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**nanyaHgoc** · 05-08-2011, 02:42 AM

You're actually saying the same thing I am. Everyone can experience it, but you can not give it to another person. The most oft-used metaphor is a finger pointing to the moon. The teachings are the finger, the moon is what you're meant to see for yourself. The Noble Eightfold Path as understood conceptually is mundane, but it leads to the supramundane Noble Eightfold Path.

I'm not saying the same thing, no.

The "finger-and-the-moon" was not the Buddha's analogy. The Buddha described lokiya teachings, but these were the superstitions and speculative views that preceded him: karma, reincarnation, ancestor worship, etc. He did not describe these as "Noble". The Buddha described his own Eightfold Path as Noble and lokuttara. He did not delineate between a conceptual, "lokiya Noble" path that is "just understood conceptually" and a greater "lokuttara Noble Path" that is actualized or reified or put into practice. He described superstitions and speculative views as a lokiya path, and his own teachings as being "noble" and "lokuttara". And his use of "lokuttara" was that which rises above worldly concerns.

05-08-2011, 02:42 AM	#24
nanyaHgoc Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 445 Senior Member	You're actually saying the same thing I am. Everyone can experience it, but you can not give it to another person. The most oft-used metaphor is a finger pointing to the moon. The teachings are the finger, the moon is what you're meant to see for yourself. The Noble Eightfold Path as understood conceptually is mundane, but it leads to the supramundane Noble Eightfold Path. I'm not saying the same thing, no. The "finger-and-the-moon" was not the Buddha's analogy. The Buddha described lokiya teachings, but these were the superstitions and speculative views that preceded him: karma, reincarnation, ancestor worship, etc. He did not describe these as "Noble". The Buddha described his own Eightfold Path as Noble and lokuttara. He did not delineate between a conceptual, "lokiya Noble" path that is "just understood conceptually" and a greater "lokuttara Noble Path" that is actualized or reified or put into practice. He described superstitions and speculative views as a lokiya path, and his own teachings as being "noble" and "lokuttara". And his use of "lokuttara" was that which rises above worldly concerns.
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