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**SobiquYo** · 06-27-2012, 02:50 AM

Hi Callum
Personally I find it a challenge at times that Buddha drew a line on teaching "suffering and the end of suffering" only and didn't go into the God concept. It is a challenge as the question of what 'created' this world or where it resides is still not satisfied without putting faith into the Dhamma. I also do not believe The Buddha advocated Atheism or Agnosticism (or any ism) as ways which would aid the end of suffering. I mention this as I used to think Buddhism was Atheistic until I started studying it.

The Buddha seemed to apply that we should not to add or take away anything different to what the Buddha taught. E.g. The Buddha's advice when pushed on the question of the soul and eternalism was to assert that the monk Malunkyovada, should be clear on what was declared and what was not declared.
"So, Malunkyaputta, remember what is undeclared by me as undeclared, and what is declared by me as declared. And what is undeclared by me? 'The cosmos is eternal,' is undeclared by me. 'The cosmos is not eternal,' is undeclared by me. 'The cosmos is finite'... 'The cosmos is infinite'... 'The soul & the body are the same'... 'The soul is one thing and the body another'... 'After death a Tathagata exists'... 'After death a Tathagata does not exist'... 'After death a Tathagata both exists & does not exist'... 'After death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist,' is undeclared by me.

"And why are they undeclared by me? Because they are not connected with the goal, are not fundamental to the holy life. They do not lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, calming, direct knowledge, self-awakening, Unbinding. That's why they are undeclared by me.

"And what is declared by me? 'This is stress,' is declared by me. 'This is the origination of stress,' is declared by me. 'This is the cessation of stress,' is declared by me. 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress,' is declared by me. And why are they declared by me? Because they are connected with the goal, are fundamental to the holy life. They lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, calming, direct knowledge, self-awakening, Unbinding. That's why they are declared by me.

"So, Malunkyaputta, remember what is undeclared by me as undeclared, and what is declared by me as declared." - MN 63 - http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipit....063.than.html

Metta

06-27-2012, 02:50 AM	#3
SobiquYo Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 368 Senior Member	Hi Callum Personally I find it a challenge at times that Buddha drew a line on teaching "suffering and the end of suffering" only and didn't go into the God concept. It is a challenge as the question of what 'created' this world or where it resides is still not satisfied without putting faith into the Dhamma. I also do not believe The Buddha advocated Atheism or Agnosticism (or any ism) as ways which would aid the end of suffering. I mention this as I used to think Buddhism was Atheistic until I started studying it. The Buddha seemed to apply that we should not to add or take away anything different to what the Buddha taught. E.g. The Buddha's advice when pushed on the question of the soul and eternalism was to assert that the monk Malunkyovada, should be clear on what was declared and what was not declared. "So, Malunkyaputta, remember what is undeclared by me as undeclared, and what is declared by me as declared. And what is undeclared by me? 'The cosmos is eternal,' is undeclared by me. 'The cosmos is not eternal,' is undeclared by me. 'The cosmos is finite'... 'The cosmos is infinite'... 'The soul & the body are the same'... 'The soul is one thing and the body another'... 'After death a Tathagata exists'... 'After death a Tathagata does not exist'... 'After death a Tathagata both exists & does not exist'... 'After death a Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist,' is undeclared by me. "And why are they undeclared by me? Because they are not connected with the goal, are not fundamental to the holy life. They do not lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, calming, direct knowledge, self-awakening, Unbinding. That's why they are undeclared by me. "And what is declared by me? 'This is stress,' is declared by me. 'This is the origination of stress,' is declared by me. 'This is the cessation of stress,' is declared by me. 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress,' is declared by me. And why are they declared by me? Because they are connected with the goal, are fundamental to the holy life. They lead to disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, calming, direct knowledge, self-awakening, Unbinding. That's why they are declared by me. "So, Malunkyaputta, remember what is undeclared by me as undeclared, and what is declared by me as declared." - MN 63 - http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipit....063.than.html Metta
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