Search found 85 matches

by mogg
Mon Apr 22, 2013 3:53 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: How common is stream entry?
Replies: 527
Views: 130659

Re: How common is stream entry?

Or I can decide the game isn't worth the candle - after all, even if (big if for me) rebirth is all true, memory carrying over seems so rare, that I won't be suffering. So I do as much as benefits me in this life, and then either this life is all there ever was (win) or I get reborn and continue fo...
by mogg
Mon Apr 22, 2013 2:48 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Need to get away from university party life in Canada
Replies: 28
Views: 8209

Re: Need to get away from university party life in Canada

TBH, I do not feel that such a naive decision to become a monk would benefit anyone. I would rather you stay in the so called "society" you currently live in and try to live skillfully. This will already provide numerable and enough opportunities to practice mindfulness and skill. Peace. ...
by mogg
Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:13 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: How common is stream entry?
Replies: 527
Views: 130659

Re: How common is stream entry?

Mogg, thanks. I don't think I am wedded to a position on this. In fact I've been trying to argue against taking a position, that taking a position is counter-productive. Perhaps you can take your own advice and read posts more carefully. The passage you quoted again is no evidence that stream-entry...
by mogg
Mon Apr 22, 2013 5:58 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: How common is stream entry?
Replies: 527
Views: 130659

Re: How common is stream entry?

Perhaps believing it is to be extremely difficult and most rare is an "obfuscation" that serves to make it so difficult and rare? Ajahn Brahm said once something to the effect of "The door out of samsara is right here. We just don't want to see it." Of course it is not as easy a...
by mogg
Mon Apr 22, 2013 5:44 am
Forum: Samatha Bhāvana
Topic: would learning jhana solely from sutta be possible?
Replies: 40
Views: 15266

Re: would learning jhana solely from sutta be possible?

Of course. Ramana Maharshi was spontaneously liberated at the age of 16 without any teachings of any kind.

Its kammically dependent.
by mogg
Mon Apr 22, 2013 5:40 am
Forum: Samatha Bhāvana
Topic: Jhana and realisation...
Replies: 7
Views: 2924

Re: Jhana and realisation...

Beautiful Breath wrote:Hi,

Simple question...how can Jhana lead to Liberation?

Thanks...
Practice and see for yourself! :)
by mogg
Mon Apr 22, 2013 5:33 am
Forum: General Theravāda Meditation
Topic: arupa jhanas
Replies: 34
Views: 6450

Re: arupa jhanas

what do you all think? They're unrelated to sammasamadhi. I think they're additions, splices if you will, which the reciters felt were good fits as time went on but which started life among the ocean of methodologies and meditational exegeses floating around the Gangetic plain in those days. They w...
by mogg
Mon Apr 22, 2013 3:09 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: How common is stream entry?
Replies: 527
Views: 130659

Re: How common is stream entry?

Perhaps believing it is to be extremely difficult and most rare is an "obfuscation" that serves to make it so difficult and rare? Ajahn Brahm said once something to the effect of "The door out of samsara is right here. We just don't want to see it." Of course it is not as easy a...
by mogg
Mon Apr 22, 2013 2:58 am
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Worthwhile reflections from an economist
Replies: 7
Views: 1548

Re: Worthwhile reflections from an economist

I completely agree Ben, thanks for posting the video. There are more countries in the world that I have traveled to than haven't, and on balance I would say that Australia is the top of the tree. There are other countries where life is better for particular cross sections (i.e the wealthy class), bu...
by mogg
Mon Apr 22, 2013 2:50 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: How common is stream entry?
Replies: 527
Views: 130659

Re: How common is stream entry?

I feel that it is counter-productive and misleading to either say "difficult and rare" or "easy and common". As far as I can make out, insight is a matter of deep commitment and sharpening the attention. Most folks here no doubt know the prerequisites for this and it is not some...
by mogg
Mon Apr 22, 2013 2:44 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Light Cone – The scientific explanation for Kamma
Replies: 16
Views: 4882

Re: Light Cone – The scientific explanation for Kamma

I believe that the Kamma can be explained by using modern physics. If we accept that light can be viewed as a wave or a particle, then we can argue that the particle can also be viewed as a wave. If we use this knowledge with the theory of light cone, past Kamma (cause) is the past light cone and t...
by mogg
Mon Apr 22, 2013 2:40 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: How common is stream entry?
Replies: 527
Views: 130659

Re: How common is stream entry?

. . . if/it/just/makes/one/feel/despondent like/oh/if/this/Path/is/so/rare/to/attain whats/the/point/in/trying i/cant/do/it etc in/that/case the/anxiety/is/unskilful . . . I have to admit I got pretty despondent after looking over this thread. Difficult as it may be, do you have a choice? Nope, so ...
by mogg
Sun Apr 21, 2013 5:43 pm
Forum: Classical Theravāda
Topic: A Question about Rebirth
Replies: 27
Views: 7780

Re: A Question about Rebirth

Lazy Eye, I go through the same things Lazy Eye describes. A few things that help me are: read the Kalama Sutta ( link ) and pay close attention to the fact that the Buddha says even if rebirth is not accurate, the practice has benefit here and now. I find this to be quite true, and I have found th...
by mogg
Sun Apr 21, 2013 5:40 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: What is the benefit of learning Abhidhamma
Replies: 25
Views: 8473

Re: What is the benefit of learning Abhidhamma

I personally do not believe the Abhidhamma to be the Buddha's teachings, and I have my suspicions that it may in fact paint the wrong picture and be a stumbling block. But some people believe it to the word of the Buddha, and some people take great value from it. It's not a necessary thing to learn...
by mogg
Sun Apr 21, 2013 5:36 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Need to get away from university party life in Canada
Replies: 28
Views: 8209

Re: Need to get away from university party life in Canada

TBH, I do not feel that such a naive decision to become a monk would benefit anyone. I would rather you stay in the so called "society" you currently live in and try to live skillfully. This will already provide numerable and enough opportunities to practice mindfulness and skill. Peace. ...