Our Incredibly Fortunate Rebirth.

[Bosse137]

Knowing that we have been reborn for many lives can be a good spur to practice when we realise how rare and fortunate to have met the dhamma now...

It is not all useless conjecture.

The Buddha told many stories using events from past existences as a way to teach. If we are obstinate and refuse to believe our teacher then our ego is trying to make us think we are better than him and know more.

You Rocky are often saying...'what he really meant is this.... or in the context of the age it was so and so but nowadays....' as if you know better.

Doubt is a serious hinderance.....

Well,me for one do not need "a good spur" in form of believing in reincarnation to practice.Obviuosly,since I do not believe in reincarnation.Perhaps it is easy for me to say,since I feel,that I got most of what I wanted,and more,in this life.To me it would feel more like a threat to live again;you know,"leave the party when it is at it`s best".For me,the reason is trying to become a better person in this life,since I am aware of my many shortcomings.If I succed with this (more or less) I hope I can be a better person to others as well. This goes as an answer in part also to "Several" You and many others may fear finallity,but many do not.Guess you never really know untill you are in the situation though,but I personally have known people,who just want to die,who do not have any wish to go on..

[Several]

Oh no bro. I do not fear it. I've seen it face to face more than once. I've seen others go through it. I've buried their bodies, consoled their loved ones, stood in their shoes. Most people never really consider death until old age creeps up on them and mistakenly call that wisdom, but I have been acutely aware of it for my whole life. Fear is the enemy, not death.

[Bosse137]

Allright bro,good to hear that you don`t fear dead.So,we can agree on that,that some people do not fear it.Regarding fearing to loose the attachments,who needs them after you are dead?As you said in the earlier post,some see mortality as finality,and final means final,doesn`t it?

I must add,that I actually have been standing in my own shoes,as "the loved one",when I buried my parents and when I buried my then 23 year daughter.At those occasions,death was my enemy,and nobody could stand in my shoes or say anything,that would have change that!

Edited March 17, 2013 by Bosse137

[rockyysdt]

Knowing that we have been reborn for many lives can be a good spur to practice when we realise how rare and fortunate to have met the dhamma now...

It is not all useless conjecture.

The Buddha told many stories using events from past existences as a way to teach. If we are obstinate and refuse to believe our teacher then our ego is trying to make us think we are better than him and know more.

You Rocky are often saying...'what he really meant is this.... or in the context of the age it was so and so but nowadays....' as if you know better.

Doubt is a serious hinderance.....

Hi Fred.

Whether re born countless times, or born once, for me, the spur is equal.

For me to have been born at all, and to exist, is rare and fortunate.

To reach the pinnacle of my potential is my spur.

If this is to experience life fully Awakened, this is my goal.

There is only one thing wrong with quoting the Buddha.

No one un-awakened really knows what he taught.

That's why many go down the "belief" road.

Belief is fraught with danger.

It can be an ego trap.

Our Ego loves immortality.

I say, practice and find out.

I know the physical.

I know the eightfold path.

I know that practicing it yields the answers/experience.

If the answers/experience reveals a Metaphysical then this is a bonus.

I think the Metaphysical is something I am open to but will only accept as fact once I experience/dwell in it.

In terms of saying "what he really meant" this all comes down to my inability to fully express myself.

What I meant to say is that scholars who have studied Sanskrit, Pali, early Buddhist texts, Brahman life reveal something quite different to those such as Buddhagosa whose interpretations brought us Theravada.

What that tells me is that I should keep an open mind.

Not doing so causes me to choose sides, believe, and possibly miss the Buddhas actual teaching.

There are many reasons why one fully believes in and is locked into Buddhist cosmology.

Keeping an open mind is what the Buddha taught.

Remaining unattached and practising the eightfold path.

Choosing Buddagosa's interpretations as gospel is akin to attachment and inflexibility the opposite of the Buddhas teachings.

On the other hand, keeping an open mind, and observing without attachment is the middle way.

Don't you think.

Edited March 17, 2013 by rockyysdt

[Several]

Another way to look at this is how can we make our rebirth into this life fortunate for others? Even a life filled with adversity and suffering can be fortunate if we learn from our mistakes and become an example for others.

[sabaijai]

Different spurs for different cowboys

[khaowong1]

Knowing that we have been reborn for many lives can be a good spur to practice when we realise how rare and fortunate to have met the dhamma now...

It is not all useless conjecture.

The Buddha told many stories using events from past existences as a way to teach. If we are obstinate and refuse to believe our teacher then our ego is trying to make us think we are better than him and know more.

You Rocky are often saying...'what he really meant is this.... or in the context of the age it was so and so but nowadays....' as if you know better.

Doubt is a serious hinderance.....

Hi Fred.

Whether re born countless times, or born once, for me, the spur is equal.

For me to have been born at all, and to exist, is rare and fortunate.

To reach the pinnacle of my potential is my spur.

If this is to experience life fully Awakened, this is my goal.

There is only one thing wrong with quoting the Buddha.

No one un-awakened really knows what he taught.

That's why many go down the "belief" road.

Belief is fraught with danger.

It can be an ego trap.

Our Ego loves immortality.

I say, practice and find out.

I know the physical.

I know the eightfold path.

I know that practicing it yields the answers/experience.

If the answers/experience reveals a Metaphysical then this is a bonus.

I think the Metaphysical is something I am open to but will only accept as fact once I experience/dwell in it.

In terms of saying "what he really meant" this all comes down to my inability to fully express myself.

What I meant to say is that scholars who have studied Sanskrit, Pali, early Buddhist texts, Brahman life reveal something quite different to those such as Buddhagosa whose interpretations brought us Theravada.

What that tells me is that I should keep an open mind.

Not doing so causes me to choose sides, believe, and possibly miss the Buddhas actual teaching.

There are many reasons why one fully believes in and is locked into Buddhist cosmology.

Keeping an open mind is what the Buddha taught.

Remaining unattached and practising the eightfold path.

Choosing Buddagosa's interpretations as gospel is akin to attachment and inflexibility the opposite of the Buddhas teachings.

On the other hand, keeping an open mind, and observing without attachment is the middle way.

Don't you think.

I have to go with most of what your saying here. No one that I know really knows what the Buddha taught. To believe what some teachers tell us "this" is what the Buddha taught takes belief.. and sometimes that belief is not enough. Mostl of what is being taught today about Buddhism is coming from these teachers, some of whom may not actually be qualified to be teachers. There are teachers out there that I do admire, Ajahn Chah, Luang Tah Maha Boowa, Luang Poh Koon, to name a few, but there are way too many who are just being followers of followers.. It would have been nice to have had one of them as a teacher, not to forget to menton Luang Poh Jarun. But most of us don't have that opportunity. So for myself, I use the books that these teachers wrote and try to follow a path they suggest. I get in trouble qute frequently when I tell some teacher who is espousing some of his knowledge to me, that Luang Poh Jarun says this instead. Fortunately, my abbots where I live in Khok Samrong Lopburi now, instead of giving me some lecture or another, hand me a book written by one of the teachers I mentioned, as tell me, here, see what they have to say about this or that. I've lost my train of thought here rambling on, but I think you get my drift.. p.s. I enjoy reading your posts.. sadhu

[fabianfred]

I have no doubt about the core teachings of the Pali canon, not necessarily the commentaries etc., but then it is only really the core teachings we need.

Unlike the Bible where there is much doubt because of numerous authors, known editing, and many translations, all done by ordinary worldlings (in the Buddhist understanding). Our four types of Noble persons have earned that state through practice, whereas the churches saints are merely nominated.

The Pali texts were not written until about 300 years after the Parinibbana of the Buddha, but throughout that time there were still many Arahants, and it is the arahants which did the recollecting and writing. They have attained to nibbana and have recall and access to information which ordinary wordlings do not. That is why i am more certain of the veracity of the pali texts than the bible.