Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha

[Wild Fox Zen]

Almost none of you here seems to have any "contact experience" with enlightenment (there being a few controversial exceptions.) I know some of you can cough up some trite conceptual knowledge about "the myth of inherent existence", but how many of you know of any actual meditation technologies that allow one to experience the truths of this enlightenment intuitively, rather than conceptually?

Download this guy's book:

http://www.interactivebuddha.com/mctb.html

Maybe some of you will then see a difference between your "enlightenment" and the enlightenment of the Buddha.

[Kevin Solway]

On the whole his writing look fairly reasonable, but seem pretty standard to me.

I noted the following:

It is this sort of confusion that starts all sorts of absurd and completely useless conversations about rebirth that take away time from real practice and useful inquiry.

The above looks like a big cop-out. Many Buddhist teachers, including the Buddha himself, gave many teachings about rebirth, so an explanation of what rebirth is would have been very useful. This could have been done in a single paragraph.

[Wild Fox Zen]

DO THE FRIGGIN' MEDITATIONS!!1

[Kevin Solway]

DO THE FRIGGIN' MEDITATIONS!!1

The author should have done the meditations himself - then he'd know how to handle the subject of rebirth.

[David Quinn]

i found it horribly dull. I fell asleep within seconds.

Like most "standard" books on Buddhism, he seems to be writing for people who are retarded.

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[Wild Fox Zen]

This book is anything but standard; in fact, with regards to Buddhism, it's extremely unique in that it primarily addresses the concrete realities of samadhi without getting bogged down in moralism or philosophy. I have never seen an author address this subject matter in such precise terms.

[David Quinn]

It is far too wordy, and each sentence lacks zing and life. If he was genuinely enlightened, he would be cutting into the core of Reality with every utterance he makes. Instead, he overwhelms the reader with too many words and tangles him up in all sorts of unnecessary concepts.

Just look at the Tao Te Ching or Huang Po's teachings as a contrast. These texts provide everything you need to know to break into Reality. They are simple and direct. No beating about the bush. No fake chumminess, no over-explanations, just pure truth.

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[Kevin Solway]

To his credit I think he did a reasonable job of explaining all the stages in relatively plain language - which is important - but it did seem to lack zing and spontaneity, and avoided issues that are confrontational.

[Pye]

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. . . the Siskell and Ebert of everything not QorS. Hilarious, frankly . . . ;)


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[David Quinn]

I would give it 2 out of 10.

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[Matt Gregory]

Me too. That book gave me a headache.

[Elizabeth Isabelle]

Like most "standard" books on Buddhism, he seems to be writing for people who are retarded.

According to the introduction, he wrote it that way on purpose. It could easily have been marketed under the title Enlightenment for Dummies.

I can't believe all of you actually read it all so fast. Since I am not nearly as familiar with the Buddhist terminology and concepts as others here, perhaps I will get more out of it that you did.
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[Matt Gregory]

I only read a few pages of it. I was kind of joking about the "me too". It did give me a headache, though.

[clyde]

Wild Fox;

I have read two of the Practical Essays and have begun reading the book. I am impressed and inspired.

Thank you for the introduction.

Do no harm,
clyde

[Wild Fox Zen]

awesome!

[Tim]

To his credit I think he did a reasonable job of explaining all the stages in relatively plain language - which is important - but it did seem to lack zing and spontaneity, and avoided issues that are confrontational.

confrontation page 255:

One can find lots of utter nonsense in the texts and traditions related to the limited possible action models, particularly about those of third path and arahats, such as arahats being completely unable to have erections or orgasms (though there may easily be impotent arahats just like with everyone else) or dying if they don’t ordain within seven days of realizing arahatship. Similar bogus mythologies also pervade stories of Hindu avatars and gurus, Christian saints, and masters other spiritual traditions both modern and ancient. I realize that by pointing this out I am coming into direct conflict with some of the dogma in the ancient Buddhist texts. Someone had to do this eventually, as these texts contain lots of freakish nonsense mixed in with their wisdom.