user199: @Andrei, your locking of this post was unnecessary and premature, given the reason you stated. The first comment I made was exactly as SE suggests when downvoting. The remaining three hardly constitute a "high amount", especially since it was clear the discussion was over (Lee didn't seem receptive to what I'd said, so I left it at that.)
I would have taken this to chat as the lock message suggests but for some technical reason I cannot login to chat.

user7: I believe Andrei locked the post because it seemed likely to spark an extended conflict in the comments. His instinct was correct, although I don't think the pre-emptive lock was the right way to deal with it. As such I have unlocked the post. 
That said, I'm also deleting the irrelevant comments. From the Help Center guidance about commenting: 

When should I comment?
You should submit a comment if you want to:

Request clarification from the author;
Leave constructive criticism that guides the author in improving the post;
Add relevant but minor or transient information to a post (e.g. a link to a related question, or an alert to the author that the question has been updated).

When shouldn't I comment?
Comments are not recommended for any of the following:

Suggesting corrections that don't fundamentally change the meaning of the post; instead, make or suggest an edit;
Answering a question or providing an alternate solution to an existing answer; instead, post an actual answer (or edit to expand an existing one);
Compliments which do not add new information ("+1, great answer!"); instead, up-vote it and pay it forward;
Criticisms which do not add anything constructive ("-1, see previous comments you scallywag!"); instead, down-vote (and provide or up-vote a better answer if appropriate);
Secondary discussion or debating a controversial point; please use chat instead;
Discussion of community behavior or site policies; please use meta instead.


(Emphasis mine.)
In summary:

Andrei's instincts were correct, but he used a jackhammer where a trowel was needed;
Explaining the reason for a downvote in the comments is perfectly acceptable, but;
Comments should not be used for secondary discussions or site policy. 


199: <p>@Andrei, your locking of <a href="https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/2531/199">this post</a> was unnecessary and premature, given the reason you stated. The first comment I made was exactly as SE suggests when downvoting. The remaining three hardly constitute a "high amount", especially since it was clear the discussion was over (Lee didn't seem receptive to what I'd said, so I left it at that.)</p>

<p>I would have taken this to chat as the lock message suggests but for some technical reason I cannot login to chat.</p>
 7: <p>I believe Andrei locked the post because it seemed likely to spark an extended conflict in the comments. His instinct was correct, although I don't think the pre-emptive lock was the right way to deal with it. As such I have unlocked the post. </p>

<p>That said, I'm also deleting the irrelevant comments. From <a href="https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/help/privileges/comment">the Help Center guidance about commenting</a>: </p>

<blockquote>
  <h3>When should I comment?</h3>
  
  <p>You should submit a comment if you want to:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li><strong>Request clarification from the author</strong>;</li>
  <li>Leave <strong>constructive criticism</strong> that guides the author in improving the post;</li>
  <li>Add relevant but minor or transient information to a post (e.g. a link to a related question, or an alert to the author that the question has been updated).</li>
  </ul>
  
  <h3>When <em>shouldn't</em> I comment?</h3>
  
  <p>Comments are not recommended for any of the following:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li><p>Suggesting corrections that don't <em>fundamentally</em> change the meaning of the post; instead, <a href="/help/editing">make</a> or <a href="https://meta.stackoverflow.com/questions/76251/how-do-suggested-edits-work">suggest</a> an edit;</p></li>
  <li><p>Answering a question or providing an alternate solution to an existing answer; instead, post an actual answer (or edit to expand an existing one);</p></li>
  <li><p>Compliments which do not add new information ("+1, great answer!"); instead, up-vote it and <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/how-to-answer">pay it forward</a>;</p></li>
  <li><p><strong>Criticisms which do not add anything constructive</strong> ("-1, see previous comments you scallywag!"); instead, down-vote (and provide or up-vote a better answer if appropriate);</p></li>
  <li><p><strong>Secondary discussion or debating a controversial point</strong>; please use chat instead;</p></li>
  <li><p><strong>Discussion of community behavior or site policies</strong>; please use meta instead.</p></li>
  </ul>
</blockquote>

<p>(Emphasis mine.)</p>

<p>In summary:</p>

<ul>
<li>Andrei's instincts were correct, but he used a jackhammer where a trowel was needed;</li>
<li>Explaining the reason for a downvote in the comments is perfectly acceptable, but;</li>
<li>Comments should not be used for secondary discussions or site policy. </li>
</ul>
