Search found 52 matches

by drifting cloud
Wed Apr 10, 2013 12:06 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Buddha can't help
Replies: 26
Views: 6845

Re: Buddha can't help

Buddha himself was a Hindu. I don't think that the Buddha was Hindu. He might have been affected by Hinduism but I believe that the religion that the Buddha grew up with was of the samana (I hope I'm spelling it right) realigion. A religion based on going into the woods and finding yourself. At lea...
by drifting cloud
Sat Apr 06, 2013 7:31 am
Forum: Theravāda for Beginners
Topic: Deities?
Replies: 6
Views: 2845

Re: Deities?

Mara is definitely not a deity.
by drifting cloud
Mon Apr 01, 2013 11:32 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Where does my actions on self go ?
Replies: 6
Views: 2186

Re: Where does my actions on self go ?

This might be something worth keeping in mind (hat tip to dhammapal for sharing this in the "Quotable Thanissaro" thread): Appropriate attention is the most crucial factor in the practice, the approach that looks at all of this as a skill that you’re working on in the hopes of becoming mor...
by drifting cloud
Mon Apr 01, 2013 11:27 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Where does my actions on self go ?
Replies: 6
Views: 2186

Re: Where does my actions on self go ?

my question in short : is there cause and effect in meditation ? if so how can i put so much time and effort in and still no increase in mindfulness where is the cause and effect here ? It's like mastering any other skill; it doesn't just happen over night. You can put "a lot of time and effor...
by drifting cloud
Thu Mar 28, 2013 1:13 am
Forum: Wellness, Diet & Fitness
Topic: Can meditation help you lose weight?
Replies: 19
Views: 6483

Re: Can meditation help you lose weight?

Just thought I'd ask :) Are you asking if you are going to magically shed pounds simply by sitting on a cushion? The answer is probably no. If you are asking if meditation can help you become more aware of your eating habits, help you build up the mental strength to overcome unskillful eating habit...
by drifting cloud
Tue Mar 26, 2013 3:05 am
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: Children
Replies: 12
Views: 4228

Re: Children

I have no desire to have children, and this would be true even if I wasn't a Buddhist. Given the exponential growth of the human population, the effects of that population growth on the biosphere (especially the effects of first world inhabitants), and the rather bleak future we are entering (one ch...
by drifting cloud
Mon Mar 25, 2013 9:08 pm
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: Vulture's Peak & Surrounding Environment/Iti. 1.24
Replies: 10
Views: 3362

Re: Vulture's Peak & Surrounding Environment/Iti. 1.24

You could try looking up "Vulture Peak" on Wikipedia: Griddhraj Parvat And then noting that there is also a "Vulture Peak" in the modern state of Bihar, near the city of Rajgir (formerly the capital of Magadha). Punch in the coordinates 25.0019812°N 85.4467034°E from Wiki Atlas ...
by drifting cloud
Mon Mar 25, 2013 2:31 am
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: Vulture's Peak & Surrounding Environment/Iti. 1.24
Replies: 10
Views: 3362

Re: Vulture's Peak & Surrounding Environment/Iti. 1.24

You could try looking up "Vulture Peak" on Wikipedia: Griddhraj Parvat And then noting that there is also a "Vulture Peak" in the modern state of Bihar, near the city of Rajgir (formerly the capital of Magadha). Punch in the coordinates 25.0019812°N 85.4467034°E from Wiki Atlas t...
by drifting cloud
Wed Feb 13, 2013 6:27 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Awareness independent of the 6 senses? (Thanissaro)
Replies: 72
Views: 23842

Re: Awareness independent of the 6 senses? (Thanissaro)

There is that interesting metaphor in SN 12.64. Bhikkhu Bodhi says this refers to an arahant's consciousness while he is alive, but not that an "unestablished consciousness" remains after the arahant's parinibbana. I read it as leaving "where" undefined. Except of course, in ter...
by drifting cloud
Wed Feb 13, 2013 6:18 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Awareness independent of the 6 senses? (Thanissaro)
Replies: 72
Views: 23842

Re: Awareness independent of the 6 senses? (Thanissaro)

If you read on, you'll see that is also in the sutta. There is no mention of this consciousness-without-feature here, and in many other suttas. I didn't say this Sutta mentioned consciousness-without-feature. My point was that the state of the Tathagata or arahat after death cannot be described . T...
by drifting cloud
Wed Feb 13, 2013 6:00 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Awareness independent of the 6 senses? (Thanissaro)
Replies: 72
Views: 23842

Re: Awareness independent of the 6 senses? (Thanissaro)

As far as I know it is wrong to say, fire still there. There is nothing called fire, it arises due to conditions! Yes, this is the modern understanding of fire. This was not the understanding of fire that was current in the Buddha's time, however, and so when the Suttas speak of fire going out they...
by drifting cloud
Wed Feb 13, 2013 1:33 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Ghosts, devas, and brahmās?
Replies: 27
Views: 8418

Re: Ghosts, devas, and brahmās?

How many of you guys believe in ghosts, devas, and brahmas? I do. Do you think it's a must to believe in these supernatural deities in order to be a practitioner of Buddhism? No, although you might want to examine your use of "supernatural" and "deity" here. For one thing, I don...
by drifting cloud
Wed Feb 13, 2013 1:23 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: What is the last thing to let go?
Replies: 43
Views: 13689

Re: What is the last thing to let go?

I am just think in term of six senses and ten fetters. Is there something you let go last? The fetters are probably the best way to think of this; the last fetters that the arahat severs are: desire for material rebirth desire for immaterial rebirth conceit restlessness ignorance Based on this it a...
by drifting cloud
Wed Feb 13, 2013 1:13 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: What is the last thing to let go?
Replies: 43
Views: 13689

Re: What is the last thing to let go?

So does one who reaches Nirvana becomes blind & deaf.....or lose all six senses and associated consciousness? It's not a question of becoming blind and deaf; an arahat still receives sensory input so long as they are alive and have functioning organs and are in contact with sensible objects. Ra...
by drifting cloud
Wed Feb 13, 2013 1:05 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Awareness independent of the 6 senses? (Thanissaro)
Replies: 72
Views: 23842

Re: Awareness independent of the 6 senses? (Thanissaro)

He explains it in his footnote to the translation of the Kevatta Sutta, and includes references to other Suttas: Where do water, earth, fire, & wind have no footing? Where are long & short, coarse & fine, fair & foul, name & form brought to an end? "'And the answer to that i...