DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - Respect for Theravada = respect for Abhidhamma

**Phassetus** · 06-26-2011, 01:28 AM

The problem with your assumptions in the OP, Jechbi, is that you fail to acknowledge that in the thread in question I clearly distinguished between "Theravada" teachings and the teachings of the Buddha. Also, you are fallaciously making a categorical statement about "Theravada" as if it were a single cohesive group. You must be aware that there are sizeable groups of Theravadans who do not indulge in the superstitions and instead focus on the liberative teachings of the Buddha, for one example, some of the Thai Forest Tradition and folks who have been influenced by its emphasis on the Buddha's teachings rather than later contrivances like so-called "abhidhamma". One famous monk of the Thai forest Tradition has been quoted as recommending that we throw the "abhidhamma" into the sea. In this way, you cannot and do not speak for "the tradition" when you claim "the tradition regards it as a teachings of the Buddha". Which it is clearly not.

Elsehwere on this board, a member described the Abhidhamma like this:

Quote Originally Posted by stuka View Post
The Buddha did not teach so-called"abhidhamma", which was an attempt to co-opt the Buddha's teachings into the Brahminist belief system they reject.

That statement does not reflect Theravada perspective. The Abhidhamma is discussed here. It's part of the Tipitaka. It's part of the Theravada tradition. The tradition regards it as a teaching of the Buddha. In this light, you have quoted me out of context and misrepresented what I have said, which seems to be the sort of tactics that you rightly complain about in your blog with petty teacup tyrants such as...
I ask again, Jechbi, are you a Theravadin?

06-26-2011, 01:28 AM	#12
Phassetus Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 550 Senior Member	The problem with your assumptions in the OP, Jechbi, is that you fail to acknowledge that in the thread in question I clearly distinguished between "Theravada" teachings and the teachings of the Buddha. Also, you are fallaciously making a categorical statement about "Theravada" as if it were a single cohesive group. You must be aware that there are sizeable groups of Theravadans who do not indulge in the superstitions and instead focus on the liberative teachings of the Buddha, for one example, some of the Thai Forest Tradition and folks who have been influenced by its emphasis on the Buddha's teachings rather than later contrivances like so-called "abhidhamma". One famous monk of the Thai forest Tradition has been quoted as recommending that we throw the "abhidhamma" into the sea. In this way, you cannot and do not speak for "the tradition" when you claim "the tradition regards it as a teachings of the Buddha". Which it is clearly not. Elsehwere on this board, a member described the Abhidhamma like this: Quote Originally Posted by stuka View Post The Buddha did not teach so-called"abhidhamma", which was an attempt to co-opt the Buddha's teachings into the Brahminist belief system they reject. That statement does not reflect Theravada perspective. The Abhidhamma is discussed here. It's part of the Tipitaka. It's part of the Theravada tradition. The tradition regards it as a teaching of the Buddha. In this light, you have quoted me out of context and misrepresented what I have said, which seems to be the sort of tactics that you rightly complain about in your blog with petty teacup tyrants such as... I ask again, Jechbi, are you a Theravadin?
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