Suan Lu Zaw wrote:

> How do I know this? I know this because it is stated by the ancient

Buddhist
masters in Pali texts. I believe them because I do not see any
reason why they would tell lies.
A wonderdful piece of reasoning here -- no doubt the result of "com[ing]
from a
scientific background". The actual sequence of reasoning here is "I believe
them" therefore "I know this". Now *that* is what I would call "speculative
ideology".

> Telling lies is against the Vinaya rules, and Theravada ascetics follow

the Pali Vinaya rules.
Does this also mean that you accept all Mahayana sutras and Vajrayana
tantras as authentic and authoritative Buddha-vacana ? Excellent ! The
same logic applies -- they were transmitted by monks who also follow Vinayas
which forbid lying. If monks of the Theravadin tradition do not lie, then
naturally monks of other lineages do not lie either.

Stephen Hodge