"Another time I approached Sañjaya Belatthaputta and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings and courtesies, I sat to one side. As I was sitting there I asked him: 'Venerable Sañjaya, there are these common craftsmen... They live off the fruits of their crafts, visible in the here and now... Is it possible, venerable sir, to point out a similar fruit of the contemplative life, visible in the here and now?'
"When this was said, Sañjaya Belatthaputta said to me, 'If you ask me if there exists another world [after death], if I thought that there exists another world, would I declare that to you? I don't think so. I don't think in that way. I don't think otherwise. I don't think not. I don't think not not. If you asked me if there isn't another world... both is and isn't... neither is nor isn't... if there are beings who transmigrate... if there aren't... both are and aren't... neither are nor aren't... if the Tathagata exists after death... doesn't... both... neither exists nor doesn't exist after death, would I declare that to you? I don't think so. I don't think in that way. I don't think otherwise. I don't think not. I don't think not not.'
"Thus, when asked about a fruit of the contemplative life, visible here and now, Sañjaya Belatthaputta answered with evasion. Just as if a person, when asked about a mango, were to answer with a breadfruit; or, when asked about a breadfruit, were to answer with a mango: In the same way, when asked about a fruit of the contemplative life, visible here and now, Sañjaya Belatthaputta answered with evasion. The thought occurred to me: 'This — among these brahmans and contemplatives — is the most foolish and confused of all. How can he, when asked about a fruit of the contemplative life, visible here and now, answer with evasion?' Still the thought occurred to me: 'How can anyone like me think of disparaging a brahman or contemplative living in his realm?' Yet I neither delighted in Sañjaya Belatthaputta's words nor did I protest against them. Neither delighting nor protesting, I was dissatisfied. Without expressing dissatisfaction, without accepting his teaching, without adopting it, I got up from my seat and left.
I really appreciated this interview. Matthew Gindin stated the conflicts I have had with various Buddhist doctrines over the years. It is comforting to hear it from another person. At various times I have had an interest in becoming a Theravadin monk. In 1997 after burning out on my actuary job, I spent 90 days at Kanduboda monastery in Sri Lanka seriously thinking about ordaining. Now - especially after reading Hellenistic philosophies - the cognitive dissonance is too strong. I am now reading "Manual of Insight" by Mahasi Sayadaw. The presentation in the book on aspects of biology, physics, and chemistry is comical. The idea that physical reality can be understood strictly by experiences during meditation I cannot justify. If it wasn't stated by one of the foremost Burmese scholars and meditation masters of the 20th century, I wouldn't consider the book worth reading.
Mahasi Sayadaw and other Burmese masters of his time were heavily absorbed in the world view of the ancient Pali commentaries. I prefer the Thai Forest Masters because they weren’t scholastics, but handed out practical wisdom and shot from the hip. That said, I appreciate their moral psychological and meditation advice but the particular religious worldview is where I find dissonance as well.
In reference to Heraclitus, Ven. Walpola Rahula in a footnote in “What the Buddha Taught” stated that the Arakenanusasani Sutta is probably a reference to Heraclitus’s teachings of impermanence AN07.070 https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.070.than.html
Yes! That’s the reference. Thanks for sharing here!
Here from the Samannaphala Sutta is the reference to Sanjaya Bellatthaputta - the likely original reference to Pyrrhonism https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html
Evasion
"Another time I approached Sañjaya Belatthaputta and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings and courtesies, I sat to one side. As I was sitting there I asked him: 'Venerable Sañjaya, there are these common craftsmen... They live off the fruits of their crafts, visible in the here and now... Is it possible, venerable sir, to point out a similar fruit of the contemplative life, visible in the here and now?'
"When this was said, Sañjaya Belatthaputta said to me, 'If you ask me if there exists another world [after death], if I thought that there exists another world, would I declare that to you? I don't think so. I don't think in that way. I don't think otherwise. I don't think not. I don't think not not. If you asked me if there isn't another world... both is and isn't... neither is nor isn't... if there are beings who transmigrate... if there aren't... both are and aren't... neither are nor aren't... if the Tathagata exists after death... doesn't... both... neither exists nor doesn't exist after death, would I declare that to you? I don't think so. I don't think in that way. I don't think otherwise. I don't think not. I don't think not not.'
"Thus, when asked about a fruit of the contemplative life, visible here and now, Sañjaya Belatthaputta answered with evasion. Just as if a person, when asked about a mango, were to answer with a breadfruit; or, when asked about a breadfruit, were to answer with a mango: In the same way, when asked about a fruit of the contemplative life, visible here and now, Sañjaya Belatthaputta answered with evasion. The thought occurred to me: 'This — among these brahmans and contemplatives — is the most foolish and confused of all. How can he, when asked about a fruit of the contemplative life, visible here and now, answer with evasion?' Still the thought occurred to me: 'How can anyone like me think of disparaging a brahman or contemplative living in his realm?' Yet I neither delighted in Sañjaya Belatthaputta's words nor did I protest against them. Neither delighting nor protesting, I was dissatisfied. Without expressing dissatisfaction, without accepting his teaching, without adopting it, I got up from my seat and left.
I really appreciated this interview. Matthew Gindin stated the conflicts I have had with various Buddhist doctrines over the years. It is comforting to hear it from another person. At various times I have had an interest in becoming a Theravadin monk. In 1997 after burning out on my actuary job, I spent 90 days at Kanduboda monastery in Sri Lanka seriously thinking about ordaining. Now - especially after reading Hellenistic philosophies - the cognitive dissonance is too strong. I am now reading "Manual of Insight" by Mahasi Sayadaw. The presentation in the book on aspects of biology, physics, and chemistry is comical. The idea that physical reality can be understood strictly by experiences during meditation I cannot justify. If it wasn't stated by one of the foremost Burmese scholars and meditation masters of the 20th century, I wouldn't consider the book worth reading.
Mahasi Sayadaw and other Burmese masters of his time were heavily absorbed in the world view of the ancient Pali commentaries. I prefer the Thai Forest Masters because they weren’t scholastics, but handed out practical wisdom and shot from the hip. That said, I appreciate their moral psychological and meditation advice but the particular religious worldview is where I find dissonance as well.
Here are some Buddhist statues from Brindisi during the Roman Empire https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02mmiew9aZSCuNerBTR8qtrQGjiHRGSKormwdjSfgUPw1ewMrJqjEFEwEz4k3DGvv9l&id=688705906
In reference to Heraclitus, Ven. Walpola Rahula in a footnote in “What the Buddha Taught” stated that the Arakenanusasani Sutta is probably a reference to Heraclitus’s teachings of impermanence AN07.070 https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.070.than.html