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Re: how can i live for an aeon or the remainder of an aeon?



The suttas talk about the buddha and moggallana being able to live out the remainder of the aeon.

This is my response to Robert's post and his belief in the commentary interpretation that living out a cosmic aeon actually means living out the normal lifespan of a healthy human, 80-100 years. 



Re: how can i live for an aeon or the remainder of an aeon?

Post by frank k » 

That's the commentary interpretation.
The more likely common sense straightforward interpretation of the sutta is the way kappa is normally used, as the remainder of a cosmic aeon.
To give an example of how long an aeon is, that's the lifespan of a brahma realm being, and in this present aeon, 7 buddhas will arise and pass away.

AFAIK it only mentions the Buddha and Moggallana claiming to be able to exercise that ability of living out the aeon/kappa.
If it were only to extending one's life by 10-20 years, it's hard to imagine why so few disciples could do it, and why the Buddha would have to use an ambiguous and confusing word 'kappa'/cosmic aeon.

My guess, as how this ability would work, is probably you'd find a nice safe hiding place in the mountains where it's cold and quiet, sit in meditation in a state similar to 9th attainment of cessation (no breathing, super low metabolic rate), and wield manifold superpowers (as usual in 6 abhinna) in mind made bodies that to most people would seem like ordinary bodies, but maybe a little more subtle, like the body casts no shadow (taoist sages throughout time have also mastered 5 of the 6 abhinna, my uncle's friend saw a taoist immortal cast no shadow in a mind made body).

Another example, during the last 10 years of ajahn chah's life, where he was infirm and constantly bed ridden and body unconscious various disciples had seen him in other places having conversations and interacting with the sangha while he was known to be deathly ill and bed ridden.




robertk wrote: Fri Nov 27, 2020 9:17 amAn ayukappa, the range of human life at that time.
www.lucid24.org/sted : ☸Lucid24.org🐘 STED definitions


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