My views on Buddhism - weblog.
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Cetana (volitions) don't exist? I didn’t know that. Would it help to lessen our sufferings if it did or didn't?
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But let me ask you an old question. (One I have some answers to, as I think we are just khandhas, ayatanas, and other such ways of looking at processes myself, though I would say that "person" and such are appropriate as names of those processes, so they aren't impersonal. No-atta doesn't mean no self, under every description). Paul Williams, a long time Buddhist, quit recently, as he said that in Buddhism there was no love or compassion, as there were no real persons. So it could not exist. How can it exist if other consists entirely -- in reality -- only of psychophysical elements?
My opinion:
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But let me ask you an old question. (One I have some answers to, as I think we are just khandhas, ayatanas, and other such ways of looking at processes myself, though I would say that "person" and such are appropriate as names of those processes, so they aren't impersonal. No-atta doesn't mean no self, under every description). Paul Williams, a long time Buddhist, quit recently, as he said that in Buddhism there was no love or compassion, as there were no real persons. So it could not exist. How can it exist if other consists entirely -- in reality -- only of psychophysical elements?
My opinion:
Williams is right, in a way, the non-Buddhist way of course. Everyone is free to choose what to believe and not believe in. If one has already accepted Buddhism as a way of life, and has accepted the 'fact' that a 'human being' is made up of psychophysical elements, then love and compassion becomes the psychological element that is impersonal. Love and compassion does not belong to 'us', it does not belong to anyone; it is only a fleeting moment that goes by. This is the essence of what Buddhist philosophy is all about.
If anyone cannot accept this fact, then he or she does not believe in the Buddha's teachings and cannot be a Buddhist. So, it is perfectly fine that Williams quits, if he no longer finds happiness or liberations from it.
The khandhas and ayatanas are things that Abhidhammikas talk about. I am not an abhidhammika.
I think, as a "person" (a puggala), we should live a moral life and not be concerned about things like cetasikas. These cetasikas are for scholars, intellectual people and philosophers. It is okay to read about it but does it really help us escape samsara? If it does - in what way does understanding cetasikas help in lessening suffering? How does 'understanding' it intellectually help us?
I do agree that knowing nama and rupa does help in creating a mind set with less attachment to the body and to material goods. But how does reading about cetasikas help in attaining enlightenment? Kindly enlighten me in this aspect, please.
Also, I personally think that abhidhammikas have a lot of *intellectual pride*. Everyone does actually, but they probably have more of it than others, that's imho only.
I believe, cetasikas can be observed with our own minds. If I'm not mistaken, one of the first cetasika that we can identify is "cetana", volition. If we meditate, we will observe that "cetana" is a 'cause', and action is the 'result'. If a person's mindfulness is very good, he or she is able to observe how "cetana" arises and how it passes away and that becomes wisdom.
I don't believe in enlightenment from reading an abhidhamma book. Can a person learn how to swim by reading a book? I think, it is better to jump into the pool and start kicking.
If anyone cannot accept this fact, then he or she does not believe in the Buddha's teachings and cannot be a Buddhist. So, it is perfectly fine that Williams quits, if he no longer finds happiness or liberations from it.
The khandhas and ayatanas are things that Abhidhammikas talk about. I am not an abhidhammika.
I think, as a "person" (a puggala), we should live a moral life and not be concerned about things like cetasikas. These cetasikas are for scholars, intellectual people and philosophers. It is okay to read about it but does it really help us escape samsara? If it does - in what way does understanding cetasikas help in lessening suffering? How does 'understanding' it intellectually help us?
I do agree that knowing nama and rupa does help in creating a mind set with less attachment to the body and to material goods. But how does reading about cetasikas help in attaining enlightenment? Kindly enlighten me in this aspect, please.
Also, I personally think that abhidhammikas have a lot of *intellectual pride*. Everyone does actually, but they probably have more of it than others, that's imho only.
I believe, cetasikas can be observed with our own minds. If I'm not mistaken, one of the first cetasika that we can identify is "cetana", volition. If we meditate, we will observe that "cetana" is a 'cause', and action is the 'result'. If a person's mindfulness is very good, he or she is able to observe how "cetana" arises and how it passes away and that becomes wisdom.
I don't believe in enlightenment from reading an abhidhamma book. Can a person learn how to swim by reading a book? I think, it is better to jump into the pool and start kicking.
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