Tripitaka

BuckyG

Hi,
Is the Tripitaka the infallible word of the Buddha? Does infallibility matter?
May you find the causes of true happiness within?
BuckyG

aMatt

If it were infallible, scholars wouldn't debate endlessly this and that. I think the most important part is that there is a path to liberation in the teachings it contains.

Saying it is or isn't infallible is clinging/projecting, in my opinion, and isn't worth pursuing. Like a cook book... you can argue about the author or just shut up and cook the meal and see what happens.

Cloud

I'm sure it's not infallible, it's been like 2500 years since the Buddha spoke. It's not the exact words that are important though, but the message and our own ability through meditation to verify these teachings.

DhammaDhatu

I'm sure it's not infallible because a large portion of it is/was not spoken by the Buddha. Tripitaka is 'three baskets', which includes Vinayana and Abhidhamma. Given there are so many contradictions in the Tripitaka, including even the inclusion of some dodgy suttas (eg. Mahanidana Sutta), that the Tripitaka is infallible is basically impossible.

upekka

just shut up and cook the meal and see what happens.

BuckyG

Hi aMatt, Cloud & upekka:
Are you saying, following your analogy, that when you get to the point you don't need the cookbook you've memorized the recipe and can now improvise?

I'm just glad a cookbook exists.

May you find the causes of true happiness within.

Cloud

No, the cookbook is still necessary for guiding you to what you haven't yet experienced for yourself (the path may be long!). It's like describing the color red to someone in a lot of different ways. One day they actually see a red apple and go "aha! so that's red!..." (and then of course continue with questions such as "but, why is it red? what makes it red?"). The purpose of the written teachings are to guide you to seeing reality as-it-is for yourself, and after you've done that you would hardly need words on paper to tell you, would you? In fact the words fail miserably in comparison to actually seeing for yourself!

BuckyG

Hi Cloud,
I think we agree. A recipe is just part of the cookbook (Yet it has been argued that the parts/recipes--for example, the sub-sets of the "wings to awakening") are contained in the whole/cookbook.). But I can't tell from this


"The purpose of the written teachings are to guide you to seeing reality as-it-is for yourself, and after you've done that you would hardly need words on paper to tell you, would you? In fact the words fail miserably in comparison to actually seeing for yourself" (Cloud)!

if you think the recipes can eventually be discarded?
Regards,
bucky

DhammaDhatu

can the recipe be discarded? each time we cook, do we follow the recipe? the book can be discarded but can the recipe be discarded? is not each buddha the embodiment of the recipe?

Jeffrey

If we follow the recipe we don't always get a good result. Its like riding a bike. You can read "balance yourself from right to left. Sit on the seat now pedal". But that recipe can fail. The proof is in the pudding.

aMatt

The reason the buddhist cookbook is amazing is that it does have recipies, but also teaches us how to cook, how to relate to ingredients, what mixtures create what results and so forth. Other canons typically have recipes, but few lessons in actual cooking, because the chefs are deified.

santhisouk

It's more than a cookbook. It's spiritual guidance. It's how to hunt/fish, prepare, cook, and use the rest for gear and shelter.