Namo

Hello to everyone.

My name is Chong Chen Fong. Here, I would like to express my opinion
regarding DC Wijeratna's words that "To be a Buddhist one has to
give up all views. This is the essential first step to understand
the teaching of the Buddha."

Well, firstly, my purpose here is not based on ego or any other
unwholesome motives but purely because I strongly believe that one
has to straighten and perfect one's own view in the course of
Dhammafaring. This does not mean my view has already been perfected.

The Buddha taught us the Middle Way, The Ariyan Eightfold Path which
consists of Right View, Right Intentions, Right Speech, Right
Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right
Concentration. Therefore, it is, of utmost importance, to cultivate
right view in the first place. Here is an excerpt from Bhikkhu
Bodhi's introduction to "The Discourse on Right View: The
Sammaditthi Sutta and its Commentary":

"As its title suggests, the subject of the Sammaditthi Sutta is
right view. The analysis of right view undertaken in the sutta
brings us to the very core of the Dhamma, since right view
constitutes the correct understanding of the central teachings of
the Buddha, the teachings which confer upon the Buddha's doctrine
its own unique and distinctive stamp. Though the practice of right
mindfulness has rightly been extolled as the crest jewel of the
Buddha's teaching, it cannot be stressed strongly enough that the
practice of mindfulness, or any other approach to meditation, only
becomes an effective instrument of liberation to the extent that it
is founded upon and guided by right view. Hence, to confirm the
importance of right view, the Buddha places it at the very beginning
of the Noble Eightfold Path. Elsewhere in the Suttas the Buddha
calls right view the forerunner of the path (pubbangama), which
gives direction and efficacy to the other seven path factors."

(Source:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/wheel377.html)

When one practices Right View, one also practices Right Intentions
which is followed by Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood,
Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration. Right
Concentration leads to development of insight knowledge and wisdom
which further straightens and strengthens one's view, which in turn
improves the practice of the other seven constituents of the Ariyan
Eightfold Path until culminating in the attainment of Nibbana as one
progresses steadily along one's practice of the Buddha's teaching.

I hope now it is clear why the cultivation of right view is a must
to us. It is a guiding light upon which we can walk safely on the
steps ahead until we reach the final destination, the Nibbana. One
is easy to fall down into the lower planes of woe during the course
of one's life in Samsara without cultivating right view.

For deeper and clearer understanding of the Middle Way, please refer
to
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/waytoend.html

Well, I wish I could explain better had it not because of my limited
understanding of the Buddha's teaching. Thank you.

Metta,
Fong


--- In Pali@yahoogroups.com, Branislav Kovacevic <ja_sam_branko@...>
wrote:

>
> Dear Nina and DC,
>
> many thanks for your suggestions. Obviously I was not aware of the

fact that Brahmajala sutta is such a hard nut. Probably I was misled
by its place in Digha Nikaya. First sutta and the most difficult!

>
> Anyway, relaying on Bhikhu Bodhi's translation and commentaries,

as well as with a "little" help from this list, maybe I could make
some progress. So far I came up to 4th paragraph. Buddha just
interrupted monks in their conversation and now comes the
real "fun" :)

>
> Metta,
> Branko
>
>
> DC Wijeratna <dcwijeratna@...>

wrote: Hello, Branko,

>
> Translating the Brahmajaala sutta for 'fun', I think could turn

out to be not so fun. It is one of the most difficult suttas in the
whole of the canon. Generally left out by the academic community
because it is really the Buddhist critique of all theistic
positions. Having said, that if you go to the concluding paragraph
of the sutta, you will find the following: Ananda, you may remember
this exposition as the Net of Truth, and as the supreme Net, and as
the Net of theories; remember it even as the Glorious Victory in the
day of battle!'' [Rhys Davids translation] So brahma-net is only one
of the names of the sutta. The 'net' here is the self-view; and the
Brahma represent the highest self-view. So the meaning is that all
the thieistic views are caught in the self-view or atta. Only the
Buddhist position is free of the self-view. To be a Buddhist one has
to give up all views. This is the essential first step to understand
the teaching of the Buddha. From

> the discussions going on the DSG, you will note what a difficult

thing to do that. Regards, DC. [D.G.D.C.Wijeratna]

>
>
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