Theos-Talk Archives (June 1998 Message tt00580)

Dear Annette:

When all is said and done, the sayings of the Buddha (25000 years
old) are along with those of Krishna (5,000 years old) some of
the most basic and really quite simple presentations of the great
truths of our existence, purpose and practical living.  I speak
of course as they have struck me, and to which presentation I
have of course added my own thinking.

We each frame our own understandings, and like the wise spider
weaving its web, we draw in more ideas and in the center of our
net we live and store them.  No wonder then that some of our
native "Indians" fashioned (figurative) "dream catchers" out of
threads gossamer, leaves and feathers -- in imitation, I think,
of the non-material nature of those, and their innate power.

 [ Don't we imitate them ?  Them when we use a radio or a TV and
through the antenna (our "catcher" of vibrations--dreams--to
some) draw in the diaphanous emanations that pervade the ether,
and which we call a "broadcast"  -- all vibrations, all
insubstantial, and yet we have an apparatus that transforms the
into sounds and images.  All we need now is for someone to detect
and transform the images on the Astral plane ;  but so far, only
certain individuals in "states of altered consciousness" perceive
them.]

But to get back to the Buddha:  Why not start with his own words
?  I mean the DHAMMAPADA, the "Footfalls of the Law"  -- A year
after his death all the members of the Sangha, the brotherhood
met again under the presidentship  of Ananda his closes disciple.
They were set the task of writing down all that each had heard of
what the Buddha had said -- since the Buddha, himself did not
write anything.

In the year following all those many versions were brought
together and compared and copies -- so that the "Abhidharma"
(from which both the Mahayana and the Hinayana Schools of
Buddhism derive their fundamental doctrines) went on record.  It
was found that all the Bhikkus (monks) had remembered the Buddha
saying certain things.

These were, as the common testimony, set together as they all
coincided in word and idea.  This was then called the DHAMMAPADA.
It consists of 26 chapters comprising 423 verses (slokas).

Many translations have been made of these in many languages, and
it is wise to use several for cross comparison.

The "Tripitaka" or the three "baskets":  1.  the doctrine, 2. the
rules and laws of the "Sangha," the brotherhood of monks; and,
3.  the metaphysical and philosophical dissertations and
metaphysics -- these are the three divisions of Buddhistic lore.
They constitute an enormous treasure trove.

So "have fun."

I would add to this the observation that, IMHO, HPB came so
recently to do that kind of work  again.  On behalf of the Great
and Ancient Brotherhood of the Wise, she had, as mission, one
that drew together the whole world of religions, of philosophies
and of sciences.

She epitomizes all those without seeking to decry or to alter
them.  And she shows her readers and students how all those
correlate on the basis of principles and ideas.  But that is
something each one of us has to come to see on his or her own
terms.  And thus each of us carves their own "path to the Truth."

Best wishes as always,        Dal

> Date: Wednesday, June 24, 1998 8:46 PM
> From: "Annette Rivington" <libidium@globalserve.net>
> Subject: Re: Re: The Beginning/End

>W. Dallas TenBroeck wrote:
>>
>> Who are the "gods ?"  I firmly think that we are the "gods."
WE
>> are those who know that deep down inside there is an immortal
>> something.  It is the source of "my" I-ness.  And you, and
>> everyone else has their own.  But once that we get down to
that
>> level we find that we are touching each other most intimately
and
>> that the units form a vast WHOLE.  Gone are the differences.
>> They were not important anyway.
>
>Dear Dallas:
>THAT is our COMMON GROUND.
>
>I am starting a re-read of the teachings of Buddha, from square
one.
>>From the four Dharmic Principles outwards.  I will stop when
the voices
>of others are just noise and bells and whistles.
>
>I am finding it a great experience to do this in age, when I can
stick
>with the focus and experience, always to some extent, what the
great
>ones experienced, rather than as an intellectual exercise.
>
>Love and long life to you
>Annette
>
>