This site is a compilation of teachings and understandings of Atisha's Training the Mind.
Monday, December 05, 2005
The Four Bodies
There are four bodies of reality. dharmakaya, samboghakaya, nirmanakaya and svabhavikakaya...Can you see the 4 bodies? Do you know? What do you see? Know?
Buddhism is neither pessimistic nor optimistic. If anything at all, it is realistic, for it takes a realistic view of life and of the world. It looks at things objectively. It does not falsely lull you into living in a fool's paradise, nor does it frighten and agonize you with all kinds of imaginary fears and sins. It tells you exactly and objectively what you are and what the world around you is, and shows you the way to perfect freedom, peace, tranquility and happiness. One physician may gravely exaggerate an illness and give up hope altogether. Another may ignorantly declare that there is no illness and that no treatment is necessary, thus deceiving the patient with false consolation. You may call the first one pessimistic and the second optimistic. Both are equally dangerous. But a third physician diagnoses the symptoms correctly, understands the cause and the nature of the illness, sees clearly that it can be cured and courageously administers a course of treatment, thus saving his patient. The Buddha is like the last physician. He is the wise and scientific doctor for the ills of the world. --Walpola Rahula, What the Buddha Taught
I read this piece this morning and thought it applied to the 4 bodies...the 4 bodies are reality...and knowing and seeing this reality is essential medicine for what ails us...each of us need to take the dose that we are able to...swallowing the truth to heal our confusion.
1 Comments:
Buddhism is neither pessimistic nor optimistic. If anything at all, it is realistic, for it takes a realistic view of life and of the world. It looks at things objectively. It does not falsely lull you into living in a fool's paradise, nor does it frighten and agonize you with all kinds of imaginary fears and sins. It tells you exactly and objectively what you are and what the world around you is, and shows you the way to perfect freedom, peace, tranquility and happiness. One physician may gravely exaggerate an illness and give up hope altogether. Another may ignorantly declare that there is no illness and that no treatment is necessary, thus deceiving the patient with false consolation. You may call the first one pessimistic and the second optimistic. Both are equally dangerous. But a third physician diagnoses the symptoms correctly, understands the cause and the nature of the illness, sees clearly that it can be cured and courageously administers a course of treatment, thus saving his patient. The Buddha is like the last physician. He is the wise and scientific doctor for the ills of the world. --Walpola Rahula, What the Buddha Taught
I read this piece this morning and thought it applied to the 4 bodies...the 4 bodies are reality...and knowing and seeing this reality is essential medicine for what ails us...each of us need to take the dose that we are able to...swallowing the truth to heal our confusion.
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