In the interest of (maybe) a new discussion... (Agnosticism)

by dhw, Sunday, December 11, 2022, 14:44 (711 days ago) @ xeno6696

xeno: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-sa3cz-13334e1

This is a podcast from a prominent teacher in my lineage of Buddhism. Ajahn Brahmali is a Norwegian who took ordination under Ajahn Brahm in Western Australia who was himself taught by Ajahn Chah, a legendary figure in both Thai Forest Buddhism as well as within the Theravadan tradition as a whole.
This precise podcast does present difficulties that aren't as difficult for me NOW as they were 15 or so years ago when I had joined this site. (Alas, the main reason I've stayed away was that like my friend Kent, the conversations never seemed to really "move," they tended to get rather repetitive, and well, I was absolutely a contributor to that.)
This discussion ranges from the issues Brahmali has with "Secular Buddhism," a branch that at times I have found myself within, but offers some critical discussion that fans out to discuss Kuhn's "Structure of Scientific Revolutions" as well as how western philosophy pendulum swings between Plato's idealism and Aristotle's materialism, and precisely how Buddhism sits within the overall mix. Yes, he even touches on NDEs and in how those topics are actually handled in the Buddhist scriptures dating back to at least 2300yrs ago.
This one was a tough one for me to get through, notably because rebirth and NDEs are two subjects that I have felt are filled with enough claptrap to fill volumes, but I just turned 43 and am approaching all of life differently than I was back when I was 27-28 and full of hubris. (well, you would hope that would be the case!)

Delighted to hear from you again! You always managed to find new angles for us to discuss, but I can hardly blame you for staying away because of all the repetitions. If it wasn’t for the interesting articles that David finds and which are a continuous source of education – plus the fact that our discussions gradually still accumulate quite a lot of viewings – I would have closed the site long ago.

I’ll listen to the podcast later today, barring the unforeseen, and will respond tonight or tomorrow. Shortage of time is a major problem for me, and I have to ration the amount that I spend on the forum. Many thanks again for your "comeback"!
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\"Why is it, Master, that ascetics fight with ascetics?\"

\"It is, brahmin, because of attachment to views, adherence to views, fixation on views, addiction to views, obsession with views, holding firmly to views that ascetics fight with ascetics.\"

I love this, although it applies to a far wide range of folk than just ascetics!