Search found 107 matches

by Macavity
Sun Aug 23, 2009 5:01 am
Forum: Theravāda for Beginners
Topic: The Not-Self Strategy
Replies: 31
Views: 9994

Re: The Not-Self Strategy

Another thing that's peculiar is that you focus your criticism on your perceptions of Ven. Thanissaro's analytical ability rather than on what he has to say. Well give me a chance! I've only just read the thread (at your request) and I don't have the time to immediately respond to everything in it....
by Macavity
Sun Aug 23, 2009 2:25 am
Forum: Theravāda for Beginners
Topic: The Not-Self Strategy
Replies: 31
Views: 9994

Re: The Not-Self Strategy

Thanissaro: The Commentary's treatment of this discourse is very peculiar. To begin with, it delineates three other "All's" in addition to the one defined here, one of them supposedly larger in scope than the one defined here: the Allness of the Buddha's omniscience (literally, All-knowin...
by Macavity
Sun Aug 23, 2009 2:04 am
Forum: Study Group
Topic: MN 22 Alagaddupama Sutta: The Snake Simile
Replies: 28
Views: 8334

Re: MN 22 Alagaddupama Sutta: The Snake Simile

Your mind-reading powers are failing you. This was not a matter of mind-reading. It was a matter of reading what you wrote about why the venerable's essays ought to influence how one understands his sutta translation. Here's what you wrote: Those other essays have led you to draw conclusions about ...
by Macavity
Sun Aug 23, 2009 1:38 am
Forum: Study Group
Topic: MN 22 Alagaddupama Sutta: The Snake Simile
Replies: 28
Views: 8334

Re: MN 22 Alagaddupama Sutta: The Snake Simile

Those other essays have led you to draw conclusions about Ven. Thanissaro's intention, and to interpret this sutta translation in light of your assumptions about his intention. Your mind-reading powers are failing you. I would have faulted the mistranslation of upalabbhati no matter who the transla...
by Macavity
Sat Aug 22, 2009 9:33 am
Forum: Study Group
Topic: MN 22 Alagaddupama Sutta: The Snake Simile
Replies: 28
Views: 8334

Re: MN 22 Alagaddupama Sutta: The Snake Simile

Out of interest, where does Thanissaro allegedy do this? Hi Retrofuturist, In the two essays that I mentioned. Also in sundry annotations to his sutta translations. He doesn't actually state "this is the classical Theravada view, but it's wrong." Rather he simply describes the view that h...
by Macavity
Sat Aug 22, 2009 6:18 am
Forum: Study Group
Topic: MN 22 Alagaddupama Sutta: The Snake Simile
Replies: 28
Views: 8334

Re: MN 22 Alagaddupama Sutta: The Snake Simile

I think it's a stretch to use that as a basis for dismissing the translation as a failure to lend support to the anatta teaching. I don't think it's a stretch. If Thanissaro had accepted Nyanaponika's translation of this sutta, then his two essays The Not-self Strategy and No self or not self? , wh...
by Macavity
Sat Aug 22, 2009 1:53 am
Forum: Study Group
Topic: MN 22 Alagaddupama Sutta: The Snake Simile
Replies: 28
Views: 8334

Re: MN 22 Alagaddupama Sutta: The Snake Simile

Do you feel the Ven. Thanissaro translation leaves the door open for a negation of the anatta teaching? Hi Jechbi, The Alagaddupama Sutta, correctly translated, provides unequivocal support for the classical Theravada understanding of anatta. Translated Thanissaro's way, it no longer serves that pu...
by Macavity
Fri Aug 21, 2009 1:32 pm
Forum: Study Group
Topic: MN 22 Alagaddupama Sutta: The Snake Simile
Replies: 28
Views: 8334

Re: MN 22 Alagaddupama Sutta: The Snake Simile

Would you please elaborate on the difference between those two translations, Macavity? Do you feel the Ven. Thanissaro translation leaves the door open for a negation of the anatta teaching? Thanissaro: X is not pinned down as a truth or reality. Nyanaponika: in truth and in fact X does not obtain....
by Macavity
Fri Aug 21, 2009 5:04 am
Forum: Study Group
Topic: MN 22 Alagaddupama Sutta: The Snake Simile
Replies: 28
Views: 8334

Re: MN 22 Alagaddupama Sutta: The Snake Simile

Those following this thread, do read Ven Nyanaponika's translation. Yes, do. Especially this paragraph: " attani ca, bhikkhave, attaniye ca saccato thetato anupalabbhamāne, yampi taṃ diṭṭhiṭṭhānaṃ : 'so loko so attā, so pecca bhavissāmi nicco dhuvo sassato avipariṇāmadhammo, sassatisamaṃ tathe...
by Macavity
Fri Aug 21, 2009 2:05 am
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: what is "esoteric buddhism"?
Replies: 75
Views: 16905

Re: what is "esoteric buddhism"?

Do you think that because the teachings have the "Bhuddha" denying that his teachings are esoteric this provides a definate and final answer to the question ? Yes. Would not every esoteric system deny that it was one ? No, they usually brag about it so that the credulous will be tempted t...
by Macavity
Fri Aug 21, 2009 12:42 am
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: what is "esoteric buddhism"?
Replies: 75
Views: 16905

Re: what is "esoteric buddhism"?

Hi everyone, What is "esoteric buddhism"? Although the name is mostly used to refer to Tantric Buddhism, it's also to be met with in early Theosophical writings, where it served as an alternative name for Theosophy. When used in this context what is referred to has very little at all to d...
by Macavity
Thu Aug 20, 2009 5:59 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Logical Thought and Anatta/Voidness
Replies: 20
Views: 5372

Re: Logical Thought and Anatta/Voidness

Anatta is not a logical premise, as it voids the first law of logic, that of identity or A = A. Anatta is alogical, that is it stands outside (or beyond) the laws of logic. This isn't the Buddha's teaching of anatta as it's preserved in the Pali suttas. The Buddha taught that "rupa (vedana, sa...
by Macavity
Tue Aug 18, 2009 4:21 pm
Forum: Vipassanā / Satipaṭṭhāna Bhāvana
Topic: Does Insight Knowledge Arise Spontaneously in Vipassana
Replies: 3
Views: 2511

Re: Does Insight Knowledge Arise Spontaneously in Vipassana

Does knowledge gained with vipassana meditation arise spontaneously? My dictionary defines spontaneous as "occurring without external cause or incitement". This doesn't seem to fit, for the arising of insight depends upon encountering the Buddha's teaching (among other things). Another de...
by Macavity
Tue Aug 18, 2009 3:19 am
Forum: Dhammic Stories
Topic: Inspirational quotes and poetry
Replies: 16
Views: 4198

Re: Inspirational quotes and poetry

WILDERNESS THERE is a wolf in me ... fangs pointed for tearing gashes ... a red tongue for raw meat ... and the hot lapping of blood—I keep this wolf because the wilderness gave it to me and the wilderness will not let it go. There is a fox in me ... a silver-gray fox ... I sniff and guess ... I pi...
by Macavity
Mon Aug 17, 2009 12:22 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: How to treat a person with virtue - sutta reference etc?
Replies: 4
Views: 1872

Re: How to treat a person with virtue - sutta reference etc?

[The Buddha] “Great king, suppose you were to see that Angulimala had shaved off his hair and beard, put on the yellow robe, and gone forth from the home life into homelessness; that he was abstaining from killing living beings, from taking what is not given and from false speech; that he was refra...