Who’s the better Fool?

Once Gauthama Samma Sambuddha asked Arhath Ven. Maha Kassapa Thero to advise and show Dhamma to other monks.  Then Arhath Kassapa Thero explained how it is difficult to guide the new monks as they are not listening.  The noble one said “the Bhikkhus are difficult to admonish now, and they have qualities which make them difficult to admonish. They are impatient and do not accept instruction respectfully” The noble Kassapa Thero added there are these two monks who were competing with each other in regard to their learning, saying: ‘Come, Bhikkhu, who can speak more? Who can speak better? Who can speak longer?’” etc…  After hearing that, Samma Sambuddha asked them to meet at once. 

When the two monks came, the blessed one asked “Is it really true, monks, that you’ve been competing in studies, saying: who can recite more? Who can recite better? Who can recite longer?”  

Then they replied; Yes…

Then the blessed one asked; “Have you ever known me to teach the Dhamma thus: ‘Come, bhikkhus, compete with each other in regard to your learning, and see who can speak more, who can speak better, who can speak longer’?”

They replied; “No, venerable sir.”

Then the blessed one firmly advised them; “Then if you have never known me to teach the Dhamma thus, what do you senseless men know and see that, having gone forth in such a well-expounded Dhamma and Discipline, you compete with each other in regard to your learning, as to who can speak more, who can speak better, who can speak longer?”

Then the two monks realized their mistake and asked for forgiveness and ready to correct their wrong doing.  Then the blessed one explained how it is important to identify the false and wrong doing in this path and makes amends for it in accordance with the Dhamma, and undertakes future restraint to develop in the noble path.

I just quoted the summarized version of the sutta name “The Advice - Ovāda Sutta” here to explain how useless it is debate over everything just to find out what is best or who is best or who knows better than who…

As we all know these kinds of debates already divided the noble teachings of Samma Sambuddha in to various schools such as Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana and many more.  And still the debates continue who knows better than who… who have the better teaching and who is higher above etc… But this wasn’t the recommended way of practicing the noble deep beautiful teaching of Samma Sambuddha.  Debates are always based on the facts & figures which are defined by the deluded mind.  So, the conclusions of debates will not be leading us to the truth instead they will keep us away from the truth.

We debate over certain facts by believing the existing facts which are reachable to our 5 senses only.  For an example let’s say we believe in certain religion at present and we are even ready to die for it.  We are fully prepared to protect that religion or the belief we are currently believe as truth.  But the fact we don’t aware is that we used to be the destroyer of the very same religion or belief in our previous lives by believing something else as the truth. 

We become the destroyers of the things which we tried to protect once... We become the protectors of the things which we used to be destroying once... what a joke!  But existence is ruthless! It doesn’t allow us to identify the truth easily.  Existence means this trap of believes.  Those believes confirmed with 10 facts; Acquired by repeated hearing; Upon tradition; Upon rumor; Upon what is in a scripture; Upon guesswork; Upon an axiom; Upon specious reasoning; Upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over; Upon another's seeming ability; Upon the consideration, 'The monk is our teacher.'.  When you start a debate over something the facts & figures used for the debate as the truth are always based and catered on these 10 facts.  This is how we confirmed the delusional mind as the real & truth.  This is how existence flows when we do not listen to Samma Sambuddha’s advices. 

So, my dear dhamma friends.  You can debate over & over again and win also.  But there will be no use for your path of Nibbana.  If you believe that you can find the eternal truth through debates that’s not going to happen my dear dhamma friends.   

In a deluded world where everything created based on delusion... it's meaningless... it's useless... it's worthless... to debate "This is the best... We are the best... none above us..." If the debate arise that arise just because of the unawareness... just because of not knowing the true nature... just because of the ignorance... So, one should dedicate life to realize the eternal truth, and should be aware of this deluded nature and should be focus on the truth only, then the deluded mind will no longer mislead by creating Samsara.

“sabbe dhammā anattā ti yadā paññāya passata - atha nibbindati dukkhe esa maggo visuddhiyā”

"When one realized with wisdom that all things are without a self, deluded and worthless, then one turns away from suffering. This is the path of purification"!!!