Dharma Treasure Community

Okay, so I love this, and honestly it makes the most sense to me. But I am confused about one thing, so just to clear, using this model for the Buddha’s teaching on rebirth, we really only have this one chance for awakening, this one lifetime? Once we die, and our body is breaking down in a coffin 6 feet under, it’s done and over. No matter the…[Read more]

Well I certainly think it’s possible, and I think it’s absolutely extremely rare. And those ethical conditions aren’t as weird as your making them out to be. There is no rule about dying if you don’t join the monastery, not in the suttas at least, that’s in the commentary and it’s not that you die, it’s just that you’ll just naturally want to…[Read more]

Yeah absolutely, by fully enlightened I mean someone who has completely uprooted the causes of greed, hatred, and delusion. Total dispassion and cessation of suffering, the elimination of craving and aversion within the mind. When’s I say fully enlightened or arhat, that’s what I mean.

No I have never heard of someone who did that, which is why there must be something that prevents them from doing so. I realize they still feel hunger and pain, but the craving for it to end isn’t there, there’s no aversion for the pain or craving for the pleasure. That’s why I say it must be passionless compassion or reverence for the Dhamma that…[Read more]

Well I can’t agree with that. I certainly believe it is possible to become fully enlightened. I mean if no one could overcome those deep rooted psychological urges like survival, then no one would ever commit suicide. I know that’s a morbid example, but nonetheless, I do believe that true awakening is a real thing. I’m assuming there must be a…[Read more]

Well you’re actually very accurate in what you’ve said here. The only aspect you’ve left out is sunyata, or emptiness. When the other two marks, anicca (impermanent, unreliable, unstable) and dukkha (suffering, unsatisfactory, bereft), are taken together with sunyata, regarding the 5 aggregates, you then get anatta, no self. Emptiness is essential…[Read more]