Talk:Theoretical and epistemological studies on Falun Gong
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A formal Request for Mediation related to this article was filed with the Mediation Committee on 13:46, 8 August 2006 (UTC). Please see the discussion on the case's request page. |
The article is a daughter page of Wikipedia article on Falun Gong. This page is linked to the main article on Falun Gong.
- Okay, Dilip, but let's make sure this doesn't become a "POV fork". If you created this daughter page to clarify points and to describe the disputes over these points from both Pro-FG and Anti-FG points of view, then it will probably help. --Uncle Ed 16:25, 26 May 2006 (UTC)
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- My perspective was that there is a lot of material that doesnt fit completely into the other sections, for instance the concept of Qi Gong, its Origins and what Falun Dafa teaches on the matter. The purpose of Qi Gong as Falun Gong sees it and as other schools see it and a lot of similar issues. The theory of healing and what Falun Dafa teaches on that.. Cultivation of a Falun while many schools (except the tantric) teach cultivation of Dan... discussion of concepts and the context behind them.... Dilip rajeev 07:45, 7 June 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Demons
Here's the text in dispute.
Falun Gong teaches that among the beings in the universe there exist demons. Various roles are described for these demons: creating hardship for people who undermine Dafa; being involved in old age, sickness and death; and interfering with practitioners during their cultivation practice.
Li warns his practitioners that demons will create hardship for people who undermine Dafa. For example, a practitioner who plagiarizes Dafa is said to put his or her life at risk. In The Essentials he states:
“Did you know that in recent years some students suddenly died?...Once you are reduced to the level of an everyday person, no one will protect you and demons will also take your life. It’s even useless to seek protection from other Buddhas, Daos, and Gods, as they won’t protect someone who undermines the Fa. What’s more, your karma will also be returned to your body.” [1]
The concept of a demon in Falun Gong can be quite broad, as indicated in the following from Zhuan Falun: "Old age, illness, and death are also forms of demons, but they are created to maintain the characteristic of the universe."[2] Demons are described in different ways and forms within the practice, however, all are similar in that they are considered to be negative or malevolent beings. It is believed that even within a person himself, one possesses both Demon-nature and Buddha-nature, but that "cultivating Buddhahood is to eliminate your demon-nature and strengthen and increase your Buddha-nature."[3]. The concept of demons exists hand in hand with that of Buddhas and is considered a product of the principle of "mutual generation and mutual inhibition", as addressed in the following quote from Essentials for Further Advancement.
Within Falun Gong practice it is taught that one may recieve interference from demons in the course of one's cultivation. Such interferences are considered tests in one's cultivation and can manifest in different ways. In Zhuan Falun it is written:
"Someone has asked me: “Teacher, why don’t you eliminate this problem?” Think about it, everyone: If we clear all obstacles in your path of cultivation practice, how will you practice cultivation? It is under the circumstance of demonic interference that you can demonstrate whether you can continue your cultivation, be really enlightened to the Tao, be unaffected by interference, and be sure-footed in this school of practice."
Now discuss it. Start with the creation of the Theoretical and Epistemological studies on Falun Gong page. CovenantD 06:16, 7 June 2006 (UTC)
The paragraph doesnt reflect what Falun Dafa teaches on the concept... things have been put completely out of context.Dilip rajeev 08:32, 7 June 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Merge
Unless somebody can give a good reason why this is different from "Teachings" they need to be combined. CovenantD 05:29, 22 June 2006 (UTC)
- The sections on Buddha nature/demon nature and on demons would be ok on the teachings page, but the others don't quite fit. Basically, what should be put on the teachings page, in my understanding, are the beliefs that are central to Falun Gong and that characterize Falun Gong. It's not a page for putting up what finds interesting, reporting personal conclusions, or posting what one considers controversial. There is a page for controversies. Things like theoretical background wouldn't work on the teachings page. All of the stuff on healing and health would have to be rewritten in a more appropriate way for the page. The Ethics section does not really belong on the teachings page either since, rather than talking about a specific teaching, it looks at larger issue as a whole while providing certain examples. In my opinion, that section borders on original research. So altogether, I think that some sort of merger could take place, but not all of it and not without significant rewriting. The teaching page itself needs rewriting too. I suggest that we leave this page as it is until we get the teachings page more up to standard. Mcconn 08:34, 24 July 2006 (UTC)
- That works for me. This was actually an attempt at that by looking at what belongs where. CovenantD 14:52, 24 July 2006 (UTC)
- Please merge. The title of this article is longer and more specific than most stubs.Feeeshboy 21:08, 12 August 2006 (UTC)
