Nonsense in Buddhism?

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
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Guy
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Re: Nonsense in Buddhism?

Post by Guy »

This poor man is more concerned about being correct about the pedantic details that he seems to have missed the point of the talk. Maybe Ajahn Brahm could have chosen more skilful words to talk about what is already a difficult topic and perhaps he could have talked about it from a more unbiased perspective, rather than a Buddhist perspective. However, he was talking in a temple to primarily a group of regularly attending Buddhists and for that reason I am sure that his talk was not primarily intended for hardline atheists. If he were talking about rebirth to atheists he would probably be more careful with his wording and instead of drawing from his own experience and the stories of trusted sources (such as other monks, who are generally considered amongst other Buddhists to be honest about what they say they have seen or heard, especially when you have known the person for a while) he would approach the topic from a more objective and rational approach (which in itself would be very difficult since the best kind of evidence is first hand experience). I am fairly certain that he only speaks in the manner he does, with a seemingly authoritative approach, because he is sincere about what he says and he understands that his live audience (ie. the people in the temple) all have meditative experience and many may have already recalled some of their own past life memories and so are not going to nit-pick everything and dissect it until it has lost all the originally intended meaning.

So what is the intended meaning? Well to me it is simple - our actions in this very life have consequences which implies personal responsibility, which seems to be the opposite of what the man in the video is suggesting that Ajahm Brahm is suggesting.

With Metta and much respect to Ajahn Brahm for trying to talk about what is difficult to talk about,

Guy
Four types of letting go:

1) Giving; expecting nothing back in return
2) Throwing things away
3) Contentment; wanting to be here, not wanting to be anywhere else
4) "Teflon Mind"; having a mind which doesn't accumulate things

- Ajahn Brahm
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retrofuturist
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Re: Nonsense in Buddhism?

Post by retrofuturist »

Oh, it's Kevin "Man of the Infinite" Solway is it? Yes, I do believe I have encountered him in cyberspace before.

Metta,
Retro. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
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Ngawang Drolma.
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Re: Nonsense in Buddhism?

Post by Ngawang Drolma. »

Kevin, aka Wanderer, has been carrying on about what's wrong with Buddhist beliefs for a while now (on the Internet).
It's tiresome. And a little strange.

I hadn't read about the misogyny before now, so that's news.
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tiltbillings
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Re: Nonsense in Buddhism?

Post by tiltbillings »

Ngawang Drolma wrote:Kevin, aka Wanderer, has been carrying on about what's wrong with Buddhist beliefs for a while now (on the Internet).
It's tiresome. And a little strange.

I hadn't read about the misogyny before now, so that's news.
He and his good buddy, David Quinn, have been around for years and years. And yes they are very, very misogynist.

Please let us waste no further time on this. There is no point.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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Ngawang Drolma.
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Re: Nonsense in Buddhism?

Post by Ngawang Drolma. »

tiltbillings wrote:Please let us waste no further time on this. There is no point.
:anjali:
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Thaibebop
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Re: Nonsense in Buddhism?

Post by Thaibebop »

TheDhamma wrote:I found this video link over at Dharma Wheel:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KauGMZVB ... re=related" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The bearded man does not make any points against the Suttas and just goes on a rant against Ajahn Brahm. To me, it sounds a lot like a Red Herring, Guilt-by-association, and maybe also a couple of other logical fallacies such as ad hominem, for using the b.s. term (how profound). :thinking:

Buddhism does not require acceptance of Ian Stevensons' works, nor any of the other statements made in the clips from Ajahn Brahm. They were just that monk's views and points. They might be weak, but don't say anything one way or the other as to the value or validity of Buddhism.
I have seen this before. Same stuff that others have put out and he is just as rude about it as the others. Clearly he is mad that he didn't turn out to be a Richard Dawkins or Sam Harris, people whose idea are worth a look and a little respect. It's sad to see seniors suffer after such a long life of suffering. :buddha1:
Individual
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Re: Nonsense in Buddhism?

Post by Individual »

Didn't know it was Wanderer. Yeah, Wanderer is a bit of a nut. I didn't know he was a misogynist.

Still doesn't excuse presenting rebirth as superstitious reincarnation, though.
The best things in life aren't things.

The Diamond Sutra
SleepyAndAwake
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Re: Nonsense in Buddhism?

Post by SleepyAndAwake »

correct me if I'm wrong, but

A) No truly understanding Buddhist would make such demands on Buddhism. The only deviation from Buddhism is a closed mind and pretending to know things we can/do not.

B) There is no "reincarnation". We don't wake up again and get to relive new lives. This is probably the saddest perversion of the path. That we would be born again would be senseless considering the doomed fate of the planet earth when the sun inevitably swallows it up. There is only a recycling of materials and forces, a "remanifestation" of sorts that exists seemingly independent of your own consciousness; the water in the waves, if you will.
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nomad
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Re: Nonsense in Buddhism?

Post by nomad »

I’ve never heard of this man before and I know that YouTUBE comments can be extreme at times, but the amount of blind hatred (not just for Buddhism) in the comments section is disheartening.

~nomad

:sage:
"I am because we are." -Xhosa Tribal Saying
salaatti
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Re: Nonsense in Buddhism?

Post by salaatti »

Manapa wrote:Yeah he didn't actually say much or prove his point what is his alternative? I am my father???
Thich Nhat Hanh has actually said that we are both our mother and father :smile:
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