Why Should We Stay Away from People with Heretical Views
We now turn to the second guideline. Do not associate closely with heterodox brahmins, Niganthas, and their ilk; nor with those who compose secular literary works; nor with those who praise and extol non-Buddhist texts; nor with adherent...
We now turn to the second guideline. Do not associate closely with heterodox brahmins, Niganthas, and their ilk; nor with those who compose secular literary works; nor with those who praise and extol non-Buddhist texts; nor with adherents of Lokayata or Counter-Lokayata.
The previous guideline concerned avoiding association with the wealthy and influential. What follows addresses keeping distance from those who hold deviant views. How many categories of people holding such deviant views are there?
The first is heterodox brahmins. This term refers to lay brahmins who follow the Brahminical path, observe the ten wholesome precepts, and aspire to be reborn in the Brahma Heaven. These are the heterodox brahmins referenced here.
Next are the Niganthas. The Nigantha path is made up of renunciants belonging to heterodox traditions — what we commonly call Indian yogis. They practice breath training, alchemical cultivation, and a variety of meditative practices, all of which are paths that pursue tangible, worldly attainments.
This also covers those who compose secular literary works, as well as those who “praise and extol non-Buddhist texts”. The phrase “praising and extolling” refers to worldly poetry and verse that lauds the beauty of a landscape, the charm of a particular place, and similar subjects — this is the type of content found in secular poetry. The phrase also encompasses the scriptures of heterodox traditions.
As for Lokayata, this is what we commonly refer to as the Indian materialist heterodox school. Its adherents assert that matter is the source of all things, and that all phenomena of life are governed by material forces. Counter-Lokayata takes the opposite stance: its followers instead claim that the mind is the source of all things. Their understanding of mind is not the same as the mind nature taught in Buddhism; this view harbors a pronounced tendency toward annihilationism.
In other words, we beginning practitioners, with shallow initial understanding and weak capacity for doctrinal contemplation, will face two negative consequences if we frequently keep company with such people:
First, you will be drawn into constant conflict and argument. Your spiritual path and theirs are fundamentally misaligned: you follow the Bodhi path, while they adhere to worldly paths. This dissonance will inevitably lead to ongoing dispute between you.
Second, you will lose your grounding in correct Dharma principles. You may even be swayed and led astray by their views. This is the second reason we should avoid close association with such people.