--- In Pali@yahoogroups.com, Rene Salm <rsalm@...> wrote:

> > RS: I have to say that I don't use the Abhidhamma, for reasons

that have

> been brought forth on this list.

<Snip> Even the Dhamma, so the Buddha taught, will be dispensed with
by the

> person who has fully reached the other side of the stream. Until

then

> anything CAN be worthy if we use it to grow in the right

direction. It

> depends on cetana, intention.
> <snip>Above all, the Dhamma must not be an obstacle to our
> progress. I am convinced that the Buddha's intention was not to be
> complex or out of the reach of anyone, learned or unlearned.

_________________________--
Dear Rene,
In the simile of the raft the Buddha said that the Dhamma was for
crossing the stream , not for grasping. This is extremely important.
But I think we misunderstand if we think that this means we
shouldn't study the Buddha's teaching as laid out in the Vinaya,
Suttanta and Abhidhamma. Grasping comes when we study and when we
don't . Sometimes cetana can feel very right - so many good
intentions - but still be with lobha. The Abhidhamma lists 4 common
mindstates that that come with pleasant feeling and lobha and all
have cetana at the same time
Citta that is:
1. Accompanied by pleasant feeling, with wrong view, unprompted.
(Somanassa-sahagatam ditthigata -sampayuttam, asankharikam ekam)
2. Accompanied by pleasant feeling, with wrong view, prompted.
(Somanassa-sahagatam, ditthigata -sampayuttam, sasankharikam ekam)
3. Accompanied by pleasant feeling, without wrong view, unprompted.
(Somanassa-sahagatam, ditthigata-vippayuttam , asankharikam ekam )
4. Accompanied by pleasant feeling, without wrong view, prompted.
(Somanassa-sahagatam, ditthigata -vippayuttam, sasankharikam ekam)

If there is wrong view then one will think, because it always comes
together with lobha, grasping, that they understand . The Dhamma, I
believe, is profound, and it is rare that a Buddha arises to teach
it. I think it is in our best interests to learn as much as we can
of what the Buddha taught - as has been preserved in the Tipitaka.

RobertK