Fast way to be enlightened and no need to meditate life
after life to finally reach that goal
I will repudiate this statement first because I think it is very
wrong. What Daniel teach is *NOT* a 'fast way' - it is the 'normal
way' as taught by Buddha. You CAN reach liberation in this
life-time, and Many have done it. In Burma monasteries, it is well
known that half of those who go for 3 months long retreat actually
attain to Stream entry. The success rates elsewhere might be
slightly lower (it depends on technique, teacher, the practitioner
etc) but it is still highly possible. Those who say that
enlightenment is not possible this life is really bullshitting and
teaching something that has no basis in the scriptures.
Enlightened people exists more than you think there are. They
exist in sanghas, they exist on the streets, they exist in online
communities, including some other moderators in my forum except
that they don't openly make claims of attainments like Daniel -
though they are open to sharing their experiences. See for example,
Thusness/PasserBy's Seven Stages of
Enlightenment and Longchen/Simpo's Articles
Let me quote something from a Sutta to back my claims that
enlightenment this life is absolutely possible if people follow the
instructions and just practice over a period of time (but NOT
anything like many lifetimes!):
(By practicing the Four Foundations of Mindfulness),
Buddha: "Now, if anyone would develop these four
frames of reference in this way for seven years, one of two fruits
can be expected for him: either gnosis right here & now, or —
if there be any remnant of clinging-sustenance —
non-return.
"Let alone seven years. If anyone would develop these four
frames of reference in this way for six years... five... four...
three... two years... one year... seven months... six months...
five... four... three... two months... one month... half a month,
one of two fruits can be expected for him: either gnosis right here
& now, or — if there be any remnant of clinging-sustenance —
non-return.
"Let alone half a month. If anyone would develop these four
frames of reference in this way for seven days, one of two fruits
can be expected for him: either gnosis right here & now, or —
if there be any remnant of clinging-sustenance —
non-return.
"'This is the direct path for the purification of beings,
for the overcoming of sorrow & lamentation, for the
disappearance of pain & distress, for the attainment of the
right method, & for the realization of Unbinding — in other
words, the four frames of reference.' Thus was it said, and in
reference to this was it said."
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks
delighted in the Blessed One's words.
"new age Buddhism with new age terms for meditative
experiences"
No, what he taught is very standard Mahasi Sayadaw teaching,
backed by the classical Theravadin commentary Visudhimagga by Ven
Buddhaghosa, and the scriptures and texts, etc. It has so much
depth that it is nothing resembling new age, which are often
lacking in depth of true experience.
It is the 'Therepeutic Buddhism' taught nowadays that I think is
'new age' and far from the depth of the wisdom of Buddha, and the
ancient masters like Ven Buddhaghosa, and so on.
Your question: "Why in the world would that be needed
besides to satisfy ppl's self-ego and get more adherents to their
teachings?"
Of course he is not doing it for his ego. He is doing this to
counter all the 'therepeutic Buddhism' scene of North America
instead of a more 'hardcore dharma practice' scene of Burma etc. He
is telling people that enlightenment is truly possible because
people are not even aiming for enlightenment but more like dealing
with more mundane issues of life.
Here's his vision for dharma and I actually agree:
"Imagine a world where the dharma was just like
anything else you wanted to learn, like playing piano or
mathematics. You studied with people who were not afraid to tell
you what they were capable of, you practiced techniques that
everyone expected to work, you talked honestly with your fellow
dharma adventurers about what was going and helped each other to
progress, you attained to the expected results, and when you did
so, you were not ridiculed or made to shut up about it, but instead
were viewed as one more successful practitioner of the art who was
there to support those coming up and also still learning from
others."
By the way DharmaOverground is full of highly experienced
practitioners and even if they make claims, they do not become a
teacher just like that. Most often they will go like 'oh ok another
one' or they might share notes, ask each other, learn from each
other. Daniel, for example, has clearly stated he has no wish to be
a teacher. He simply participates in discussions but does not want
to be anyone's teacher, take students, disciples, etc. His book is
available online for *free* download and reading. Daniel is a
sincere person who has no ambitions to start a career in Dharma -
he has a busy full time job that sustains him financially very
well, he simply wants to share his experience with fellow dharma
adventurers.
Here's a guideline from DhO http://www.dharmaoverground.org/web/guest;jsessionid=103049DDDB7516EF6A013AB9C9AA2A72:
In
general our basic principles and attitudes favor:
Meditation *is* about high level realization/insights (not just
experience, but Realization), and whatever Daniel wrote about his
experiences and insights, is in fact in agreement with his
tradition and the commentaries of Ven Buddhaghosa and all the other
vipassana teachers who had gone before him. He simply discusses
them in details openly. All vipassana practitioners will go through
the 16 nanas, the 4 fruitions, and so on.
Lastly again as I said so many times, he teaches the importance
of precepts and morality.
As Ven Dhammanando pointed out:
To be fair, what Ingram repudiates is the Sutta teaching that
arahants are incapable of transgressing certain precepts. As far as
I know, he doesn't repudiate the precepts themselves. The
exposition of sīla in his book is pretty much like that which one
would get from Kornfield or any of the fluffier sort of North
American vipassanā teachers. Which is to say, it's a bit woolly and
lacking in clearcut descriptions of what each precept entails, but
nonetheless not actually misleading.
Best wishes,
Dhammanando Bhikkhu
And like I said, I believe Daniel's view on this will likely
change in future, in view that he is entering a new territory empty
of emotions (he has not had permanent access to this yet but is
aiming for it).
