Without Practice, there is no Buddhism

[Phaelyn]

Originally Posted by sky123

' Some of these included his ex wives and his mother '


From what is known and accepted in Buddhism, the Buddha had One Wife and His Mother died days after He was born....

according to the Mulasarvastivada Vinaya and several other sources, the Buddha in fact had three wives
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaśodharā

The Mūlasarvāstivāda (Sanskrit: मूलसर्वास्तिवाद; traditional Chinese: 根本說一切有部; ; pinyin: Gēnběn Shuō Yīqièyǒu Bù) was one of the early Buddhist schools of India. The origins of the Mūlasarvāstivāda and their relationship to the Sarvāstivāda sect still remain largely unknown, although various theories exist.

The continuity of the Mūlasarvāstivāda monastic order remains in Tibetan Buddhism.

His genetic mother yes, Maha Pajapati Gotami, the aunt and foster mother of the Buddha, who raised Buddha as his mother, was ordained by Buddha into his order. She became the first ordained Buddhist nun. She was responsible for the creation of nuns within Buddhism according to many stories. http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/...a/2_23lbud.htm

[sky]

Originally Posted by Phaelyn

There is no such thing as no practice is there? Even doing nothing is "doing" or practicing something. "Doing nothing" is emphasized in a lot of places in Taoism, Zen Buddhism.... in mystics like Rumi.

"Being selfless" without goals or desires, without "ego" takes a great deal of disciplined practice. Try being present in this moment, unattached to any ideas..... very difficult..... takes intense high awareness and concentration.

The practice of doing nothing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ6cdIaUZCA

I'd add having no ego is also a practice.

Having no goals/desires or no ego is not what the Buddha taught.... Buddhism itself originated from the goals/desires of Siddhartha

[sky]

Originally Posted by Phaelyn

The Mūlasarvāstivāda (Sanskrit: मूलसर्वास्तिवाद; traditional Chinese: 根本說一切有部; ; pinyin: Gēnběn Shuō Yīqièyǒu Bù) was one of the early Buddhist schools of India. The origins of the Mūlasarvāstivāda and their relationship to the Sarvāstivāda sect still remain largely unknown, although various theories exist.

The continuity of the Mūlasarvāstivāda monastic order remains in Tibetan Buddhism.

His genetic mother yes, Maha Pajapati Gotami, the aunt and foster mother of the Buddha, who raised Buddha as his mother, was ordained by Buddha into his order. She became the first ordained Buddhist nun. She was responsible for the creation of nuns within Buddhism according to many stories. http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/...a/2_23lbud.htm

Yes it was His Foster Mother and Aunt not His Mother.....

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by Phaelyn

The Mūlasarvāstivāda (Sanskrit: मूलसर्वास्तिवाद; traditional Chinese: 根本說一切有部; ; pinyin: Gēnběn Shuō Yīqièyǒu Bù) was one of the early Buddhist schools of India. The origins of the Mūlasarvāstivāda and their relationship to the Sarvāstivāda sect still remain largely unknown, although various theories exist.

The continuity of the Mūlasarvāstivāda monastic order remains in Tibetan Buddhism.

His genetic mother yes, Maha Pajapati Gotami, the aunt and foster mother of the Buddha, who raised Buddha as his mother, was ordained by Buddha into his order. She became the first ordained Buddhist nun. She was responsible for the creation of nuns within Buddhism according to many stories. http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/...a/2_23lbud.htm

I see nothing wrong with the Buddha having multiple wives. That was a main custom at one time. As for me, I can not remember how many times I have been asked by Buddhists in predominate Buddhist countries if I have 4 wives. The odd part of these requests was they were all done by women except for one old man.

I suspect back in King Asoka's time, 'history' may have been changed to make Buddhism more acceptable but also to 'cover up' issues dealing with King Asoka himself.

[Phaelyn]

Originally Posted by sky123

Having no goals/desires or no ego is not what the Buddha taught.... Buddhism itself originated from the goals/desires of Siddhartha

Duggandha Sutta

"I don’t praise even a tiny amount of becoming—even as much as a finger-snap.” Buddha

What goal or ego does not involve an idea of becoming?

How can we become or desire something we already are, but are simply un-aware of?

Goals and desires can be becoming mind.

Being mind, understanding mind, aware mind is different.

Udakarahaka Sutta

45. "Suppose there were a pool of water — sullied, turbid, and muddy. A man with good eyesight standing there on the bank would not see shells, gravel, and pebbles, or shoals of fish swimming about and resting. Why is that? Because of the sullied nature of the water. In the same way, that a monk with a sullied mind would know his own benefit, the benefit of others, the benefit of both; that he would realize a superior human state, a truly noble distinction of knowledge & vision: Such a thing is impossible. Why is that? Because of the sullied nature of his mind." Buddha

Without one knowing one's true nature, as distinct and separate from ones thoughts, it is impossible to know truth.

Goals and desires, Buddha pointed to only the goal and desire of knowing one's true nature, of selflessness, the goal and desire to be free of goals and desires.

To have a sense of "becoming" one mentally splits themselves into two, conceptualized themselves as me and my thoughts, a me I will change from this to that...all conceptualized in the mind, in the imagination, dualistic living, conflict between what I am and what I want to be....

We are it. We are not separate from our true nature. There is nothing to become. Just something to be aware of. And why desire or seek of have a goal to become what we already are? This sets up delusion. Not seeing. Not being aware. Becoming mind. Duality.

There is not two, only one. A one that can conceptualize itself as two. That can live in a mental conceptual reality. That can seek and desire and have goals, when really, all that is present in the now, which is always perfect and complete as it is, is a true nature lost in mind, in thought, in the imagination. It imagines itself as something that needs to change, needs to achieve, needs to become. It imagines this, as a me and a that. Me and this idea, both real, in this now and apart from now. This idea of a different me that I will seek. The different me would be one that does not seek, does not desire, does not get lost in ideas or thoughts.

[Phaelyn]

Originally Posted by BigJohn

'history' may have been changed to make Buddhism more acceptable

That was mentioned in the Wikipedia article I read. That monogamy became the norm and multiple wives was looked down on.

This was a little quote about Buddha's first wife and son joining his order:

Some time after her son Rāhula became a novice monk, Yaśodharā also entered the Order of Monks and Nuns and within time attained the state of an arahat. She was ordained following Mahapajapati Gotami (Buddha's foster Mother) that first established the bhikkhuni order. She died at 78, two years before Buddha's parinirvana (death)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaśodharā

Originally Posted by Phaelyn

There is no such thing as no practice is there? Even doing nothing is "doing" or practicing something. "Doing nothing" is emphasized in a lot of places in Taoism, Zen Buddhism.... in mystics like Rumi.

"Being selfless" without goals or desires, without "ego" takes a great deal of disciplined practice. Try being present in this moment, unattached to any ideas..... very difficult..... takes intense high awareness and concentration.

The practice of doing nothing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ6cdIaUZCA

I'd add having no ego is also a practice.

I like "Give monkey mind a job".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PkrhH-bkpk

Again though, I don't practice Buddhism. I have no Buddhist teacher.
If I did find a Buddhist teacher, then I may find it beneficial to practice
under a teacher to attain gnosis in Buddhism.

I do practice "The Way of the Chanunpa (Pipe)" and it allows that I may study and practice any other Way.
Which will lead to unity with all people and or
connection to all things. So I do strive to understand Buddhism but find many terms hard
to understand.

[sky]

Originally Posted by Phaelyn

Duggandha Sutta
"I don’t praise even a tiny amount of becoming—even as much as a finger-snap.” Buddha
What goal or ego does not involve an idea of becoming?
How can we become or desire something we already are, but are simply un-aware of?
Goals and desires can be becoming mind.

The desire to end all desires......

Originally Posted by ImthatIm

I think janielee
might be saying
without a disciplined practice
it is more a false/shallow Buddhism.
The Buddhas teaching quoted stands the test of time
from inception until now.
I would even say that the teaching holds true
to many practices even outside Buddhism.

Yes, indeed...

Originally Posted by sky123

" Behold, O monks, this is my last advice to you. All component things in the world are changeable. They are not lasting. Work hard to gain your own salvation. Do your best.”

Nail. Hit Hammer.