-Dear friend on the list,

In response to Yong Peng's request here are my thoughts on paramis.
I view it as one of those words which have acquired its own loaded
meaning, whether intended or not, but much elaborated from its
original use. The word usually triggers off a perception full of
such assumed meanings. In the context of the present discussion it
often means "perfections" of mental qualities which a practitioner
must attain on the road to full liberation. Without making too fine
a distinction, when one practices the Noble Eightfold Path or the
Middle Way, the development of such kusala mental states must
necessarily come about, whether it is the primary aim or not. The
negative aspect of blindingly assuming such meanings and their
implications, is the often glib use of the word – such as "I don't
have the paramis to meditate correctly or to achieve deep meditative
states." "In these days, people do not have the paramis to achieve
even stream-entry." As Ajahn Brahm teaches, there is no such notion
in the suttas – what such remarks create is an excuse not to strive
one's utmost, as frequently mentioned in the suttas, and worse, it
creates doubt of one's ability and that doubt is exactly the
hindrance which will block one's practice.

Regarding the Jataka, this is again another word which has to be
understood properly. The Jataka tales are inspiring and there must
have been such stories in all cultures from the earliest times e.g.
Aesop's fables. As a form of teaching moral values to the young, it
is the exception, rather than the norm, not to fund such stories in
any human society. But there are people who believe in the literal
sense of the Jataka stories. Our sutta study group has finished the
3 main Nikayas and part of the Anguttara. There are various suttas
where the Buddha recounted a story from long ago and he ended up by
saying "In that time, I was so-and-so". I have not come across an
occasion when the Buddha identified himself with an animal in any of
the stories. There are many such similes e.g. simile of the quail,
of the leader of the deer herd, etc. In a Pali class I took a few
years ago with Prof. Ven. Dhammavihari, he showed us passages from
the suttas and from the Jatakas which carry identical passages of
such animal similes except that the Jakata version always had the
additional phrase of "In that time, I was this animal or that animal."

Mettaa,
Cheang Oo




-- In Pali@yahoogroups.com, "Ong Yong Peng" <ypong001@...> wrote:

> Dear Robert and friends,
>
> thanks, would you kindly share with us your findings on the study

of

> the Tipitaka relating to the Jataka. These are my personal thoughts:
>
> I feel that the Jataka is an integrated part of the Theravada
> tradition. It is very much a part of the Mahayana tradition too. It
> is possible that the Jataka tales can be traced back all the way to
> Buddha's time. The stories are interesting and encoded with morals
> for the living. Being ignorant of the entire Jataka, I think it

stop

> short of encouraging the practice of the training of the mind.
> Nevertheless, it is a good way of imparting children with good
> values, and is good for light reading too. The Jataka is a unique
> form of literature different from the four Nikayas. I have read

that

> these tales are actually Indian folk tales modified such that the
> Buddha become the hero of the story. However, I have yet to know of
> any Indian folk tales that are similar to a Jataka story. What do

you

> think? There are several places in the Nikayas where the Buddha
> related his past lives. Do you think the Buddha did tell the Jataka
> stories? The Jataka stories carries profound Buddhist ideas such as
> Kamma and Rebirth. Each book in the Kuddakha Nikaya takes a unique
> literature format, and Jataka is no exception. How does this affect
> its position within the entire Pali canon? Would an increased
> emphasis of Jataka results in a paradigm shift from the Vipassana
> practice in the Theravada tradition? Does the Jataka play a part in
> the emergence of the Mahayana tradition?
>
> metta,
> Yong Peng.
>
> --- In Pali@yahoogroups.com, rjkjp1 wrote:
> My studies of the Tipitaka confirm that the Jataka is part of it.

The

> commentaries to the Jataka are also associated with it and are an
> ancient part of the Theravada tradition. I find the Jataka deep in
> meaning.