There
are sixty one (61) theories that are considered to be Wrong Views
by Buddha.
Many
of them existed before Buddha and many of them are still considered
to be the essence of humanity, even today.
My
belief, is that the present existence of speculative theories are
mostly based on Kalama Sutta’s modern interpretation of reality.
Any
one new to Buddhism should read Kalama Sutta in conjunction with
Brahmajala Sutta (All Embracing Net of Views).
Reading
one only leads to misinterpretation of Reality.
I
have discussed this before on three points.
They
are;
1.
Reality
2.
Perception
3.
The Gap or Void
Wrong
perception leads to misconception and misinterpretation and the Gap
or the Void is filled with the Wrong View/s.
To
start with Buddhism is not a Philosophy, in the true sense of
Philosophy.
If
you read Prof. A.D.P. Kalansuriya’s book “The Buddha’s
Discourses and Wittgenstein” he tries to correct this course and
found fault with his fellow Buddhist Philosophers (they were not true
thinkers but adherent to dogmas, at that time, naming them is
improper).
He was trying to free the Philosophy into its own domain which is a first order discipline by definition.
(Even
Wittgenstein saw this malady
and called it
the
"Language
Games" played on our minds).
In
doing so he cleverly freed the Dhamma from corruption by the fellow
travelers, of his age.
These modern age guys were interested in selling their books often derived from their PhD theses.
Having said, that I can now say that Buddhism is a way of life not a philosophy to trash about.
Why
I say so.
The
Brahmajala Sutta is meant for course correction and laid the
foundation of Dhamma.
If
one wants to label philosophical tenets, there are only three
elements, nothing more.
1.
Unsatisfactoriness (of both pain and pleasure principles)
2.
Impermanence (of both mind and matter and the material world-Uppada,
Thitti, Banga, Arising, Stabilizing and Falling nature of all things)
The
modern rendering is “the state of flux”.
3.
Impersonal nature of “Beings” and Bhava (Sansara).
Buddha
is a teacher.
He laid down the cause (Kamma) and effect (Bhava).
He is not a Saviour.
He shows the path he trod on.
He has no reservations left for himself.
He
is freed, so why any reservations?
There
is a caveat here.
One
is his/her own saviour.
On
has to be diligent about the “Wrong View” or the “Wrong Path”.
There
is only “One Way”.
Ekayana Maggo!
That way is “Meditation” and correct understanding of the three principles born above.
So
Meditation (if one has the time and resources) is a “Way of Life”
not a theory for philosophizing.
With those two out, I need to summarize the Nets of Views in brief.
There are basically three types of persons, who want to have their views heard loud and clear.
They
are the Eternalists, Rationalists and Skeptics.
All are based on afterlife except one group.
There
is no religion in this world that disputes the existence of afterlife
except nihilists or skeptics.
Their views are either based on self realization in Jhana states or rationalization based on one’s own thinking.
One can read ones previous life (Jhana State Five) and based on these experiences some of them formulate that, since there was a past life, there ought to be an eternal life that continue after death.
In some religions merging of self with the eternal self tend to be the essence.
Many selfs are not identified as individual entities but one of a
wholesome divine entity.
The
next subset in this is that there ought to be a divine creator or
God.
There
are at least 18 subsets
based on eternity.
In this subset, it is the Maha Brahma (may be some of his retinues) who had the grandiose illusion that he was the creator of the world.
The bottom line is, when they consume these planes of lives and exit, they are often reborn in lower form of life often, even lower than human life.
It
is a pity.
One
who has not pursued the Jhana states to clear vision or wisdom sees
these as eternal truths and postulate them as their discoveries.
They are the eternalists.
Then there are the skeptics who do not believe in afterlife.
They
create the nihilistic view (only one out of 44 views).
There
are 44 views (including View of the Buddha) with future life in in
perspective.
This
is where the category of perception comes into play.
The
perception has a void in it and that gap is filled with any view out
of the 62 views of reality.
The
Brahmajala Sutta is an attempt at Course
Correction
from Eternalists, Rationalists and Skeptics, not from Divinity but
for the Emancipation from ills, wills and imperfections.
That
is to untangle from the tangled entanglement of the Wrong View.
That is why Samma Ditti is the first of the Eightfold Pathway.
In
other words Mithya
Ditti is
the sure recipe for prolonging agony in the lower worlds of
existence.
Once one gets his/her mind out of the Kalama Sutta and the Brahmajala Sutta one is free to delve into enormous Sutta discourses and Abhidhamma (mind you very dry in content) for clear view of Dhamma.
No part of Suttas or Abhdhamma is redundant for a wayfarer.
One
either needs a true guide or one has to chose his own Sutta or
Abhidamma discourses as a guide.
Please read the book of late Prof. A.D.P.Kalansuriya, if one is interested in philosophy.
It
is heavy reading by the way, but that does not deter you from reading
it, in small doses.
Philosophy is more difficult than Dhamma.
Philosophy is more difficult than Dhamma.
