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The 12 nidanas- seperated into three lifes or constantly repeating?

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Comments

  • edited August 2009
    .. you'd need something like, "and everything I've just said only refers to the eye-consciousness (etc.) in this life, not the relinking consciousness which would of course lead to becoming and birth in a conventional sense, which I do not teach." Such a quote is not as yet forthcoming..


    With regard to this notion of a "re-linking consciousness", it is my considered opinion that if the Buddha were alive today and He caught wind of this eisegesis, the conversation might go something like this:
    Then the Blessed One said: "Is it true, that such an pernicious view has arisen to you. ‘As I know the Teaching of the Blessed One, this re-linking consciousness transmigrates through existences, not anything else’?
    "
    "Yes, venerable sir, as I know the Teaching of the Blessed One, this re-linking consciousness transmigrates through existences, not anything else."



    "And what is that consciousness?"



    "Venerable sir, it is that which feels and experiences, that which reaps the results of good and evil actions done here and there."



    "Foolish man, to whom do you know me having taught the Dhamma like this? Haven’t I taught, in various ways that consciousness is dependently arisen. Without a cause, there is no arising of consciousness. Yet you, foolish man, on account of your wrong view, you misrepresent me, as well as destroy yourself and accumulate much demerit, for which you will suffer for a long time."



    Then the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, what do you think, has this this bhikkhu, learned anything from this dispensation?"

    "No, venerable sir."

    When this was said the bhikkhu became silent, unable to reply back, and sat with drooping shoulders and eyes turned down. Then the Blessed One, knowing that the bhikkhu had become silent, unable to reply back, and was sitting with drooping shoulders and with eyes turned down, told him:

    "Foolish man, you will be known on account of this pernicious view; now I will question the bhikkhus on this."

    Then the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, do you too know of this Teaching, the wrong view of this bhikkhu, on account of which he misrepresents us and also destroys himself and accumulates much suffering?"

    "No, venerable sir. In various ways we have been taught that consciousness arises dependently. Without a cause there is no arising of consciousness."


    "Good, bhikkhus! Good that you know the Dhamma taught by me. In various ways I have taught that consciousness arises dependently. Without a cause, there is no arising of consciousness.

    Yet, this bhikkhu, by holding to this wrong view, misrepresents us and destroys himself and accumulates much demerit, and it will be for his suffering for a long time.



    - adapted from MN 38, Maha Tanhasankhaya Sutta
  • fivebellsfivebells Veteran
    edited August 2009
    What about this "storehouse consciousness" or "subtle mindstream" which is supposed to pass from life to life?
  • edited August 2009
    fivebells wrote: »
    What about this "storehouse consciousness" or "subtle mindstream" which is supposed to pass from life to life?



    What about it? The Buddha never taught it. It is merely a highly transparent workaround that attempts to circumvent the Buddha's teaching of the six consciousnesses arising and ceasing dependently in the six sense bases, and to co-opt the Buddha's teachings into the fold of what is now Hinduism.
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