Ajahn Brahm declares* that the Buddha was wrong about the second noble truth: the cause of suffering is not 'craving'

 

What the Buddha said for the second noble truth, that the cause of dukkha (suffering) is "craving", is wrong.

SN 56.14 (2. Dukkha-samudayaṃ ariya-saccaṃ)

“katamañca, bhikkhave,	"and-what, monks, (is)
Dukkha-samudayaṃ ariya-saccaṃ?	sufferings-origination (as a) noble-truth?
yāyaṃ taṇhā ponob-bhavikā	whatever craving [which leads to] renewed-existence,
nandi-rāga-sahagatā	delight-(and)-lust-(together)-with
tatra-tatr-ābhi-nandinī,	here-and-there-[seeking]-delight
seyyathidaṃ —	that is -
kāma-taṇhā,	sensual-pleasures-craving,
bhava-taṇhā,	existence-craving,
vi-bhava-taṇhā.	non-existence-craving,
idaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave,	this (is) called, **********,
dukkha-samudayaṃ ariya-saccaṃ.	sufferings-origination (as a) noble-truth.

Ajahn Brahm points out, that since the pāli word 'kāma' is plural, therefore first jhāna's seclusion from kāma is not about seclusion from craving or sensual desire, but seclusion from the object itself.

(full context here for ajahn brahm's first jhāna interpretation )

And since first jhāna is an extension of realising the four noble truths (see MN 13), 

therefore the Buddha got the second noble truth wrong. 

To be consistent with (Ajahn Brahm's) first jhāna, it's not craving (taṇhā)  for objects of sensual pleasure (kāma) that is the cause of suffering, 

it's that objects  of sensual pleasure (kāma) that are the cause of suffering.

Therefore, the second noble truth according to Ajahn Brahm is:

The cause of suffering, is objects.

And the way cessation of suffering is realized, is by entering a disembodied frozen stupor, whereby one is forever free from (kāma).  

Ajahn Brahm declares* 

My article title, is not a quoted declaration from Ajahn Brahm, just me finishing the job he started for him and making Ajahn Brahm's Dhamma coherent and consistent.

In MN 13, the part to notice, is that 

    MN 13^1.1 (What is gratification of sensual pleasure? STED 5kg )

    MN 13^1.2 (What is drawback of sensual pleasure?)

    MN 13^1.3 (What is escape from sensual pleasure? Remove chanda + raga),

The escape from sensual pleasures is not to enter Ajahn Brahm's redefined first jhāna as a disembodied frozen stupor where the body disappears, you can't hear sounds, or feel mosquito bites.

You can do that all day and it doesn't Remove chanda + raga, doesn't end craving, the cause of suffering.

The Buddha's first jhāna, done correctly, wears down desire and passion (kāma = sensuality, not "objects") because one realizes the dangers of sensual pleasure, and realizes that first jhāna pleasure doesn't depend on sensual pleasures. 

Ajahn Brahm's redefinition of  first jhāna, by redefining important key words, is corrupted into a dry samatha kung fu formless attainment exercise devoid of wisdom, removing the Buddha's injunction to understand the dangers and nature of sensual pleasure with first jhāna, while in first jhāna.

Forum discussion

frankk replying to someone who wrote:

https://www.reddit.com/r/theravada/comments/14bvmzm/ajahn_brahm_declares_that_the_buddha_was_wrong/

I am skeptical that a reputable monk/teacher thinks the Buddha was wrong

My blog post about Brahm's new 2nd noble truth was pointing out the incoherence with right samadhi. The point of right samadhi is to deepen right view (2nd noble truth), and Ajahn Brahm's redefined first jhana destroys that connection between right samadhi and right view.

A. Brahm does not say the words "the buddha was wrong", but when he

blatantly contradicts AN 6.63 shown here

http://notesonthedhamma.blogspot.com/2023/06/ven-sabbamitta-uses-faulty-reasoning-in.html

ignores the Abhidhamma confirming the Buddha's gloss of first jhāna kāmehi,

ignores KN Petakopadesa also confirming that kāmehi gloss, as well as vitakka and vicara being thinking and evaluation (verbal linguistic mental talk), and explicit gloss of sukha as physical sukha indriya faculty in third jhāna,

as well as many other suttas contradicting A. Brahm's erroneous interpretation of jhāna,

that is essentially saying, "the buddha is wrong, Ajahn Brahm knows better than the Buddha".

Re: Ajahn Brahm declares* that the Buddha was wrong about the second noble truth: the cause of suffering is not 'craving

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Post by frank k » Sun Jun 18, 2023 8:34 am

Sam Vara wrote: ↑Sat Jun 17, 2023 9:05 amThat sounds a bit odd, doesn't it!

Have you tried contacting him to see what he makes of that interpretation? And have you tried to find a charitable way of resolving that apparent anomaly before publishing the inference that he is making an egregious error?

I'd love to have an open discussion with him, and Sujato.
The main issue, the number one issue I have with them, is not that they have wrong interpretations, but that they do it in a disingenuous and dishonorable way, not becoming of an ordained disciple of the Buddha.
Out of the, let's say 50 suttas relevant to the nature of jhāna, they cherry pick about 5 of them, and pretend to not see the other 45 sutta passages that contradict their interpretation of jhāna.
If they made an honorable, transparent, good faith attempt to address the most important of those 50 sutta passages and explain that in writing, then I would not be continually calling them out publicly.
I could simple point to the webpage where they explain their position,
and the webpage where I explain the incoherence of their position,
and that would be the end of it.
I'd just refer people to those links whenever an issue on the forums came up.