© Path Press – Archive of AKALIKA FORUM – nanavira.top-talk.net 1 'Thoughts on the Anniversary of Nanavira's sotapatti' by Acha on Fri 5 Jun 2009 - 3:33 For me, Nanavira's life and achievement has set the benchmark for most of the major decisions in my life. His description of how he achieved what he did and then the clarification of falsehoods and misunderstandings afterwards, are unique and profound and have helped me greatly. Unlike so many ‘false prophets’ of our age, his words and the actions he took strike me as completely authentic, however challenging they are to my comfortable life. Nanavira would probably not want a fuss to be made and would probably humbly and simply ask that his monument should be more people doing what he did and following the Buddha’s true path. But still, the significance of what Nanavira has given me and the world are too large for me to allow to pass unnoticed the date of his achieving what he set out to achieve in his life. I am eternally grateful to the man and to the insights I have gleaned from Notes on Dhamma and feel this should be publicly acknowledged, if only on this (his) website. by Acha on Tue 9 Jun 2009 – 5:33 There are a couple of other points I will add at this stage. One is that, for me, Nanavira brought the Buddha’s message ‘down’ from some idealised, mythic story from aeons ago to concrete insights and changes that an individual can make in their life. He made Buddhism contemporary for me and addressed the concerns I had. I have been pondering Nanavira’s writings for over thirty years now and perhaps, because of limited progress, cannot comment a lot. However, I believe I have benefited enormously from his guidance (even if at times my family might dispute this!). I have found nothing else to significantly challenge or replace Nanavira either. Nanavira is as relevant to me today as he was to the young man I was in the midseventies. This either says a lot about me, or about the depth of Nanavira’s writings. One final point that I borrow from Stephen Batchelor, is that Nanavira’s message sometimes seems out-of-step with modern times. It seems that every film-star or media personality these days is a ‘Buddhist’ or sympathetic to their notion of what Buddhism means (admittedly usually of a Mahayanist hue). This is usually a vaguely life-affirming, go-with-the-flow, pantheistic, loving philosophy that can be rather hard to dispute without seeming miserable or overly negative. It is also a philosophy that suits a comfortable, materialistic middle-class that doesn’t want to think too deeply about things. How refreshing then to take a deep draught of Nanavira’s writings that reminds us that what the Buddha actually said is that ‘life is suffering’
© Path Press – Archive of AKALIKA FORUM – nanavira.top-talk.net 2 'Thoughts on the Anniversary of Nanavira's sotapatti' and that holding to the ‘pleasures’ that life offers prevents further progress. This can be a hard row to hoe but my limited experience tells me that development of it ensures one is on the correct path. Thank-you to Nanavira for these insights – which culminated in, and were fulfilled by, his achieving sotapatti after years of effort on June 27 1959. May the next 50 years lead to even greater development of these insights by myself and others! by Nirodha on Sat 13 Jun 2009 - 17:42 /…/ I can also say that the writings of Nanavira changed my view on many things about the teachings of the Buddha. If I'd say they changed my life that would sound to lofty. My first contact with Nanavira was about 1997. In a German Buddhist journal an article was published called "Paticcasamuppada - an alternative approach". It was an introduction to Nanaviras view on Paticcasamuppada. I didn't understood anything of it but intuitively I felt that Nanavira was right. It was the first time I read about criticism on the classical commentaries. I had great troubles with accepting the commentaries before it. And then comes Nanavira and writes: "No other Pali books whatsoever should be taken as authoritative; and ignorance of them (and particularly of the traditional Commentaries) may be counted a positive advantage, as leaving less to be unlearned." That was like a liberation for me and the beginning of only trusting the teachings of the Buddha (and teachings who are consistent with it). The man who wrote this article was Kay Zumwinkel. Years later he became a monk with the name Mettiko Bhikkhu and translated the 'Notes on Dhamma' into german language. Since this moment 'Notes on Dhamma' is the most important book about the Dhamma for me. Whenever I go to form a view on the Dhamma I first look if and what Nanavira wrote about. For me he is the benchmark of right view. by Nirodha on Mon 15 Jun 2009 - 20:05
Acha wrote: The mystery is why Nanavira is so little known and why 50 years later his 'right view' (which I believe is that of the Buddha as well) is still seen as marginal or controversial. I think that Nanavira is much more known than he ever expected. He disliked the thought that the 'notes' would be approved as catechism [Letter 70].
© Path Press – Archive of AKALIKA FORUM – nanavira.top-talk.net 3 'Thoughts on the Anniversary of Nanavira's sotapatti'
Acha wrote: Could it be that most people (even those who call themselves Buddhists) find it too hard or would rather hide their heads in the sand? Maybe Nanavira is just too scary and scathing about this thing called 'life'? Nanavira knew about it. In Letter 39 he listed 5 kinds of persons who will have trouble with the 'notes': (i) The self-appointed guardians of Sinhala cultural traditions. Since these notes are in English and their author is a non-Sinhala (who cannot be expected to know any better) they can hardly be taken seriously; though the publisher might come in for some abuse. (ii) The sincere traditionalists, who have spent all their lives studying and teaching the traditional commentarial interpretation. These will be mostly the elderly and learned Mahātheras who, for the most part, do not read English and who, in any case, are unlikely to pay much attention to what is written by a junior bhikkhu. (iii) Those with vested interests in Buddhism. Writers of textbooks, schoolteachers, self-appointed Buddhist leaders, and all those whose position requires them to be authorities on the Dhamma. Their interests will be best served by ignoring the Notes altogether, certainly not by drawing attention to them by criticizing them. (iv) Professional scholars—university professors, etc. These are more likely to object to my criticisms of themselves as sterile scholars than to my adverse comments on the Milinda or on other books. If they write serious criticisms of the Notes, there is no difficulty in replying to them (and perhaps even with profit). (ii) (v) Popular writers on Buddhism. These are the people who are likely to write irresponsible and emotionally charged criticisms in the various Buddhist journals. Such articles, however, are ephemeral, and satisfy only those who have no more intelligence than themselves. There is so much of this sort of thing already that a little more will not make much difference; and an intelligent person is quite likely to consider that adverse criticism by such writers is in fact a commendation. It is usually not necessary to reply to such criticisms. And that is imho the majority of today's Buddhists. Nothing doing.
© Path Press – Archive of AKALIKA FORUM – nanavira.top-talk.net 4 'Thoughts on the Anniversary of Nanavira's sotapatti' by Acha on Tue 16 Jun 2009 – 6:59 I agree with you in part, Nirodha. Nanavira’s comments were written from the then Ceylon and were describing the situation in the late 50s/early 60s. Much has changed since then. There has been the whole cultural maelstrom of the last half-century, bringing with it an explosion of interest in Buddhism and associated topics. Nanavira’s existentialism has evolved into modern forms of psychology and deconstructionist philosophies and these have no doubt influenced recent generations of people approaching the Buddha’s teachings. Yet somehow, even if I am not well-placed to judge this, it seems to me that Nanavira’s writings are still seen as ‘fringe’ at best. Apart from websites like the NTDP, I don’t get the impression that many people are developing the insights which Nanavira brought to light. It could be that the reason for this is that people following Nanavira’s lead are quite properly working on things individually and that they would not want to bandy their experiences about in the market-place (or the blogosphere). That would be reassuring, but I am not convinced that it is the case. Perhaps I should not worry too much about what is happening in the chat-sites or in the media and if Nanavira’s name is not mentioned there, perhaps that’s a good thing. As you know, Nanavira himself could be very scathing about such matters and, if he were around, would probably have some great things too say about the current crop of cultural commentators and public intellectuals. Perhaps this just shows that the Buddha’s real message is timeless and that I should not attach too much importance to shallow exchanges and commentary in the media, no matter how important people may claim them to be or how important they may seem at the time. But still there is a part of me that would enjoy seeing Nanavira’s thinking and writing getting the recognition that it deserves and to a sense that it has ensured a wide awareness of the correct approach to the Buddha’s teachings. It is dangerous to speculate about such matters, but I often wonder what would happen if there were a greater awareness of Notes on Dhamma and of the effect that this would have on people and the world. by Nirodha on Tue 16 Jun 2009 - 20:02
Acha wrote: Yet somehow, even if I am not well-placed to judge this, it seems to me that Nanavira’s writings are still seen as ‘fringe’ at best. Apart from websites like
© Path Press – Archive of AKALIKA FORUM – nanavira.top-talk.net 5 'Thoughts on the Anniversary of Nanavira's sotapatti' the NTDP, I don’t get the impression that many people are developing the insights which Nanavira brought to light. Hello Acha, that's my impression,too. In a German Buddhist forum I talked to 2 other people who have read the 'notes' and agreed with them (at least partially). That's all. Meanwhile the 2 people (and myself) did retire from the forum and I never heard again from them. Sometimes you can read a quote from Nanavira in some forums, mostly they will be ignored (just my impression).
Acha wrote: It could be that the reason for this is that people following Nanavira’s lead are quite properly working on things individually and that they would not want to bandy their experiences about in the market-place (or the blogosphere). For me I can say that it is so. The 'notes' are the most important book for me outside the suttas, nearly daily I'm reading it. The time for great discussions is over for me. And I think the only one who would be capable to discuss the 'notes' worthily would have been Nanavira himself. I can only reflect the 'notes' for myself and research whether they are true or not. See the preface of the 'notes': The reader is presumed to be subjectively engaged with an anxious problem, the problem of his existence, which is also the problem of his suffering. There is therefore nothing in these pages to interest the professional scholar, for whom the question of personal existence does not arise; for the scholar's whole concern is to eliminate or ignore the individual point of view in an effort to establish the objective truth -- a would-be impersonal synthesis of public facts.
Acha wrote: Perhaps I should not worry too much about what is happening in the chatsites or in the media and if Nanavira’s name is not mentioned there, perhaps that’s a good thing. As you know, Nanavira himself could be very scathing about such matters and, if he were around, would probably have some great things too say about the current crop of cultural commentators and public intellectuals. Yes. Nanavira would have had great pleasure on answering to Bhikkhu Boddhi's "A Critical Examination of Nanavira Thera’s 'A Note on Paticcasamuppada' "
Acha wrote: It is dangerous to speculate about such matters, but I often wonder what would happen if there were a greater awareness of Notes on Dhamma and of the effect that this would have on people and the world.
© Path Press – Archive of AKALIKA FORUM – nanavira.top-talk.net 6 'Thoughts on the Anniversary of Nanavira's sotapatti' I'm not sure that this would have been desired by Nanavira. He "made the Notes as unattractive, academically speaking, as possible" [L70]. I think Nanavira didn't wrote the 'notes' for the populace. Those who are adult for him will sooner or later find the 'notes on dhamma'. I sometimes want a greater awareness of the 'notes',too but my impression is that there is sadly no necessity. by Acha on Wed 17 Jun 2009 - 6:27 Yes, in a way, Nirodha, just minding your own business and carrying on trying to develop the practices of mindfulness and awareness (with good guidance from the Notes) is probably best of all. It can be calming and liberating when you no longer feel the need to follow everything or be at the centre of things. Even this thread of discussion (which I have enjoyed, and inititiated as a way of acknowledging, and preparing for, the anniversary of Nanavira's sotapatti) is probably of no great importance. You and I will go on with our lives (as will those other people who may read this) doing what we need to do regardless. Theragāthā 716 716 Suddham dhammasamuppādam suddham sankhārasantatim Passantassa yathābhūtam na bhayam hoti gāmani. 716 Pure arising of things, pure series of determinants -For one who sees this as it is, chieftain, there is no fear. by Bhikkhu Nyanasuci on Wed 17 Jun 2009 – 16:09 I agree with nirodha. It is not meant to be a popular book, and Ven. Ñānavīra would be satisfied with at least one man who would benefit from his writings. Therefore I believe there has been benefits and that already satisfy the aim of the Notes on Dhamma. All what matters there is the quality of the book which can benefit to some exceptional individuals, and it does not matter how many people would approach such writings. The sad truth is that Buddha-Dhamma is dying and it is quite impossible that Ven. Ñānavīra can be wildly accepted in present time. But our aim is to continue to make Ven. Ñānavīra's writings easily available with hope that at least many will came across the teachings. Then it is up to them how much they get from it. Among the monks Ven. Ñānavīra is well known and most of monks read some of the writings. From my experience it seems that he is generally accepted. Apart from websites like the NTDP, I don’t get the impression that many people are developing the insights which Nanavira brought to light.
© Path Press – Archive of AKALIKA FORUM – nanavira.top-talk.net 7 'Thoughts on the Anniversary of Nanavira's sotapatti' It could be that the reason for this is that people following Nanavira’s lead are quite properly working on things individually and that they would not want to bandy their experiences about in the market-place (or the blogosphere). That would be reassuring, but I am not convinced that it is the case. Blogs and forums are usually places for expressing various opinions and justifying views. But a man who takes his problem personally and being able to follow Ven. Ñānavīra's writings would not be much keen to be part of such pointless discussions. In most of Buddhist Forums are not much Dhamma, but gossips. But I hope Akalika Forum would remain wiser. by Acha on Thu 18 Jun 2009 - 3:16 I was pleased and interested to see your response, bhikkhu. I am in Australia (as you can probably tell from the times of my messages!) and perhaps, being so far away from the main centres, I do not have an accurate picture of how things are going. It is certainly good news that the Notes are well-known in some circles and generally well-accepted. I must admit that my impression was based in part on the limited numbers of people registered with the NTDP site and on the fact that Ven Nanavira’s books are out-of-print much of the time. But I do agree with you about quality over quantity. I would not expect (nor want) Nanavira’s thinking to become mainstream in the sense that it becomes popularised or made fashionable. It’s just that I still have a residual feeling that the insights in the book are so significant and yet they do not get the recognition they deserve. There’s a letter somewhere where Nanavira mentions similar feelings himself when he wonders about sending a copy of the Notes to Aldous Huxley (although as I recall Nanavira added that Huxley would probably not know what to make of them!) However I was surprised by your quote "The sad truth is that Buddha-Dhamma is dying". Is this really the fact despite the numbers of monasteries and nunneries being set up in Europe, the States and other Western countries? Or are you commenting on the practices in these places, similar to the castigating comments Ven Nanavira used to make about the monks in Ceylon in his time?
Š Path Press – Archive of AKALIKA FORUM – nanavira.top-talk.net 8 'Thoughts on the Anniversary of Nanavira's sotapatti' by Bhikkhu Nyanasuci on Tue 23 Jun 2009 - 0:42 Even that Buddhism is growing quickly in the West and roots are getting stronger, it does not confirm growth of the Buddha-Dhamma. I wouldn't like to go into debate about that topic in this Anniversary Forum, but just to confirm that Suttas are not taken seriously enough and many people who call themselves as 'Buddhists' are inclined to Western spirituality, psychotherapies, and Mahayanist practices (even monks, and especially nuns). There is a present movement to integrate the Buddha's teaching into 'modernized lifestyle'. Less results of insight into Dhamma confirms that. Regarding dying of Dhamma you can find also in D.26. It is not the best example since it describes the length of life span and not so much of span of Dhamma. And in CtP you can find also the following: 1. There are, monks, these five future fearful things, not arisen at present but which will arise in the future; you should be on watch for them, and being on watch for them you should strive to eliminate them. What are the five? 2. There will be, monks, monks in time to come who will be undeveloped in body,[a] virtue, mind,[b] and understanding. They, being undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding, will give ordination to others and will be unable to direct them in higher virtue, higher mind, higher understanding; and these, too, will be undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding. And they, being undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding, will give ordination to others and will be unable to direct them in higher virtue, higher mind, higher understanding; and these, too, will be undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding. Thus, monks, with the decay of the Teaching there will be decay of the discipline[c] and with decay of the discipline there will be decay of the Teaching. This, monks, is the first future fearful thing, not arisen at present.... 3. Again, monks, there will be monks in time to come who will be undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding. They, being undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding, will give support[d] to others and will be unable to direct them in higher virtue, higher mind, higher understanding; and these, too, will be undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding. And they, being undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding, will give support to others and will be unable to direct them in higher virtue, higher mind, higher understanding; and these, too, will be undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding. Thus, monks, with the decay of the Teaching there will be decay of the discipline, and with decay of the discipline there will be decay of the Teaching.
© Path Press – Archive of AKALIKA FORUM – nanavira.top-talk.net 9 'Thoughts on the Anniversary of Nanavira's sotapatti' This, monks, is the second future fearful thing, not arisen at present.... 4. Again, monks, there will be monks in time to come who will be undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding. They, being undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding, when discussing the advanced teaching[e] and engaging in cross questioning,[f] falling into a dark teaching[g] will not awaken.[h] Thus, monks, with the decay of the Teaching there will be decay of the discipline, and with decay of the discipline there will be decay of the Teaching. This, monks, is the third future fearful thing, not arisen at present.... 5. Again, monks, there will be monks in time to come who will be undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding. They, being undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding, when those discourses uttered by the Tathāgata are preached, profound, profound in meaning, beyond the world, concerned with voidness—they will not listen to them, they will not give ear to them, they will not present a comprehending mind to them, and they will not consider those teachings worth grasping and learning; but when those discourses made by poets are preached, poetic, elegantly tuned, elegantly phrased, alien,[i] uttered by disciples—to them they will present a comprehending mind, and those teachings they will consider worth grasping and learning. Thus, monks, with the decay of the Teaching there will be decay of the discipline, and with decay of the discipline there will be decay of the Teaching. This, monks, is the fourth future fearful thing, not arisen at present.... 6. Again, monks, there will be monks in time to come who will be undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding. They, being undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding, the elder monks[j] will become luxurious and lax, and, falling from former ways[1] and laying aside the task of solitude, they will not make the effort to attain what they have not attained, to reach what they have not reached, to realize what they have not realized. And those who come after will follow their example and will become luxurious and lax, and, falling from former ways and laying aside the task of solitude, they too will not make the effort to attain what they have not attained, to reach what they have not reached, to realize what they have not realized. Thus, monks, with the decay of the Teaching there will be decay of the discipline, and with decay of the discipline there will be decay of the Teaching. This, monks, is the fifth future fearful thing, not arisen at present....
© Path Press – Archive of AKALIKA FORUM – nanavira.top-talk.net 10 'Thoughts on the Anniversary of Nanavira's sotapatti' 7. These, monks, are the five future fearful things, not arisen at present but which will arise in the future; you should be on watch for them, and being on watch for them you should strive to eliminate them. Pañcaka Nipāta, Yodhājīva Vagga, 9: iii,105-08 http://nanavira.xtreemhost.com/index.php? option=com_content&task=view&id=140&Itemid=50 by Nirodha on Mon 29 Jun 2009 - 18:41 Hi, I'm the initiator of the thread and was firstly surprised that Nanavira is so unknown in Theravada. It doesn't wonder that doubts about the truthfulness of Nanvira's sotapatti occurs. If someone would say to me any Bhikkhu XY attained sotapatti I would be in doubt about it too. It can't be verified. I think most of us did read the Notes on Dhamma, the letters and than there was only a diffuse feeling that Nanavira had possibly attained sotapatti and therefore a "personal" view into the dhamma. But those people who didn't read the Notes on Dhamma or the letters are right to be sceptical about Nanavira. The Buddha taught that we have to be sceptical. Maybe the one or other will read the 'notes' or letters because of the thread. That would be more than expected. Maybe most will not agree with them because of their indoctrination of the scholar teachings like the "three-life-theory" of PS. And than they cannot believe that Nanavira attained stream-entry. But if reading the writings of Nanavira only one makes thoughtful would be pleasing. by Bhikkhu Nyanasuci on Mon 29 Jun 2009 - 20:20 I am not concerned about that. It is expected that majority will not benefit from Ven. Nanavira's writings. Even he wrote in L. 78 to Samaratunga: “If you are going to champion the Notes you must be prepared to feel a little lonely upon occasion.” And it is also true that an individual who is taking his practice personally and regards the Buddha and Ven. Nanavira highly will not be part of such discussions knowing that in Buddhist forums (especially eSangha) are hardly anybody who can handle difficult moments on his own, not taking advices seriously enough, and therefore not benefit will came out of it. Therefore there cannot be fruitful results from discussing Notes on Dhamma, or Suttas. So, I wouldn't like to make statistics from looking into the forums. Fortunately you are one of very few who is prepared to look into the ambiguity of existence, without going too much around. Most of other 'Buddhists' have to go
© Path Press – Archive of AKALIKA FORUM – nanavira.top-talk.net 11 'Thoughts on the Anniversary of Nanavira's sotapatti' through devotion and inspiration before (if) start to look into the problem. Even I was a 'typical' case: I was inspired without understanding a word and essence, but it forced me to look into my existence, before I was prepared to be aware of what Ven. Nanavira wants to say. And I think it is normal that somebody have to first argue about contravention things before he will be slowly putting effort into the understanding of the words. But again: not many would do that. Therefore I do not mind that Ven. Nanavira is discussed in many different pointless ways (like discussion about suicide), but I hope that at least one from such forums will be prepared to read Ven. Nanavira and then realize that he is sinking into mud. Therefore I would agree with Nirodha: Maybe the one or other will read the 'notes' or letters because of the thread. That would be more than expected. /../ But if reading the writings of Nanavira only one makes thoughtful would be pleasing. by Acha on Tue 30 Jun 2009 - 6:59 I am impressed with those of you who got the significance of Nanavira’s insights by reading his words alone. I was fortunate in that I met a person who had been working on Nanavira’s insights for some years. It was precisely the obvious impact and effect that Nanavira had had on this person that inspired me to explore his writings. For the first (and perhaps only) time in my life, I was not able to argue my way around or out-of views of my own which were being challenged. The insights of this person, his ‘centredness’ and his ability to help me see my own predicament made a great impact on me. He acknowledged that much of what he had was gained from a study of Notes on Dhamma and put me on to Nanavira’s writings. Over the years I have worked through these things myself and have delved into the Notes and the accompanying Letters to get re-inspired and reinvigorated by what Nanavira has to say. I believe this has helped me enormously but (as I have mentioned before) others may dispute whether the effect has been as positive as I believe. However the point I am making is that, if it works properly, I believe Nanavira’s writings and the light they throw on the Buddha’s teachings, CHANGE PEOPLE. Judgement therefore should rest not on what the person is saying but on their behaviour. Others may not like this but, as Nanavira quotes Keirkegaard as saying, people of a reflexive frame of mind tend to gravitate to, and feel comfortable with one another,
© Path Press – Archive of AKALIKA FORUM – nanavira.top-talk.net 12 'Thoughts on the Anniversary of Nanavira's sotapatti' whereas they feel out-of-step with the eternally positivistic and clamouring workaday world that surrounds us – in websites and elsewhere. In sum, those who ‘get’ Nanavira know what they are doing and know what they are getting from him. Others who are tuned into the same wavelength will no doubt pick up on this, but the rest will not notice it or might even see it as a fault – but why should we care what they think? by PathPress on Tue 21 Jul 2009 - 13:59 More thoughts on Ven. Nanavira during the Anniversary time which were signed at Nanavira Thera Dhamma Page. I am including them here because they will be removed from the website.
grackle from newbuddhist Signed on: Mon 29 Jun 2009 06:43:11 EDT wrote: I first heard about the Venerable Nanavira Thera while in Sri Lanka. He seemed to be widely respected. I shall very much look forward to the new publications from Path Press. Rhino from DhammaWheel Signed on: Sat 27 Jun 2009 04:08:12 EDT wrote:The 'notes' are not easy stuff, but for me they were very useful to clearify some things. Reading additional the letters may be helpful for understanding Nanaviras view. Notes on Dhamma is the most widely read book by me. I'm due to Nanavira. ganesh Signed on: Thu 25 Jun 2009 12:54:47 EDT wrote: this morning I woke up,and there was this voice in my mind saying ''december 8 1964''. So,I was puzzled and came to look at it in google,and I found ven. nanavira, who seems to have been one hell of a thinker. When I look at the letters he writes to Narada Thera. These people write in very forceful,powerful language,because they come from a school of thought which believes that Man is an animal,and he can be tamed just as any other animal can be tamed. clw_uk from Buddha Forum Signed on: Thu 25 Jun 2009 12:48:26 EDT wrote:Thanks for this reminder. I have a huge respect for Ven. Nanavira and his work
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Federica from A View on Buddhism Signed on: Wed 24 Jun 2009 21:21:08 EDT wrote:Thank you for posting. A date to remember, for those adhering to the Theravada tradition. Michael Rae Signed on: Tue 23 Jun 2009 04:51:15 EDT wrote: I realise that focussing on the person is not what the Nanavira would have wanted or approved of…… And yet I have to say that my thoughts, as Nanavira’s sotapatti day approaches, are very much on him as a living person. Nanavira’s words and actions resonate over the years as, for once, here is a person who actualised the Buddha’s message. Nanavira did not just talk the talk, but walked the walk – and then left an account for the rest of us to follow. Nanavira in his life shows me who/what the Buddha really is – and brings something from 2500 years ago into the world I live in. How amazing that one man, through his efforts, could link the millennia in this way and speak to us in our darkest, most desolate moments. There is much else to enjoy and be grateful for with Nanavira – the humour, the learning, the insights – but it is the humanity of the man that stands out for me most at the present time – and I thank him for this. Best wishes to all, Acha