Hi Nich,

>
>Fortunately it's a core Buddhist doctrine that all things are to be tested
>through one's own experience.
>
>For this reason, if no other, I'm not really interested in believing or
>disbelieving anything in the Canon, but this doesn't mean that one might
>want wise advice as to the relative merits of different parts, just as one
>should seek out the company of the wise, surely one should seek out the most
>reliable parts of the canon as a basis for practice?

I think this is an excellent approach to take, namely accepting what
is helpful to you and not feeling the need to affirm or deny the rest.

About Mt Meru, in case no one else has mentioned it, this mountain is
part of Indian cosmology in general. It's not specific to Buddhism.
You can find it described in the Puranas and in the Mahabharata and
probably many other places as well. Suppose there is no such mountain
and the Buddha knew it. How much value would there be in his teaching
the Dhamma and then adding, "and by the way, you're all wrong about
Mt Meru too!"? Some things aren't worth arguing about, as I think you
see clearly yourself too.


best regards,

/Rett