Bhikkhu Nanamoli posthumously-published notes, Thinker's Notebook https://www.bps.lk/library-search-select.php?id=bp418s has quite a lot of thoughts about God and Beliefs. The following are a short random selection: 570. The argument that God cannot have created the world because of the suffering, m...

The composition of some parts, amounts of the great elements might fluctuate quite rapidly in that which we, by mundane perception would call "a thing" but the great elements as such in the cosmos, they can't be permanent either as the are not nibbana? So must be destroyed in the contract...

Your reflections and input is appreciated :anjali: This is a topic likely to be beset by misunderstandings, and this could very well be one of them. But I think that there are a number of fruitful areas where the existential notion of absurdity might be appropriate. Existence, bhava , is absurd. Su...

Dang, this thread’s on fire. 🔥 What the heck is this topic about lol I thought is was an interesting discussion about a parallel to the Pheṇapiṇḍūpama sutta, https://suttacentral.net/sn22.95/en/sujato?lang=en&layout=sidebyside&reference=none&notes=sidenotes&highlight=false&scrip...

Greetings, In the definition of “rupa” in “nama-rupa” we find the 4 great elements. You think the Buddha acknowledged independently existing things, such as noumena? The four great elements are not dependently originated. Nama-rupa, arising in dependence upon vinnana is dependently originated. It i...

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Greetings Mike, Your view that the four great/primary elements (mahābhūta) are not dependently arisen appears to contradict the definition of nama-rupa in SN12.2. Already explained . In short, arising means arising per paticcasamuppada. It doesn't mean Vipassana teacher style "arising". I...

Greetings Alex, Beyond paticcasamuppada we also have idappaccayata. Unless you can provide some example to substantiate this, this makes it sounds like you've under-estimated, and misunderstood both. Anyway, namarupa is made of nama and rupa, and rupa refers to both the great elements and the form ...

Noumena can be inferred from the fact that when we close our eyes at night, our house is still there when we wake up This is what the atta theorists argue to establish a truly existing self. That there must be a continuity to “me” throughout life (and beyond, for some). This is Sakkāya Diṭṭhi. Yes....

Greetings Jack, There is nothing abhidhamma about whatever kind of label you want to put on it though. It's just what you find in the suttas with some terminology that requires some investigation to make sense of. Which is, now that I think about it, nothing new. Good luck explaining this to Ceisiw...

People are often most hostile to views that are similar but not exactly the same. Yes, that is how it plays out quite regularly, but that doesn't make it right. Fundamentalists tend to be dogmatic in the practice of their religion and intolerant towards other religions. They are often even more int...

I wouldn't necessarily measure compatibility in terms of similarity of doctrine and metaphysics, rather in terms of having different stated purposes and non competing practices. That's an interesting point. People are often most hostile to views that are similar but not exactly the same. You have h...

JamesTheGiant wrote: ↑Tue Feb 06, 2024 5:58 pm There are a lot of transgender people in Thailand and they interact with monks with no problem.

And in New Zealand. Thai society is quite open to gay/trans/etc. I wouldn't be so sure if it were a Sri Lankan monastery, as I have had a lot less interaction with their culture.


Mike

Hi D1W1, The question is, soon when we wake up in the morning, can we immediately chant any paritta before we go to the washroom? Is it necessary? Rituals such as bowing, chanting, being tidy, etc can be helpful for preparing and gladdening or settling the mind. I'd encourage you to investigate the ...

Hi Bhante, See Thanissaro Bhikkhu's response in the essay 'Thinking About Jhana'... https://www.dhammatalks.org/books/uncollected/Thinking_aboutJhana.html This does seem to be a new essay. However, do you whether it's an "response"? Certainly, TB and the Hillside Hermitage monastics do see...