XPost: talk.religion.buddhism, alt.zen, alt.philosophy.zen   
   XPost: alt.buddha.short.fat.guy   
   From: epsteinrob@yahoo.com   
      
   syringe nipples wrote:   
      
   > On 16/08/2010 1:21 PM, halfawake wrote:   
   >   
   >> syringe nipples wrote:   
   >>   
   >>> On 16/08/2010 2:43 AM, halfawake wrote:   
   >>>   
   >>>> Catawumpus wrote:   
   >>>>   
   >>>>> oxtail :   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>>> You are quite skilled in distracting yourself.   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>> You are quite unskilled in right speech, since you keep on   
   >>>>> misrepresenting the Apannaka Sutta, apparently because the   
   >>>>> Buddha's saying "There is actually the next world" doen't match   
   >>>>> your doctrine.   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>>> In that sutta, The Buddha was arguing against the anti-Dharma   
   >>>>>> positions.   
   >>>>>> He was not interested in making ontological assertions.   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>> In this sutta the Buddha firmly asserts "There is actually the next   
   >>>>> world," calls that assertion right speech, true   
   >>>>> dhamma, etc., and distinguishes "the good destination" from the   
   >>>>> bad one in the world-to-come.   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>> -- Catawumpus   
   >>>>   
   >>>>   
   >>>>   
   >>>> I have to agree that this sutta seems singularly focused on encouraging   
   >>>> correct behavior based on the doctrine that those who take right action   
   >>>> will wind up in a better state after death, and that those who take   
   >>>> wrong actions will wind up in hell states or have other negative   
   >>>> consequences after death. In that, it does not seem all that different   
   >>>> from fundamentalist Christian doctrine. What a drag.   
   >>>>   
   >>>> Robert   
   >>>>   
   >>>> - - - - - - - - -   
   >>>   
   >>>   
   >>>   
   >>> if this sutra is singularly focused on "that" at least buddhism isn't   
   >>> singularly focused on this sutra? christianity is more specialized?   
   >>   
   >>   
   >> for sure. Buddhism has a broad spectrum of practice, all directed   
   >> towards awakening, in one way or another. The suttas that are more   
   >> squarely focused on piety are not well aligned to my personal   
   >> temperament.   
   >>   
   >> Robert   
   >>   
   >> = = = = = = =   
   >   
   >   
   > there's a style to them just more in others? some people may like the   
   > way it flavours the writing. some may enjoy indulging in the plays. i   
   > haven't read much or studied but it seems a lot of what might put the   
   > modern mind off could be cut out and halve the size of the sutras.   
      
   oh well you could reduce them quite a bit - more than half - if you cut   
   out the frequent repetitions designed to allow easier memorization when   
   they were only spoken and not written down for many years, as well as   
   perhaps the hypnotizing of the listener/reciter through repeated   
   repeated repeated repetition.   
      
   Robert   
      
   = = = = = = = =   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)