[Buddha-l] Question for academic teachers of Buddhism

[Curt Steinmetz]

Jackhat1 at aol.com wrote:
> ===
> The westerners (Thera)  I know try to follow the teachings of the  Buddha as 
> put down in the suttas. They (I include myself here) haven't found a  sutta 
> reference to a devotional practice so do probably neglect devotional  practice. 
> Can you supply us with one?
>  
>   

As is well known the Buddha did not wish for his teachings to be written 
down. As far as anyone can tell, the way in which his teachings were to 
be propagated was by oral transmission. That transmission (again, as 
best as anyone can tell) did not consist of a bare, rote recitation of 
the Buddha's exact words - and then everyone being left to make up their 
own mind about what was meant by those words. The oral transmission was 
always accompanied by explanations - coming from those who had studied 
the suttas for many years and had received approval from their own 
teachers.

There is no basis in the suttas for treating Buddhism as a "scripturally 
based" religion.

Curt