4
votes
Accepted
Why does the Buddha promote the Middle Way for other positions, but does not apply it for his own?
But is Buddha's own approach not a form of extremism?
MN 36 says that when he was searching for enlightenment, he tried being an ascetic, but that didn't work (wasn't effective):
I thought: 'Whatever ...
- 47.5k
3
votes
Why does the Buddha promote the Middle Way for other positions, but does not apply it for his own?
The Middle Way is not literally "the middle" way. Meaning, its point is NOT to take a lukewarm middle between the extremes. Instead, The Middle Way is the "let's not oversimplify it&...
- 59.1k
3
votes
Accepted
How can we know what is mundane?
Unless you are, at least, a Sotapanna, everything you experience is mundane.
- 5,619
3
votes
Paths of Buddhism & Possibility of Compassion
I always feel guilty giving interpretative answers with no references, but since that's exactly what you seem to be asking here, here we go.
Sure, there are people of different skills and capacities. ...
- 59.1k
2
votes
Accepted
How is liberation achieved?
The eightfold path is said to be conditioned, as follows:
To whatever extent there are phenomena that are conditioned, the noble eightfold path is declared the foremost among them. AN 4.34
Where as ...
- 43.9k
2
votes
Paths of Buddhism & Possibility of Compassion
Let's consider the scenario of students in university.
The ordinary student, just studies what is taught in the lectures and does not put in extraordinary effort. Along the way, he might help one or ...
- 38k
2
votes
What is path and fruition?
But what is the attainment of path? How would one describe rightly the
attainment of the path?
The path to nibbana has four steps as you mentioned stream entry, once returner, non returner, ...
- 757
2
votes
Can an Icchantika make any form of progress along the Buddhist path?
"Possessing" grave wrong view (niyata micca ditthi) is one of the 6 reasons why one is, better does (since holding a view is an action) incapable to grow in Dhamma, incapable in reaching even paths or ...
1
vote
Why does the Buddha promote the Middle Way for other positions, but does not apply it for his own?
The goal of Buddhism is not The Middle Way of All Things.
Rather, the goal of Buddhism is complete liberation from suffering.
In the past, as today, what I describe is suffering and the cessation
of ...
- 38k
1
vote
What can I do to have my destination confirmed?
Well, you forget everything you learned because you lack mindfulness. Loss of mindfulness is precisely what you described: forgetting the teachings.
You can't have your path confirmed. Advanced ...
1
vote
Is it necessary to be socialize to understand dhamma?
Ānanda brought a similar question to the Buddha, attempting to hedge and bridge the issue of solitude and social interaction:
SN3.18:3.3: ‘Sir, good friends, companions, and associates are half the ...
- 9,557
1
vote
How can we know what is mundane?
In Pali Buddhism, what is not mundane is defined by the word 'lokuttara', which means 'beyond the world', 'supramundane' or 'transcendent" &, most importantly, equates with the realisation of ...
- 43.9k
1
vote
How is liberation achieved?
This Path is a process where the practitioner goes from the Conditioned to the Unconditioned. Stream Entry represents the point at which the gravitational pull of the 'Unconditioned' exerts a greater ...
- 9,685
1
vote
How is liberation achieved?
Because we are in fact, in Nirvana, but we - don't know about it. Thus we are spending all our lives wandering around. The path is that finally one decided not to wander but taking a path one believed ...
- 2,307
1
vote
How is liberation achieved?
The meaning of nirvana being unconditioned is that nirvana does not arise due to causes and conditions. This is because nirvana is a negative phenomena, since it is the final true cessation.
However, ...
- 4,966
1
vote
How is liberation achieved?
I like the Brahmana Sutta (SN 51.15) which uses "going to a park" to illustrate it.
Incidentally (and I don't think this is the main point of the sutta) I think that "park" was the same word as used ...
- 47.5k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible