Search found 634 matches

by nathan
Sat Nov 19, 2011 8:38 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Richard Gombrich - Comfort or Challenge?
Replies: 156
Views: 35479

Re: Richard Gombrich - Comfort or Challenge?

"If an individual, whether monk, nun or layman of either sex, has decided to opt out of society and to lead a secluded life, we cannot demand that they make pronouncements on public affairs – pronouncements to which in any case few people would listen." page 7, paragraph 2 -I find this pro...
by nathan
Fri Nov 04, 2011 7:33 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: dhammas
Replies: 58
Views: 13529

Re: dhammas

In practice, a mādhyamika meditator in meditative equipoise attends to their individual momentary mind-stream just as a Sarvāstivāda or classical Theravāda meditator does in meditative equipoise. But for the mādhyamika, vipaśyanā is employed to eliminate all superimposition with reference to their ...
by nathan
Fri Nov 04, 2011 10:41 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Two "truths"/"descriptions" and meditation in the suttas
Replies: 193
Views: 42952

Re: Two "truths"/"descriptions" and meditation in the suttas

In what sense is the concept: "one plus one is two" subject to the characteristics? Every time I check that, via mental and physical processes that do seem to be subject to the characteristics, it stays the same. And what about the concept "my self"? Is that an "object of m...
by nathan
Wed Sep 28, 2011 12:10 am
Forum: Vipassanā / Satipaṭṭhāna Bhāvana
Topic: Unorthodox Vipassana
Replies: 66
Views: 19131

Re: Unorthodox Vipassana

Hi Nathan Thank you for sharing your understanding. Much appreciated. :anjali: From my perspective this is all mostly academic, except that if all this jhana experience WAS an essential matter, then it would seem quite important to seek out a teacher along those lines. However, such teachers seem t...
by nathan
Tue Sep 27, 2011 9:00 pm
Forum: Vipassanā / Satipaṭṭhāna Bhāvana
Topic: Unorthodox Vipassana
Replies: 66
Views: 19131

Re: Unorthodox Vipassana

Hi Nathan Thank you for the very interesting commentary. I have been understanding the cessation of feeling and perception as something 1) only available to non-returners and arahants and 2) attained by only those non-returners and arahants who have mastery of the 8 jhanas, but not all non-returner...
by nathan
Tue Sep 27, 2011 11:35 am
Forum: Vipassanā / Satipaṭṭhāna Bhāvana
Topic: Unorthodox Vipassana
Replies: 66
Views: 19131

Re: Unorthodox Vipassana

Hi I just wanted to expose the unorthodox way I practice vipassana (not always but for a good part of my practice). When I'm concentrated enough, I focus my awareness on the pure consciousness which appears "around" and "between" the thoughts (I hope it's clear enough). I would ...
by nathan
Thu Jul 21, 2011 4:53 am
Forum: General Theravāda Meditation
Topic: immaterial Jhans (how to practice?)
Replies: 2
Views: 2511

Re: immaterial Jhans (how to practice?)

The four formless concentrations are based on the fourth jhana. To develop the formless concentrations it is first of all necessary to develop jhana to the extent that one can enter and remain in the fourth jhana and then let go of the attention to form. To develop jhana it is important to begin wit...
by nathan
Thu Jul 21, 2011 4:38 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: what is contact?
Replies: 4
Views: 1668

Re: what is contact?

As part of our makeup human beings have a subtle mental quality of percipience. When this quality 'contacts' other mental qualities, mind objects, forms and sensations this contact results our ongoing flow of perceptions. When we practice insight, we can observe how this flow and flux of contacts be...
by nathan
Fri Jul 08, 2011 6:12 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Protestant Buddhism in Asia and the West
Replies: 35
Views: 11608

Re: Protestant Buddhism in Asia and the West

Also on this topic: Western Self, Asian Other: Modernity, Authenticity, and Nostalgia for "Tradition" in Buddhist Studies by Natalie E. Quli Journal of Buddhist Ethics Volume 16, 2009 http://blogs.dickinson.edu/buddhistethics/category/volume-16-2009/" onclick="window.open(this.hr...
by nathan
Thu Jul 07, 2011 6:43 pm
Forum: Samatha Bhāvana
Topic: Shamatha In The Theravada Tradition
Replies: 70
Views: 22902

Re: Shamatha In The Theravada Tradition

If one cultivates only samatha one may overcome the hindrances and develop considerable calm or the jhanas. If one cultivates only vipassana one may overcome the hindrances and develop the three perceptions of annica, dukkha and anatta. If one cultivates the two qualities together one may overcome t...
by nathan
Thu Jul 07, 2011 6:09 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: The dangers and benefits of eating chocolate
Replies: 4
Views: 2035

Re: The dangers and benefits of eating chocolate

I find it curious that milk is a problem while the insect fragments and rodent hairs in chocolate are not a concern.
by nathan
Sat Jun 18, 2011 7:35 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Iddhis: "real" or not?
Replies: 14
Views: 5206

Re: Iddhis: "real" or not?

Might you have an unbroken, updated link to this pdf? The link above shows the following: Error 404: File Not Found Might you be able to point out precisely where in this document (page number and text reference) you are referring to this further discussion? Try the link on this page: http://www.vi...
by nathan
Sat Jun 18, 2011 7:25 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Iddhis: "real" or not?
Replies: 14
Views: 5206

Re: Iddhis: "real" or not?

A related link. A discussion of developing what some refer to as iddhis in this PDF document: Ten kasinas & others.pdf "This is a translation of Pa Auk Sayadaw’s Dhamma talk on MahaAssapura Sutta. However the chapters ‘The Ten Kasinas’ and ‘The Four Immaterial Jhanas’ are adapted from the b...
by nathan
Mon May 30, 2011 6:27 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Is the Tathagata sensitive to satisfaction?
Replies: 7
Views: 2213

Re: Is the Tathagata sensitive to satisfaction?

see also: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.019.nypo.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; SN 36.19 PTS: S iv 223 CDB ii 1274 Pañcakanga Sutta: Carpenter Fivetools translated from the Pali by Nyanaponika Thera © 1998–2011 This sutta (plus two opening and tw...