user22139: When the Sublime Buddha discredited some wanderers' position by uprooting their stand, would it be correct to assume that such an act is made for their harm, the harm of many, even his own?
What does someone who is informed on this matter think?

user19480: I would like to supply this quote from Rongzom Chökyi Zangpo, from a work in which he did exactly what you are asking, and explained his actions this way:

“… given that we have observed the fallacy of philosophical systems
that posit… this reasoning, which demonstrates… is not presented with
the intention of undermining someone else’s philosophical system
through conflict and contradiction. Rather, it is a description of the
perception that may cause the collapse on one’s own philosophical
position through one’s own philosophical position alone.
If it is said that someone proves any from among those self-defeating
philosophical theories, this would only reference a flawless
establishing proof for proponents of [that particular] philosophical
theory—this is, those who perceive their own dialectical procedure to
be flawless. Yet, from the point of view of those with deep and
expansive awareness, philosophical proof is nonetheless a perception
that is fabricated as one’s own experience, which is comparable to
turbid water. For example, in the past, the Brahmin named Terrestrial
Flower said to the Brahman named Undying:
Alas, O Brahmin, your     Totally faultless methods,  When seen from my
point of view,    Taint and habituate you with every word. (Italics are
my own)

Thus, I would infer that the act of the Buddha to discredit some wanderer’s position, was done to teach them how they themselves might—at some point in time—perceive their own philosophical position to be faulty, rather than flawless, and thus directly experience the inadequacy of having a philosophical system, absent a direct insight into the problematic nature of all philosophical systems, which surely will lead them astray. Therefore, the Buddha acted out of concern, and not to harm.

22139: <p>When the Sublime Buddha discredited some wanderers' position by uprooting their stand, would it be correct to assume that such an act is made for their harm, the harm of many, even his own?</p>
<p>What does someone who is informed on this matter think?</p>
 19480: <p>I would like to supply this quote from Rongzom Chökyi Zangpo, from a work in which he did exactly what you are asking, and explained his actions this way:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“… given that we have observed the fallacy of philosophical systems
that posit… this reasoning, which demonstrates… is not presented with
the intention of undermining someone else’s philosophical system
through conflict and contradiction. Rather, <em>it is a description of the</em>
<em>perception that may cause the collapse on one’s own philosophical</em>
<em>position through one’s own philosophical position alone.</em></p>
<p>If it is said that someone proves any from among those self-defeating
philosophical theories, this would only reference a flawless
establishing proof for proponents of [that particular] philosophical
theory—this is, those who perceive their own dialectical procedure to
be flawless. Yet, from the point of view of those with deep and
expansive awareness, philosophical proof is nonetheless a perception
that is fabricated as one’s own experience, which is comparable to
turbid water. For example, in the past, the Brahmin named Terrestrial
Flower said to the Brahman named Undying:</p>
<p>Alas, O Brahmin, your     Totally faultless methods,  When seen from my
point of view,    Taint and habituate you with every word. (Italics are
my own)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Thus, I would infer that the act of the Buddha to discredit some wanderer’s position, was done to teach them how they themselves might—at some point in time—perceive their own philosophical position to be faulty, rather than flawless, and thus directly experience the inadequacy of having a philosophical system, absent a direct insight into the problematic nature of all philosophical systems, which surely will lead them astray. Therefore, the Buddha acted out of concern, and not to harm.</p>
