Thank you for your kind words of appreciation and encouragement.
I think that people calling themselves Buddhists should be more tolerant of
others who with equal validity call themselves Buddhists. It should not
matter which lineage one follows provided it conforms with certain key
teachings of the Buddha -- all the rest is nothing more than upaya, a
temporary raft, which answers the needs of various individuals. If
believing in the Theravada lineage works for one, then fine. Similarly,
with the various Mahayana schools, Vajrayana and so on. At the end of the
day, most people have very little knowledge of the true meaning of the
Dharma but often like to reinforce their faith with the delusion that they
have knowledge. Myself included. I therefore think that the first step to
true understanding and knowledge in a realization that one knows so little.
When the Pythian Oracle at Delphi said that Socrates was the wisest man
alive, he knew that he was not wise at all. Yet because the Pythian Oracle
never lied, he realized that the only way in which he might possible be
called wise was his own profound understanding that he knew so little. Let
us strive for a little Socratean wisdom !
I also note that the several learned bhikkhus in this group have refrained
from contributing to this heated debate -- thereby demonstrating their tact,
wisdom and true adherence to the Buddha-Dharma as it relates to such
exchanges.