Does/did Buddhism assert that everything that is/was important to know about the world is/was already known?
Upvote:0
Yes, everything IMPORTANT to know is discovered and realized by Buddha and Arahants.
It is like a skillful engineer or scientist have no secret in any type of machine from past present or future, he/she knows the basics philosophy behind it and how it works.
As an Arahant you know what created everything and you don’t need details of everything to understand it.
Upvote:1
The buddha said that some people found the truth before him, but of coure most people didn't
“In the same way, I had now arrived at the ancient way of the noble ones, the ancient path of the noble ones, the ancient way trodden by the noble ones, along which passed the noble ones of ancient times, and which I should now follow, namely this Noble Eightfold Path: right view, right aim, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right skilful means (effort), right mindfulness, right concentration.
Upvote:1
I would say that Buddhism asserts that everything that is important to know about the world (including the body and the mind), with regards to suffering and freedom from suffering, was already known.
These are known as the three marks of existence (tilakkhaṇa):
- sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā — "all saṅkhāras (conditioned things) are impermanent"
- sabbe saṅkhārā dukkhā — "all saṅkhāras are suffering"
- sabbe dhammā anattā — "all dharmas (conditioned or unconditioned things) are not self"
But outside of the context of suffering and freedom from suffering, Buddhism does not make the claim that everything that is important to know about the world was already known.
Upvote:1
Premodern traditions of knowledge such as Islam, Christianity, Buddhism and Confucianism asserted that everything that is important to know about the world was already known.
The above is missing an important context: known by whom? Regarding worldly knowledge, this is what the Buddha said:
Once the Blessed One was staying at Kosambi in the simsapa1 forest. Then, picking up a few simsapa leaves with his hand, he asked the monks, "What do you think, monks: Which are more numerous, the few simsapa leaves in my hand or those overhead in the simsapa forest?"
"The leaves in the hand of the Blessed One are few in number, lord. Those overhead in the simsapa forest are more numerous."
"In the same way, monks, those things that I have known with direct knowledge but have not taught are far more numerous [than what I have taught]. And why haven't I taught them? Because they are not connected with the goal, do not relate to the rudiments of the holy life, and do not lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. That is why I have not taught them. ~~ SN 56.31 ~~
More post
- 📝 Which Buddhist traditions have no gender divisions at all
- 📝 Is Vajrayana the fastest and only way to enlightenment? Bön & Shaivism
- 📝 Dharma Name in tibetan tradition
- 📝 Which is this sutta, which describes a monk prepared to travel and to experience violence?
- 📝 What is the meaning of 'defiled cognition'?
- 📝 Mindfulness during sleep
- 📝 What are the cases where a karma's fruit is destroyed?
- 📝 Is pain comprised of the four great elements?
- 📝 If someone says publicly that he has achieved nirvana , can it be true?
- 📝 Beautiful Balloons for Buddha
- 📝 How do you handle when someone tries to instill guilt in you?
- 📝 How is Nirvana illustrated
- 📝 Reference wanted for "To see your past karma, look at your present body (and environment)...."
- 📝 Enlightment of Early Monks
- 📝 Is it only possible to pay attention to one thing at a time?
- 📝 Alms and questions
- 📝 Is there a ritual free form of Buddhism?
- 📝 Dhammaṭṭhitatā and Dhammaniyāmatā versus "Ontology" & "Phenomenology"
- 📝 Is forgiving someone an issue in Buddhism and what does it mean?
- 📝 How is Nirvana possible if everything is conditioned?
- 📝 Were all of the historical Buddhas born on today's planet earth?
- 📝 Does the lifespan get shorter or longer ?
- 📝 Abhidhamma: Is craving really the samudaya of suffering?
- 📝 How does a Buddhist care for others' suffering?
- 📝 Do buddhists fall in love?
- 📝 Is it true that after nirvana, no new intentions will be formed by the individual?
- 📝 Combining yoga (asanas); qigong meditation and raw vegan diet with Buddhism
- 📝 Is mano or mind function of brain? Then what we perceive is mere creation of brain
- 📝 Ideas to Contemplate When Meditation is Difficult
- 📝 Unwholesome thoughts at the time of death
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 Does/did Buddhism assert that everything that is/was important to know about the world is/was already known?
- 📝 Where is the story that Buddha was worried about a monk who meditated with a straight back?
- 📝 Did the Buddha state that there is only one way, and state/imply that any other path (such as those practiced by yogis) was futile?
- 📝 How does Buddhism explain the creation of everything (universe)
- 📝 What is known about enlightenment before the lifetime of the Buddha? Are there any claims that he was the first?
- 📝 What does Buddhism say about the consequences of good and bad behaviour?
- 📝 How does rebirth fit with the fact that everything is impermanent?
- 📝 I am looking to learn about the philosophy of Tibetan Buddhism. Does anyone know the proper order in which to learn the texts?
- 📝 What does Buddhism teach about healing others through the mind
- 📝 What does Buddhism say about the "self"?
- 📝 What does Buddhism say about the existence of a self?
- 📝 What does Buddhism teach about the start and end of world?
- 📝 What does Buddhism say that the laity should do when someone injuries them?
- 📝 Is Huayan, Chan, and Pure Land Buddhism the only sects that teach about multiverses?
- 📝 Do the texts of Mahayana Buddhism or those of any other school posit that everything is to be regarded as ideation? (Idealism)
- 📝 What does Buddhism say about events that cannot be explained through rational thought?
- 📝 What does Buddhism literature and tradition say about transgender folks?
- 📝 How to refute the idea that Buddhism might be actually "too extreme"?
- 📝 Did the Buddha really say that "life is suffering"?
- 📝 What does Buddhism say about boredom?
- 📝 Why do Buddhists believe that the Buddha was enlightened, despite that he claimed it himself?
- 📝 Did the Buddha say anything about attachment to meditation?
- 📝 Did the Buddha ever talk about his family?
- 📝 What did the Buddha say about music?
- 📝 What does buddhism say about bodybuilding (and weights training)?
- 📝 What does Buddhism say about how to manage other people's anger?
- 📝 Was Buddhism a rebellion against the Aryans?
- 📝 What does Buddhism say about dealing with negative people?
- 📝 If Buddhism is about moderation, then why is it that you can attain nirvana only after renouncing worldly possessions?
- 📝 On what basis does the 'right' in Buddhism come from?