Dipankara

[fabianfred]

What gives me more 'faith' of the veracity of the Buddhist texts is that there were still many Arahants at that time...

An Arahant would not lie or twist the truth...having trained the mind exceptional powers of memory are possible.... and having reached the state of Nirvana, information can come from sources unknown to those of us yet to achieve it...... the Akashic records for example.

[phetaroi]

What gives me more 'faith' of the veracity of the Buddhist texts is that there were still many Arahants at that time...

An Arahant would not lie or twist the truth...having trained the mind exceptional powers of memory are possible.... and having reached the state of Nirvana, information can come from sources unknown to those of us yet to achieve it...... the Akashic records for example.

I think as long as you see the difference between faith and fact, you are on the right track.

Here, it seems as if you are going beyond the thought that Buddha was a man and teacher to something supernatural. Again, as an analogy, Jesus died, was buried, and then rose from the dead.

I also want to be clear that I don't believe that an Arahant would "lie or twist the truth", but they were human and therefore could not be dispassionaite about their "faith" in Lord Buddha.

[fabianfred]

If you consider that nature and all its laws.... including the Dhamma and laws of karma.... fall into what is called Samsara....... then the Buddha and Arahants, having achieved to Nirvana and escaped Samsara..... are actually, supernatural....

To those of us who have yet to achieve it, Nirvana is a state, incomprehensible. One who has reached Nirvana has no need of the Dhamma, or of faith.....they had "done what is to be done...."

As the Buddha said, the dhamma is like a raft to take us to the other bank of the river (from Samsara to nirvana).... once there we have no need to carry the raft with us....it has served its purpose.

the Buddha was born as a man for his final rebirth, but having perfected himself over countless lifetimes on the Boddhisattva path, he was far from normal.

[phetaroi]

If you consider that nature and all its laws.... including the Dhamma and laws of karma.... fall into what is called Samsara....... then the Buddha and Arahants, having achieved to Nirvana and escaped Samsara..... are actually, supernatural....

To those of us who have yet to achieve it, Nirvana is a state, incomprehensible. One who has reached Nirvana has no need of the Dhamma, or of faith.....they had "done what is to be done...."

As the Buddha said, the dhamma is like a raft to take us to the other bank of the river (from Samsara to nirvana).... once there we have no need to carry the raft with us....it has served its purpose.

the Buddha was born as a man for his final rebirth, but having perfected himself over countless lifetimes on the Boddhisattva path, he was far from normal.

I accept your belief...but it is faith, not scientific thought.

[Brucenkhamen]

I accept your belief...but it is faith, not scientific thought.

Not only that but I don't see the Jataka Tales as ready adding anything to the Buddhas teaching.

I might be persuaded to accept on faith something that was a necessary part of the path, something that could be a skillful means to support my liberation, without that it's just a distraction at best, a blind alley at worst.