Simple_Jack

There's an interesting discussion over at DW about the possibility of the Shakya clan's 'non-Indo-European heritage': http://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?f=102&t=15613 Indrajala wrote: Elsewhere Zhen Li pointed out the Buddha's heritage was not entirely Indo-European: Zhen Li wrote:Probably a mixture of some kind of Munda-indigenous heritage, with Indo-Aryan. Since the names used in the Sutras for people and places in the Sakya kingdom are often of non-Indo-European origin. There's also the prominent evidence of trace Naga cults and tree cults, (not to mention Yakshas) which are definitely indigenous, and Mucilinda's name can be derived from Munda. There's also multiple stories in the Pali Canon about cousin-intermarriage among Sakya ancestors, which was forbidden in Brahmanical society. Also, indigenous burial customs were mound-based, in round mounds, while the Indo-Aryans abandoned the Kurgan-like mound burials centuries earlier in preference for square burial chambers. You will also note that many of the names of the Buddha's disciples are odd from the Brahminical perspective, such as Shariputra, who is named after his mother. There's also some evidence that the notion of a Mahapurusha was indigenous. One thing I discovered recently was that, apparently, a number of ancient Indian names and Indic terms, including those in Buddhist literature, have cognates in Akkadian and other Mesopotamian languages. Malati J. Shendge suggests in her work The Language of the Harappans: From Akkadian to Sanskrit that the earlier Indus Valley civilization, which she identifies as the Asura culture described in Vedic literature, was Akkadian speaking. One noteworthy Indic name of interest also found in Akkadian and Sumerian sources is Kaśyapa (in Pali Kassapa). One of the Buddha's chief disciples was Mahā-Kaśyapa. The past buddha immediately prior to Śākyamuni was called Kaśyapa. 1. Kaśyapaḥ: Kaśyapo Māricaḥ, PN composer of RV I.99, VIII.29; Rebhaḥ Kaśyapaḥ, family name of the composer of RV VIII.97. With this, cp. Sum. Kaššeba, king (priest-king?), Akk. Kaššāpu, sorcerer, (denotes sun-god Šamaš), also kašāpu, to use charms, bewitch, OB on, Kaššeba (=Šamaš) In Indian sources, the name was borne by the husband of Aditi and father of the Ādityas (Varuṇa, Mitra, etc. seven). He was obviously a very ancient mythical personage who was connected with creation. Malati J. Shendge, The Language of the Harappans: From Akkadian to Sanskrit (New Delhi, India: Abhinav Publications, 1997), 208. This is not so surprising given that Akkadian loanwords exist in Vedic Sanskrit according to Thomas McEvilley: In India in the late second millennium – the Middle Vedic period in terms of Sanskrit literary history – the reexpanding trade with the Near East brought with it elements of cultural diffusion. Contact with the Mesopotamian cultural stream may have left significant traces in the pantheistic hymns, of a type found widely in the Near East, in the the tenth book of the Rg Veda and in the appearance of Akkadian words in the Atharva Veda, both of which seem to have been taking shape at about the time the Near Eastern trade was revived. Thomas McEvilley, The Shape of Ancient Thought Comparative Studies in Greek and Indian Philosophies (New Delhi, India: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 2008), 2. McEvilley dates the wave of Akkadian influence to around 1000 BCE (this is incidentally during the Bronze Age dark age), further identifying two Akkadian words apsu and tiamat which originate from the Creation Epic.

http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/7974/The-Dhamma-Brothers - Full-length documentary, "The Dhamma Brothers". There are some video updates on the program and some of the inmates if you do a search on the net.

Maybe one day, as they have already incorporated sati in clinical and therapeutic settings (MBCT & MBSR), and now in a military setting dubbed Mindfulness Based Mind Fitness Training or MMFT [http://www.mind-fitness-training.org/training.html].

Yeah, its applicable if you practice vipassana in the Theravada tradition, as this is an elaboration of the 3 seals i.e. anicca, dukkha, anatta in actual practice, but since you're a Vajrayana practitioner: then it's your prerogative to disregard the above. May your progress in the path be swift, meeting with few obstacles, on the road to bodhi. Take care.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/zen/hz/hz.htm Beware of seeking [the Truth] by others, Further and further he retreats from you; Alone I go now all by myself, And I meet him everywhere I turn. He is no other than myself, And yet I am not he. When thus understood, I am face to face with Tathatâ. ~ Dongshan Liangjie (Essays in Zen Buddhism – Third Series 238) 寶鏡三昧歌 The Song of the Jeweled Mirror Samadhi Translated by Toshu John Neatrour, Sheng-yen, and Kazu Tanahashi 如是之法　佛祖密附 The teaching of suchness, is given directly, through all buddha ancestors, 汝今得之　宜能保護 Now that it's yours, keep it well. 銀碗盛雪　明月藏鷺 A serving of snow in a silver bowl, or herons concealed in the glare of the moon 類而不斉　混則知處 Apart, they seem similar, together, they're different. 意不在言　來機亦赴 Meaning cannot rest in words, it adapts itself to that which arises. 動成窠臼　差落顧佇 Tremble and you're lost in a trap, miss and there's always regrets. 背觸共非　如大火聚 Neither reject nor cling to words, both are wrong; like a ball of fire, 但形文彩　即屬染汚 Useful but dangerous. Merely expressed in fine language, the mirror will tarnish. 夜半正明　天曉不露 At midnight truly it's most bright, by daylight it cannot still be seen. 爲物作則　用抜諸苦 It is the principle that regulates all, relieving every suffering. 雖非有爲　不是無語 Though it doesn't act it is not without words. 如臨寶鏡　形影相覩 In the most precious mirror form meets reflection: 汝是非渠　渠正是汝 You are not It, but It is all you. 如世嬰児　五相完具 Just as a baby, five senses complete, 不去不來　不起不住 Neither going or coming, nor arising or staying, 婆婆和和　有句無句 Babbles and coos: speech without meaning, 終不得物　語未正故 No understanding, unclearly expressed. 重離六爻　偏正回互 Six lines make the double li trigram, where principle and appearances interact. 疊而成三　變盡爲五 Lines stacked in three pairs yet transform in five ways. 如茎草味　如金剛杵 Like the five flavors of the hyssop plant or the five branches of the diamond scepter, 正中妙挾　敲唱雙舉 Reality harmonizes subtly just as melody and rhythm, together make music. 通宗通途　挾帯挾路 Penetrate the root and you fathom the branches, grasping connections, one then finds the road. 錯然則吉　不可犯忤 To be wrong is auspicious, there's no contradiction. 天眞而妙　不屬迷悟 Naturally pure and profoundly subtle, it touches neither delusion nor awakening, 因縁時節　寂然昭著 At each time and condition it quietly shines. 細入無間　大絶方所 So fine it penetrates no space at all, so large its bounds can never be measured. 毫忽之差　不應律呂 But if you're off by a hair's breadth all harmony's lost in discord. 今有頓漸　縁立宗趣 Now there are sudden and gradual schools with principles, approaches so standards arise. 宗趣分矣　即是規矩 Penetrating the principle, 宗通趣極　眞常流注 Mastering the approach, the genuine constant continues outflowing. 外寂内搖　繋駒伏鼠 A tethered horse, a mouse frozen in fear, outwardly still but inwardly whirling: 先聖悲之　爲法檀度 Compassionate sages freed them with teaching. 隨其顛倒　以緇爲素 In upside down ways folks take black for white. 顛倒想滅　肯心自許 When inverted thinking falls away they realize mind without even trying. 要合古轍　請觀前古 If you want to follow the ancient path then consider the ancients: 佛道垂成　十劫觀樹 The buddha, completing the path, still sat for ten eons. 如虎之缺　如馬之馵 Like a tiger leaving a trace of the prey, like a horse missing the left hind shoe, 以有下劣　寶几珍御 For those whose ability is under the mark, a jeweled footrest and brocaded robe. 以有驚異　狸奴白牯 For others who still can manifest wonder there's a house cat and cow. 藝以巧力　射中百歩 Yi the archer shot nine of ten suns from the sky, saving parched crops, another bowman hit targets at hundreds of paces: 箭鋒相値　巧力何預 These skills are small to compare with that in which two arrow points meet head on in mid air. 木人方歌　石女起舞 The wooden man breaks into song, a stone maiden leaps up to dance, 非情識到　寧容思慮 They can't be known by mere thought or feelings, so how can they be analyzed? 臣奉於君　子順於父 The minister still serves his lord, the child obeys his parent. 不順不孝　不奉非輔 Not obeying is unfilial, not serving is a useless waste. 潛行密用　如愚如魯 Practicing inwardly, functioning in secret, playing the fool, seemingly stupid, 只能相續　名主中主 If you can only persist in this way, you will see the lord within the lord.

You definitely can, but that doesn't mean that it will be in accord with how its presently taught in any existing traditions today; regardless of whatever experience with Buddhism you may have: this doesn't automatically mean that it's exempt from biased and/or delusional views that you currently possess. Which is why I choose to rely on the sutras, shastras and the instructions from my teachers instead. I don't have to consent to your posts just as you don't have to do the same for mine.

No one's forcing you to get involved with buddhadharma at all. It's of your own volition to come into this sub-forum and debate Buddhist principles.

Bump.

In compaison to Malcolm's post that themiddleway referenced, which was from almost 2 years ago, here's some posts of Malcolm's from a few weeks ago: http://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=15699&start=20 Malcolm wrote: I have wavered on this over the years, as I have in so many other things, but my present thinking is that all Vajrayāna practitioners of whatever stripe need a solid grounding in Hinayāna and Mahāyāna paths.... ChNN only sets a minimum bar on what he expects people to know, but he expects _everyone_ to learn the base. Sadly, most people ignore him on this point, but it is partially because the translation is difficult to read.... ...The reason why we need to acquaint ourselves with these tenet systems is so that we avoid falling into the same errors, thinking our view accords with Buddhadharma, when it really doesn't.

The post of Malcolm's that themiddleway referenced, was from almost two years ago. In comparison, the one I referenced [http://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?f=66&t=15425&start=420] was from last month. Malcolm's views or opinions may not be as black and white as they initially seem to be; the only constant with Malcolm's posts are his changing views or opinions on certain matters.

I apologize if my above posts offends you: I understand that the Buddha's teachings won't appeal to everyone.

The above would only have significance if you understood how this diverges from Upanishadic doctrine in both intent and praxis. It's a prime component of Buddhism that features throughout Hinayana and Mahayana; it's significance is more than just a rhetorical device. Mahayana focuses on the realization of 2-fold emptiness, so as lead the practitioner from the limitations of Hinayana, to enter the path of seeing. On the other hand, the above won't be fully appreciated unless a person understands how Mahayana builds upon Hinayana: http://awakeningtoreality.blogspot.com/search/label/Munindra Whatever we see, it is not I, not me, nor a man, not a woman. In the eye, there is just color. It arises and passes away. So who is seeing the object? There is no seer in the object. Then how is the object seen? On account of certain causes. What are the causes? Eyes are one cause; they must be intact, in good order. Second, object or color must come in front of the eyes, must reflect on the retina of the eyes. Third, there must be light. Fourth, there must be attention, a mental factor. If those four causes are present, then there arises a knowing faculty called eye consciousness. If any one of the causes is missing, there will not be any seeing. If eyes are blind, no seeing. If there is no light, no seeing. If there is no attention, no seeing. But none of the causes can claim, "I am the seer." They're just constantly arising and passing. As soon as it passes away, we say, "I am seeing." You are not seeing; you are just thinking, "I am seeing." This is called conditioning. Because our mind is conditioned, when we hear the sound, we say, "I am hearing." But there is no hearer waiting in the car to hear the sound. Sound creates a wave, and, when it strikes against the eardrum, ear consciousness is the effect. Sound is not a man, nor a woman; it is just a sound that arises and passes away. But, according to our conditioning, we say, "That woman is singing and I am hearing." But you're not hearing, you are thinking, "I am hearing." Sound is already heard and gone. There is no "I" who heard the sound; it is the world of concept. Buddha discovered this in the physical level, in the mental level: how everything is happening without an actor, without a doer - empty phenomenon go rolling on. ~ Munindra

Thanissaro Bhikkhu teaches 'body scanning' similar to Goenka. Neither technique is 'wrong' nor 'right' as they both are justifiable according to the Satipatthana Sutta and Anapanasati Sutta, respectively. Some teachers will place emphasis on a particular approach to vipassana and then disseminate this approach to the masses; this does not necessarily make these techniques invalid. Just as Allan Wallace's emphasis, of the 'visuddhimagga jhana', does not invalidate his teachings: since his criteria for jhana doesn't follow the suttapitaka to the tee.

Goenka emphasizes 'body scanning' over the other frames of satipatthana, but this does not invalidate this approach. Mahasi style 'noting', is just another technique of vipassana that can be particularly suited to some individuals, and can be especially useful for beginners.

Sati or 'mindfulness', in itself is not a unique feature of Buddha's teaching, everyone uses some degree of attention in their everyday lives, sati as a mental factor, is utilized as sustained attention on an object. Attention is developed when we can continually sustain it on an object of focus for extended periods of time. Naturally, this is the primary factor that leads to the development of samadhi. In Buddhism, sati only becomes a liberating factor, when it is combined with the 37 factors of awakening, and the Buddha's teaching on the 3 seals of anicca, dukkha, anatta (for Mahayana its 2-fold emptiness). The 3 seals are a very basic component of Buddhism and is particularly emphasized in Hinayana; 'mindfulness' of the arising and passing of the 5 aggregates via the 6 sense doors are taught as the primary means towards stream-entry. All Theravada traditions emphasize this when teaching vipassana whether it's in the style of the Burmese or Thai traditions, Mahasi Sayadaw's and S.N. Goenka's teachings, etc. Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBST), and the related Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), are very effective therapeutical techniques nonetheless.

It seems that many people who are drawn to Mahayana paths overlook or fail to understand a very basic and essential premise to buddhadharma: http://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?f=66&t=15425&start=420 Malcolm wrote:.. All awarenesses are conditioned. There is no such thing as a universal undifferentiated ultimate awareness in Buddhadharma. Even the omniscience of a Buddha arises from a cause.... Omniscience is the content of a mind freed of afflictions. Even the continuum of a Buddha has a relative ground, i.e. a the rosary or string of moments of clarity is beginingless. Origination from self is axiomatically negated in Buddhadharma, Each moment in the continuum of a knowing clarity is neither the same as nor different than the previous moment. Hence the cause of a given instant of a knowing clarity cannot be construed to be itself nor can it be construed to be other than itself. This is the only version of causation which, in the final analysis, Buddhadharma can admit to on a relative level. It is the logical consequence of the Buddha's insight, "When this exists, that exists, with the arising of that, this arose."... Cognitions arise based on previous cognitions. That's all. If you suggest anything other than this, you wind up in Hindu La la land....

http://youtu.be/HN247-Ia5s4 http://youtu.be/6XATdPHtH7U

"The Genesis of the Bodhisattva Ideal" by Ven. Analayo; University of Hamburg - http://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/fileadmin/pdf/analayo/GenesisBodhisattva.pdf

Definitely, which is why becoming familiarized with the basics of Hinayana and Mahayana, helps in preventing that.

Keep in mind: bad translations die hard.

They usually have a waiting list in order to get an available space in the retreat as the entire retreat (including retreat housing and food) is completely free; it's completely donations based operated. They ask that people put aside any practices they are currently doing in order to devote the entire retreat to anapana and vipassana. Other than that there's some chanting. On top of that it's a silent retreat until the end of the 10 days; there's segregation of the sexes, until the last day of the retreat, so as to avoid distractions during the course of the retreat. They encourage people to attend the entirety of the course, but they don't force anyone to stay the entire retreat, and some people do end up trickling out of the retreat even within the first couple days. If you're not used to sitting in a silent retreat setting for a consecutive number of hours of the day, only stopping for meals, to use the bathroom, and to get some personal downtime: then this will be a tough experience. You can read other people's testimonials on the internet, but ultimately it's up to the individual to come to their own conclusions or to try out the course for themselves. Here's a few links to read some people's experiences: http://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=15291&hilit=goenka http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=8667 http://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=11618&start=0

Only very recently has it been able to be reasonably presented accurately. You still occasionally get people (usually from a background in Hinduism) who come onto this sub-forum and try to force slanted interpretations of buddhadharma from within an eternalist framework. It's not surprising that they would say this, next to Zen, Vajrayana is the most popular form of buddhadharma in the West. Not everyone is interested in or even suited to Dzogchen practice. Some people prefer chanting the "Lotus Sutra" and reciting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo like they do in Sokka Gakkai or doing nianfo/nembutsu of East Asian Pure Land practice; you know the saying: "84000 dharma gates".

TI, don't just rely on books: seek a teacher or a group meet up for whatever aspect of Buddhism you're interested in. If you really want to comprehend, in a shorter period of time, vipassana practice: then go to an Insight Meditation Society meet up in your area or attend a 10 day S.N. Goenka vipassana retreat, where you'll learn anapana along with vipassana. If you want to learn anything Vajrayana, definitely seek out a teacher to receive empowerments and teachings, that you're interested in.

TI, you misunderstand, I don't want to 'win anyone over', but I would like to see Buddhism represented accurately on TTB's. Gatito is only perpetuating what dwai, 3bob, and practically every other person that posted regularly on the bums has done. All that does is make Buddhist principles and praxis something nebulous. In any case, what you are describing are methods for different proclivities; choose one that works for you and see how that goes for a while. Also, 'no-self' and emptiness does not equate to nihilism: this is exactly what I mean when I rant about Buddhism not being represented accurately or not being portrayed fairly on this board. You're free to remain ignorant on the finer points of Buddhism. If you want to discuss your experiences with like minded people: go to dharmaconnectiongroup, dharmaoverground or kennethfolkdharma.

http://www.dharmaoverground.org/web/guest/discussion/-/message_boards/message/1286373 - "The Practical Aspects of Establishing Mindfulness". http://www.dharmaoverground.org/web/guest/discussion/-/message_boards/message/1191517 - "A Practical, All Purpose Jhana Thread".