Mūlapariyāya Sutta – Majjhima Nikāya, All objects of the mind are called ‘dhammā’ – ‘things’. So you may note first of all that the problem concerns those things that come to the mind. About this …
The purpose of this book is threefold. Firstly it aims to critically examine Christianity and thereby highlight the logical, philosophical and ethical problems in Christian dogma. In doing this I hope to be able to …
Gracious One addressed the venerable Nandaka: “Advise the nuns, Nandaka, instruct the nuns, Nandaka, give a Dhamma talk to the nuns, brāhmaṇa.”
“Very well, reverend Sir,” and venerable Nandaka, having replied to the Gracious One, dressed in the morning time, and picked up his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms.
While sitting on one side venerable Nandaka said this to those nuns: “Sisters, this will be a talk in which I put questions, herein, when you understand, you should say: ‘We understand,’ when you don’t understand, you should say: ‘We don’t understand.’ But if for you there is doubt or uncertainty herein you should ask in return: ‘This that you said, reverend Sir, what is its meaning?’ ”
“So far, reverend Sir, we are uplifted and satisfied with the noble Nandaka, and for the noble Nandaka making this invitation to us.”
The Instruction on the Internal Sense Spheres “What do you think of this, sisters, is the eye permanent or impermanent?” “Impermanent, reverend Sir.” “But that which is impermanent, is that unpleasant or pleasant?” “Unpleasant, reverend Sir.” “But that which is unpleasant and changeable, is it proper to regard it thus: ‘This is mine, this I am, this is my Self?’ ” “Certainly not, reverend Sir.”…..
“It is possible, Ānanda, that women, in this Dhamma and Discipline taught by the Realised One, having gone forth from the home to the homeless life, to directly experience the fruit of Stream Entry, and the fruit of Once-Returning, and the fruit of Non-Returning, and the fruit of Liberation.”
“If it is possible, reverend Sir, for women, in this Dhamma and Discipline taught by the Realised One, having gone forth from the home to the homeless life, to directly experience the fruit of Stream Entry, and the fruit of Once-Returning, and the fruit of Non-Returning, and the fruit of Liberation, and Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī was a great help, reverend Sir, she is the Gracious One’s maternal aunt, his wet-nurse, who looked after him and gave him milk, and after the Gracious One’s Mother had died, she gave him suck at the breast. It would be good, reverend Sir, if women could receive, in this Dhamma and Discipline taught by the Realised One, the going forth from the home to the homeless life.”
The Eight Serious Rules:- “If, Ānanda, Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī accepts these eight serious rules, this will be the higher ordination for her:….
“Monks, ṭhese four are the supports for the upkeep of the born and for the protection of those to be born.
“What four? Hard or soft eatable food is the first, Contact is the second. Cogitation is third and consciousness is the fourth. Monks, the four of these are for the upkeep of the born and for the protection of those to be born.
4. “Monks, how should hard and soft eatable “food” be known? ………..
“And how is physical food to be regarded? Suppose a couple, husband & wife, taking meager provisions, were to travel through a desert. With them would be their only baby son, dear & appealing. Then the meager provisions of the couple going through the desert would be used up & depleted while there was still a stretch of the desert yet to be crossed. The thought would occur to them, ‘Our meager provisions are used up & depleted while there is still a stretch of this desert yet to be crossed…….
“In the same way, I tell you, monks, is the nutriment of consciousness to be regarded. When the nutriment of consciousness is comprehended, name & form are comprehended. When name & form are comprehended, I tell you, there is nothing further for a disciple of the noble ones to do.”
During the first two centuries following the Buddha’s parinibbana there took place, within the early Buddhist community, a move towards a comprehensive and precise systematization of the teachings disclosed by the Master in his discourses. The philosophical systems that emerged from this refined analytical approach to the doctrine are collectively called the Abhidhamma.
Although the dhamma theory is an Abhidhammic innovation, the antecedent trends that led to its formulation and its basic ingredients can be traced to the early Buddhist scriptures which seek to analyse empiric individuality and its relation to the external world.
In the discourses of the Buddha there are five such modes of analysis. The first, the analysis into nāma and rūpa,2 is the most elementary in the sense that it specifies the two main components, the mental and the corporeal aspects, of the empiric individual. The second is that into the five khandhas (aggregates): corporeality (rūpa), sensation (vedanā), perception (saññā), mental formations (sankhara), and consciousness (viññāa).3 The third is that into six dhātus (elements): earth (pathavi), water (āpo), temperature (tejo), air (vayo), space (ākāsa), and consciousness (viññāa).
This book, ‘The Great Debate – Buddhism and Christianity Face to Face’ is an accurate reflection of the historical occasion when Buddhism and Christianity were brought into an arena of face to face controversial discussion through an oral debate, led by the eminent Ven. Migettuwatte Gunananda thero, the silver tongued orator of the age and David De Silva, a Wesleyan minister held at Panadura,
Sri Lanka about one and a quarter centuries ago when ancient Sri Lanka (Ceylon) was under British colonial rule and Buddhism was in great danger due to the island being overrun by a flood of Christian missionaries.
The chapters of this book has been described the origin and prevalence of Buddhism, the doctrines of Buddhism, the moral influence of Bu, rebirth, Animistic or spirit ideas , and different speeches made by Reverend Migettuwatte Gunananda and Reverend David De Silva on Buddhism and Christianity.
Furthermore, it has been this booklet which induced Colonel H. S. Olcott of America to embrace Buddhism.
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