Welcome home! Please contact lincoln@icrontic.com if you have any difficulty logging in or using the site. New registrations must be manually approved which may take several days. Can't log in? Try clearing your browser's cookies.
The Buddha said that all Buddhas who attain Nibbana through self awakening awake to the dhamma of the four noble truths. The whole point of taking up the Boddhisattva vow is to spend billions upon billions of lifetimes traveling from one samsaric birth to the next (which includes hell realms. Sounds like a grand time, right?) with the aspiration that at some point you will awaken to the dhamma of the four noble truths, and thus liberate all beings from suffering. My question is, why would you want to spend such a long, horrible time suffering only to awaken to the Dhamma that is right here for you to practice in this very lifetime.
You seem to have a mistaken idea of what the Bodhisattva path is. Bodhisattvas develop Bodhichitta which is the wish to become a Buddha as quickly as possible they engage in virtuous actions and through the force of practising Dharma they liberate themselves from uncontrolled Samsaric rebirth and death so they may emanate countless forms to benefit sentient beings in the 6 realms. They are free from taking uncontrolled rebirth But appear in many forms throughout Samsara for others beneift. A Bodhisattva because of their high accomplishments can even give away their flesh as if it where nothing if it is appropriate to beneift others.
It is a needed path because without following the Bodhisattva's path there is no way we will reach full enlightenment, A Bodhisattva does not spend his or her time suffering while practising this path how could they? it is a Dharma path and the function of Dharma is to dispell suffering a Bodhisattva engages in these actions with great Joy and knowledge that throughout all their lifetimes now till full enlightenment they will spend it benefiting others unlike ordinary beings because of their accomplishments they do not feel pain so it is easy for them to accomplish what is difficult for others to even imagine doing.
Arhats=Liberated beings.
Bodhisattvas=Liberated beings but with the mind of Bodhichitta that compells them to engage in actions that benefit others even after their liberation.
Buddhas=Are Liberated from Samsara, Enjoy the 3 bodies of a Buddha, Have cleared the mind of very subtle deluded imprints and have attained final knowledge with this knowledge they are capable of knowing the best way to help all sentient beings something the latter two holy being do not possess.
The Buddha is ascribed to have said in many suttas that when one attains final knowledge there is no more coming to any state of being. How then can one who has attained final knowledge still exist within samsara?
Lets say that a person finds the Buddhist teachings and decides to start practicing what the Buddha taught. At first the person is full of egotistical concerns and drives and learns to meditate and that there is no "personal self" that goes to heaven or hell, that doesn't live for ever or is completely annihilated. This person eventually experiences emptiness and is relatively free of harmful behavior to their self or to others. The person could go on and live out the rest of their life in this semi-blissful state unconcerned about other people's liberation. But the Mahayana path offers the person something to do. It offers them the opportunity to help others attain liberation through the passing on of the Dharma, and continue to do this, refusing to enter the final and complete blissful state of Nirvana, and thereby never need to return to this earthly realm. This is a wonderful story/myth that actually happens to people. They DO reach a state of being that does not require any further "work" to be done on their "self." All that is left for them to do is assist others in finding their own liberation. So , for me, it is a natural progression of sincere Buddhist practice to someday be finished with tweaking ones own mind and body, then a person is ready and capable of skillful means and compassion to assist others if that is what they choose to do. Some people choose not to.....and that is ok too.
Nibbana is the result of an experiential based understanding. Such as when you look up at the sky and see that the sky is blue. From that point onward you know that the sky is blue.
No doubt you have heard the old saying, "In the beginning, mountains are mountains and rivers are rivers. In the middle, mountains are not mountains and rivers are not rivers. And in the end, mountains are mountains and rivers are rivers." Some take this saying to be some sort of wonderfully-mystical mumbo-jumbo and bow in reverence. But I think it is a simple description -- as accurate in all its particulars as a blue print -- of what actually HAPPENS as practice moves along. No one in their right mind would believe such a thing. That would just be blue sky and fairy dust.
The Buddha is ascribed to have said in many suttas that when one attains final knowledge there is no more coming to any state of being. How then can one who has attained final knowledge still exist within samsara?
The same way one who knows every aspect of swimming remains in a pool. Although, I disagree with you interpretation of nirvana as some kind of knowledge. It is more like a relationship with reality than an object we obtain, in my opinion.
@riverflow -- Let's not think too poorly of the thicket of views. True, they can be terrible trip wires. But where else might we discover a living release?
Oh certainly, views are necessary, in order to even begin the journey. But when I get caught up in it, and with a lapse of attention, begin to attach "myself" to them-- that isn't particularly skillful. That's really where I'm coming from.
Comments
There can be two 'rights'.....
You seem to have a mistaken idea of what the Bodhisattva path is. Bodhisattvas develop Bodhichitta which is the wish to become a Buddha as quickly as possible they engage in virtuous actions and through the force of practising Dharma they liberate themselves from uncontrolled Samsaric rebirth and death so they may emanate countless forms to benefit sentient beings in the 6 realms. They are free from taking uncontrolled rebirth But appear in many forms throughout Samsara for others beneift. A Bodhisattva because of their high accomplishments can even give away their flesh as if it where nothing if it is appropriate to beneift others.
It is a needed path because without following the Bodhisattva's path there is no way we will reach full enlightenment, A Bodhisattva does not spend his or her time suffering while practising this path how could they? it is a Dharma path and the function of Dharma is to dispell suffering a Bodhisattva engages in these actions with great Joy and knowledge that throughout all their lifetimes now till full enlightenment they will spend it benefiting others unlike ordinary beings because of their accomplishments they do not feel pain so it is easy for them to accomplish what is difficult for others to even imagine doing.
Arhats=Liberated beings.
Bodhisattvas=Liberated beings but with the mind of Bodhichitta that compells them to engage in actions that benefit others even after their liberation.
Buddhas=Are Liberated from Samsara, Enjoy the 3 bodies of a Buddha, Have cleared the mind of very subtle deluded imprints and have attained final knowledge with this knowledge they are capable of knowing the best way to help all sentient beings something the latter two holy being do not possess.
This is a wonderful story/myth that actually happens to people. They DO reach a state of being that does not require any further "work" to be done on their "self." All that is left for them to do is assist others in finding their own liberation. So , for me, it is a natural progression of sincere Buddhist practice to someday be finished with tweaking ones own mind and body, then a person is ready and capable of skillful means and compassion to assist others if that is what they choose to do. Some people choose not to.....and that is ok too.
Or at least I hope you are honestly right.
No doubt you have heard the old saying, "In the beginning, mountains are mountains and rivers are rivers. In the middle, mountains are not mountains and rivers are not rivers. And in the end, mountains are mountains and rivers are rivers." Some take this saying to be some sort of wonderfully-mystical mumbo-jumbo and bow in reverence. But I think it is a simple description -- as accurate in all its particulars as a blue print -- of what actually HAPPENS as practice moves along. No one in their right mind would believe such a thing. That would just be blue sky and fairy dust.