At 09:42 03.05.2005 +0000, you wrote:

>Dear Kåre
>
>
>
> >
> > I can't help feeling that the story in the Sakkapanhasutta was
>told as a
> > joke, although a joke with a deeper and more serious meaning.
> >
>
>Yes, the humor in the Pali canon is really delightful - very gentle,
>yet with a serious sting in the tail...Most characteristically used
>in just such contexts - to take the micky out of God.
>
>I think there is something very insightful going on here. Using
>humor in such contexts undercuts a key aspect of religions, their
>solemnity. This is crucial to the religions being able to impress
>their truths on an audience. It is part of the whole creation of
>charisma and authority. Since religions as a rule cannot rely on
>evidence to back their claims, they must induce faith through
>overawing the devotees. Pricking this pomosity is a remarkably
>effective way of disempowering a religion's claim to authority.

Some episodes with a similar use of humor:

The Kevaddhasutta, where god admits his ignorance ".... but don't tell
anyone, please! All those others believe that I'm omniscient!"

The Brahmajalasutta, where god misunderstands the situation and thinks he
has created the world.

The Tevijjasutta, where the path to god is explained by giving only the
elementary aspects of buddhist teachings, omitting the higher aspects.

There are also episodes where the brahmins are the "victims" of the humor,
like for instance the Kutadantasutta, where a prominent brahmin says that
he does not know how to perform a grand sacrifice (which was the speciality
of the brahmins), and asks the Buddha for advice on how to do it (a samana,
who was not even allowed to study the texts to be recited at the
sacrifice!). Just the thought of this - a samana teaching a brahmana how to
perform a sacrifice - must have caused wild and uncontrolled giggles among
the listeners.

Has anyone noted other and similar episodes?

Yours,

Kåre A. Lie
http://www.lienet.no