[Buddha-l] Re: Core teachings

[Benito Carral]

On Monday, January 30, 2006, Richard P. Hayes wrote:

> Thank  you.  I  have read that article several times,
> and  I have had very cordial discussions with Bhikkhu
> Bodhi  about it. We disagree with each other on a few
> details,   but   neither   one   of  us  regards  the
> disagreement to be terribly important.

   Since  it  contradicts  what  he  has written in the
article,  I have not read him retracting from his view,
and I have recently read you saying "I think we can say
that  we're  [you  Richard  and  I Benito] basically in
agreement," I prefer to rely on his words:

      If  we  suspend  our  own  predilections  for the
      moment and instead go directly to our sources, we
      come  upon  the indisputable fact that the Buddha
      himself  taught  rebirth and taught it as a basic
      tenet  of his teaching. Viewed in their totality,
      the  Buddha's  discourses  show  us that far from
      being  a mere concession to the outlook prevalent
      in  his  time or an Asiatic cultural contrivance,
      the    doctrine   of   rebirth   has   tremendous
      implications  for  the  entire  course  of Dhamma
      practice,  affecting  both the aim with which the
      practice  is  taken  up  and  the motivation with
      which  it  is  followed  through  to  completion.
      (Bhikkhu Bodhi, "Dhamma Without Rebirth?")

   Best wishes,

   Beni