original buddhism www.attan.com

This is a website about original buddhism which I find to be very informative and scholarly. I will summarize a few of the key facts about the website. Tell me what you think of the website or my opinions of it.

-Original Buddhism is defined as citations coming from the 5 nikayas of Buddhism, prior to Theravada and Mahayana. This is important because Theravadas claim to be the official and oldest form of Buddhism. According to attan.com, the Theravada was created during the second Buddhist council when divisions were starting to form in the Buddhist Sangha. The first council, the 5 Nikayas, contain no divisive sects and are according to the author of the website the oldest proof of the living thoughts of Buddha sans a time machine.

-Opposed to Theravada "no soul Buddhism" the author of attan.com states over and over again that the Buddha did believe in a Self/Soul and in no way diverged from the Upanishads. The author offers many examples of how the no-self doctrine is a corruption of the meaning of anatta. I will leave you to investigate this matter on your own through the websites many articles.

-Although compassion and kindness are hallmarks of modern Buddhism, the author states that original buddhism is purely about transcendence and not about morality.

-the Buddha did not speak about the origin of the universe, but this does not mean he offered no metaphysics whatsoever. Buddhism contains many esoteric truths such as "the tathagatta is without the mark of all things, he dwells upwards within the signless inflexured mind/will (citta/soul) there within Ananda, dwell with the light as your soul, with the light as refuge, with none other as refuge."

-the author states that the fourth noble truth of the Buddha is not the "right" way but the Mahjjima/middle path, and that samma does not mean right but perfection. "right" is a Christian moralist idea and has no place in original buddhism.

Teachings are always corrupted over time, and end up saying a lot of erroneous things that they never did originally.

The "quantum jump" comes when you internalize certain principles, and embody them your living being. Then you "kill" the Buddha, as is traditionally said. When Buddha is dead it no longer matters what he (or anyone else) said anyway. The process of growth never stops, though. Thanks for posting this as a reminder.

Originally posted by bsbray11
Teachings are always corrupted over time, and end up saying a lot of erroneous things that they never did originally.

The "quantum jump" comes when you internalize certain principles, and embody them your living being. Then you "kill" the Buddha, as is traditionally said. When Buddha is dead it no longer matters what he (or anyone else) said anyway. The process of growth never stops, though. Thanks for posting this as a reminder.

Yeah your right, and that corruption and/or change follows many a different religions. I too am Buddhist but my Buddhism is very different in some aspects then most Buddhist teachings i have read.

[edit on 23-9-2009 by 4stral4pprentice]

Read the Suttras

Cant go wrong lol.

Secondly there are certain "schools" within Buddhism that have lineages, that are known, recorded and documented to go back to Buddhas time himself.

Therefore the teachings when you are serious, and devoted and reveal certain signs are those spoken directly to Buddhas disciples by him, and then then on to their disciples, and then and on and on, until the present day.

It is historically accurate and recorded.

I will let you dicover and search exactly where, and how this is so.

And keep in mind if you get frustrated because you cant the answer in even one year, well the teachings would never be given to you anyhow as you would have to wait and practise for many mnay years under such a holder before even a murmur of said teachings was passed on.

When the student is ready and all that.

The Suttras and Dhammapada are uncorrupted.

Look at my media link.

Basically its easy though,

Remove your ego idea of duality.

Have Compassion and grow it every day.

Mediatate and live in the now.

Practise generosity and spend your time wisely.

Enjoy

Elf.



[edit on 23-9-2009 by MischeviousElf]