Bill!, I'm still confused as to why you would consider these terms mumbo jumbo. For example, 'The 5 Precepts' pin-point the problems we face when we sit own to meditate. Take any one of the precepts (not to harm any living thing; steal; sexual misconduct; lie; intoxication). They're not commands like in Christianity, but they help facilitate meditation because a vow keeps us mindful of not breaking them. It's not the obviousness of breaking them that helps meditation, but the vow not to that helps.
The Noble Eightfold Path is another useful tool for those of us on the path. They can be seen as an explanation of the path towards cessation of suffering, as a guideline, and as a description of the behaviour of a Buddha. It's broken down to morality, meditation and wisdom and how to 'achieve' them. It can be seen that morality leads to successful meditation and meditation leads to wisdom (insight into impermanence, no-self and the unsatisfactoriness of believing in both). Criticising them as mumbo jumbo to me seems no different than to criciicise any classification as the same. They might not be ultimate truth, but they're invaluable as a guide and explanation of the Dharma. Mike --- In [email protected], "Bill!" <BillSmart@...> wrote: > > > You're right; or at least what I meant by "mumbo-jumbo" is indeed Buddhist > dogma. Things like 'The Five Precepts' and 'The Noble Eightfold Path'. > > ...Bill! > > --- In [email protected], uerusuboyo@ wrote: > > > > Bill!,<br/><br/>I'm not sure why you always flog this horse about Buddhism > > being "Mumbo jumbo". The way of Vipassana is as clear and concise as any > > manual on making a pizza. Take a look at the Dhammapada - where's the mumbo > > jumbo in that? It's instructions and teachings are perfectly clear (putting > > them into practice is another thing). I think you confuse the rituals and > > prayers to Buddha by later followers with the actual teachings of Buddha. I > > will say, I don't like the word 'Buddhism' as it implies a series of > > beliefs. I practice Buddha Dharma, or simply the Dharma, is much more > > accurate to my mind and is all that Vipassana > > is.<br/><br/>Mike<br/><br/><br/>Sent from Yahoo! Mail for iPhone > > > ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
