Reg. Buddha

May 15, 2009

Dear sadananda and other learned members,

Namaste. I have a basic doubt about Buddha.

Since we are discussing about Enlightenment & Self-realisation, this is

something related to this topic.

We generally say, Buddha-the englightened. What i learnt is that Buddha got

*stuck* at the last block which he could not break and concluded the ultimate

truth to be *Nothingness*.

NOW, WAS BUDDHA A SELF-REALISED SOUL? If yes, in what way because when he

propounded Shunyavada, which implies that there was an *observer* in Buddha

which concluded the truth to be *Nothing*. This mean that Buddha could not

achieve *triputi-bhedana*.

IF BUDDHA WAS ENLIGHTENED, What are the supporting arguments for it?

But, to me Buddha was *enlightened* and NOT *self-realised*.

Awaiting your response...

regs,

sriram

May 15, 2009

Sriram PraNAms

Recently some one asked me if JK was realized and was he an advaitin. Now the

question posed is Was Buddha realized?

The best answer to all these questions is no one can judge whether the other is

realized or not. It is the understanding that I am the totality - and that

understanding arises in the mind and one cannot know the others mind - sometimes

one cannot know once own mind. My wife says she knows my mind more than I do, of

what I like and what do not like; Do not ask her how, one can never win an

argument with your wife; a first lesson to learn from a successful gruhasta.

Buddha is considered as one of the avatars of Vishnu - My wife is projecting

that in her great dance ballet on June 27th at the National Theater - The

Kennedy Center - on June 27th. May be all the questions about Buddha get

resolved if one can attend and see on stage the dancers showing the life of

Buddha, starting from my grand daughter who just barely finished her first one

third orbit around the Sun.

Seriously, suunya vaadaa has been interpreted as nothingness. Buddha actually

did not say anything. But not saying anything is NO-THING or non-thing might

have led to different interpretations. Buddhism was formulated much later by

sangham - by assemblage of all the Buddhisitic teachers. Sages like Naagaarjuna

formulated maadhyamika philosophy which also formed, as some people claim, a

basis for the Goudapaada to interpret Mandukya Up. We had in the early days of

this list serve Shree Chandan who was trying to make me study some of

Naagaarjuna works. He has sent me lot of books. He used to meet me and have

debates with me. I do not know if he has become a Buddhist monk now. Some of the

debates are available on the archives.

One can also interpret the absence of everything is the same as nirguNa,

niraakaara - formless and attribute less - where the words or the mind cannot

reach there.

That much I know about Buddhism. Goudapaada in his last chapter in his kaarika

criticizes the four darshaNaas of the Buddhism. Ben Root who was a member of

this list who used to argue that Buddhism is not much different from advaita.

Frankly it is a futile effort to find out if someone else is realized or not -

The best question is always, have I realized the turth. No one else can answer

that question other than one self, even one's wife!

Hari Om!

Sadananda

--- On Fri, 5/15/09, sriram <sriram_sapthasathi wrote:

NOW, WAS BUDDHA A SELF-REALISED SOUL? If yes, in what way because when he

propounded Shunyavada, which implies that there was an *observer* in Buddha

which concluded the truth to be *Nothing*. This mean that Buddha could not

achieve *triputi-bhedana* .

May 15, 2009

kuntimaddi sadananda <kuntimaddisada wrote:

> Seriously, suunya vaadaa has been interpreted as nothingness.

Dear Sadaji,

On the lighter side:

The glass is half empty = Buddhism (nama-rupa)

The glass is half full = Advaita (substantive)

Yours in Bhagavan,

Mouna

May 15, 2009

" sriram " <sriram_sapthasathi wrote:

What i learnt is that Buddha got *stuck* at the last block...

Pranams All:

The legend goes that Buddha on his first discourse, in front of a large

crowd, held up a flower... Only one " got it " .

Out of compassion (maybe) and for the rest, he taught the Path of the

Four Noble Truths, maybe as a way to prepare the mind to " get " the

simple fact that what is in front of us is none other that the Absolute

Truth.

Another legend goes that a seeker asked the Great Seer:

" Since you are the Great Seer, show me God "

" Even if I show it to you, you won't get it " , replied the Master.

" Try me " , said the anxious seeker.

The Great Seer held up his thumb in front of the seeker's face.

Surprised, the seeker cried: " Is this a joke? I asked you to show me God

and all you can do is show your thumb? "

The Master put down His hand and went back to His Silence.

The last block is not in front of Buddha...

Yours in Bhagavan,

Mouna

May 15, 2009

Dear Sadaji, " Do not ask her how, one can never win an argument with your wife; a

first lesson to learn from a successful gruhasta. "

your truly are a Jnaani!! :-))

Best Regards,Prasad Venkat

--- On Fri, 5/15/09, kuntimaddi sadananda <kuntimaddisada wrote:

kuntimaddi sadananda <kuntimaddisada

Re: Reg. Buddha

advaitin

Friday, May 15, 2009, 6:58 AM