The origins of the western dvi-pitaka-vada

[Citta]

@mrunal_mhatre

He wrote that this is not original philosophy some Brahmins mixed there views with orignal Buddhist philosophy (like Mahayana elements)

Did the scheme of 31 planes of existence exist prior to the Buddha?

[Citta]

Mahayana is largely idealism,

If Theravada Abhidhamma denies the ultimate existence of external world (of chairs and trees, and other non-paramattha things) and merely calls them conceptual (which is a product of the concept producing deluded citta) then in a sense it is Idealism (or almost).

Personally, to me, idealism would really make Abhidhamma easier to accept. Less problems with how kamma & citta can produce all the results and all the incredible "worlds that one can be reborn into (to speak conventionally).

IMHO, a much bigger and fundamental difference between different Abhidhamma teachings is the nature of dhammas. Are they tri-temporal, with momentary manifestation? Or are they momentary only? In latter case it brings lots of potential logical problems and seems to violate the law of conservation of energy. IMHO.

[Citta]

Bhante,

@Paññādhammika

The rebirth evidences cases has accounts of people died, hang around somewhere and then got reborn

1. How is antarabhava different from a spontaneous short term rebirth? Doesn’t this state contain 5 aggregates?

2. What is philosophically/logically wrong with antarabhava assuming that it is anicca, dukkha, anatta?

[Paññādhammika]

@Citta

How is antarabhava different from a spontaneous short term rebirth? Doesn’t this state contain 5 aggregates?

I am not exactly sure what is the exact nature of antarabhava, maybe it’s mind made body? Like NDE people experience?

@Citta

What is philosophically/logically wrong with antarabhava assuming that it is anicca, dukkha, anatta?

From the position of EBT, I think there’s no issue, just that classical Theravada doesn’t have this and thus think that it is too close to soul theory, but mind made body is already similar to that, no need to posit a soul.

[Citta]

Bhante,

@Paññādhammika

I am not exactly sure what is the exact nature of antarabhava, maybe it’s mind made body? Like NDE people experience?

Manomaya kaya is mentioned a number of times in the suttas. In any case, it is made from 5 aggregates.

@Paññādhammika

but mind made body is already similar to that, no need to posit a soul.

Exactly.

[Citta]

I wonder about this question myself.

Maybe:

1. Abhidhamma is too long and too difficult to understand. Not everyone can or wants to read for 5-7 hours at a time. Short stories with less terminology are easier for some people to read and grasp.
   “A confused mind says NO”.

2. Over reliance on western materialistic historical analysis.

3. Suttas can be re-interpreted much easier than Abhidhamma to fit the person’s idea of what the teaching is about.

IMHO.