Criticism

A Vajrayana Buddhist friend said that there are things he regards as Buddha vacana which he does not approve of.

Firstly, there is the question as to whether the belief that it is Buddha vacana is a reasonable one.  For example, the post-Buddha teachings (i.e. Mahayana and Tantra) that are put in the mouth of the Buddha, it is not reasonable to regard them as Buddha vacana.

Secondly, everyone gets criticized, there is no escaping it.  The important question is, is the criticism a criticism from below or a criticism from above?

What is a criticism from below?

A criticism from below is where a person says, "The Buddha was free of craving, lust, passion and greed, and spoke in favor of the abandoning of craving, passion and greed.  I am not free of abandoning craving, lust and greed, and do not approve that He was free of them and spoke in favor of abandoning them."

Or a person says, "The Buddha was free of anger, aggression and hatred, and spoke in favor of abandoning anger, aggression and hatred.  I am not free of anger, aggression and hatred, and do not approve that He was free of them and spoke in favor of abandoning them."  This is also criticism from below.

Or a person says, "The Buddha did not kill or otherwise harm sentient beings and spoke in favor of non-killing and non-harming.  He recognized abortion as a kind of murder, and did not even kill animals, and spoke in favor of non-killing.  I enjoy killing and the direct fruits of killing, and do not approve that He spoke in favor of Not Killing. "  This is also criticism from below.

Or a person says, "The Buddha did not steal.  I enjoy stealing and the direct fruits of stealing, and do not approve that He spoke in favor of Not Stealing. "  This is also criticism from below.

Or a person says, "The Buddha was free of passion, did not engage in sex at all, let alone sexual misconduct, and spoke in favor of abstaining from sexual misconduct.  I am attached to adultery, and do not like that He spoke in favor of abstaining from sexual misconduct. "  This is also criticism from below.

Or a person says, "The Buddha did not lie and spoke in favor of abstaining from sexual misconduct.  I am attached to lying, and would have to revise some of my views and experience some consequences I would not like if I did not lie. I do not approve of this."  This is also criticism from below.

Or a person says, "The Buddha did not drink alcohol.  I am attached to alcohol, and do not like that He spoke in favor of abstaining from alcohol. "  This is also criticism from below.

Or a person says, "The Buddha was sane.  He had views which differ from some fashionable views.  I do not approve of disagreeing with fashionable views."  This is a criticism from below.

And what is criticism from above?  A person says, "It is good to abandon passion, aggression and delusion.  It is good to abandon killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and drinking alcohol.  It is not good to harm others."