DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post

**jarsbars** · 12-03-2011, 04:18 AM

I have no need for devas, ascended masters or mushroom spirits to change my conciousness - I have a human life and have been fortunate enough to encounter the skilfull means of the Buddha - that is all I need.

Well said !

I found some comments about Buddhist cosmology in an article from a few years ago by Ajahn Amaro. Here's a small excerpt:

"Buddhist cosmology and the stories of the suttas always have a historical, a mythical and a psychological element to them.

When we talk about the Buddha under the bodhi tree, we sometimes wonder, "Was it actually that tree? Are we sure that he really sat beside the river Nerañjara near Bodhgaya? How can anyone know it was actually there?" The story goes that perhaps the Buddha did sit under a tree, or a Nepalese prince sat under a tree, and something happened (or stopped happening) somewhere in India a couple of thousand years or so ago.

In other words, there are both historical and mythological aspects to the story.

But the most crucial element is how this maps onto our own psychology.

How does this symbolize our experience?"

http://archive.thebuddhadharma.com/i...jahnamaro.html

.

12-03-2011, 04:18 AM	#13
jarsbars Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 375 Senior Member	I have no need for devas, ascended masters or mushroom spirits to change my conciousness - I have a human life and have been fortunate enough to encounter the skilfull means of the Buddha - that is all I need. Well said ! I found some comments about Buddhist cosmology in an article from a few years ago by Ajahn Amaro. Here's a small excerpt: "Buddhist cosmology and the stories of the suttas always have a historical, a mythical and a psychological element to them. When we talk about the Buddha under the bodhi tree, we sometimes wonder, "Was it actually that tree? Are we sure that he really sat beside the river Nerañjara near Bodhgaya? How can anyone know it was actually there?" The story goes that perhaps the Buddha did sit under a tree, or a Nepalese prince sat under a tree, and something happened (or stopped happening) somewhere in India a couple of thousand years or so ago. In other words, there are both historical and mythological aspects to the story. But the most crucial element is how this maps onto our own psychology. How does this symbolize our experience?" http://archive.thebuddhadharma.com/i...jahnamaro.html .
	Quote