mikenz66 wrote:clw_uk wrote:Will wrote:Whether 'wrong View Dhamma' or 'counterfeit Dhamma' or Dhamma lite - it is all rooted in Wrong View. And as fundamentalist as it may appear, there is only 'one valid interpretation' - that of Buddha.
See this old thread on Wrong View:
http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=16691
He also said in A 1 (sutta 318) that 'There is nothing worse than wrong view'.
Isnt it better translated as "skilful view"
That is, which is more skiful at leading to letting go?
I think that's the point that Will is making. If some interpretations
are more or less effective/valid/wrong/skilful than others then it is actutally important to identify which is which.
I don't think anyone here woud disagree that if someone was under the misapperehension that it is possible to effectively practice while killing, stealing, etc, etc, we'd be doing them a favour by telling them (politely) that they were deluded. We wouldn't be saying: "Oh, you need to be kind to him, and let him think whatever he wants to...".
We have less consensus on whether some modern developments ("Dhamma Lite" if you like) are actually ineffective but it's obviously a question worth exploring.
Mike
True...but some tact is called for. When everybody just starts quoting scripture to prove that everyone else is wrong, you can't really have a fruitful discussion anymore.
Pointing out wrong view is great in a teacher - student relation, or for an individual to apply to him or herself. When people of different convictions start using it to discredit alternative viewpoints, that is just unhelpful and unpleasant.
As to the whole "dhamma lite" thing - I have no doubt it is just the same as has always been the case. Right after the Buddha died, different groups started popping up all over the place. Sthaviravadins, Mahasamghika, Dharmaguptakas, Sarvastivadins, Sautantrika, and then of course all the widely different Mahayana schools. I bet the "wrong view" accusation has been used a lot of times in heated debates even back then, and the "dhamma ending age" argument likewise..."Your beliefs are different than mine, therefore the dhamma ending age is here!"