10
votes
Accepted
If Buddhism is about moderation, then why is it that you can attain nirvana only after renouncing worldly possessions?
These are common misunderstandings of the middle way. The middle way is best explained through the Buddha's life story.
The Buddha began as a nobleman who had the money for all the indulgence in ...
- 1,603
6
votes
Accepted
Questions about strong acceptance of rebirth?
The question is basically, why is belief in literal rebirth (reincarnation) a problem. I won't address every OP point here, just make four theses:
Rebirth is self. Self is rebirth. Whenever there is ...
- 58.3k
5
votes
Why the Buddha abandoned asceticism
Maybe MN 26 is more relevant: towards the end of it, the Five ask questions like,
When this was said, the group of five monks replied to me, 'By that practice, that conduct, that performance of ...
- 46.3k
5
votes
Accepted
Lord Buddha's First teaching and its meaning?
If you know the name of the sutta, and if it's a famous sutta, then I find you can easily find it using Google, for example:
This search (Google)
Wikipedia too has many articles about Buddhism, and ...
- 46.3k
5
votes
What is the true meaning of The Middle Way
In Buddha's time there was hedonistic indulgence and extreme ascetic practices. The ascetic practices was to exhausting bad Karma though inflicting pain.
Seeking pleasure creates fabrication through ...
4
votes
Does Nagarjuna's Middle Treatise 24:18 teach real knowledge?
No, this is not an OK-ish understanding, since it does not approach traditional interpretations (whether that of Tsongkhapa or his opponents belonging to the Jonang school or the Nyingma tradition).
...
- 5,206
4
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If Buddhism is about moderation, then why is it that you can attain nirvana only after renouncing worldly possessions?
This is not true, The Buddha did not say that one only achieves nirvana (the highest happiness) after renouncing the world.
Arahantship or enlightenment is caused by the ending of mental fermentations,...
- 868
3
votes
What is the true meaning of The Middle Way
The central aspect is to avoid any extreme. So, for instance do not go for extreme ascetic practices or for a life of extreme pleasures; seek the middle path of a balanced life.
The same principle ...
- 934
3
votes
Going to extremes?
In general, I've seen only specific extremes and selective middle path in the suttas. I haven't seen anything about all extremes.
The middle path is not necessarily that which is in between two ...
- 37.4k
3
votes
Who propounded "All doesn't exist" in the Buddha's time?
Perhaps it's a bit too frank, I think the OP asked an invalid question. A doctrine of everything doesn't exist cannot be uttered. It's like, a dead man cannot say "I'm dead", or you tell ...
- 2,291
3
votes
What does Buddhism teach about abusive parents?
Understand that people who abuse others suffer a lot. They are always in the clutches of the demons of greed, anger, ignorance; and because they don't know how to skillfully deal with the negative ...
- 558
2
votes
Why is Buddhism not Nihilism?
So can anyone state for us why Buddhism is not Nihilism?
One can argue that from the Ego's point of view Buddhism is nihillisim .Because practicing Buddhism fully, inevitably leads to the ...
- 211
2
votes
Why is Buddhism not Nihilism?
Buddhism contains optimism and pessimistic view points on life. On the positive side, there is the celebration of merit (virtue, alms giving, helping one another etc). There are the four sublime ...
- 21
2
votes
Why is Buddhism not Nihilism?
Because it offers an escape and the path leading to the escape from the impermanent, the substance less and the sorrowful. Nihilism offers no such escape.
- 1,663
2
votes
Accepted
What is the true meaning of The Middle Way
It would be very arrogant on my part to assume I can explain exactly the very same true meaning of the Middle Path... but I can share what I think:
Remember what I said about existence and ...
- 58.3k
2
votes
Insights of the Middle Path
When there’s interaction with other people, and as you focus more carefully in that present moment, you begin to realize that you choose where to focus and how you want to shape the situation. You ...
- 9,695
2
votes
Did Buddha say "this is the Middle Way"?
This was meant to be a comment, but it exceeded the word limit, so posted it as an answer.
The world (loke) is like a tar ball. You get stuck to it if you cling to it's sensual baits, and you still ...
- 1,663
2
votes
Did Buddha say "this is the Middle Way"?
According to Prajnaparamita tradition, here are the sutras where Buddha gave definition of the Middle Way:
SN 12.15 - Kaccayanagotta Sutta
"By & large, Kaccayana, this world is supported by (...
- 58.3k
2
votes
Did Buddha say "this is the Middle Way"?
What Lead to Conceive the Middle Way (or How This Was Conceived)
The middle way is avoid extremes in the form of asceticism and hedonism. The middle way was conceived based on based on the Buddha's ...
2
votes
If Buddhism is about moderation, then why is it that you can attain nirvana only after renouncing worldly possessions?
What is the moderate amount of cigarettes to smoke? None.
Moderation in the pursuit of truth is a vice.
Moderation does not mean indulgence.
- 5,151
2
votes
Accepted
Eternalism and Mahayana Buddhism
Several thoughts...
Mahayana is not a homomorphous teaching. It's a bunch of different schools, the only common theme of which is attempting to express The Truth in whatever crazy language that the ...
- 58.3k
2
votes
Isn't the act of Prince Vessantara giving his children away extreme?
According to the story, wasn't prince Vessantara still a lay person who didn't reach full enlightenment yet? He wasn't a Buddha yet so knowledge of noble paths had not yet occured to him.
Your ...
- 67
2
votes
Accepted
Isn't the act of Prince Vessantara giving his children away extreme?
Giving away children does not come under self-mortification. Self-mortification is torturing the physical body.
“Venerable Nàgasena, do all the Bodhisattas give away their wives and
children, or ...
- 25.7k
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