Other conditions today???

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
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Cittasanto
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Re: Other conditions today???

Post by Cittasanto »

Hi Kamran,
certainly on this level there is a difference but I do not see how this changes anything regarding the teachings, as the brain was used in the proffession of certain of the Buddhas disciples, such as doctors and statesmen, I doubt amount of knowledge, or technology changes things here also as we still have the same Dukkha verities and problems, such as getting enough money to support ones family, crime, work problems (although a labourer would also think about their job if they had a problem there, just as an engineer would).
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He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
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Cittasanto
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Re: Other conditions today???

Post by Cittasanto »

Hi jason c
Question 1 wrote:what are these other conditions?
1. the buddha was alive then.
Question 2 wrote:why & how are they different to causes in the time of the Buddha?
2. now he is dead.
Question 3 wrote:how & why are the teachings disproved, irrelevant, not appropriate due to these new conditions?
3. they are not, but are you sure you are practicing the buddhas teachings?
can anyone be 100% sure, if there is progress in the right direction i.e. less effected be dukkha, then the practice is going in the right direction, even if not 100% spot on.
Question 4 wrote:how is this outside world more materialistic/worse for practice/what ever else you believe it to be, and how does that change things in regard to the teachings & practice?
4. its perfectly imperfect to practice in
how does that change things in regard to the teachings & practice?
Question 5 wrote:how are we different (in relation to the Buddhas teachings & practice) to people back when the teachings took place? and why does this matter?
5. we're not. we can still practice his way
doesn't this answer & that to question 3 render answering the questions pointless?
Question 6b wrote:how & why is it easier to see today than in the Buddha's time? how don't we proliferate, ignore the obvious, fool ourselves less than then?
6b. there is the possibility we could have more free time
that answers the how but the why?
I doubt this matters, as more free time or not does not effect putting the teachings into practice at all times in the day, sure solitude is a great aid to practice and advised by the buddha in a strong way, however, interpersonal interactions are also covered in the Noble eightfold path (sila division mainly although right view, effort and mindfulness also) & clear knowing (see the section of the satipatthana sutta for example) so practice can still be upheld at any time.
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
jason c
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Re: Other conditions today???

Post by jason c »

hey cittasanto,
1. you become happier. later stream entry will eradicate any doubt.
2. the world is perfect to practice in
3 yes.
metta,
jason
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Kamran
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Re: Other conditions today???

Post by Kamran »

I agree that there is not a significant difference as far as the practice is concerned. I think it might take a bit more effort to get the mind settled down due to the different types of jobs and distractions in modern societies. In the balance between concentration and insight we may need to work more on concentration.
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Cittasanto
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Re: Other conditions today???

Post by Cittasanto »

Kamran wrote:I agree that there is not a significant difference as far as the practice is concerned. I think it might take a bit more effort to get the mind settled down due to the different types of jobs and distractions in modern societies. In the balance between concentration and insight we may need to work more on concentration.
There are different capabilities, and that is true no matter when.
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
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ground
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Re: Other conditions today???

Post by ground »

Cittasanto wrote:
ground wrote:
Cittasanto wrote:you are/can not provide any support for your claims, as a result this is winding up very quickly.
It never has been my intention to provide what you call "support" because I know that it is merely a matter of belief. I just wanted to share my view. As someone who has gotten deeply involved in the literal teachings you seem to be greedy to defend your religious view and negate mine which is more balanced and distanced. It is obvious that conditions today are different. It is just that you want to establish exclusive and absolute truth of the teachings you have gotten involved in very deeply. Your intent is quite "natural" for religious believers.

“You can't convince a believer of anything; for their belief is not based on evidence, it's based on a deep seated need to believe”

http://thinkexist.com/quotation/you_can ... 91321.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Kind regards
you are using belief as though this negates an open mindedness, which is quite frankly silly; and the challenge is to support your views, as what these questions are addressing possibly effects the teachings in a big way.

so unless you have something demonstrable (something science likes) you are simply holding a belief and trying to shirk the burden of proof.
But all you can do is to state your belief as an alternative. You cannot prove the validity of the Buddha's teaching either. In the same way I cannot prove that scientific knwoledge can lead to the "end of dukkha" or - maybe better - to a life without "stress".

As I said it is all about belief, nothing else. You cannot demonstrate, neither can I. You can believe, so can I. it is all about that, has alway about that and will always be about that: belief.
The only difference may be awareness that it is just belief OR clinging to some sort of imagined exclusivity. I say: You may use scientific knowledge or the buddha's teachings. There is no difference and in that there is scientific knowledge today conditions are different today.



Kind regards
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Cittasanto
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Re: Other conditions today???

Post by Cittasanto »

ground wrote:
Cittasanto wrote: you are using belief as though this negates an open mindedness, which is quite frankly silly; and the challenge is to support your views, as what these questions are addressing possibly effects the teachings in a big way.

so unless you have something demonstrable (something science likes) you are simply holding a belief and trying to shirk the burden of proof.
But all you can do is to state your belief as an alternative. You cannot prove the validity of the Buddha's teaching either. In the same way I cannot prove that scientific knwoledge can lead to the "end of dukkha" or - maybe better - to a life without "stress".

As I said it is all about belief, nothing else. You cannot demonstrate, neither can I. You can believe, so can I. it is all about that, has alway about that and will always be about that: belief.
The only difference may be awareness that it is just belief OR clinging to some sort of imagined exclusivity. I say: You may use scientific knowledge or the buddha's teachings. There is no difference and in that there is scientific knowledge today conditions are different today.
Well what is what is being asked for, and what you are answering are not in relation to the questions. statements without explanations (as asked for within the questions) and a refusal to answer are irrelevant.

like the op question, What are these other conditions... how & why do they make a difference to the actual practice...disprove... the teachings
the mind doesn't change because of scientific knowledge, method, or anything else you have tried to use.

rebirth has never been disproved, and whether someone does or does not believe it is irrelevant, whether it is a useful tool or not is.
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
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ground
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Re: Other conditions today???

Post by ground »

Cittasanto wrote:
ground wrote:
Cittasanto wrote: you are using belief as though this negates an open mindedness, which is quite frankly silly; and the challenge is to support your views, as what these questions are addressing possibly effects the teachings in a big way.

so unless you have something demonstrable (something science likes) you are simply holding a belief and trying to shirk the burden of proof.
But all you can do is to state your belief as an alternative. You cannot prove the validity of the Buddha's teaching either. In the same way I cannot prove that scientific knwoledge can lead to the "end of dukkha" or - maybe better - to a life without "stress".

As I said it is all about belief, nothing else. You cannot demonstrate, neither can I. You can believe, so can I. it is all about that, has alway about that and will always be about that: belief.
The only difference may be awareness that it is just belief OR clinging to some sort of imagined exclusivity. I say: You may use scientific knowledge or the buddha's teachings. There is no difference and in that there is scientific knowledge today conditions are different today.
Well what is what is being asked for, and what you are answering are not in relation to the questions. statements without explanations (as asked for within the questions) and a refusal to answer are irrelevant..
It is up to you to be satisfied with an answer or not. I have answered already.

I may repeat:
Cittasanto wrote: What are these other conditions...
Scientific Knowledge and information about biology, psychology, religions ....
Cittasanto wrote: how & why do they make a difference to the actual practice...
Because this knowledge and information broadens the view and "naturally" renders the teachings relative.
Cittasanto wrote: disprove... the teachings
As I said already. Not necessarily disprove but help to "see through" it
Cittasanto wrote: the mind doesn't change because of scientific knowledge, method, or anything else you have tried to use.
There is no mind to be found but a brain that functions in a specific way that can be investigated into further.
Cittasanto wrote: rebirth has never been disproved, and whether someone does or does not believe it is irrelevant, whether it is a useful tool or not is.
it cannot be disproved but it cannot be proved either but prove/disprove is completely irrelevant because people believe what they want to believe anyway.

Kind regards
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Kamran
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Re: Other conditions today???

Post by Kamran »

ground,

There are empirical truths and pragmatic truths.

If a teaching such as rebirth is put into practice and has positive results then it is regarded as a pragmatic truth :)
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ground
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Re: Other conditions today???

Post by ground »

Kamran wrote:ground,

There are empirical truths and pragmatic truths.

If a teaching such as rebirth is put into practice and has positive results then it is regarded as a pragmatic truth :)
"There are"? Where? :smile:

What difference do you imagine between your "pragmatic" and your "empirical"?
Kamran wrote: If a teaching such as rebirth is put into practice and has positive results then it is regarded as a pragmatic truth :)
If one wanted to safeguard one's meaning of the term "truth" one may say the same in regard to every idea that does not contradict one's belief. The term "pragmatic" can be skipped because it does not make a difference in that naming something "truth" is just an expression of will. So calling something "pragmatic truth" appears arbitrary in the context of belief when imagined "positive results" cannot be shown to everyone as evidence to see.
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Hanzze
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Re: Other conditions today???

Post by Hanzze »

Pulling away any ground is something Buddha did not teach as it is not possible. The ground will disappear naturally, but it needs to be developed firmly first. Otherwise one would simply close all doors for a long time and spend his existences with sap wood till it breaks. Than he would maximal run around and tell hardwood does not exist.

Buddha did not worry about much, but in regard of sap wood dealer and their ways, he was always very attend. For their conditions last for long times but still conditioned.
Just that! *smile*
...We Buddhists must find the courage to leave our temples and enter the temples of human experience, temples that are filled with suffering. If we listen to Buddha, Christ, or Gandhi, we can do nothing else. The refugee camps, the prisons, the ghettos, and the battlefields will become our temples. We have so much work to do. ... Peace is Possible! Step by Step. - Samtach Preah Maha Ghosananda "Step by Step" http://www.ghosananda.org/bio_book.html

BUT! it is important to become a real Buddhist first. Like Punna did: Punna Sutta Nate sante baram sokham _()_
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Kamran
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Re: Other conditions today???

Post by Kamran »

Hi ground,

This reminds me of the story where a guy with an arrow shot through him first asks the doctor to explain what type of wood is the arrow made out of, what forest did the tree come from, who created the arrow, etc, before allowing the doctor to just remove the arrow :)

Here's an Empirical Truth:

With breath meditation you can reach "access concentration" and can use this serene state of mind to gain insight and perspective. You can verify it to be true in an empirical manner by trying it yourself.

The teaching on rebirth can't be verified in this manner. However, the purpose of Buddhist teachings is to provide tools people can use to end their suffering. The teaching on Rebirth is just one of the tools people can use.

If its an effective tool in ending suffering, then its a valid teaching from a Buddhist perspective. The goal is to just remove the arrow that is stuck in us, not to explain what the arrow is made from, or who made it :)
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ground
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Re: Other conditions today???

Post by ground »

Kamran wrote:Hi ground,

This reminds me of the story where a guy with an arrow shot through him first asks the doctor to explain what type of wood is the arrow made out of, what forest did the tree come from, who created the arrow, etc, before allowing the doctor to just remove the arrow :)
Why?
Kamran wrote: Here's an Empirical Truth:

With breath meditation you can reach "access concentration" and can use this serene state of mind to gain insight and perspective. You can verify it to be true in an empirical manner by trying it yourself.
It is an assertion, not a truth. If you believe to have verified it then it may be your belief that it is a truth.
Kamran wrote: If its an effective tool in ending suffering, then its a valid teaching from a Buddhist perspective. The goal is to just remove the arrow that is stuck in us, not to explain what the arrow is made from, or who made it :)
If there is no suffering it is of no use. You first have to believe that everyhere/everything is suffering in order to be able to believe that it is a tool to remove this alleged suffering.

Kind regards
danieLion
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Re: Other conditions today???

Post by danieLion »

ground wrote: You first have to believe that everyhere/everything is suffering in order to be able to believe that it is a tool to remove this alleged suffering.
The Buddha never taught that everywhere/everything is suffering.
metta
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ground
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Re: Other conditions today???

Post by ground »

danieLion wrote:
ground wrote: You first have to believe that everyhere/everything is suffering in order to be able to believe that it is a tool to remove this alleged suffering.
The Buddha never taught that everywhere/everything is suffering.
metta
Never mind. But a big deal is made of the idea of suffering, isn't it? :smile:
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