Devotion in Early Buddhism

[@DougsDharma]

Check out this video next on whether the Buddha was human or divine: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p560iZJ6p62aY7M Consider joining us on Patreon if you enjoy these videos, and get fun benefits like exclusive behind-the-scenes videos, audio-only versions, and extensive show notes: www.patreon.com/dougsseculardharma 🙂

[@scottsews]

The Maha paranibbana sutta is my favourite sutta, I always shed a few tears when the Buddha is dying and calls for Ananda to come to him.

[@DougsDharma]

Yes! It is a great sutta and quite touching in places.

[@nathancadot5168]

Excelent video as always. The way the Buddha discribes how to have proper devotion to him reminds me of a commentary the dalai lama made after the death of Dilgo Khyentsé rinpotché a very famous master of the XXe century. There have been a lot of ceremonies after his death and thousands of butter lamps have been offered and so on ... And the Dalai lama said this is good but the best way to be respectful to him and to honor his memory and to fullfil his vows would be to practice in accordance to his teaching and to develop the same qualities that he had.

[@DougsDharma]

Yes exactly Nathan, thanks!

[@martinratcliffe5987]

I would really appreciate hearing what you say about the pure land sutras, faith based Buddhism and it's relation to Early Buddhism.

[@DougsDharma]

Yes it's something I may discuss eventually, though my focus is mostly on the early material.

[@mf1823]

Wonderfully prepared food for thought! I feel thankful which has a healing effect to me. I admire the enormous work that must be behind your talks. Noticing that my mind quickly wants me to create something solid from your presentation. Like „being glad that I don`t have to run around stupas“ or like „being glad that it is OK to radically love the Dalai Lama“. If I focus on awareness of those movements in my mind it is as if the ground beneath my feet is gone. The not-occupied space has a sparkly shine to it but the accumulation of processes I call myself cringes away from entering.

[@DougsDharma]

😊🙏

[@paulinewqi]

Thanks so much for this very insightful Dharma talk...clears up alot of my doubts.... I always say that putting the Dharma into practice in our daily lives is most important... Thanks again

[@DougsDharma]

Yes exactly so Pauline, you're very welcome!

[@poikkiki]

Also, congrats on the 10k increase in subscribers! I haven't been around for a while, but things in Spain are starting to get better and I have more free time now :) (this is poikkiki, just took off the signature)

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks Tomás! Yes I do remember that you had a different name sometimes, no worries. Glad to hear things in Spain are getting better, that's great news! 🙏🙂

[@handynas6529]

I have a friend who is single mindedly devoted to the triple gems. He is closed to any ideas that did not arise from the suttas such as other philosophies - even if they have resemblance. In his words, there are nothing else worthy to learn apart from what is in the sutta. Initially, I felt that is too narrow minded, but along the years, I start to see this as an advantage - with no doubts, that could help one narrow down his focus and attention to a proven path and doubtlessness is not something that is easily achievable by everyone. It’s a gift. Of cos being stubbornly narrow minded has its drawback but if one is stubborn on the right path, that’s half the effort!!

[@DougsDharma]

Ha! I guess that's true handy. So long as you don't get involved in arguments and divisiveness you may be OK! 🙂

[@Magnulus76]

For those in Asian cultures, veneration doesn't present a problem. It is only a problem for people who grow up in cultures that believe in egalitarianism or whose religions balk at the notion of any human being deserving high honor or devotion. The notion of "spiritual" and "material" as opposing or contradictory categories are a byproduct of Protestantism. Mahayana Buddhist nonduality implies that people are inter-related to the objects and rituals of their devotion, that there isn't a rigid separation between the two. Ritual and devotion are upaya or skillfull means to embody the Dharma (and thus cannot be fully separated from other aspects of religious praxis, such as ethics). When Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche used the term "spiritual materialism", he was using the term in the sense that Americans in the 1960's understood materialism, as treating the world (and spirituality) as a commodity for consumption by the socially-constructed self. He wasn't referring to the rejection of the material world (a concept that really goes against the Tibetan Buddhist religious ethos).

[@DougsDharma]

That’s right Magnulus, thanks.

[@aliciamontero7061]

Lonely Budha, Solitary Budha, Solitary Realizer, is said to appear in times when there is no opportunity to teach the Dhamma, mainly because human beings are closed to it, unable to realize it. They can benefit human beings by inspiring them and receiving offerings so the person doing offerings, gets merits.

[@penguins0392]

Great video!!

[@DougsDharma]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Angel-yz8gt]

Really great lecture, thank you:)

[@DougsDharma]

You're very welcome Angel!

[@aliciamontero7061]

Very balanced video !!

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks Alicia! 🙏

[@anthonypautin]

Great knowledge! 🙏🏼

[@DougsDharma]

Glad it was helpful! 🙏

[@anjeevmaurya]

Very informative analysis..

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks Anjeev. 🙏

[@poikkiki]

Very interesting video Doug! I deffinitely feel aversion towards devotion. I have a suggestion for a new video. It might be controversial, but it is based on the Suttas. I am talking about the SN 12.63: Son's Flesh. I can understand how this Sutta promotes the dropping of sensuality towards eating, but I cannot understand how it is not promoting aversion. Almost anyone who read this Sutta and applied its instructions would probably be very disturbed, I see no "middle way" in it. Thanks!

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks for the suggestion Tomás! I don’t think I’d do a video just on that sutta (it would be too disturbing), but I might do one that included that sutta if I could find the right topic. I do know a few others that are similarly aversive or disturbing. I see this as essentially the same idea as mindfulness of foulness of the body: it’s meant to be a strong antidote to clinging and craving. But I doubt it would be skillful to use in most circumstances, since as you note it would tend to promote aversion.

[@tcw7757]

Thank you

[@DougsDharma]

You're welcome!🙂

[@martinsmith7149]

Hi Doug, I found a bug in my house the other day and I began to think about the Buddha's teachings towards not harming animals. Walking bugs are easy enough to take outside, but flying ones are far more difficult, and some are dangerous. I know Buddhism does not support the killing of animals, but I do not think the Buddha suggested extreme lengths to ensure so. What did the Buddha say about simply not helping animals? Where is the line, for the Buddha, of a reasonable measure to not harm animals?

[@DougsDharma]

Well for the Buddha we weren't to kill any sentient being. As to what counts as "sentient" that's a difficult one, the Buddha doesn't give a strict formula. I think we have to use our best judgment, and we have to live our lives in safety and health. It's not necessarily easy to do this, and I think sometimes we have to see that as householders we may not always be able to be as pure as the Buddha might expect his monks to be. (We may have infestations of various kinds that could hurt us or our houses for example).

[@a7i20ci7y]

Being secular myself, devotion seems antithetical. But maybe I'm bringing my Abrahamic culture with me when I read the word "devotion." But I feel that devotion in general, and relics and monuments in particular, are attachment. But maybe that's why they were for lay people. I also kind of bristle at respect. I don't think respect has to be earned. I think everyone deserves respect and I feel like disparity in respect reflects a desire for self importance. To me this is a contradiction. Yeah, it's certainly a difficult topic for me.

[@DougsDharma]

Yes, that's right, thanks a7i20ci7y. Regarding respect I think there are a couple of different points. Absolutely, everyone deserves respect as a thinking being. But certain people should be respected in regards of their greater knowledge or wisdom. (Or if you prefer, their knowledge or wisdom also deserves respect). So there are different aspects of respect.

[@luizr.5599]

Interesting stuff

[@isaacgreenough3448]

❤

[@DougsDharma]

🙏😊

[@ewkeenan]

So in conclusion, the worshiping of stupas and relics is a benefit for everyone, including secular Buddhists, who are all “lay people”. It is generally monastics who are trained and qualified to properly lead and perform the devotional rituals and usually do. I would suggest that the same thing applies to the use of mantras as to relics. And even the monastics consider rituals and mantras beneficial for all sentient beings. So pretty much everyone you’re going to meet around this bardo:) That includes everybody. 😂😂😂😂😂

[@blackhunk2265]

Doug, which method of Buddhism to use to minimise Social problem?

[@DougsDharma]

All Buddhist practices are good at this if done properly. Increase kindness and compassion, decrease clinging.

[@utkarshsingh-rp2dq]

hi, love you video what Buddhism opinion on meat-eating? was he again it or don't care

[@DougsDharma]

Hi utkarsh, I did a video on that topic awhile back: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qGbSn5aGeZydgdE