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a lttle clarification..... IMHO
In a recent thread about disliked suttas some opinions came to light which i would like to add some clarification to. (from the Theravada perspective.)
Someone suggested that animals might become enlightened. This is a basic misunderstanding about the present lifetimes of various beings. Some ask 'is it
possible for animals to go to heaven, or is it possible for humans to become animals', etc.
In this present existence my karma cause me to take rebirthin the human realm, so I therefore have human form. A being born into the animal realm has the
form of an animal. I might possibly take rebirth in my next existence in another realm than human, so i would be in the form of beings in that realm and
according to the karma which put me there. The animalsin this life might take rebirth in the human realm or higher realm and would assume the form
consistent with beings in those realms. Basically, we are all simply beings, all the same, but existing in different forms and realms according to our karma.
Nothing in the scriptures states that women cannot attain to enlightenment. Of course they can, and when it comes down to practice, which after all is the
most important part of Buddhism, they are often better than men when it comes to patience and forbearance, perhaps because women experience five
types of suffering which men do not.
Women cannot however attain to becoming Buddhas. This is not an attempt at discrimination, but a look at the Boddhisatva's struggle. From the time one
becomes a Boddhisatva, literally a Buddha in training. perfecting oneself in the ten perfections at three different levels over countless aeons, a monumental
task, one is given certain slight advantages to help, just a little, upon the task.
One is never born deaf, or blind, or dumb, or female, if born in the animal realm then never as a creature smaller than a bird, never in the deepest hells,
never in the higher realms without form, never in the hungry ghost realms...etc.
These small advantages are so that a Boddhisatva is never overwhelmed during their long task and struggle. We must remember that Siddhatha was a
Boddhisatva right up until the moment he attained enlightenment and becamea Buddha, so could only be male in that lifetime too.
Females are often at the mercy of their sex, in many ages and societies, they are weaker physically and often classed as lower in the hierachy under
men....not something good morally or fairly, but it happens too much and especially in moslem societies even today.
Someone suggested that animals might become enlightened. This is a basic misunderstanding about the present lifetimes of various beings. Some ask 'is it
possible for animals to go to heaven, or is it possible for humans to become animals', etc.
In this present existence my karma cause me to take rebirthin the human realm, so I therefore have human form. A being born into the animal realm has the
form of an animal. I might possibly take rebirth in my next existence in another realm than human, so i would be in the form of beings in that realm and
according to the karma which put me there. The animalsin this life might take rebirth in the human realm or higher realm and would assume the form
consistent with beings in those realms. Basically, we are all simply beings, all the same, but existing in different forms and realms according to our karma.
Nothing in the scriptures states that women cannot attain to enlightenment. Of course they can, and when it comes down to practice, which after all is the
most important part of Buddhism, they are often better than men when it comes to patience and forbearance, perhaps because women experience five
types of suffering which men do not.
Women cannot however attain to becoming Buddhas. This is not an attempt at discrimination, but a look at the Boddhisatva's struggle. From the time one
becomes a Boddhisatva, literally a Buddha in training. perfecting oneself in the ten perfections at three different levels over countless aeons, a monumental
task, one is given certain slight advantages to help, just a little, upon the task.
One is never born deaf, or blind, or dumb, or female, if born in the animal realm then never as a creature smaller than a bird, never in the deepest hells,
never in the higher realms without form, never in the hungry ghost realms...etc.
These small advantages are so that a Boddhisatva is never overwhelmed during their long task and struggle. We must remember that Siddhatha was a
Boddhisatva right up until the moment he attained enlightenment and becamea Buddha, so could only be male in that lifetime too.
Females are often at the mercy of their sex, in many ages and societies, they are weaker physically and often classed as lower in the hierachy under
men....not something good morally or fairly, but it happens too much and especially in moslem societies even today.
0
Comments
Also, do you think it is appropriate to start a new post for this rather than placing this response in the thread to which you refer?
Also, you say that Bodhisattvas will not take female rebirths; have you never heard of Guanyin, the female Bodhisattva? Or Tara, the female Bodhisattvas of the Tibetans?
My teacher is of the opinion that Guanyin never existed as a person, but like several Tibetan/mahayana deities were invented to create a being which could be venerated and worshiped and prayed to for help...much in the way god is in other religions. This happened because before its demise in India, Buddhism was struggling to gain adherents, who were going back to their old beliefs such as Hindu which does have deities and gods to worship.
The trouble is that basically people are lazy and prefer to pray to an outside being such as god, for help, rather than do the practice themselves, which a religion like Buddhism requires, since the Buddha said that only we can help ourselves by our own efforts.
Buddhism is not a religion for the lazy... :-)
Ah, so you are offering the limited perspective of a Theravadin and dismissing the richness of traditions of other Buddhisms as being fabricated for the lazy?
Thanks for the clarification.
(The thread to which you refer in your OP is now talking about slandering Buddhism; do you think it is slanderous to call Guanyin a fabrication for the lazy?)
I am not trying to put words in your mouth. Please do not insinuate that this is my purpose.
Also, you never answered my question re: liberation within in the Bardo. Is this because your perspective is limited to the Theravada?
Also, what did you hope to achieve with this thread? The promulgation of a limited Theravadin perspective? To what end?
Even Mahayana does not posit an existent God!
:-/
As you say, Theravada does not teach about the Bardo realm, and I have not studied the Mahayana teachings, but I was just giving my own opinion based upon what I had heard from my teacher.
A Buddhist nun or lay person living in modern times can also attain awakening, but I was referring to the countless lives of a Boddhisatva whilst perfecting themself before becoming a Buddha, where being born female would be often a hinderance to the task and practice.
Theravada does not see enlightenment and becoming a Buddha as the same thing, since we have the Arahant stage.