Buddhists, A T T E N T I O N !

[asanka10]

ධම්මෝ භවේ රක්ඛති ධම්මචාරී.....................

 

[Sudantha_s]

ධම්මෝ භවේ රක්ඛති ධම්මචාරී.....................

100%

 

[life]

Could be... only he knows... I said just in case!!!

Lord Buddha never said follow Buddhism what ever happens!

yes
Obe demapiyan kiwa kiya ho
potha pathe thibba kiya ho
paramparawen pawathuna kiya ho
pilganna epa
thaman wisin nuwanin awabodha karaganna kiyala thiyenne

 

[kalyanamithra]

So can I put it in simple terms that True Followers are the ones that batter equipped with the true knowledge of Dharma?

Not exactly... True Followers "follow/practice" Dhamma with genuine intention of reaching the goal Nibbana...

You are not wrong because True Followers try to accumulate knowledge of Dhamma (the Doctrine) in themselves.... They do not stop at this... They try to analyze life according to Dhamma so that its Truth can be realized...

One may say following 7 aspects characterize a True Shrawaka (including the beginners that try to cultivate them...):

• Shraddha (believing in the Truth in Buddha, Dhamma & Sangha, because they know at least partially the Truth by analyzing life according to it; and from what they experience through practicing it)
• Sila (virtue cultivated as a component in their Path to Nibbana; it is the 5 percepts for a Lay Shrawaka - only difference is their aim of practcing is realizing Nibbana one day)
• Hiri (being ashamed to Sin - i.e. to have wrong thoughts, say wrong words or do wrong deeds)
• Oththappa (being afraid of returns of the Sins)
• Sutha (the "armory" - accumulated knowledge in Dhamma; which allow them to discern Dhamma from Adhamma, Vinaya from Avinaya)
• Chaga (ability to give away/let go of things without attachment)
• Panna (ability to see life/world in accordance with Dhamma; this also helps understand the deceiving nature of our mind...)

If you seek just one characterisitc; it is Appamada (dedication to complete the Path, which helps them practice Dhamma with higher priority amidst all other things in life, whatever obstacle they may come up against...)

The Shrawaka enters the Arya Bhumi (the "land" of the Arya - those established in Dhamma with better understanding of Anithya, Dukkha, Anathma nature of life) after he/she starts to realize the Truth in Dhamma (he/she is called "Shraddhanussari" - he/she does not understand the Truth; but knows there is a Truth; and tries to go further in the Path).

Once in the Path following characterisitcs starts to take "roots" in them. They are called Indriya because they are virtually like other organs (e.g. eye) of the body.

• Shraddha
• Viriya (endeavoring to cultivate Kusal, eliminate Akusal... in order to follow the Path)
• Sathi (mindfulness cultivated in order to keep the mind "tethered" so that Path can be followed)
• Samdhi (concentration of mind developed to )
• Panna

They do not stop even at this... They keep on practicing Dhamma till they reach the Goal...

Aim of all of us Buddhists should be following this Path... becoming one of these Shrawakas...

Theruwan saranai!

 

[upulcranga]

ඒක නම් ඇත්ත තමයි. අපි අහන හැම දෙයක්ම හිතලා බලලා තමයි පිළිගන්න ඔනේ !

 

[sri_lion]

Not exactly... True Followers "follow/practice" Dhamma with genuine intention of reaching the goal Nibbana...

You are not wrong because True Followers try to accumulate knowledge of Dhamma (the Doctrine) in themselves.... They do not stop at this... They try to analyze life according to Dhamma so that its Truth can be realized...

One may say following 7 aspects characterize a True Shrawaka (including the beginners that try to cultivate them...):

• Shraddha (believing in the Truth in Buddha, Dhamma & Sangha, because they know at least partially the Truth by analyzing life according to it; and from what they experience through practicing it)
• Sila (virtue cultivated as a component in their Path to Nibbana; it is the 5 percepts for a Lay Shrawaka - only difference is their aim of practcing is realizing Nibbana one day)
• Hiri (being ashamed to Sin - i.e. to have wrong thoughts, say wrong words or do wrong deeds)
• Oththappa (being afraid of returns of the Sins)
• Sutha (the "armory" - accumulated knowledge in Dhamma; which allow them to discern Dhamma from Adhamma, Vinaya from Avinaya)
• Chaga (ability to give away/let go of things without attachment)
• Panna (ability to see life/world in accordance with Dhamma; this also helps understand the deceiving nature of our mind...)

If you seek just one characterisitc; it is Appamada (dedication to complete the Path, which helps them practice Dhamma with higher priority amidst all other things in life, whatever obstacle they may come up against...)

The Shrawaka enters the Arya Bhumi (the "land" of the Arya - those established in Dhamma with better understanding of Anithya, Dukkha, Anathma nature of life) after he/she starts to realize the Truth in Dhamma (he/she is called "Shraddhanussari" - he/she does not understand the Truth; but knows there is a Truth; and tries to go further in the Path).

Once in the Path following characterisitcs starts to take "roots" in them. They are called Indriya because they are virtually like other organs (e.g. eye) of the body.

• Shraddha
• Viriya (endeavoring to cultivate Kusal, eliminate Akusal... in order to follow the Path)
• Sathi (mindfulness cultivated in order to keep the mind "tethered" so that Path can be followed)
• Samdhi (concentration of mind developed to )
• Panna

They do not stop even at this... They keep on practicing Dhamma till they reach the Goal...

Aim of all of us Buddhists should be following this Path... becoming one of these Shrawakas...

Theruwan saranai!

Thank you kalyanamithra, for the explanation... lets discuss this a bit further!!

So according to your explanation "Shrawaka" may fall into many categories or levels of knowledge from novice to experienced.. where novice being people believe that the path they are going is the correct one and hoping to get the full knowledge at the end and ultimately one day to achieve Nirvana, and experienced being people whom already has gotten a better part of the knowledge and working their way towards the same goal!!

But can I add... that if you want to perceive anything in this world.. you've gotta know the basics or fundamentals of it... same goes to religions as well... but I've been here in this forum for almost 2 years now.. and I've seen people posting numerous threads about other countries and communities using Lord Buddha & his teachings in a very inappropriate manner!! And the SAD thing is if I read all the replies more than 75% of them are being written out of anger!! So there's FUNDAMENTALLY something wrong here... I know anger is a very hard feeling to control (even for me) but I think at least when it relates to Buddhism shouldn't your compassion just come up naturally!?! So these people maybe "Shrawakas" let them be beginners or experienced, shouldn't these fundamentals be strong? else, I'm not sure how they gonna conquer the rest of the teachings!

In my personal opinion and experience, many countries, cultures tend to behave towards Buddhism among many other issues because they do not know what Buddhism stands for or the people who are the "Shrawakas" of Buddhism have not done enough to create that awareness in those cultures...which rightly so Lord Buddha mentioned that the greatest thing you could do is to give Dharma (the Knowledge)

 

[kalyanamithra]

Thank you kalyanamithra, for the explanation... lets discuss this a bit further!!

So according to your explanation "Shrawaka" may fall into many categories or levels of knowledge from novice to experienced.. where novice being people believe that the path they are going is the correct one and hoping to get the full knowledge at the end and ultimately one day to achieve Nirvana, and experienced being people whom already has gotten a better part of the knowledge and working their way towards the same goal!!

But can I add... that if you want to perceive anything in this world.. you've gotta know the basics or fundamentals of it... same goes to religions as well... but I've been here in this forum for almost 2 years now.. and I've seen people posting numerous threads about other countries and communities using Lord Buddha & his teachings in a very inappropriate manner!! And the SAD thing is if I read all the replies more than 75% of them are being written out of anger!! So there's FUNDAMENTALLY something wrong here... I know anger is a very hard feeling to control (even for me) but I think at least when it relates to Buddhism shouldn't your compassion just come up naturally!?! So these people maybe "Shrawakas" let them be beginners or experienced, shouldn't these fundamentals be strong? else, I'm not sure how they gonna conquer the rest of the teachings!

In my personal opinion and experience, many countries, cultures tend to behave towards Buddhism among many other issues because they do not know what Buddhism stands for or the people who are the "Shrawakas" of Buddhism have not done enough to create that awareness in those cultures...which rightly so Lord Buddha mentioned that the greatest thing you could do is to give Dharma (the Knowledge)

Fully agreed with your view...
Buddhism has not been practiced properly (I mean by the majority of "Buddhists") in the past couple of centuries...

It has already absorbed lot of myths; and versions like Mahayana takes a completely different Path from the original teachings...
[ Everything but Dhamma is for extending the samsaraic existence... People should have realized that's why Dhamma is not appealing to our minds, unless we start to use it to analyze our lives... Too sad to see people not understanding the fact that what matching with their Avijjasahagatha (ignorant w.r.t. what disclosed by Dhamma) minds might not be correct... ]

But luckily faithful Sri Lankans have protected the Scripts written at the time of the King Valagamba with the participation of Rahathan Wahansela... That's why we can at least think about practicing Dhamma again.. With the revival of practicing Dhamma we are seeing in Sri Lanka situation might improve... It's too bad if one fails to take maximum benifit of this revival (it won't last long; hopefully it will last till we die if this generation keeps on practicing)...

Yes, Buddhism is not spread properly in Western Countries. Unfortunately it is the traditions like Mahayana that's spreading in the west... As we know the Path is no longer open for disciples of Mahayana, because they seek to becomes Buddhas themselves without being satisfied to be Shrawakas (Too sad to see them planning to undergo all suffering of samsara to find the same Dhamma in some unforseen future...). Nevertheless Meditation and many other practices are found in Mahayana as well. So westerners may not even notice the difference (given the fact that there are even monks in Sri Lanka waiting to embrace Mahayana tradition if it not had been for strong oposition from the public; Elaborating more: we can see traces of Mahayana practices like Bodhisathva Vandana, cultivating Paramitha, etc. among Sri Lankan "Buddhists").

Your observation on the threads in ElaKiri is correct. I've seen it and commented many times before. This is because we lack true "Shrawakas" in Sri Lankan soceity. True Buddhists always strive not to give in to things that arouse Raga (desires..), Dveesha (hatred, anger..), Moha (delusion...). Too sad to see Hatred promoted in the name of Buddhism...

How Dhamma sees the need for "openness" is well explained in the extract I have as the signature... Corresponding Sutta can be found through its reference..

I fully agree with your comments...

Theruwan saranai!

 

[uhox]

Fully agreed with your view...
Buddhism has not been practiced properly (I mean by the majority of "Buddhists") in the fast couple of centuries...

It has already absorbed lot of myths; and versions like Mahayana takes a completely different Path from the original teachings...
[ Everything but Dhamma is for extending the samsaraic existence... People should have realized that's why Dhamma is not appealing to our minds, unless we start to use it to analyze our lives... Too sad to see people not understanding the fact that what matching with their Avijjasahagatha (ignorant w.r.t. what disclosed by Dhamma) minds might not be correct... ]

But luckily faithful Sri Lankans have protected the Scripts written at the time of the King Valagamba with the participation of Rahathan Wahansela... That's why we can at least think about practicing Dhamma again.. With the revival of practicing Dhamma we are seeing in Sri Lanka situation might improve... It's too bad if one fails to take maximum benifit of this revival (it won't last long; hopefully it will last till we die if this generation keeps on practicing)...

Yes, Buddhism is not spread properly in Western Countries. Unfortunately it is the traditions like Mahayana that's spreading in the west... As we know the Path is no longer open for disciples of Mahayana, because they seek to becomes Buddhas themselves without being satisfied to be Shrawakas (Too sad to see them planning to undergo all suffering of samsara to find the same Dhamma in some unforseen future...). Nevertheless Meditation and many other practices are found in Mahayana as well. So westerners may not even notice the difference (given the fact that there are even monks in Sri Lanka waiting to embrace Mahayana tradition if it not had been for strong oposition from the public; Elaborating more: we can see traces of Mahayana practices like Bodhisathva Vandana, cultivating Paramitha, etc. among Sri Lankan "Buddhists").

Your observation on the threads in ElaKiri is True. I've seen it and commented many times before. This is because we lack true "Shrawakas" in Sri Lankan soceity. True Buddhists always strive not to give in to things that arouse Raga (desires..), Dveesha (hatred, anger..), Moha (delusion...). Too sad to see Hatred promoted in the name of Buddhism...

I fully agree with your comments...

Theruwan saranai!

what a great explaination.....

 

[randula01]

සෑම දෙයක්ම අනිත්*යයි තමයි
නමුත් අප කල යුත්තෙ පැවැත්ම දිඝ කිරීමයි

hariyata hari .................
eth mae ihala pelaenthiye aya help eka denakam apita amarui maeka nawathwanna..............

 

[kalyanamithra]

සෑම දෙයක්ම අනිත්*යයි තමයි
නමුත් අප කල යුත්තෙ පැවැත්ම දිඝ කිරීමයි

Kathawe eththak thiyenava... Mata thava yamak ek karanna hithenava...

Api ekineka kala yuththe thama thamange sasara pevethma kota kara genimata vera derimayi... Evita Dharmaye pevethma dik veyi..

Nethtam me apita th `anunge harak balana gopallan' ta vena iranama ma ath venna thiyenava ne...

Theruwan saranai!