🧡 If you find benefit in my videos, consider supporting the channel by joining us on Patreon and get fun extras like exclusive videos, ad-free audio-only versions, and extensive show notes: www.patreon.com/dougsseculardharma 🙂 📙 You can find my new book here: books2read.com/buddhisthandbook
A little off subject here, did you ever read What the Buddha Never Taught ? That and The Eye Never Sleeps by Dennis Merzel were my first two reads on Buddhism....
This was a fascinating discussion. Though I would love to become a Patreon I am severely disabled after 4 major brain operations and on a very limited budget. However, your videos allow me much insight and I thank you for them. Jinny 🙏🏼
Wow, wonderful video! Thanks, Doug! 😊🙏 It is exactly this pragmatism and down-to-earth attitude that made me come back from the (at times) pretentious Zen teachings to (early) Buddhism.
Like you pointed out with many examples from the Suttas; the Buddha is revolutionary in his days in teaching people about right and wrong views: sacrifices, water rituals, practice pertaining to self mortifications. As well as proclaiming that one is purified through one’s actions and not through one’s birth/caste. I am curious to what Donald Lopez think? In Thailand, there are still devotion practice of worshipping one’s parents, the whole line of teachers but they involves flowers, fruits and incense. But it developed as a part of folk religions and the people in the past happily accepted Hinduism and Buddhism. The Buddhist version tends to focus more on the good qualities and the good conditions that showing gratitude bring upon our mind; for arising for future wholesome thoughts here and now and setting good future intentions, though not everyone may aspire for the end of suffering. For those not interested in such practice, it may appear very superstitious to them. Leaving you and friends here with last two verses from Dutthatthaka Sutta (trns. Bhikkhu Bodhi). One who is cleansed formulates no view anywhere in the world about various states of existence. Having abandoned hypocrisy and conceit, through what would the cleansed one go (astray) when he is uninvolved? One involved is embroiled in disputes about teachings; but how, about what, could one dispute with one uninvolved? Nothing is taken up or rejected by him; he has shaken off all views right here. Thank you again for sharing, I look forward to watching the next episode.
Thanks Trin. Unfortunately I don't have Donald Lopez's book in front of me just now, since it's off being cleaned after our house fire. But in general he notes the passages that are more supernaturalistic and hagiographic about the Buddha and his abilities, and prefers to emphasize those rather than the more down-to-earth aspects of the Buddha's teaching.
@@DougsDharma , Thanks Doug. I will suspend my thoughts on Donald’s points for the time being. If I encounter him again, I might get his book. On a side note, I remembered reading Hajime Nakamura and his peers tracing the Pali Canon and comparing with the Agamas; and it could be said that the teachings evolved and transformed over its transmission of 2500 years to us. But I do think that the miracle of the teachings still remains. For one hearing the teachings, considered its meaning well to mind, practice in according to the Dhamma. I think this path is still opened to all those who are sincere and would earnestly follow it to find truths. Metta
Thank you for making this interesting "Buddhism trivia" videos - fascinating 👏 I never knew i wanted to know this question answered until I saw your thumbnail I just had to click it ☺️👍
Thanks Doug. Has there been any study on the origins of the Vedic rituals? Did they have a pragmatic origin that turned into superstition over time? If so, how did the Buddha propose preventing the same from happening to Buddhist traditions or “rituals”?
Good questions, Tony. I am not familiar with any research on the origins of Vedic rituals, though the Vedas are mythic tales of the gods and origin of the world, so I'm not sure they were pragmatic in origin.
Vedic rituals are similar to other folk religion rituals around the world... There was not much Philosophy in Vedas. The philosophy of Hinduism was in Upanishads which were later added to the Vedas but unlikely to part of original Vedas
If I remember correctly, Richard Gombrich discusses a little in his books. The idea was that practicing the Vedic rituals delivered an action that had effect without fail in the universe I.e that if you got the format and process right, the effect automatically followed. The Catholic Church has a similar idea with the sacraments which take effect ex opere operato ( worth googling that term which probably explains more clearly than I am). The church considered heretical those who felt the moral character of the priest affected the sacraments I think the Brahmins had a similar view- learn the forms and words and you were guaranteed the effect. The words were literally words of power Gombrich says the Buddha took this idea of karma, action in the world, and revolutionised it by making it explicitly linked to character, to intent. So in my understanding, the Vedas can’t be see as some sort of set of pragmatic rituals later infected by religion. Because they arose so long ago, those categories are anomalous for the period. They rather form part of the time when humanity’s task, via the priests, was to perform tasks to keep the cosmic order going. Hope that helps in some way.
In my opinion, and it's just my opinion, ritual has its uses. However ritual, as of it's self, has no intrinsic value. It's great for putting one in the mood for practice. I noticed this after sitting at the Centre I go to. Just before we began to sit there is a small ritual. Among a couple of other things, a monitor would ring a bell three times. I continued that ritual with my practice at home. After some time, not too long, I noticed that whenever I heard, or hear, a bell that is similar in tone to the bell they used at the Centre, or the one I use at home, a subtle feeling of well being would come over me. Kind of like Pavlov's dog salivating at the sound of his bell.
Hello Sir! Thankyou for all the work you are doing. Your videos put things into perspective. I'm having some questions regarding Buddha's attitude towards certain things and practices in religion or as a part of our cultural life. Can you throw some light on Buddha's view with regards to the followings:? 1) What was Buddha's view on personal God. Like being rational but deeply believing in the some all powerful creator? 2) Did Buddha ever put a condition or objection on worshiping or believing any form of deity? Can one be a Buddhist while keeping his/her faith in a creator? 3) *Festivals!* Every religion has fastivals or some sort of festive celebrations as a integral part of it. Buddhists too celebrate events related to Buddha's life. Some Festivals have cultural significance. Also Festivals like Christmas or Diwali bring recreational joy in life. What was Buddha's view on festivals and celebrations? Why didn't Buddha prescribed any festival or ways to celebrate events in life like birth, material achievements, professional success etc...? Infact his own paternal kingdom would celebrate the onset monsoon (sowing season). He too participated earlier as a prince. After attaining Buddha-hood did his views Change regarding festivals? 4) *Prayers!* Mahatma Gandhi have spoken about prayers. Infact he used to sit in groups for daily evening prayers. They would constitute gratitude to god or prayers for others' well being. What does Budddha say about such prayers? These are a few questions. Can you please make a video throwing some light on them? Thankyou again!
I've done videos on God/gods: ruclips.net/video/QOQiZbAPtW4/видео.html , and prayer: ruclips.net/video/HYfYXYbZE20/видео.html . My next video will discuss some of this as well.
I have an earlier video on the controversies over clothing and food in early Buddhism: ruclips.net/video/r5oncPD7jKo/видео.html . I might revisit the topic at some point in the future but that would involve material from later traditions.
Hello Doug. What is the end goal of Buddhism? That everyone escapes from suffering, is spiritually liberated and enlightened. Do Buddhists believe this is possible? What happens to humanity? Thank you.
Good subject for a video eventually, I'll put it on the list! But the basic answer is that Buddhism doesn't really see an "end goal" as such, at least not generally.
Hi Doug, I’m wondering if you can go over ways that we can overcome procrastination in our lives. I’m wondering what the early suttas have to say about this issue, since it’s something I struggle with a lot.
Yes that's a hard one, particularly because even if we have techniques to deal with it, we can procrastinate on using them! I think meditating on things like death and loss can give us motivation to practice, but eventually we just have to get up and start.
I spent over 20 years as a vaishnava, and quite frankly I have had enough of ritual and woo. When I asked some Buddhists, on a forum, which school of Buddhism is the least ritualistic - the common answer was that I was not really interested in Buddhism. I disagree. Ritual can have its place but I find it distracting to the actual message and practice of Buddhism. If I can be mindful and follow the eightfold path, what need is there for an overly complicated ritual practice? From what I have read... that sounds pretty Buddhist to me (not dogmatic Buddhist, however) 😎
Yes. I'd say arguably the least ritualistic form of Buddhism (apart from secular approaches, which aren't yet really mainstream) is Insight or Vipassana, at least as practiced in the West. But each sangha and each teacher will have their own approach to ritual, and some are more ritualistic than others.
isnt a key part of the phrase "imagine that JUST by" .. so he is describing the effect of these actions if they are disconnected from the intent to change, to heal, to be resolute in resolving whatever problem the person is attempting to address and change. (Which is the same point your conclude the video with, which makes me wonder if perhaps in translation the emphasis is lost. The word "just" in general is problematic in english alone.)
Thanks Doug again for another insightful video. So would it be fair to say then that later Mahayana traditions. Like Tibetan Buddhism are quite world away from the Buddha's original teaching. As they emphasize ritual? 🤔 Hope this isn't a too controversial question.
Well there are elements of ritual even in the early teachings, here and there. Later traditions emphasized different aspects of what went earlier, as well as bringing in outside influences. (Which to be fair the Buddha did himself).
Yes, it gets into controversies over what one considers Hinduism and how far back it goes. Also, the Buddha doesn't seem to have been a practitioner of Vedic Brahmanism although he was familiar with it.
Hinduism is an umbrella term..this term is not Indian in origin.. Hindu word was used by Persian for people of India..India was called Hind and people of India were called Hindu.. As far as religion is considered, the Indian religions are namely Vaishnavism and Shaivism and Jainism and Buddhism.. The Main religions during the time of Buddha were the Ancient Vedic Religion and Jain Religion and Ajivaka Religion.. The Clan of Sakyans are likely to be following the Saramana Tradition which is closer to Jainism
The Buddha quite clearly and evidentially debunks the permanent self thing yet later goes on to talk of reincarnation. This inconsistency leads one to think that some Buddhism is either not the Buddha or the Buddha taken out of context. You can't be what you were - that is just clinging to the past in psychological time.
Well to be fair the Buddha's idea of rebirth does not include a notion of a permanent self any more than does one's survival over time require one. It's just a stream of temporary causes and conditions.
The way it was explained to me is that the part that is reincarnated is similar to a radio wave (not an actual radio wave, just an example). Our life choices, attitude, mindfulness (karma if you will) determines the 'wavelength' of the signal. It leaves this body and will go to the proper receiver, another body of whatever kind. There is no identity as self, mine or me, but the energy carries on. Self is an attachment.
@@TitoTimTravels If you made a phone call to someone in a different body and told them your life story do you think that is really living on. Every new life is unique, it has unique DNA and body chemistry.
@@markbrad123 Buddhism is more like lessons for this life. Do not be overly concerned with what cannot be proven or disproven. Where we go, and what happens is unknown and unproveable. Do not sweat the small stuff. 😎
I hope you won't let Buddhism become a drug like OPIUM that people can take daily because they are stressed.. rather focusing on complete elimination of craving for Pleasure..i hope people not forget the goal
Daug can you please give me the reference of your statement. Is it from early Buddhism? I think nowadays people consider that Awakening is a thing of out of their reach.. Most people don't have the belief and Confidence to go all the way.. thats why people are just Relishing around in Various stages of Meditation... The fifth Defilement was "Doubt"- People lack confidence and belief to achieve Awakening. People think that Awakening is a far away goal for them and they don't even make effort for Awakening.. Even people who Meditate regularly are not focused on the aim of Meditation.. They don't even try..how can they succeed if they don't even try..They lack confidence and belief..(the defilement of doubt)
@@DougsDharma i read the Sutta Pitaka..The Long Discourses and the Middle Discourses... there I didn't find such a statement..Maybe these suttas don't talk much about Lay People
@@DougsDharma i hope you are not misinterpreting me.. I am not against the stages of Meditation.. Everyone will have to go through the stages of Meditation.. I meant to say that people should give up the tendency of Greed or grasping for stages of Meditation.. All people should eat food but they should give up grasping or greed or Relishing or Taking pleasure in food.. Atleast people should always be aware that what the goal of Meditation is..
Why are you even questioning the scientific methods of the Buddha? Buddha is the example of Science and questioning. If you want to be a sheep, subscribe to Christ.
🧡 If you find benefit in my videos, consider supporting the channel by joining us on Patreon and get fun extras like exclusive videos, ad-free audio-only versions, and extensive show notes: www.patreon.com/dougsseculardharma 🙂
📙 You can find my new book here: books2read.com/buddhisthandbook
A little off subject here, did you ever read What the Buddha Never Taught ? That and The Eye Never Sleeps by Dennis Merzel were my first two reads on Buddhism....
This was a fascinating discussion. Though I would love to become a Patreon I am severely disabled after 4 major brain operations and on a very limited budget. However, your videos allow me much insight and I thank you for them.
Jinny 🙏🏼
You're very welcome, Jinny. No worries, I wish you all the best! 🙏
Wow, wonderful video! Thanks, Doug! 😊🙏
It is exactly this pragmatism and down-to-earth attitude that made me come back from the (at times) pretentious Zen teachings to (early) Buddhism.
Yes! Zen can be down-to-earth as well, it just depends who's practicing and teaching. 😄
@@DougsDharma
Indeed! 😁
Like you pointed out with many examples from the Suttas; the Buddha is revolutionary in his days in teaching people about right and wrong views: sacrifices, water rituals, practice pertaining to self mortifications. As well as proclaiming that one is purified through one’s actions and not through one’s birth/caste.
I am curious to what Donald Lopez think?
In Thailand, there are still devotion practice of worshipping one’s parents, the whole line of teachers but they involves flowers, fruits and incense. But it developed as a part of folk religions and the people in the past happily accepted Hinduism and Buddhism. The Buddhist version tends to focus more on the good qualities and the good conditions that showing gratitude bring upon our mind; for arising for future wholesome thoughts here and now and setting good future intentions, though not everyone may aspire for the end of suffering. For those not interested in such practice, it may appear very superstitious to them.
Leaving you and friends here with last two verses from Dutthatthaka Sutta (trns. Bhikkhu Bodhi).
One who is cleansed formulates
no view
anywhere in the world about
various states of existence.
Having abandoned hypocrisy and conceit,
through what would the cleansed one go (astray)
when he is uninvolved?
One involved is embroiled in disputes
about teachings;
but how, about what, could one dispute with
one uninvolved?
Nothing is taken up or rejected by him;
he has shaken off all views
right here.
Thank you again for sharing, I look forward to watching the next episode.
Thanks Trin. Unfortunately I don't have Donald Lopez's book in front of me just now, since it's off being cleaned after our house fire. But in general he notes the passages that are more supernaturalistic and hagiographic about the Buddha and his abilities, and prefers to emphasize those rather than the more down-to-earth aspects of the Buddha's teaching.
@@DougsDharma , Thanks Doug.
I will suspend my thoughts on Donald’s points for the time being. If I encounter him again, I might get his book.
On a side note, I remembered reading Hajime Nakamura and his peers tracing the Pali Canon and comparing with the Agamas; and it could be said that the teachings evolved and transformed over its transmission of 2500 years to us.
But I do think that the miracle of the teachings still remains. For one hearing the teachings, considered its meaning well to mind, practice in according to the Dhamma. I think this path is still opened to all those who are sincere and would earnestly follow it to find truths.
Metta
I love the way Buddha taught
🙏😊
Liking the moving timeline Doug. Keep up the good fight mate.
Much appreciated!
Definetly getting spiritual knowledge. Kudos Sir 🙏🙏🙏
🙏😊
Hey Doug, great and insightful content as always. Thanks!
My pleasure!
Thank you for making this interesting "Buddhism trivia" videos - fascinating 👏
I never knew i wanted to know this question answered until I saw your thumbnail
I just had to click it ☺️👍
🙏😊
Thanks a lot for this video...
My pleasure, Kamesh!
Thank you for this, very intersting and well presented!
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks Doug. Has there been any study on the origins of the Vedic rituals? Did they have a pragmatic origin that turned into superstition over time? If so, how did the Buddha propose preventing the same from happening to Buddhist traditions or “rituals”?
Good questions, Tony. I am not familiar with any research on the origins of Vedic rituals, though the Vedas are mythic tales of the gods and origin of the world, so I'm not sure they were pragmatic in origin.
Vedic rituals are similar to other folk religion rituals around the world... There was not much Philosophy in Vedas.
The philosophy of Hinduism was in Upanishads which were later added to the Vedas but unlikely to part of original Vedas
If I remember correctly, Richard Gombrich discusses a little in his books. The idea was that practicing the Vedic rituals delivered an action that had effect without fail in the universe I.e that if you got the format and process right, the effect automatically followed. The Catholic Church has a similar idea with the sacraments which take effect ex opere operato ( worth googling that term which probably explains more clearly than I am). The church considered heretical those who felt the moral character of the priest affected the sacraments
I think the Brahmins had a similar view- learn the forms and words and you were guaranteed the effect. The words were literally words of power
Gombrich says the Buddha took this idea of karma, action in the world, and revolutionised it by making it explicitly linked to character, to intent.
So in my understanding, the Vedas can’t be see as some sort of set of pragmatic rituals later infected by religion. Because they arose so long ago, those categories are anomalous for the period. They rather form part of the time when humanity’s task, via the priests, was to perform tasks to keep the cosmic order going.
Hope that helps in some way.
In my opinion, and it's just my opinion, ritual has its uses. However ritual, as of it's self, has no intrinsic value. It's great for putting one in the mood for practice. I noticed this after sitting at the Centre I go to. Just before we began to sit there is a small ritual. Among a couple of other things, a monitor would ring a bell three times. I continued that ritual with my practice at home. After some time, not too long, I noticed that whenever I heard, or hear, a bell that is similar in tone to the bell they used at the Centre, or the one I use at home, a subtle feeling of well being would come over me. Kind of like Pavlov's dog salivating at the sound of his bell.
Yes I agree G R A. One of the things I enjoy in Zen practice are the rituals with bells and clappers.
Hello Sir! Thankyou for all the work you are doing. Your videos put things into perspective.
I'm having some questions regarding Buddha's attitude towards certain things and practices in religion or as a part of our cultural life. Can you throw some light on Buddha's view with regards to the followings:?
1) What was Buddha's view on personal God. Like being rational but deeply believing in the some all powerful creator?
2) Did Buddha ever put a condition or objection on worshiping or believing any form of deity? Can one be a Buddhist while keeping his/her faith in a creator?
3) *Festivals!*
Every religion has fastivals or some sort of festive celebrations as a integral part of it. Buddhists too celebrate events related to Buddha's life. Some Festivals have cultural significance. Also Festivals like Christmas or Diwali bring recreational joy in life. What was Buddha's view on festivals and celebrations? Why didn't Buddha prescribed any festival or ways to celebrate events in life like birth, material achievements, professional success etc...? Infact his own paternal kingdom would celebrate the onset monsoon (sowing season). He too participated earlier as a prince. After attaining Buddha-hood did his views Change regarding festivals?
4) *Prayers!*
Mahatma Gandhi have spoken about prayers. Infact he used to sit in groups for daily evening prayers. They would constitute gratitude to god or prayers for others' well being.
What does Budddha say about such prayers?
These are a few questions. Can you please make a video throwing some light on them?
Thankyou again!
I've done videos on God/gods: ruclips.net/video/QOQiZbAPtW4/видео.html , and prayer: ruclips.net/video/HYfYXYbZE20/видео.html . My next video will discuss some of this as well.
Hello Doug!Can you make a video on Buddhism and vegeterianism?
I have an earlier video on the controversies over clothing and food in early Buddhism: ruclips.net/video/r5oncPD7jKo/видео.html . I might revisit the topic at some point in the future but that would involve material from later traditions.
I can suggest you another topic : "The psychic power of Walking on water" also mentioned in Christianity.
Hello Doug. What is the end goal of Buddhism? That everyone escapes from suffering, is spiritually liberated and enlightened. Do Buddhists believe this is possible? What happens to humanity? Thank you.
Good subject for a video eventually, I'll put it on the list! But the basic answer is that Buddhism doesn't really see an "end goal" as such, at least not generally.
Love your channel 🙌🙌🙌
Thank you so much! 🙏
Hi Doug, I’m wondering if you can go over ways that we can overcome procrastination in our lives. I’m wondering what the early suttas have to say about this issue, since it’s something I struggle with a lot.
Yes that's a hard one, particularly because even if we have techniques to deal with it, we can procrastinate on using them! I think meditating on things like death and loss can give us motivation to practice, but eventually we just have to get up and start.
I spent over 20 years as a vaishnava, and quite frankly I have had enough of ritual and woo. When I asked some Buddhists, on a forum, which school of Buddhism is the least ritualistic - the common answer was that I was not really interested in Buddhism. I disagree. Ritual can have its place but I find it distracting to the actual message and practice of Buddhism. If I can be mindful and follow the eightfold path, what need is there for an overly complicated ritual practice? From what I have read... that sounds pretty Buddhist to me (not dogmatic Buddhist, however) 😎
Yes. I'd say arguably the least ritualistic form of Buddhism (apart from secular approaches, which aren't yet really mainstream) is Insight or Vipassana, at least as practiced in the West. But each sangha and each teacher will have their own approach to ritual, and some are more ritualistic than others.
isnt a key part of the phrase "imagine that JUST by" .. so he is describing the effect of these actions if they are disconnected from the intent to change, to heal, to be resolute in resolving whatever problem the person is attempting to address and change. (Which is the same point your conclude the video with, which makes me wonder if perhaps in translation the emphasis is lost. The word "just" in general is problematic in english alone.)
Yes it could be, janglestick.
🙏
🙏😊
Thanks Doug again for another insightful video. So would it be fair to say then that later Mahayana traditions. Like Tibetan Buddhism are quite world away from the Buddha's original teaching. As they emphasize ritual? 🤔 Hope this isn't a too controversial question.
Well there are elements of ritual even in the early teachings, here and there. Later traditions emphasized different aspects of what went earlier, as well as bringing in outside influences. (Which to be fair the Buddha did himself).
🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
🙏😊
There are people trying to say that Buddha was a Hindu...I hope you make a video on that..
Yes, it gets into controversies over what one considers Hinduism and how far back it goes. Also, the Buddha doesn't seem to have been a practitioner of Vedic Brahmanism although he was familiar with it.
Hey Doug. Was Buddha a Hindu? ☺️☺️ and would he have been considered a religious reformer like Jesus?
Hinduism is an umbrella term..this term is not Indian in origin.. Hindu word was used by Persian for people of India..India was called Hind and people of India were called Hindu..
As far as religion is considered, the Indian religions are namely Vaishnavism and Shaivism and Jainism and Buddhism..
The Main religions during the time of Buddha were the Ancient Vedic Religion and Jain Religion and Ajivaka Religion..
The Clan of Sakyans are likely to be following the Saramana Tradition which is closer to Jainism
The Buddha quite clearly and evidentially debunks the permanent self thing yet later goes on to talk of reincarnation. This inconsistency leads one to think that some Buddhism is either not the Buddha or the Buddha taken out of context. You can't be what you were - that is just clinging to the past in psychological time.
Well to be fair the Buddha's idea of rebirth does not include a notion of a permanent self any more than does one's survival over time require one. It's just a stream of temporary causes and conditions.
Temporary and dead in the next moment.
The way it was explained to me is that the part that is reincarnated is similar to a radio wave (not an actual radio wave, just an example). Our life choices, attitude, mindfulness (karma if you will) determines the 'wavelength' of the signal. It leaves this body and will go to the proper receiver, another body of whatever kind. There is no identity as self, mine or me, but the energy carries on. Self is an attachment.
@@TitoTimTravels If you made a phone call to someone in a different body and told them your life story do you think that is really living on. Every new life is unique, it has unique DNA and body chemistry.
@@markbrad123 Buddhism is more like lessons for this life. Do not be overly concerned with what cannot be proven or disproven. Where we go, and what happens is unknown and unproveable. Do not sweat the small stuff. 😎
The three poisons are the real enemy.
For sure.
No one has reached enlightenment since buddha
Yes you are right , No one has reached , coz there is nothing to be reached at 🙏
@@jaisinghbisht he shoots, he's scores
secular buddism kind of sounds like an oxymoron bro
I did a video on that: ruclips.net/video/DWZAPjKlASM/видео.html
I hope you won't let Buddhism become a drug like OPIUM that people can take daily because they are stressed.. rather focusing on complete elimination of craving for Pleasure..i hope people not forget the goal
The Buddha discussed practice with all sorts of people, including laypeople who he did not expect to become enlightened in their lifetimes.
Daug can you please give me the reference of your statement. Is it from early Buddhism?
I think nowadays people consider that Awakening is a thing of out of their reach..
Most people don't have the belief and Confidence to go all the way.. thats why people are just Relishing around in Various stages of Meditation...
The fifth Defilement was "Doubt"- People lack confidence and belief to achieve Awakening.
People think that Awakening is a far away goal for them and they don't even make effort for Awakening.. Even people who Meditate regularly are not focused on the aim of Meditation..
They don't even try..how can they succeed if they don't even try..They lack confidence and belief..(the defilement of doubt)
Yes there are many, many suttas where the Buddha talks with laypeople about lay concerns. I have a whole course on it over at onlinedharma.org.
@@DougsDharma i read the Sutta Pitaka..The Long Discourses and the Middle Discourses... there I didn't find such a statement..Maybe these suttas don't talk much about Lay People
@@DougsDharma i hope you are not misinterpreting me.. I am not against the stages of Meditation..
Everyone will have to go through the stages of Meditation.. I meant to say that people should give up the tendency of Greed or grasping for stages of Meditation..
All people should eat food but they should give up grasping or greed or Relishing or Taking pleasure in food..
Atleast people should always be aware that what the goal of Meditation is..
Why are you even questioning the scientific methods of the Buddha? Buddha is the example of Science and questioning. If you want to be a sheep, subscribe to Christ.