________________________________ From: Billy Rojas Sent: Thursday, October 18, 2018 2:24 PM To: [email protected] Cc: Billy Rojas Subject: Re: 4:30 call Re: [RC] PRACTICE 'Orthodox' Theravada interrepretation of the Noble Eightfold Path
Ernie: "might well find Buddhists who basically agree" Future tense, hypothetical but plausible. I'm going on past experience -with the assumption that my rusty knowledge of such things is still basically sound. Maybe some day there will be a network of "friendly Buddhists." That would be nice and it certainly could happen if circumstances were favorable, but all that I tried to say was that a lot of Buddhists, especially in Japan, are not orthodox as the monks in Thailand or Burma understand such things. And, to be candid, even though I respect the Theravadins of SE Asia, who are the guardians of the Tripitaka, and the importance of this is considerable, I am much more concerned with Japan and Japanese people who, of the many I have met over the years, are "my kind of Buddhists." Or simply my kind of people. I just happen to like things Japanese and like the Japanese. A few idiots, as there are in any population, but otherwise they usually are as good as any group gets. Shogun Billy-san ________________________________ From: [email protected] <[email protected]> on behalf of Centroids <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, October 18, 2018 1:51 PM To: [email protected] Subject: 4:30 call Re: [RC] PRACTICE 'Orthodox' Theravada interrepretation of the Noble Eightfold Path Assuming your network exists... Sent from my iPhone On Oct 17, 2018, at 14:26, Billy Rojas <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: My view of Buddhism is partly Theravada and partly Mahayana and partly Vajrayana, viz., partly SE Asian, partly Japanese / Chinese, and partly Tibetan. It is also based on the kind of latitude that is found in various Japanese "new religions" like Perfect Liberty Koyodan Hence, while my interpretation of Buddhist practice might not pass muster among the monks of Thailand or among Zen Buddhist purists, it might well find Buddhists who basically agree with the ideas in it, in Japan and maybe elsewhere. BR ------------------------------------------------------------------ from the Wikipedia article "Buddhism" The Buddhist path Theravada – Noble Eightfold Path [ship's wheel with eight spokes represents the Noble Eightfold Path]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dharma_Wheel.svg> The Dharmachakra<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharmachakra> represents the Noble Eightfold Path<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path>. Main articles: Noble Eightfold Path<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path> and Buddhist Paths to liberation<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_Paths_to_liberation> An important guiding principle of Buddhist practice is the Middle Way<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Way> (madhyamapratipad). It was a part of Buddha's first sermon, where he presented the Noble Eightfold Path<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path> that was a 'middle way' between the extremes of asceticism and hedonistic sense pleasures.[159]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHarvey201323,_81-190>[160]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKeown199624,_59-191> In Buddhism, states Harvey, the doctrine of "dependent arising" (conditioned arising, pratītyasamutpāda) to explain rebirth is viewed as the 'middle way' between the doctrines that a being has a "permanent soul" involved in rebirth (eternalism) and "death is final and there is no rebirth" (annihilationism).[161]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHarvey201372-192>[162]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBuswellLopez200349,_''antagrahadrsti''-193> In the Theravada canon, the Pali-suttas, various often irreconcilable sequences can be found. According to Carol Anderson, the Theravada canon lacks "an overriding and comprehensive structure of the path to nibbana."[163]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAnderson1999131-194> Nevertheless, the Noble Eightfold Path<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_Eightfold_Path>, or "Eightfold Path of the Noble Ones", has become an important description of the Buddhist path. It consists of a set of eight interconnected factors or conditions, that when developed together, lead to the cessation of dukkha<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dukkha>.[164]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAjahn_Sucitto201087–88-195> These eight factors are: Right View (or Right Understanding), Right Intention (or Right Thought), Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration. This Eightfold Path is the fourth of the Four Noble Truths<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths>, and asserts the path to the cessation of dukkha (suffering, pain, unsatisfactoriness).[165]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGethin199881–83-196>[166]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAnderson201364–65-197> The path teaches that the way of the enlightened ones stopped their craving, clinging and karmic<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma> accumulations, and thus ended their endless cycles of rebirth and suffering.[167]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHarvey2016253–255-198>[168]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBhikkhu_Bodhi20101–13-199>[169]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEWilliamsTribeWynne201252-200> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEWilliamsTribeWynne201252-200> The Noble Eightfold Path is grouped into three basic divisions<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_disciplines_of_Buddhism>, as follows:[170]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEVetter198812–13-201>[171]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHarvey201383–85-202>[172]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBhikkhu_Bodhi201047–48-203> Division Eightfold factor Sanskrit, Pali Description Wisdom (Sanskrit: prajñā<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisdom_in_Buddhism>, Pāli: paññā) 1. Right view samyag dṛṣṭi, sammā ditthi The belief that there is an afterlife and not everything ends with death, that Buddha taught and followed a successful path to nirvana;[170]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEVetter198812–13-201> according to Peter Harvey, the right view is held in Buddhism as a belief in the Buddhist principles of karma<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma> and rebirth<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebirth_(Buddhism)>, and the importance of the Four Noble Truths<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths> and the True Realities.[173]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHarvey201383–84-204> 2. Right intention samyag saṃkalpa, sammā saṅkappa Giving up home and adopting the life of a religious mendicant in order to follow the path;[170]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEVetter198812–13-201> this concept, states Harvey, aims at peaceful renunciation, into an environment of non-sensuality, non-ill-will (to lovingkindness), away from cruelty (to compassion).[173]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHarvey201383–84-204> Moral virtues[171]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHarvey201383–85-202> (Sanskrit: śīla<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9A%C4%ABla>, Pāli: sīla) 3. Right speech samyag vāc, sammā vāca No lying, no rude speech, no telling one person what another says about him, speaking that which leads to salvation;[170]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEVetter198812–13-201> 4. Right action samyag karman, sammā kammanta No killing or injuring, no taking what is not given; no sexual acts in monastic pursuit,[170]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEVetter198812–13-201> for lay Buddhists no sensual misconduct such as sexual involvement with someone married, or with an unmarried woman protected by her parents or relatives.[174]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-Emmanuel2015p440-205>[175]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-206>[176]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-207> 5. Right livelihood samyag ājīvana, sammā ājīva For monks, beg to feed, only possessing what is essential to sustain life.[177]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEVetter198812-208> For lay Buddhists, the canonical texts state right livelihood as abstaining from wrong livelihood, explained as not becoming a source or means of suffering to sentient beings by cheating them, or harming or killing them in any way.[178]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHarvey201383,_273–274-209>[179]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-210> Meditation[171]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHarvey201383–85-202> (Sanskrit and Pāli: samādhi<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam%C4%81dhi>) 6. Right effort samyag vyāyāma, sammā vāyāma Guard against sensual thoughts; this concept, states Harvey, aims at preventing unwholesome states that disrupt meditation.[180]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHarvey201383-211> 7. Right mindfulness samyag smṛti, sammā sati Never be absent minded, conscious of what one is doing; this, states Harvey, encourages mindfulness about impermanence of the body, feelings and mind, as well as to experience the five skandhas<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha>, the five hindrances, the four True Realities and seven factors of awakening.[180]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHarvey201383-211> 8. Right concentration samyag samādhi, sammā samādhi Correct meditation or concentration (dhyana), explained as the four jhānas.[170]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-FOOTNOTEVetter198812–13-201>[181]<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism#cite_note-bucknellkangp12-212> -- -- Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism Radical Centrism website and blog: http://RadicalCentrism.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>. 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