Did John Peacock got 'Karaniya Metta Sutta' wrong?

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
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Rahula
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Re: Did John Peacock got 'Karaniya Metta Sutta' wrong?

Post by Rahula »

Mkoll wrote:
Rahula wrote:I had much faith in Dr.Peacock's teachings. I like to keep that faith.
Why not put all your faith in the Triple Gem? Leave none of it for anything else and you won't get confused.

:anjali:
When looking at present day Buddhism it's hard for me to have faith in Triple Gem just like that. There are so may add on's, traditional and cultural influence, mis-interpretations etc. It's filled with mythology and brahmanism. If you ask me to have faith in Dhamma as it is, I'd rather forget about it.

Look at Agganna Sutta (http://dharmafarer.org/wordpress/wp-con ... 7-piya.pdf) for example. In Agganna Sutts Buddha expound about beginning or re-beginning of the world, it's completely not like Buddha's teachings. Sounds like nonsense, but some Buddhists take it literally.
It's completely contradict with Potthapada Sutta (http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html) where Buddha refuse to explain about cosmos. ( see this thread for a discussion on this topic: http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.ph ... ta#p215265)

As Dr.Peacock points out Agganna Sutta is a Joke by Buddha, and shouldn't be taken literally. I like to think that way. That's why I had faith in him, as he helped me filtering out real teachings.

I'm not sure what had been Buddha's real teachings and I'm trying to get closer as possible. Dr.Peacock was my best resource so far, that's why I'm trying to clarify this here.

Thank you!
May you be happy, healthy & successful in everything you do! :anjali:
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tiltbillings
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Re: Did John Peacock got 'Karaniya Metta Sutta' wrong?

Post by tiltbillings »

Rahula wrote:
tiltbillings wrote:
Rahula wrote:
My whole point is, if he got this wrong (I have not come to that conclusion yet), what else he might had taken wrong.
I will not be confidant in his teaching as I'll have doubt.

Do you think he was correct on his 'Metta as a path to awakening' talks? If so can you please explain in details. This is very important to me. I had much faith in Dr.Peacock's teachings. I like to keep that faith. You seems to be agree with his teachings, as I notices in your previous post. Please help me understand this.
Metta can be a tool for awakening. You actually have been given a lot of information above to support this claim. But rather than worry about what we say, write to him directly, outlining your concerns. See what he has to say.
I tried contacting Dr.Peacock but did not get any reply. That's why I'm trying it here.
And none of information mentioned on this thread so far seems to be convincing to me. They are either look mis-interpretation or mis-understanding of Buddhist teachings to me.

Thank you anyway :anjali:
I shrug my shoulders. Good luck with finding a teacher with whom you will agree with 100% on everything.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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Mkoll
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Re: Did John Peacock got 'Karaniya Metta Sutta' wrong?

Post by Mkoll »

Rahula wrote:When looking at present day Buddhism it's hard for me to have faith in Triple Gem just like that. There are so may add on's, traditional and cultural influence, mis-interpretations etc. It's filled with mythology and brahmanism. If you ask me to have faith in Dhamma as it is, I'd rather forget about it.
All of the extraneous detritus that you're talking about is not the Dhamma. I'm not suggesting that you put faith in those "creeping things", far from it. The Triple Gem is sublime and I'm suggesting to have faith in that sublimity.

Have faith that the Buddha is the perfectly and rightly self-awakened one, the best of men, the greatest teacher.
Have faith that the Dhamma was realized by the Buddha via direct knowledge and that he taught it for the absolute happiness of you, of me, and of all beings.
Have faith that the Sangha has practiced well and realized the truth of the Dhamma. And that you, too, can eventually attain that state with dedicated practice.

That's all I'm suggesting.
Limitless is the Buddha, limitless the Dhamma, limitless the Sangha. There is a limit to creeping things: snakes, scorpions, centipedes, spiders, lizards, & rats. I have made this safeguard, I have made this protection. May the beings depart. I pay homage to the Blessed One, homage to the seven rightly self-awakened ones.
AN 4.67

:anjali:
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
santa100
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Re: Did John Peacock got 'Karaniya Metta Sutta' wrong?

Post by santa100 »

Rahula wrote: When looking at present day Buddhism it's hard for me to have faith in Triple Gem just like that. There are so may add on's, traditional and cultural influence, mis-interpretations etc. It's filled with mythology and brahmanism. If you ask me to have faith in Dhamma as it is, I'd rather forget about it.
It's a matter of what "source" you're reading or listening to. Instead of looking at present day add on's, present day mis-interpretations, etc.. why not focus on the teaching of the Great Teacher himself? Get a copy of "In the Buddha's Words" and read thoroughly. That source is an effort to get as close to the original teaching as possible. Hopefully your experience with the Triple Gem will change as you read the book..
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Rahula
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Re: Did John Peacock got 'Karaniya Metta Sutta' wrong?

Post by Rahula »

I thank each one of you who took time to answer my question.

Thank you very much :anjali:
May you be happy, healthy & successful in everything you do! :anjali:
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