Dhamma Wheel Buddhist Forum

Hello

I would like to sugest that a guideline for discussion in the samatha forum be added. This guideline would instruct people that object to the kind of jhana that is being discussed to either create a new topic or redirect the original poster to "the great jhana debate" for clarification. I lost count of the number of concrete, pratical questions that are asked about practice, either on the sutta jhana frame or in the visuddhimagga jhana frame, that are derrailed into "what is jhana?" discussion.

There's benefit to both aproaches. What is certainly not beneficial is for topics to be derrailed over this debate.

I couldn't agree more.

I once posted a free instructional meditation video that I thought was excellent. The thread was derailed by someone ( a mod ironically enough ) who felt compelled to mention some doctrinal/academic squabble the monk in the video had with somene else. I told him I didn't care about those things, I and my thread were focused on the cool meditation technique. I invited him to post a link to another thread about the squabble he was attached to, but it wasn't enough and the damage was done.

Buddhists are supposed to work at non-attachment to views. A good way to start that is with the OPs suggestion is that if you don't like a subject being discussed, start your own thread and invite people to check it out, instead of spoiling their conversation.

Thanks MP and J4 for your input.

The TOS http://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2 include this statement:

2a. Respect other approach to the Dhamma

There are a broad spectrum of approaches to, and interpretations of, the Dhamma. Please refrain from wholesale dismissal of a particular view, approach, or teaching style. This is particularly important in replying to requests asking for help with a specific problem. Posts whose intention is to debate contentious topics (such as rebirth) should be started in the Open Dhamma Forum. Posts that the moderators deem to be contentious or argumentative will be moved to the Open Dhamma Forum.

That was intended to minimise disruption to meditation threads by arguments over interpretation and apporach (e.g. of what jhana is in this case). Perhaps it can be made a little stronger.


Mike

Thank you Mike.

I think a more concrete version (with examples, if necessary) of that paragraph would be very useful specificaly to the meditation forums.

Be well