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Thread: Brief Overview of Buddhist Philosophy

  1. #21
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    Re: Brief Overview of Buddhist Philosophy

    Quote Originally Posted by Dharmajim
    Good Friends:

    Regarding Nirvana and fully Enlightened Buddhas, all Buddhas reside in Nirvana, or merge in Nirvana, or dwell in Nirvana (it's hard to put this in words in a way that is precise). This is true for all schools of Buddhism that I know of.

    However, what Nirvana/Nibbana means, how it is understood, differs among different Buddhist traditions. Some traditions have a transcendental view of Nirvana; that is to say that samsara is this realm of suffering and Nirvana is beyond this realm. Other traditions put forth the view that from an ultimate perspective nirvana is samsara and awakening is a shift in awareness or consciousness; these tend to be non-dual traditions.

    Another way of looking at this is that some Buddhist traditions regard Nirvana as a mere cessation; that is to say Nirvana is the overcoming of hindrances such as greed, anger, ignorance, craving, and clinging. When these are overcome, that is Nirvana. Other traditions regard Nirvana in a more positive light; that is to say Nirvana is something one actually awakens to. From this second perspective Nirvana is not a mere cessation but also has a positive component. Interestingly, one finds both of these views in the many different Buddhist traditions, so this is not a matter of one tradition vs. another.

    I hope this is of some assistance.

    Best wishes,

    Dharmajim

    Namaste Dharmajim,

    Thanks for the nice elucidation.

  2. #22

    Re: Brief Overview of Buddhist Philosophy

    Namaste all,

    sorry, been away for awhile.. life changes and so forth.

    leaving aside the discussion of schools of practice, this thread was intended to present a brief overview, from the Prasangkia-Madyamika view, of the various Buddhist philosophical schools. to this end, i think that it has served its purpose.

    the discussion has broaded and deepened from there to things such as the nature of Nibbana/Nirvana and so forth. whilst it is true that Nibbana/Nirvana is "beyond concepts, to be experienced by the wise" that does not mean that Buddha Shakyamuni didn't use words to talk about it. there are several different Suttas where the Buddha is speaking concerning Nibbana/Nirvana and, interestingly, there are two basic forms of Nibbana/Nirvana that a being can experience:

    Monks, there are these two forms of the nibbana property. Which two? The nibbana property with fuel remaining, and the nibbana property with no fuel remaining.

    And what is the nibbana property with fuel remaining? There is the case where a monk is a worthy one devoid of mental effluents, who has attained completion, finished the task, laid down the burden, attained the true goal, destroyed the bonds of becoming, and is released through right knowing. His five sense faculties still remain, and owing to their being intact, he is cognizant of the pleasant & the unpleasant, and is sensitive to pleasure & pain. That which is the passing away of passion, aversion, & delusion in him is termed the nibbana property with fuel remaining.

    And what is the nibbana property with no fuel remaining? There is the case where a monk is a worthy one... released through right knowing. For him, all that is sensed, being unrelished will grow cold right here. This is termed the nibbana property with no fuel remaining.
    Iti 44

    a very good article on Nibbana/Nirvana from the Theraveda perspective can be read here:

    http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/a...efire/2-1.html

    metta,

    ~v
    Meditation brings Wisdom, lack of meditation leaves ignorance. Know well what leads you forward and what holds you back.

    ~Buddha Shakyamuni

    *******************************

    I have gained this from philosophy:

    That i do, without being commanded, what others do only through fear of Law.

    ~Aristotle

  3. #23
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    Re: Brief Overview of Buddhist Philosophy

    Quote Originally Posted by Vajradhara View Post
    -----
    Monks, there are these two forms of the nibbana property. Which two? The nibbana property with fuel remaining, and the nibbana property with no fuel remaining.

    And what is the nibbana property with fuel remaining? There is the case where a monk is a worthy one devoid of mental effluents, who has attained completion, finished the task, laid down the burden, attained the true goal, destroyed the bonds of becoming, and is released through right knowing. His five sense faculties still remain, and owing to their being intact, he is cognizant of the pleasant & the unpleasant, and is sensitive to pleasure & pain. That which is the passing away of passion, aversion, & delusion in him is termed the nibbana property with fuel remaining.

    And what is the nibbana property with no fuel remaining? There is the case where a monk is a worthy one... released through right knowing. For him, all that is sensed, being unrelished will grow cold right here. This is termed the nibbana property with no fuel remaining.
    Iti 44

    ------
    ~v
    Namsakar Vajradhara,
    Nice explanation. This is what I was asking. As Shri TS has already explained, Turiya is the nibbana without fuel remaining, but as my Guru teaches, as per requirements of Prarabdha, a Jnani may continue in the body for some specific task. The latter is exactly like Nibbana with fuel. However, in both the cases, the knowledge of the advaita atma is predicated, which is not stipulated for you. Perhaps --- ?

    Thanks and Regards,

    Om Namah Shivayya
    Last edited by atanu; 06 March 2007 at 09:42 AM.
    That which is without letters (parts) is the Fourth, beyond apprehension through ordinary means, the cessation of the phenomenal world, the auspicious and the non-dual. Thus Om is certainly the Self. He who knows thus enters the Self by the Self.

  4. #24

    Re: Brief Overview of Buddhist Philosophy

    Namaste Atanu,

    thank you for the post.

    Quote Originally Posted by Atanu Banerjee
    .... However, in both the cases, the knowledge of the advaita atma is predicated, which is not stipulated for you. Perhaps --- ?

    Thanks and Regards,

    Om Namah Shivayya
    in Buddhist thought, there is no atma upon which anything is predicated. as it is explained in our Suttas:

    "No doer is there who does the deed;
    Nor is there one who feels the fruit;
    Constituent parts alone roll on;
    This indeed! Is right discernment."


    ~Vissudhi Magga

    metta,

    ~v
    Meditation brings Wisdom, lack of meditation leaves ignorance. Know well what leads you forward and what holds you back.

    ~Buddha Shakyamuni

    *******************************

    I have gained this from philosophy:

    That i do, without being commanded, what others do only through fear of Law.

    ~Aristotle

  5. #25
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    Re: Brief Overview of Buddhist Philosophy

    Quote Originally Posted by Vajradhara View Post
    Namaste Atanu,

    thank you for the post.



    in Buddhist thought, there is no atma upon which anything is predicated. as it is explained in our Suttas:

    "No doer is there who does the deed;
    Nor is there one who feels the fruit;
    Constituent parts alone roll on;
    This indeed! Is right discernment."

    ~Vissudhi Magga

    metta,

    ~v
    Namaskar Vajradhara,

    Constituent parts alone roll on; ------ ?

    Consituent parts of what?

    Regards,

    Om Namah Shivayya
    That which is without letters (parts) is the Fourth, beyond apprehension through ordinary means, the cessation of the phenomenal world, the auspicious and the non-dual. Thus Om is certainly the Self. He who knows thus enters the Self by the Self.

  6. Re: Brief Overview of Buddhist Philosophy

    Quote Originally Posted by Dharmajim View Post
    Greetings:

    There are a number of Discourses where the Buddha says, "Those who see dependent origination see the Dharma." And there are also Discourses where the Buddha says, "Those who see dependent origination see the Buddha." This highlights the centrality of the view of dependent origination for the Buddhadharma.

    On the question of how this relates to some of the orthodox systems of Indian thought there is a wide variety of opinions. Genearlly speaking, from a Buddhist perspective, it is felt that orthodox systems point to some kind of underlying reality from which all things arise; this might be "nature" or "consciousness", or some other term might be used. Dependent Origination, from a Buddhist perspective, is thought to negate this kind of approach. So at this level it would seem that the two systems are in conflict, and historically disagreements have centered on this.

    However, it is not that simple. If one compares the Buddhist views on Nirvana and Buddha Nature, with some of the ideas presented in orthodox systems of thought, there does seem to be, at times, a convergence. Because of the centrality of dependent origination in Buddhism, Buddhist Sages would not relate to Nirvana as an underlying reality or a substantial reality because of the push to be consistent with dependent origination. The orthodox systems would tend to interpret ultimate reality in terms of an underlying nature.

    But I'm not sure how much of a difference this makes in actual life. I mean by this that there is an experience of ultimate nature, and then there is the explanation. So the question is whether or not, at the highest level, there is a convergence of experience? Since I am not one who has realized such lofty attainments I have to remain agnostic on this issue.

    Best wishes,

    Dharmajim
    i follow Nichiren Buddhism, i am feeling better after practicing

  7. Re: Brief Overview of Buddhist Philosophy

    I really wanna know more about this philosophy.. kindly put some more info

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