Search found 131 matches

by Ruud
Thu Jan 07, 2021 10:59 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Contradictions in the Pali canon
Replies: 16
Views: 2956

Re: Contradictions in the Pali canon

He in fact didn't use it at all. He got so frustrated with them that he moved on and mocked them. According to the sutta (MN36) he tried this path to the biggest extent he could and found it ineffective to reach awakening. He did not mock the practices, just found them ineffective for his goal. “I ...
by Ruud
Thu Jan 07, 2021 9:08 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Contradictions in the Pali canon
Replies: 16
Views: 2956

Re: Contradictions in the Pali canon

You're spot on, I think, from the vantage point of the Vitakkasanthana Sutta. In the Maha-Saccaka Sutta, the Buddha ridiculed and had to abandon these forceful energy practices in order to attain the concentrated mind of the jhanas and eventually Awakening under the tree. Are you seeing the contrad...
by Ruud
Wed Jan 06, 2021 11:00 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Contradictions in the Pali canon
Replies: 16
Views: 2956

Re: Contradictions in the Pali canon

Wetere wrote: Wed Jan 06, 2021 8:22 pm ...
You can't build a complete modern house with just a hammer, but a hammer is sometimes very useful in the process.

Just so for 'forceful' energy in practice. Just the right tool at the appropriate moment.
by Ruud
Wed Jan 06, 2021 5:23 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Contradictions in the Pali canon
Replies: 16
Views: 2956

Re: Contradictions in the Pali canon

It is an interesting combination of rather similar quotes and a good question. I don't know if any analysis exist of this of other possible contradictions. To me these two don't have to be contradictory though. The quote from the first Sutta is part of the description of how the buddha reached enlig...
by Ruud
Tue Jan 05, 2021 2:25 pm
Forum: Pāli
Topic: Pūjeti - offer and honor (Narada Pali Course)
Replies: 5
Views: 1694

Re: Pūjeti - offer and honor (Narada Pali Course)

Thank you Bhante for your help! The verb means to honour or worship, ...I guess it's for this reason that Nārada opted for "offer". That clarifies the problems I had. I found those other meanings in the CPED and could translate it with those. I just didn't want to assume to 'correct' the e...
by Ruud
Tue Jan 05, 2021 8:32 am
Forum: Pāli
Topic: Pūjeti - offer and honor (Narada Pali Course)
Replies: 5
Views: 1694

Re: Pūjeti - offer and honor (Narada Pali Course)

Thank you for your help, Sam. I indeed also found the 'honors' meaning in the CPED. And indeed with that it makes sense. It is just that the book gives 'offers' as its meaning, and am wondering if I am overlooking something. 'To honor' and 'to offer' are clearly related verbs, but they are used in d...
by Ruud
Mon Jan 04, 2021 9:49 pm
Forum: Pāli
Topic: Pūjeti - offer and honor (Narada Pali Course)
Replies: 5
Views: 1694

Pūjeti - offer and honor (Narada Pali Course)

I’m working through ‘An Elementary Pali Course’ by Ven. Narada Thera (to from there work to ‘A new course in reading Pali’, followed by Bhikkhu Bodhi’s new book. I have a long way to go, but looking forward to it :tongue: ) In lesson 5, exercise A.10 the following sentence is given for translation: ...
by Ruud
Fri Dec 25, 2020 12:43 pm
Forum: Non-English Resources
Topic: Chinese-language books, etc.
Replies: 8
Views: 23124

Re: Chinese-language books, etc.

If you see books in China about Theravada they are mostly translations of well-known books in the West. Books by Ajahn Chah, Ayya Khema, Sayadaw U Pandita, Bhante Gunaratana etc. There are some translations of Pali scriptures (I’ve seen a Digha and Majjhima nikaya, a Sutta Nipata, a Dhammapada ), a...
by Ruud
Thu Jun 25, 2020 2:34 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Covered straw vs. exposed to the sun sutta request
Replies: 2
Views: 643

Re: Covered straw vs. exposed to the sun sutta request

Yes, that's it! Thank you so much.
I would probably not have found it, in the Theragatha...
by Ruud
Thu Jun 25, 2020 8:54 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Covered straw vs. exposed to the sun sutta request
Replies: 2
Views: 643

Covered straw vs. exposed to the sun sutta request

Hi all, I have been trying to find a sutta, but can't seem to find it. It describes (as I remember it) open versus closed communication by a simile of a heap of straw or a shed that is opened, and thus doesn't mold, and one that is closed, and therefore molds and festers. I can't seem to find the ri...
by Ruud
Tue Jul 09, 2019 7:24 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Ritual for becoming a Buddhist
Replies: 72
Views: 9340

Re: Ritual for becoming a Buddhist

... I'm sorry to see you misinterpret my intentions. The last thing I want to do is censor people. All I want is an open dialog, helpful to the OP and us, with respect to both sides. I think we have reached the end of this exchange, I feel not much useful ground can be gained on this subject anymor...
by Ruud
Tue Jul 09, 2019 5:23 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Ritual for becoming a Buddhist
Replies: 72
Views: 9340

Re: Ritual for becoming a Buddhist

You're trying to make this about me, it's basically ad-hominem fallacy, i.e. to make the argument about the speaker/writer rather than the argument at hand. I am doing no such thing. I am merely making an observation based on our interaction. I never said your argument was wrong because of this. I ...
by Ruud
Mon Jul 08, 2019 7:34 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Ritual for becoming a Buddhist
Replies: 72
Views: 9340

Re: Ritual for becoming a Buddhist

Also I'm not going to bother to expand on a subject for people who do not accept the suttas, that would be a waste of time, as I said previous to this post that the Buddha said there are people who will reject the Sadhamma (true dhamma) no matter what, so there's no reason to waste my energy on the...
by Ruud
Mon Jul 08, 2019 3:43 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Ritual for becoming a Buddhist
Replies: 72
Views: 9340

Re: Ritual for becoming a Buddhist

It is easy solve. To answer your conundrum. No, not everyone is a faith follower simply because they believe in a picture or a concept such as the triple gem. ... So no, simply having faith in the 3 gems won't make one a faith follower (and thus an ariya) if they haven't read the true dhamma (the 4...
by Ruud
Mon Jul 08, 2019 2:35 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Ritual for becoming a Buddhist
Replies: 72
Views: 9340

Re: Ritual for becoming a Buddhist

I do accept the suttas, in general, and am open to combine them, and critically assess them when needed. Apparently we ran into an issue that is not easily solved with one simple text.