Peter,

It is to one's advantage to be able to see good even in the evil, although
this may be
difficult in some cases who have done great evil (such as Hitler).
Nevertheless, with
some understanding we will see that people are mostly products of their past
karma
and present circumstances.

Anyone who seeks inner peace (as Nanavira and others like him) surely have
great
potential goodness within. Whether or not one is a saint is only another's
guess. (I
have written a whole article on this elsewhere based on the Suttas.)

As I said earlier, one great way to deeper wisdom (not that I claim it) is
to constantly
sk "why do I think this way" (I try to do that). In understand this as a
form of wise
attention (yoniso manasikaara) taught as vitakka,sankhaara,santhaana in the
Vitakka
Santhana Sutta (M 20).

I think the Buddha has made the rule about monastics' not claiming spiritual
states (esp
those who have not truly attained) is not only to prevent flies from coming
to the sugar
(and so drown in it), but to encourage each of us to work towards inner
stillness so
that we can ourselves attain stream-winning in this life itself.

Thank you Peter for reminding me of Nanavira's good side, which I fail to
mention. And also
for thoughtfully sharing your insights.

If we are respectfully open and curious about one another ,even facelessly
on the net, we
can still bring out one another's goodness. I always try to remember what,
after all, learning
Pali is about, it is about the grammar of word, but more so about the
grammar of sprituality
of the Buddha Dhamma.

Every day is Vesak for those who seek within.

Piya Tan

On 5/27/07, Peter Tomlinson <gnanayasa@...> wrote:
>
>
> Hello to all,
> With all due respect, I knew Nanasumana, one of the last people to see
> Nanavira alive, and I visited Bundala, the sire of Nanavira's life and
> death. I have read "Notes on Dhamma" often and respect Nanavira's claim of
> Sotapanna. His sexual troubles notwithstanding, his Amoebiosis was what he
> claimed was killing him.
>
> I do not deny the Satyriosis that he admitted to. It is a psychological
> problem I am told, yet does this mean he was deluded about his attainment?
> does this cast doubt on "Notes on Dhamma"?
>
> His suicide was tragic, but he claimed he believed that he would be reborn
> in a state where he could practice Dhamma as he would have done had it not
> been for his disease. I read all of his letters and helped compile his
> writings with Sumana and Nanasuci and others.
>
> I feel often that many did not understand what Nanavira tried to do by
> sending out "Notes on Dhamma" and that this has caused criticism.
> Please forgive me if I have offended, that is not my intention.
>
> Peter Tomlinson
>
> Piya Tan <dharmafarer@... <dharmafarer%40gmail.com>> wrote: On
> 5/26/07, Piya Tan <dharmafarer@... <dharmafarer%40gmail.com>> wrote:
>
> Lest Yong Peng be misunderstood, please note that he is not criticizing
> me,
> > but
> > referring to section of "The danger of subjectivism" (Intro 2) in my
> > essay. I need to
> > clarify this.
> >
> > Looking back (I worked on the essay in 2005), other than the Sutta
> > translation, I enjoyed researching section 5 of the Introduction, about
> why
> > and how the Italian wealthy eccentric Baron Evola tried to force his
> > romanticized idea of suicide into Buddhism, and how the tragic western
> monk
> > Nanavira, troubled with his sexuality, in the end committed suicide.
> These
> > are painful truths many monks even today face.
> >
> > For them, let me say it is vital to find good spiritual friends in
> > teachers with still minds. There is often the danger when they don the
> robe
> > they think they should not listen to
> > other teachers, esp teachers from other Buddhist ordinations. As they
> > reach seniority,
> > it becomes harder for them to learn, esp thinking more devotees respect
> > them. So they
> > live a Jekyll and Hyde life.
> >
> > Buddhism is about liberating yourself, not about self-pride or which
> > school one belongs to.
> >
> > Piya Tan
>
>



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