I came across this regarding the mind, Nibbana and the Tathagata (he later mentions
SN 22.85 The Yamaka Sutta as well as our Anuradha Sutta) ...
from: Straight from the Heart: Thirteen Talks on the Practice of Meditation by Venerable Acariya Maha Boowa Ñanasampanno -
The Conventional Mind, The Mind Released
It's not something that can be expressed like conventional things in general, because it's not a conventional reality. It lies solely within the range of those who are non-conventional, who know their own non-conventionality. For this reason, it can't be described.
Those pesky hindrances - got my mouth watering for that "indescribably delicious" Mounds bar ... oops back to topic ...
mikenz66 wrote:OK class, pay attention!
Some comments from the Commentary suggesting that the Venerable was panicked into giving an incorrect response:
"When this was said, the Venerable Anuradha said to those wanderers ... he describes them apart from these four cases: ... "
Spk: It is said that he thought: "These are hostile enemies of the Teaching. The Teacher would not describe (the Tathagata) as they say. He must have described him in some other way."
Doesn't a lapse of mindfulness just heap more unskillful behavior on the Venerable Anuradha? It certainly does not excuse him, does it?
As one who does not know their own non-conventionality - I would not attempt to describe the Tathagata (or Nibbana - or the mind) other than to quote word for word the Tathagata's own description of the indescribable. Panicked or not - it seems the Venerable Anuradha attempted the "undoable".
Do the commentaries say that the Venerable Anuradha reached any certain stage of awakening? Didn't the Buddha warn against teaching when, well, paraphrasing Ajahn Boowa, "one does not know their own non-conventionality"?
metta