GrandmasterP Posted May 1, 2014 (edited) Belief is a slippery concept and religion has always been popular. Buddha never started a religion. That was the sutra n scriptures guys who came after the lad himself had passed over who began cashing in on Brand Buddhism. The religious guys, who pulled the old switch and pitch game on those four noble truths; changed them from their original cultivation tips into four propositions of fact 'to be believed in'. Each 'truth' simply requires being acted on ( cultivated)... 1: Understand anguish. 2: Let go of its origins. 3: Realise its cessation. 4: Cultivate the paths ( Those 8 'noble' jobs). Â It's all about cultivation - 'doing'. Buddha wasn't a mystic and his awakening wasn't some shattering insight into Transcendent Truth ( whetever that might be). The lad himself never claimed to have had any experience that granted him privileged, esoteric 'knowledge' of how the universe ticks. All that schtick and mystic woo BS was ( and still is) down to the religious lads who came after Buddha. When the lad told the five ascetics what his awakening meant he just said that he'd discovered complete freedom of heart and mind from the COMPULSIONS of craving. That was it. Job jobbed. Everything else is just marketing and 'dressing up box' nonsense. Edited May 1, 2014 by GrandmasterP 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nononothing Posted May 2, 2014 Hi  Not sure about that 'eliminating a layer of human emotions' belief that you seem to have going there.No way am I implying you are doing this but one danger with positing an 'either/ or' right or wrong type scenario could be dualistic illusion.It's more this way with Buddhism...The Four Noble Truths1. Life is characterized by impermanence and suffering, or Dukkha (insatiable thirst).2. The Origin of Dukkha (suffering) is attachment to desire.3. The Cessation of Dukkha is achieved, not by belief, but by the contemplation, understanding, and elimination of desire and attachment.4. The Noble Eight-fold Path is the way to achieve the cessation of Dukkha.The Noble Eight-fold PathRight....UnderstandingThoughtSpeechActionLivelihoodEffortMindfulnessConcentrationWith respect, there's quite a bit more 'happening' there than simply 'eliminating a layer of human emotions' .  You are right, but we are here to help Under no to go up, but to go down, back to the illusion of duality and Dukkha. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GrandmasterP Posted May 2, 2014 (edited) Fair enough. Good luck with that. :-) Edited May 2, 2014 by GrandmasterP 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
