From edward.cherlin.sy.67@aya.yale.edu Mon Feb 18 02:03:13 2002 Return-Path: X-Sender: cherlin@pacbell.net X-Apparently-To: lojban@yahoogroups.com Received: (EGP: mail-8_0_2); 18 Feb 2002 10:03:13 -0000 Received: (qmail 91157 invoked from network); 18 Feb 2002 10:03:13 -0000 Received: from unknown (216.115.97.171) by m5.grp.snv.yahoo.com with QMQP; 18 Feb 2002 10:03:13 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO mta6.snfc21.pbi.net) (206.13.28.240) by mta3.grp.snv.yahoo.com with SMTP; 18 Feb 2002 10:03:13 -0000 Received: from there ([216.102.199.245]) by mta6.snfc21.pbi.net (iPlanet Messaging Server 5.1 (built May 7 2001)) with SMTP id <0GRQ00BLU3XDCX@mta6.snfc21.pbi.net> for lojban@yahoogroups.com; Mon, 18 Feb 2002 02:03:13 -0800 (PST) Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 02:03:09 -0800 Subject: Re: [lojban] [even further OT]Argumentum ad elephantum In-reply-to: <37.22c0f2ac.299c1d55@aol.com> To: lojban@yahoogroups.com Message-id: <0GRQ00BLV3XDCX@mta6.snfc21.pbi.net> Organization: Web for Humans MIME-version: 1.0 X-Mailer: KMail [version 1.3.1] Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable References: <37.22c0f2ac.299c1d55@aol.com> X-eGroups-From: Edward Cherlin From: Edward Cherlin Reply-To: edward@webforhumans.com X-Yahoo-Group-Post: member; u=31895329 X-Yahoo-Profile: echerlin On Wednesday 13 February 2002 11:49, pycyn@aol.com wrote: > In a message dated 2/13/2002 4:51:15 AM Central Standard Time, > > edward.cherlin.sy.67@aya.yale.edu writes: > > He too > > did not claim to know the full truth about the elephant, or > > truth. > > > > Nor did Shakyamuni Buddha, the originator of this parable. > > Siddhartha Gautama's claim to having originated this story does not > go unchallenged. Since it fits in so well with Jaina theory > (syadvada, saptibhangi), the claim of Mahavira is probably better. I very much doubt that either of them invented the story. Shakyamuni=20 Buddha definitely originated his parable based on it, regardless of=20 any others who may have done likewise. There is a similar modern=20 case. I know of four 19th century humorists who are confidently cited=20 in various sources as the originator of the saying, "It isn't what=20 you don't know that hurts you, it's what you know that ain't so." I don't see how one can claim to argue historic facts on the basis of=20 subtleties of religious doctrine. The story fits perfectly with some=20 forms of Buddhist, Jain, Hindu, Christian, Muslim, Taoist and other=20 theories, and is emphatically rejected by other versions of each of=20 these religions.=20 --=20 Edward Cherlin edward@webforhumans.com Does your Web site work?