buddhist say?
"When one thing is practiced & pursued, ignorance is abandoned, clear knowing arises, the conceit 'I am' is abandoned, latent tendencies are uprooted, fetters are abandoned. Which one thing? Mindfulness immersed in the body." -AN 1.230
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Re: More important: view or practice?
The most important thing to start with is the understanding of dhamma and the nature of it. Starting from the understanding of what dhamma really is will result in the correct path which are the right view and the right practice. The understanding of dhamma comes from being friends with people who know dhamma, to listen to dhamma discussion, to read, and to analyze dhamma when it appears. You can actually start by reading Abhidhamma.