XPost: talk.religion.buddhism, alt.zen, alt.philosophy.zen   
   XPost: alt.buddha.short.fat.guy   
   From: epsteinrob@yahoo.com   
      
   Catawumpus wrote:   
      
   > halfawake :   
   >   
   >   
   >>You're   
   >   
   >   
   >      I'm pointing out that the "entity" Jigme described was his   
   > own photograph.  "Cannot listen to others or carry on   
   > meaningful communication":  he only hears his own voice.  False   
   > sense of "specialness, separation and superiority":  he   
   > depends on the belief he's awakened.  Others must be wrong:  he   
   > claimed I was mistaken even though he didn't address what I   
   > argued, namely that teachings like the Four Noble Truths supply   
   > a highly critical perspective on worldly existence, thus   
   > disproving his dogma that "Buddhism does not comment negatively   
   > on life here."  Thanks for asking.   
   >   
   > -- Catawumpus   
      
   Thanks for quoting me so completely.   
      
   I understand your point, but I don't think you understand Jigme's point.   
     He has acknowledged that you are literally correct that what you say   
   is in the Buddha's 4 NT, but he has also pointed out that the 4 NT   
   presented in that way is the truth of a certain part of the Buddhist   
   spectrum.  He has proposed that there is a higher standpoint to look at   
   the Buddha's teachings from, and that it is a different standpoint than   
   the one that describes life as suffering to be escaped from.  He   
   proposes that this higher teaching is also present in Buddhist sutras,   
   most clearly represented in Mahayana writings.  You have not   
   acknowledged and addressed this thesis, just dismissed it as inaccurate   
   when set against the 4 NTs, but Mahayana writings bears him out.  So it   
   is worth asking whether you are equally dismissive to the body of   
   Mahayana sutras.  Would you mind answering that, and addressing the   
   point as a whole?   
      
   Best,   
   Robert   
      
   = = = = =   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)