Why Buddha did not say that the world is round?

[LXNDR]

OK I agree with you.
Please read the link given in my OP.
Why Buddha want to tell us Petas ate vomit etc?

so we're appalled at this fact and do everything not to reborn as them, which in itself is closer to nibbana

[Mr Man]

which section is that in? there are more than a couple to choose from....

if you could specify the link, that would be helpful, thanks.

In the OP it says "Five Destination pdf".

[TheNoBSBuddhist]

Oh right, yes.... sorry, I see what you mean now.

[TheNoBSBuddhist]

It reminds me of this Biblical quotation:

Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.

Proverbs 26:11.

Which is self-explanatory.

Petas sound like damned fools who will never, ever learn....

[Mr Man]

Why Buddha did not say that the world is round?

Because it has nothing to do with ending suffering.

Hi Goofaholix
So your opinion is that he knew that it was round but he didn't mention it "Because it has nothing to do with ending suffering"?

[TheNoBSBuddhist]

What shape the world is has no relevance to the transcending of Suffering.

[chownah]

I think there is no word in Pali for round as in the shape.
chownah

[mikenz66]

While I agree with others that the roundness of the earth is not particularly relevant to the Dhamma, I would note the following:

Why Buddha did not say that the world is round?

Why say something everyone already knows?

The spherical earth was a notion held by Indians at the time of the Buddha?

I don't know of any evidence that would preclude the possibility that a spherical earth was an idea found among some shramanas and brahmanas. Plato held such an idea c. 400 BCE, and perhaps so did Pythagoras c. 500 BCE.

And Erosthenes actually measured it quite accurately in 200 or so BC.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eratosthen ... cumference
There's a nice explanation by Carl Sagan of how he did it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8cbIWMv0rI
So it's not impossible the the ancient Indians also knew that the earth was round.


Mike

[faraway]

Why Buddha did not say that the world is round?

Because it has nothing to do with ending suffering.

Hi Goofaholix
So your opinion is that he knew that it was round but he didn't mention it "Because it has nothing to do with ending suffering"?

He didn't mention in sutta about earth is round or not so we never know he know or not. The reason was already clear as stated above.

[chownah]

"So it's not impossible that the ancient Indians also knew that the earth was round. "

This is an interesting sentence. If we examine it as carefully as some people pars the scriptures we will see that IF the ancient Indians did not know the earth was round then it actually is impossible that they knew so regardless of the state of knowledge of people in other parts of the world.......and, if the ancient Indians did know this then saying that it is not impossible seems entirely too weak of a declaration and even the stronger statement that it is probable that they knew is pitifully weak and in my view inadequate. Either way, "not impossible" does not seem to approach appropriateness.......I guess........don't know for sure.........
chownah
P.S. Bharadwaja, if the sentence in quotes above is taken to be true then if the ancient Greeks actually did not know that the world was round then would one logically infer that it was impossible for the ancient Indians to know?
P.S. Did I say that I think there is no word in Pali to indicate roundness?
chownah

[SarathW]

Hi Mike
I like Carl's documentaries so much I bought the whole set.
I remember this video but I have forgotten about it.

[Mr Man]

He didn't mention in sutta about earth is round or not so we never know he know or not. The reason was already clear as stated above.

Hi faraway, I was interested if Goofaholix thought that the Buddha knew that the earth was round. As that could be the implication of his post e.g. The Buddha knew but he did not say because it is not relevant.

My opinion is that we have no idea if the Buddha knew or didn't know.

[LXNDR]

And how is a monk consummate in virtue?
[...]

Abandoning idle chatter, he abstains from idle chatter. He speaks in season, speaks what is factual, what is in accordance with the goal, the Dhamma, and the Vinaya. He speaks words worth treasuring, seasonable, reasonable, circumscribed, connected with the goal. This, too, is part of his virtue.

[...]

"Whereas some brahmans and contemplatives, living off food given in faith, are addicted to talking about lowly topics such as these — talking about kings, robbers, ministers of state; armies, alarms, and battles; food and drink; clothing, furniture, garlands, and scents; relatives; vehicles; villages, towns, cities, the countryside; women and heroes; the gossip of the street and the well; tales of the dead; tales of diversity [philosophical discussions of the past and future], the creation of the world and of the sea, and talk of whether things exist or not — he abstains from talking about lowly topics such as these. This, too, is part of his virtue.

Whereas some brahmans and contemplatives, living off food given in faith, are addicted to debates such as these — 'You understand this doctrine and discipline? I'm the one who understands this doctrine and discipline. How could you understand this doctrine and discipline? You're practicing wrongly. I'm practicing rightly. I'm being consistent. You're not. What should be said first you said last. What should be said last you said first. What you took so long to think out has been refuted. Your doctrine has been overthrown. You're defeated. Go and try to salvage your doctrine; extricate yourself if you can!' — he abstains from debates such as these. This, too, is part of his virtue.

[bananaporridge]

Because it's(planet earth) mishapen with many peaks and troughs,ie not round

[Mkoll]

Because it's(planet earth) mishapen with many peaks and troughs,ie not round

That's the truth.

The form of the surface of the earth is also changing thanks to plate tectonics which is driven by convection currents in the mantle. At least that's the current scientific consensus.