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**BrainTop** · 09-15-2010, 10:45 PM

it seems that a lot of Mahayana doctrine is based on the belief in the supernatural.

Hi FBM,

Not only supernatural... Mahayana is guided by an ideal, the one of the Bodhisattva, the biggest ad-on of Mahayana and that is not teached by the historical Buddha... so things have started wrong in accordance with what the historical Buddha taught. Idealism is a sort of delusional thought and distorts meditative skills and the attainment of Right View... the most necessarily condition to overcom dukkha. Bodhisattva idealism is quite similar to the Jesus Christ doctrine about becoming a redeemer of mankind sin.

I am also not an expert in Mahayana issues so, maybe I am making a wrong consideration and help is needed.

About Buddha Nature concept: In some Soto schools we have the oeuvre of Dogen Zenji called the Shobogenzo. This is a huge collection of Koans expressed quite difficult and intricate. Dogen talks about Buddha Nature in two of them: The Genjo Koan and the Bendowa. This are a core teaching for an skillful zazen. In this particular case Buddha Nature means two things for some Soto schools. As a kind of natural capability to develop skillful means for zazen and the development of Right View in accordance with what is meant in the Eightfold Noble Path and in the understanding of the first and second Noble Truths. Dogen do not use "luminous mind" but has the same meaning... luminous v.s a darkened mind. The luminous one is the one that has developed Right View. But I have found some Soto schools that understand this Buddha Nature and Luminous Mind completely different, as a realm or a place to abide or as an absolute entity to be with. This is the case for some Soto schools that have followed entirely the doctine of Taisen Deshimaru Roshi. But it is not the case for other Soto Schools that withstand in what the historical Buddha taught.

09-15-2010, 10:45 PM	#4
BrainTop Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 349 Senior Member	it seems that a lot of Mahayana doctrine is based on the belief in the supernatural. Hi FBM, Not only supernatural... Mahayana is guided by an ideal, the one of the Bodhisattva, the biggest ad-on of Mahayana and that is not teached by the historical Buddha... so things have started wrong in accordance with what the historical Buddha taught. Idealism is a sort of delusional thought and distorts meditative skills and the attainment of Right View... the most necessarily condition to overcom dukkha. Bodhisattva idealism is quite similar to the Jesus Christ doctrine about becoming a redeemer of mankind sin. I am also not an expert in Mahayana issues so, maybe I am making a wrong consideration and help is needed. About Buddha Nature concept: In some Soto schools we have the oeuvre of Dogen Zenji called the Shobogenzo. This is a huge collection of Koans expressed quite difficult and intricate. Dogen talks about Buddha Nature in two of them: The Genjo Koan and the Bendowa. This are a core teaching for an skillful zazen. In this particular case Buddha Nature means two things for some Soto schools. As a kind of natural capability to develop skillful means for zazen and the development of Right View in accordance with what is meant in the Eightfold Noble Path and in the understanding of the first and second Noble Truths. Dogen do not use "luminous mind" but has the same meaning... luminous v.s a darkened mind. The luminous one is the one that has developed Right View. But I have found some Soto schools that understand this Buddha Nature and Luminous Mind completely different, as a realm or a place to abide or as an absolute entity to be with. This is the case for some Soto schools that have followed entirely the doctine of Taisen Deshimaru Roshi. But it is not the case for other Soto Schools that withstand in what the historical Buddha taught.
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