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Obscure Words in A Survey Of Buddhism

Word's I'd never come across reading A Survey Of Buddhism by Sangharakshita:

synoptic--seeing toghether and pertaining to or constituting a synopsis; affording or taking a general view of the principal parts of a subject.

eleemosynary is charity

eremitical is a about a hermit.

coenobitical relates to the monastic life.

xylograph is an engraving in wood.

"barbara, celarent and darii" from p. 240 refers to Aristotle's logic terms. (Page number refer to 2001 edition.)

Bhante Quote

"We should have the courage not of our intellectual convictions but of our transcendental realizations. The doctrinal differences existing between the various schools of Buddhism out to be delight rather than dismay us, for we are thereby stung into keener awareness of the limitations of the intellect, startled into livelier recognition of the purely instrumental nature of the Dharma, and at least awakened into a clearer comprehension of the great truth that, as Buddha himself said repeatedly, Nirvana is atakkavacara, beyond the reach of reasoning."

Sangharakshita, Page 240, A Survey Of Buddhism, 2001 edition.

Ethics, study and support

My next retreat is going to be on ethics. Here are the negative 5 precepts:

1. I undertake to abstain from taking or harming life.
2. I undertake to abstain from taking what is not freely given.
3. I undertake to abstain from causing harm through sexuality.
4. I undertake to abstain from false speech.
5. I undertake to abstain from taking intoxicants that dull the mind.

The positive counterparts are stated as follows:

1. With deeds of loving kindness, I purify my body.
2. With open-handed generosity, I purify my body.
3. With stillness, simplicity and contentment, I purify my body.
4. With truthful communication, I purify my speech.
5. With mindfulness clear and radiant, I purify my mind.

We're going to be studying the 10 precepts from Bhante's The Ten Pillars, sold at Windhorse Publishing, a model of right livelihood cooperative in the movement.

In other news, there's a good site that has the mitra study course we're going to be doing with Vajramati, on the FWBO center support web site.