Monthly Archives: January 2017

Agni and the Brahman

Masefield’s final chapter, The New Brahmin, reinforces the truth that the Buddha did not condemn Brahmanism per-se, but that rather it was brought to fulfillment in the new Atman—the arahant: The Buddhists’ criticism of the brahmin was a spiritual rather … Continue reading

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Transmission of the Dhamma

  Masefield contends that the early Transmission of the Dhamma instantly instituted arahantship without one having to laboriously “till the soil” of the path through rigorous training of mastering the senses and gradually overcoming the debilitating effects of the āsavas … Continue reading

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The Dustless Dhammacakkhu

One of the best descriptions of the Great Deathless Vision (Noble-Ariyan Path) is recalled in the Vimānavatthu: And the Buddha, the rishi-bull, the guide, taught me of the impermanence of uprising and dukkha; of the unconditioned*, of the cessation of … Continue reading

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Ariyasāvaka and Puthujjana

Perhaps the most vivid illustration that transcends traditional categories is how Masefield distinguishes the ariyasāvaka* and puthujjana: it does not involve “religious monks” and “secular layman”, but a higher manifestation of the Noble Spirit that is present or absent in … Continue reading

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Divine Revelation in Pali Buddhism

Dr. Peter Masefield’s groundbreaking study, Divine Revelation in Pali Buddhism, has become a standard-bearer for those who approach the early narratives of Buddhism, not exclusively through the torch of Historical-Critical-Analysis, but through a direct and synthesized correlation of what transpires … Continue reading

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