Wrong View terrifies me.

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SamBodhi
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Wrong View terrifies me.

Post by SamBodhi »

Hello, all.

I recently came to the conclusion that I am actually a little afraid of Wrong View. That is to say, I am very afraid of it. I think that this is probably closely related to some issues of social anxiety concerning the way the views of others are so difficult to change. Therefore, when I might present something that is not in line with the Dhamma...I get stressed out about just how long I am going to wait until the minds of others may change concerning what I think about the Dhamma.

I have tried a number of ways to alleviate this personal suffering. Firstly, I just don't talk a lot. I have found that listening is more powerful than speaking. However, I do want to discuss things often as I believe it's a great way to learn. And because of that I try to only surround myself with people who understand that while speaking one's mind, it's not necessary to then set your words in stone and sign one's name to it. Still, there are bound to be difficult interactions in a more "public" setting (temples, larger study groups, schools, etc.) where I will not be able to gauge how one may react to my views, wrong or otherwise.

So, I suppose my question is this:
How do you react to any fear that you might have about displaying wrong view?
Lately, I have taken the realization concerning my fear as more of an opportunity to study something else. For instance, I try to reflect on some other parts of the path, slowly. Mostly, I say to myself, "This is why I should meditate."

I have posted this topic in the General Theravāda discussion forum because I would like to know how a "General Theravāda" view of Sila may inform the practice of Right View, or the practice of dealing with Wrong View.

I hope very much that I have been clear. Also, this may seem a little irresponsible, but I am going to be visiting a monastery for next two weeks. I may not be able to respond so easily during that time. I look forward to learning from everybody, but if you have a question about the topic, you might try asking the forum as a whole rather than addressing a question to the OP since I might not be able to respond in a timely manner.

with Metta,
SamBodhi
"An inward-staying
unentangled knowing,
All outward-going knowing
cast aside."
--Upasika Kee Nanayon
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Dan74
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Re: Wrong View terrifies me.

Post by Dan74 »

I think Wrong View is something we are stuck with pretty much until liberation. So probably better get used to it!

There are shades of Wrong View, I think. For example thinking that the purpose of meditation is to attain superpowers is one obvious shade, but hoping that meditation will sort out your problems is a much more subtle shade. Best learn to work with them, it seems to me...
Last edited by Dan74 on Sun Jun 30, 2013 3:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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purple planet
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Re: Wrong View terrifies me.

Post by purple planet »

Well personally i dont answer no one about stuff im not sure of regarding meditation and giving someone a "bad" "dhamma talk"

i think a good thing to do if your not sure of something is to say it : "im not really sure - but i think that ..... " and if you really are not sure your right then add at the end " but again im not really sure i could be wrong"

but there is no reason for you to explain and teach anything to people unless they ask you - maybe after your sure 110% of some stuff then you can teach them but for now just practice and ask questions - you can never go wrong with a question and thats how you eradicate wrong view (and also with the practice itself)
but I am going to be visiting a monastery for next two weeks
- thats a good amount of time and im sure it would remove any extreme amount of wrong viewes you got
I think Wrong View is something we are stuck with pretty much until liberation
yes im not really sure - but i think that you just move from a 10 level wrong view to a 9 wrong view until you reach level 0 -

which means that even with wrong view you can reach up until nirvana - if i got it right : the main point is to destroy ignorance which means that even a sotapanna has wrong view but again im not really sure i could be wrong
SamBodhi
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Re: Wrong View terrifies me.

Post by SamBodhi »

thanks for your responses.
I am not so afraid of wrong view anymore. I think that I have to elaborate what I was saying, though. The point is that I was afraid I might be doing some sort of intense harm to myself by mistakenly embracing wrong view...

However, the idea that we could somehow put on a cloak of a certain view and wear it around is probably the epitome wrong view.

When I was at the Temple, I practiced identifying a very simple definition of Right View. Not-Self, and impermanence...this was the only reality for me.

I'll try to write more soon, but I wanted to say thanks very much for everybody. I was really busy and now I'm traveling through New Mexico, so Internet is sparse.

with Metta,
SamBodhi
"An inward-staying
unentangled knowing,
All outward-going knowing
cast aside."
--Upasika Kee Nanayon
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lyndon taylor
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Re: Wrong View terrifies me.

Post by lyndon taylor »

Well I'm not an expert on the scriptural support for this arguement, But its seems to me there is one thing much worse than wrong view, and that would be wrong action(including wrong speech) wrong view combined with right action(and speech), is not so bad. Right view combined with wrong action(and speech) seems much worse to me.

Years ago when I was a Christian, I used to say Its not what you believe that matters(faith in jesus and you're saved) but what you do(right action), that matters.

Back as a buddhist now I still don't see it much differently.

Now of course any truly right view should lead to right action, so if you're not acting right, maybe you need to change your view, On the other hand if your views are leading you more and more to practice right speech and right action, your views are probably on track'

For instance there are good buddhists practicing right action that believe in no self at all, and good buddhists practicing right action that believe in true self or Buddha nature, Like wise there are buddhist that believe either was that are not practising right action, so sometime different ways of interpreting scripture there's not only one right view, but two or several, or maybe true self, no self is just an opinion, not a right or wrong view, the proof is in the pudding, and the pudding is practising love and compassion for all beings, right speech, right action, right livelyhood etc etc. Right views will reduce or eliminate your suffering, etc etc Practice makes perfect, don't ask me how I know that cause I'm far from perfect!!!!
18 years ago I made one of the most important decisions of my life and entered a local Cambodian Buddhist Temple as a temple boy and, for only 3 weeks, an actual Therevada Buddhist monk. I am not a scholar, great meditator, or authority on Buddhism, but Buddhism is something I love from the Bottom of my heart. It has taught me sobriety, morality, peace, and very importantly that my suffering is optional, and doesn't have to run my life. I hope to give back what little I can to the Buddhist community, sincerely former monk John

http://trickleupeconomictheory.blogspot.com/
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fivebells
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Re: Wrong View terrifies me.

Post by fivebells »

Thanissaro's commentary on the Right View Sutta is probably worth a read. The long and the short of it is that yes, you do yourself intense harm by clinging to wrong views... but it's not that bad because the option to shift to right view is there in every moment.
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