Frank,

> 1) Doesn't the Buddha contradict his own teaching on
> nonconflict, non praising and non disparaging in
> teaching dhamma by explicitly calling out Subhuti at
> the end and praising him for being one who practices
> nonconflict? And at the beginning praises subhuti for
> being the foremost among his disciples among
> nonconflict? Rather high praise wouldn't you say?
> Imagine the other disciples who become jealous and
> resentful of Subhuti because of that praise :-)

If one speaks of the good qualities that is present in another, it is a
wholesome truth, not praising. If one speaks of a negative quality in a
person that he or she has, that is not blame. In either case, then it should
be done at the right time. Anyway, the Buddha is relating to Subhuti's
spiritual state of mind or spiritual accomplishment, not the him as a person
(which is the crux of the sutta). Perhaps a close reflective reading of
section 8 might help.

> 2) I like how Piya uses the translation "dung-like"
> for the description of sensual pleasures. Bhikhu Bodhi
> uses "filty". What is the pali phrase in question
> here? Is it literally "dung-like"? In light of how the
> Buddha talks about using conventional language to
> teach dhamma, I wonder how he would express the same
> teaching today. "Dudes, sense pleasures are like a
> shit sandwich."

The pali word here is "mii.lha,sukha.m". PED gives only "excrement" (M 1:454
= 2:230), but the Pali synonym appears to be "guutha" (same meaning) (Vv
2.11, PvA 194, DhA 2:53 a truly "filthy" account this last one). Although
Bodhi's "filthy" (or alternately "vile") is polite, I think "dung-like" or
"turd-like" brings out the Pali sense more clearly here. (It might have been
the Buddha's own word, or a redactor's, anyway.)

As to the last part of your remark here: yes, I think the Buddha would
communicate with people like those from the poorer Brooklyn side of NY or
the black ghettos in Oakland & Berkeley on their level. Of course, the
Buddha will do this in his own special way (exactly how I am ignorant of).

> 3) If by some gross misfortune, I am not enlightened
> by the time the next buddha appears in the world, I
> vow to be named, "the foremost in obnoxiousness among
> all of the buddha's disciples."

If you are frank, then I am earnest.

Sukhi.

P

>
> -fk
>
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now.
> http://mailplus.yahoo.com
>
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> Yahoo! Groups members can set their delivery options to daily digest or

web only.

> [Homepage] http://www.tipitaka.net
> [Send Message] pali@yahoogroups.com
> [Mailing List] http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pali
> [Discussion] http://tipitaka.suddenlaunch.com
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>