DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - Why does Theravada seem to be a patchwork quilt of Dhamma?

**lovespellszz** · 05-16-2012, 09:58 AM

Jhanic cultivation

Bhavanic cultivation

O.K., Are these the main points of teaching in Buddha Dhamma-Vinaya or are they what the Visuddhimagga & Vimuttimagga teach as 2 types of cultivation?

Also, Kasina meditation....Does this accord with the Nikaya Dhamma or not?

Goofaholix,
This post is my example. All of it.

You've got your terms mixed up, bhavana means cultivation so I'm sure there is nothing called cultivatic cultivation.

I assume you are comparing samatha/jhana bhavana with vipassana bhavana. I'm not sure why having more than one form of meditation creates a "patchwork quilt of Dhamma" in your view but if so all forms of Buddhism have more than one form of bhavana I'd have thought.

Samatha/jhana bhavana is clearly outlines in the Suttas, it is the right concentration factor of the eigtfold path. I don't really think Vipassana bhavana is outlined in the suttas in the same way as a meditation technique but the principles that it's based on (mindfulness, awareness, clear comprehension, changing phenomena) etc are all throughout the suttas.

I believe it's the Visuddhimagga where Vipassana bhavana becomes a medition technique however the Satapatthana Sutta is usually what is held up as the primary source.

Some teachers emphasise one over the other, the primary advantage of the latter over the former is that you don't need to be a monastic or on intensive retreat to do it successfully, but really they are two sides of the same coin and teachers like Ajahn Chah emphasise this.

Kasina meditation is mentioned as one of the 40 samatha meditation objects in the Visuddhimagga, i'm not sure if there is any source in the suttas.

So your point is?

05-16-2012, 09:58 AM	#6
lovespellszz Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 470 Senior Member	Jhanic cultivation Bhavanic cultivation O.K., Are these the main points of teaching in Buddha Dhamma-Vinaya or are they what the Visuddhimagga & Vimuttimagga teach as 2 types of cultivation? Also, Kasina meditation....Does this accord with the Nikaya Dhamma or not? Goofaholix, This post is my example. All of it. You've got your terms mixed up, bhavana means cultivation so I'm sure there is nothing called cultivatic cultivation. I assume you are comparing samatha/jhana bhavana with vipassana bhavana. I'm not sure why having more than one form of meditation creates a "patchwork quilt of Dhamma" in your view but if so all forms of Buddhism have more than one form of bhavana I'd have thought. Samatha/jhana bhavana is clearly outlines in the Suttas, it is the right concentration factor of the eigtfold path. I don't really think Vipassana bhavana is outlined in the suttas in the same way as a meditation technique but the principles that it's based on (mindfulness, awareness, clear comprehension, changing phenomena) etc are all throughout the suttas. I believe it's the Visuddhimagga where Vipassana bhavana becomes a medition technique however the Satapatthana Sutta is usually what is held up as the primary source. Some teachers emphasise one over the other, the primary advantage of the latter over the former is that you don't need to be a monastic or on intensive retreat to do it successfully, but really they are two sides of the same coin and teachers like Ajahn Chah emphasise this. Kasina meditation is mentioned as one of the 40 samatha meditation objects in the Visuddhimagga, i'm not sure if there is any source in the suttas. So your point is?
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