Theos-Talk Archives (November 1998 Message tt00241)

In a message dated 11/16/98 2:23:04 AM, Jerry S. wrote:

<<Buddha, according to Buddhism, went into nirvana. The teaching
>that we are just figments of imagination and not in need of help is
>taught by the Hinayana or Theravadin School.  >>

I respectfully disagree.  Theravada does not teach anything about the Buddha's
imagination now that he is in Nirvana.  The "illusory" part of the teaching
came into great play with the early "Perfection of Wisdom" Sutras
(Prajnaparamita) around the beginning of the Common Era (A.D.)  This doctrine
of emptiness and illusion is primarily a Mahayana emphasis, and it is
demonstrated clearly in a Scripture called Vimalakirti-nirdesha.  I don't have
time to seek a quote right now, but basically that text and many other
Mahayana "emptiness" texts claim paradoxically that we are illusions, and
therefore very *much* in need of saving.  But what we are saved from and we
are saved for are very interesting questions.

If we are already Buddhas in reality (if not in conscious awareness on this
plane) any saving merely has to do with waking us up.

<snooze>

Rich