[Buddha-l] Batchelor

[[DPD CDT] Shen Shi'an]

Nay... not even close. Pascal's wager clearly lacks intelligence. It might work in urging a life of goodness to some extent, but fails in the department of truth as a proof. As Voltaire put it, it is "indecent and childish... the interest I have to believe a thing is no proof that such a thing exists." In a way, the Four Assurances by the Buddha are the opposite - promotes true objective thinking and goodness at the same time.

A joke to share, from Anne Dillard:

Somewhere, and I can't find where,
I read about an Eskimo hunter who asked the local missionary priest,
"If I didn't know about God and sin, would I go to hell?"
"No," said the priest, "not if you did not know."
"Then why," asked the Eskimo earnestly, "did you tell me?"

More instances of wit where this came from, from 'The Atheist Bible': http://www.moonpointer.com/index.php?itemid=1898 
 

> Reminiscent of Pascal's wager? or did I get it wrong again?
============================


The Buddha devised a smart foolproof set of reasoning to prove
that it's safer to believe in karma and rebirth than not. As
found towards the end of the Kalama Sutta. Maybe someone should
bring this to Batchelor's attention? Here it goes:

"When, Kalamas, this noble disciple has thus made his mind free
of enmity, free of ill will, uncorrupted and pure, he has won
Four Assurances in this very life.

"The First Assurance he has won is this: 'If there is another
world, and if good and bad deeds bear fruit and yield results, it
is possible that with the breakup of the body, after death, I
shall arise in a good destination, in a heavenly world.'

"The Second Assurance he has won is this: 'If there is no other
world, and if good and bad deeds do not bear fruit and yield
results, still right here, in this very life, I live happily,
free of enmity and ill will.'

"The Third Assurance he has won is this: 'Suppose evil befalls
the evil-doer. Then, as I do not intend evil for anyone, how can
suffering afflict me, one who does no evil deed?'

"The Fourth Assurance he has won is this: 'Suppose evil does not
befall the evil-doer. Then right here, I see myself purified in
both respects.' [because I do no evil, and because no evil (ie.
suffering) will befall me] 

- Kalama Sutta
- In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali
Canon (Edited by Bhikkhu Bodhi)

Shen Shi'an
www.moonpointer.com
www.TheDailyEnlightenment.com 

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