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| Poster: Atlas Reply Post Message Date: Thu Jun 13 19:30:56 2002 |
| Subject: KALAMA SUTRA |
| Post No: 959 Reply to: 958 |
THE KALAMA SUTRA This teaching by the Buddha is very famous with just cause. The Kalama people (of North India) were being confused by all the different missionaries with their different religious teachings. Doubt had arisen as to which were the best teachings to follow. How to evaluate them? ----------------------------------------------------------- THE KALAMA SUTRA Yes! Kalamas, it is right for you to doubt, doubt has arisen in a doubtful matter. Come, O Kalamas, do not accept anything as true based on heresay, based on tradition, based on dogmatism, based on authority of scripture, based on reason, based on logic, based on inference from logic, based on intuition, based on probability or, based on faith of a teacher; But, when you know for yourselves: "these things are unwholesome, these things are wrong, these things are harmful and lead to unhappiness", then you should reject them. And when you know for yourselves that: "these things are wholesome, these things are blameless, these things are good and lead to happiness," then accept them and follow them. (Much Shortened) ----------- --- --- THE BUDDHA --- --- ---------------- This urges the listener to open his mind and think for himself and not accept blindly the indoctrination or superstitions given by others. Notice how the Buddha has defined what is "good" and "not good" (bad). Good is defined as what is socially beneficial. The term "evil" does not enter Buddhist village vocabulary. He avoids the situation arising where "evil" has occurred, so "good" people can have anger, hatred and attack "evil". He did the world a great service. NOTE: Too many people just take what other people say as truth. If fact, all too many people become slaves to other people's propaganda because they are too lazy to think for themselves. The truth is always more complicated than a simple explanation. With people with you - you can act in extreme ways. Punish! - zero tolerance! To hell with compassion! Great Harm is done. - and those in power like that control. - Roger Smith |