DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - In Which Alexander Berzin Calls the Buddha's Liberative Teachings "Dharma Lite"

**Liaiskelile** · 06-21-2010, 11:46 AM

What is more, dharma lite applies to students who simply leave out certain aspects of the dharma. "He who sees Dependent Origination, sees the Dhamma; he who sees the Dhamma, sees Dependent Origination." -MN 28

What part of the Dhamma have we left out, precisely?

If the Buddha taught someone when to flip a pancake, would that make it part of Buddhadhamma?

You have stated that removing rebirth/kamma from Buddhism would reduce the Dhamma to tatters. Yet there is no mention of either in D.O. (i.e. the Dhamma). The Buddha stated: "Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified confidence in the Dhamma: 'The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed One, to be seen here & now, timeless, inviting verification, pertinent, to be realized by the wise for themselves." [SN 55.40] Yet psychic powers of supposedly seeing past lives and "verifying" rebirth for one's own self is outright denied as being necessary to attaining Nibbana. [SN 12.70] So, could you please explain the supposed necessity of belief in rebirth to attaining Nibbana rather than just repeatedly claiming it while stomping your harder each time? Thanks.

06-21-2010, 11:46 AM	#7
Liaiskelile Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 469 Senior Member	What is more, dharma lite applies to students who simply leave out certain aspects of the dharma. "He who sees Dependent Origination, sees the Dhamma; he who sees the Dhamma, sees Dependent Origination." -MN 28 What part of the Dhamma have we left out, precisely? If the Buddha taught someone when to flip a pancake, would that make it part of Buddhadhamma? You have stated that removing rebirth/kamma from Buddhism would reduce the Dhamma to tatters. Yet there is no mention of either in D.O. (i.e. the Dhamma). The Buddha stated: "Furthermore, the disciple of the noble ones is endowed with verified confidence in the Dhamma: 'The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed One, to be seen here & now, timeless, inviting verification, pertinent, to be realized by the wise for themselves." [SN 55.40] Yet psychic powers of supposedly seeing past lives and "verifying" rebirth for one's own self is outright denied as being necessary to attaining Nibbana. [SN 12.70] So, could you please explain the supposed necessity of belief in rebirth to attaining Nibbana rather than just repeatedly claiming it while stomping your harder each time? Thanks.
	Quote