[Buddha-l] Where does authority for "true" Buddhism come from?

[Gad Horowitz]

Gad fly simply wants to point out that in considering an issue from several
points of view one is well advised to consider that the identification of
issues as such frequently ,or maybe always, can be carried out from many
different points of view. There is a form of closed-mindedness which thinks
of itself as open mindedness in considering such issues as for example: what
would constitute "just" punishment of  "criminals"
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard P. Hayes" <rhayes at unm.edu>
To: "Buddhist discussion forum" <buddha-l at mailman.swcp.com>
Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2006 1:03 PM
Subject: Re: [Buddha-l] Where does authority for "true" Buddhism come from?


> On Sat, 2006-01-28 at 18:53 +0100, Vicente Gonzalez wrote:
>
> > I'm writing according your views in this list. I can cite thousand of
> > your commentaries against rebirth.
>
> If there are thousands, then you should have no difficulty finding one.
> I would be more than happy to discuss any passage with you to clarify
> any ambiguities that may have caused confusion.
>
> > I cannot find in your website any paper around rebirth.
>
> There is a search facility on
> http://home.comcast.net/~dayamati/squibs.html
> Type in the word "rebirth" and you'll get references to passages.
>
> > If you don't give concrete references, then I understand that your views
in this
> > list are a mere speculation, not enough to be transposed to your
academic writings.
>
> There is no need for speculation. My position (which I have stated many
> times) is that I do not think there is sufficient evidence to settle the
> question whether or not the doctrine of rebirth as given in classical
> Buddhist texts is true. Of course I know that the doctrine of rebirth is
> found in classical Buddhism. But not every doctrine taught in the
> Buddhist canon is necessarily true. Each doctrine requires independent
> verification. Some questions are impossible either to verify or to
> falsify given the evidence available to us.
>
> Rebirth, I believe, is one of those unverifiable and unfalsifiable
> teachings. And when a question cannot be settled one way or the other,
> when a person has a definite view, that view is more likely to be a
> declaration of personal faith than anything else. I have nothing against
> declarations of faith. I make them all the time. But I do try to be
> mindful that they are simply declarations of faith and that if I give
> myself the privilege to blurt out, without warrant or justification,
> what I believe, then I must allow others to do the same. When, however,
> it seems to me that people are not fully acknowledging that what they
> are saying is merely their own personal credo---when, in other words,
> they assume that their credo is The Truth---then I am likely to play the
> gadfly.
>
> Most people, I'm sorry to have to report, act like children when
> gadflies are around. One of the things I appreciate about buddha-l is
> that most people here, with only a few exceptions, are quite civilized
> and mature around gadflies.
>
> > In this case, I hope that some of my comments can be of some help to
> > polish your view in this matter.
>
> Nothing you have said so far on this issue has been of any help at all.
> But I thank you for making the effort.
>
> >  Also I hope that still you have an open mind to extract what you
> > think it can be useful from any source.
>
> A few years ago I participated in a Buddhist news group, which was
> probably the most ugly and mindless venue I have ever seen on the
> Internet. After I had posted a few dozen messages, one of the people
> began to complain that I was "all of the map." Sometimes I argued one
> way, he said, sometimes another. He could never tell which point of view
> I would take, because I seemed to be determined to see things from every
> point of view, even the wrong ones. Obviously, in the minds of this
> person, this trait was a great failing. I was trained, both by my
> academic mentors and my Buddhist teachers, to look at issues from
> several points of view. Like you, I hope never to lose that skill.
>
> -- 
> Richard
>
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