tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12497980462908963192024-02-20T01:39:23.662-08:00Bodhi WisdomUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1249798046290896319.post-57404393845471070542012-06-13T10:30:00.002-07:002015-10-08T23:19:57.506-07:00Arya Nagarjuna’s View of Ultimate Reality<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Arya Nagarjuna’s View of Ultimate
Reality <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">The Final Panacea to All Our Miseries<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 9pt;">Geshe Dorji Damdul<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i>While this writing may
find little technical for the lay audience, I suggest the readers, however lay
you might be, to bear with me the technicalities for a while. Reading this
twice will instill in you a profound admiration in the view of Arya Nagarjuna, the
missing of which will deprive us of the final light of hope of freedom from the
vicious cycle of samsara.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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This has two parts. The second part will serve as a
commentary for the readers to understand the first part. Please don’t miss the
second part as well, although the two might seem very alike at some segments.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Four Noble Truths is the common locus for both the
advocates of objective existence and those negating objective existence who
debate rigorously to see if objective existence is feasible or not.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In the opening stanzas of the Chapter 24, Arya Nagarjuna began
by raising the opponents' view and the absurdities that seem to follow for
those who reject objective existence; The adherents of objective existence
believes that with no objective existence, everything has to exist through mere
subjective thoughts, in which case the value of existence of things will turn
out to be not more than non-existence, like a castle in the air. They further
push the Madhyamikas to the absurdity of having to reject the ‘arising’ and
‘disintegration’ of things in general if one denies objective existence. If
this were the case, the Four Noble Truths is undermined as well, for the
phenomena of arising and disintegration marks the underlying fabric of the
concept of the Four Noble Truths. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The arising of the first truth from the second truth highlights
our samsaric nature, while the elimination of the second truth thus giving rise
to the third truth through training in the fourth truth delineates the hope of
freedom from suffering altogether.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Without the Four Truths, the associated practices would make
no sense, and the four fruits – fruit of Stream Enterer, Once Returner, No-more
Returner, and Arahats – as a result of the practice would be undermined. Without
the fruits, the abiders and the enterers into the fruits could not possibly
exist. The Sangha would make no sense if these eight persons are non-existent.
Without the teaching of the Four Noble Truths, the Jewel of the Dharma would
not be possible. In the absence of Dharma and Sangha, how could the Buddha come
into being?<o:p></o:p></div>
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On top of denigrating the Three Jewels, all
conventionalities would be undermined, along with deprecating the distinction
of what is virtuous and what is non-virtuous.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Arya Nagarjuna’s
Response:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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In response, Arya Nagarjuna summarized his rebuttal against
the Essentialists, the adherents of objective existence, as follows:<o:p></o:p></div>
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All their former criticisms against Madhyamakas are due to
their own lack of understanding: 1) the purpose of realizing emptiness, 2) the
meaning of emptiness, 3) and the nature of emptiness.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In explaining the above three points, Arya Nagarjuna points
to dependent origination as the meaning of emptiness. In so doing, he convinces
them that the repudiation of emptiness in a way
is rejecting dependent origination. By so doing,<i> </i>the opponents reject the phenomena of infallible arising and
disintegration, the hallmark of existence. Without the phenomenon of “arising”
existing, the first and the third truth among the Four Noble Truths are
undermined. These two truths only make sense as existent if there is the
phenomenon of “arising” as they arise from the second and the fourth truth
respectively. By denigrating the Four Noble Truths, the Jewel of the Dharma
cannot be posited. Without Dharma the eight Sangha members and the Buddha
cannot be posited. The opponents of Madhyamika thus reject the existence of the
Three Jewels. This not only leads to the consequence of repudiating the Three
Jewels, but they also undermine the causation which governs the entire web of
conventionalities.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Arya Nagarjuna thus drew the conclusion that all the above
contradictions will be resolved with ease if one understands:<o:p></o:p></div>
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1. That the purpose of realizing emptiness is to uproot the
subtlest of the mental stains of negative emotions;<o:p></o:p></div>
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2. That dependent origination, instead of nothingness, is
the meaning of emptiness;<o:p></o:p></div>
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3. That emptiness is the subtlest form of reality characterized
by the five natures – not known through others words, peaceful, devoid of
elaborations, transcending conceptualization, and free of duality.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">The More Detail Explanation:</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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The Dhammapada says:<o:p></o:p></div>
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All phenomena are of the nature of mind;<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mind is their chief and precedes them all.<o:p></o:p></div>
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If with an impure mind a person speaks or acts<o:p></o:p></div>
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Suffering follows him like the cart that follows the horse.<o:p></o:p></div>
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All phenomena are of the nature of mind;<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mind is their chief and precedes them all.<o:p></o:p></div>
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If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts<o:p></o:p></div>
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Happiness follows him like the shadow that follows the person.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Here we clearly see that the Buddha is pointing to our minds
as finally being responsible for our happiness or suffering. While that mind
can be described as Buddha nature—the ultimate seed for anyone to become a
Buddha—but when it is sullied or defiled by mental afflictions, the person who
is in possession of that mind is referred to as a samsaric being; One is in
samsara. Contrary to this, if the temporary defilements are eliminated, this
basic nature of the mind becomes awakened. At that point one becomes a Buddha.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Arya Naga Bodhi, a direct student of Arya Nagarjuna said:<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Buddhahood is not bestowed upon you by anyone;<o:p></o:p></div>
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Nor the cause of the Buddhahood is held by anyone;<o:p></o:p></div>
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Through discovering the Buddha nature within yourself,<o:p></o:p></div>
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You will achieve the Buddhahood.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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The very purpose for the appearance of Buddha Shakyamuni on
this earth is to benefit others, to liberate all beings from suffering. From
the concept of the Four Noble Truths, it is clear that He is not only pointing
to the First Truth, the truth of suffering, but also to the Second Truth, the
truth of the cause of suffering. It is only through uprooting the cause of
suffering that the former can be eliminated altogether.<o:p></o:p></div>
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While in search of the cause of suffering, He points to
ignorance as the final cause.<o:p></o:p></div>
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What is that ignorance? Ignorance is
the demonic mind which views the self as truly existent and so obstructs us
from seeing the reality accurately. This traps us in the vicious pain of
samsara.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Buddha discovered that all suffering is triggered by this
ignorance. To know what this ignorance is, one has to understand what the reality
is which this ignorance distorts. Given that the ignorance causes one to
misconceive the reality, without knowing what the reality is, we cannot know
how the ignorance is obscuring the mind from having the vision of this reality.
What constitutes the ultimate reality? After achieving Buddhahood, the Buddha
remained silent for forty-nine days. On the forty-ninth day, the kings of the
Devas—Indra and Brahma—descended to the earth with great veneration to the
Buddha. They made prostrations to Him and asked:<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Oh Enlightened One! You have achieved Buddhahood for the
benefit of all sentient beings. And yet you are not benefiting beings now; you
are not giving teachings. The way by which you could benefit the beings the
most efficiently is by teaching. You are not doing that. Why is this so? For
the sake of the suffering beings, please turn the Wheel of Dharma.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Buddha replied: “You are right. I am not teaching
because I don’t see anyone around me who has the ability to understand the profound
ultimate reality which I have discovered.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Buddha's gesture of not teaching immediately indicates
that the ultimate reality is very profound and has unfathomable depth. Without
knowing this, one cannot eliminate the subtlest of the ignorance, without
elimination of which one cannot achieve freedom from suffering. There are so
many layers of ignorance. It is not sufficient to eliminate the coarser levels
of ignorance for the purpose of releasing yourself from samsara. To achieve complete
liberation from ignorance and not just from partial ignorance, one has to know
how the subtlest ignorance operates.<o:p></o:p></div>
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What is this subtlest reality?<o:p></o:p></div>
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This whole concept of suffering and its causes which was comprehensively
highlighted by the Buddha is concisely explained by Arya Nagarjuna, in a single
stanza: <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>The ceasing of
samsaric karmas and afflictions is nirvana.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Samsaric karmas and
afflictions arise by conceptual misperception,<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Which in turn arises
by the elaboration of grasping at the true existence;<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>The wisdom of
emptiness brings an end to this elaboration.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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If it is through realizing the emptiness of true existence
that the final ignorance is eliminated, what is meant by the emptiness of true
existence which is also the ultimate reality? This is what we need to know.
Arya Nagarjuna wrote six treatises all extensively explaining what constitutes
this ultimate reality.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The debates included in the writings of Arya Nagarjuna,
Acarya Shantideva, and Acarya Candrakirti—these debates between the Madhyamaka
school which adheres to Arya Nagarjuna’s views versus the schools which reject them—help
us to explore and tease apart the extremely subtle nuances involved in the understanding
of ultimate reality. Arya Nagarjuna did not invent any philosophy; he simply unraveled
the truth which the Buddha Shakyamuni taught in order for the suffering beings
to be liberated.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The whole corpus of teachings on ultimate reality is
presented by Arya Nagarjuna, the most essential of which is <i>Mulamadhyamakakarika</i> (the Fundamental Wisdom
of the Middle Way.) <o:p></o:p></div>
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The Chapter twentyfour of “The Fundamental Wisdom of the
Middle Way” <i>Mulamadhyamakararika</i> opens
by highlighting the opponents’ view of true or objective reality, which as well
reflects our naïve natural thinking, or the distorted version of the reality.
This is done to clearly present what the object to be negated is when we
cultivate the final wisdom.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Objects, instead of being intrinsically real, are lacking
intrinsic nature according to Arya Nagarjuna. However, a whole set of philosophical
schools advocates the idea of intrinsic reality of the things. They thus raise
the qualm that if there is no intrinsic reality, then existence cannot be
posited. In the absence of existence, the action of arising cannot be posited,
which is well refuted by our direct experience of the world, where we see
plants growing from seeds and suffering arising from their respective causes.
That would show us how the first truth of the Four Noble Truths—the truth of
suffering—arises from the second truth—the truth of the cause of suffering. And
the third truth—the truth of cessation—ensues because of the fourth truth—the
truth of the path leading to cessation of suffering. As the positive factors
arise, the negative diminishes. This process of arising and diminishing of the
negativities is not possible in the eyes of the opponents of Arya Nagarjuna if
there is no intrinsic reality at all. This is the gist of the qualm the
adherents of true existence has against Arya Nagarjuna and his followers.<o:p></o:p></div>
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They further argue that if there is no phenomena of arising
or diminishing, how does one account for the Four Noble Truths, the principle
teaching, which all the followers of the Buddha accept? If one does not accept
the Four Noble Truths, how can one account for the practitioners of these Four
Noble Truths? Without the practitioners of the Four Noble Truths, how is
Buddhhood accounted for, the highest goal aimed at by the practitioners?<o:p></o:p></div>
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In summary, the proponents of intrinsic reality argue that
while claiming to be a Buddhist, Arya Nagarjuna and his followers denigrate the
whole teaching of the Buddha by rejecting intrinsic or objective existence. He
is further criticized for not accepting Three Jewels as refuge, the Four Noble
Truths, and also the functionalities of all things as they are.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Arya Nagarjuna responds by saying: “The qualms you raised
against me are not because I have the flaws, rather they reflect your own
ineptitude. You failed to understand the following three points”:<o:p></o:p></div>
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1) The purpose of understanding emptiness.<o:p></o:p></div>
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2) The nature of emptiness—Ultimate Reality.<o:p></o:p></div>
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3) The meaning of emptiness.<o:p></o:p></div>
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1) The purpose of understanding
emptiness:<o:p></o:p></div>
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He reiterates that understanding emptiness finally
eliminates the demonic egoistic ignorance which misperceives things to be intrinsically
and objectively real and which gives rise to all mental agitations,
irritations, suffering, pain, and anxiety. As long as one believes in things as
existing truly, or from the object’s side, there will always be a tendency for
one to react to the object. When one believes things to exist objectively, if
the object appears to be attractive, one cannot control one’s mind from going
after it. This is attachment. Whereas when one sees the object as being repulsive
from the object’s side or intrinsically, then one cannot control one’s mind
from running away from it. This is aversion. Arya Nagarjuna says that the very
purpose of meditating on emptiness and then realizing the wisdom of emptiness
is to eliminate all these negative emotions —attachment, aversion, and so
forth. Just as the Buddha very clearly stated that our chasing after or running
away from the objects is because of our failure to see things as dream-like, the
way they are. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In a sutra, the Buddha said:<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Just as in a dream of a youthful girl,<o:p></o:p></div>
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She met with a boy and saw his death.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Joyous was she at the meeting and despair at his death.<o:p></o:p></div>
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View all phenomena as thus.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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When the girl fails to see the episodes as her own dream,
she reacts to the dream as real. This swayed her into excitation which is
indeed the cause of acute despair in the end. Both the excitation and the
despair disappears the moment she wakes up from the dream. Her mind finally
finds rest. This is little nirvana for
her. She then realizes that unduly reacting to the objects is truly childish
and festers all miseries. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But as long as one has a belief that objects exist
intrinsically—from the object’s side, there is no way that one can eliminate
the subtlest ignorance, and thus the negative emotions keep on shooting up.<o:p></o:p></div>
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2) The meaning of emptiness:<o:p></o:p></div>
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Arya Nagarjuna says:<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Whatever is dependently originated,<o:p></o:p></div>
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Is taught to be empty of true existence.<o:p></o:p></div>
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That being dependently designated;<o:p></o:p></div>
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This is the Middle Way.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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What he implies here is that emptiness should not be taken as
nihilistic voidness. It is to be understood as dependent origination. What is
meant by emptiness? It means emptiness of independent existence. When you
negate independent existence, what is implied is dependent existence.
Emptiness, thus, does not mean nothingness. It means dependent origination or dependent
existence instead. Everything comes into existence by dependence on other
factors. It does not infer nihilism, but instead implies fullness of so many
other factors upon which the object is dependent. Things are there;
functionalities are there; functionality connotes something is changing from
one phase to the next. Things are changing; causes giving rise to the results;
it happens only if there is dependency where the results depend on the causes.
Thus emptiness of independent existence should not be read as nothingness,
rather as dependent existence. Arya Nagarjuna summarizes this point by saying:<o:p></o:p></div>
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There is no phenomena which is not dependently originated; <o:p></o:p></div>
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There is no phenomena which is not empty of true existence.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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This is the meaning of emptiness as
interpreted by Arya Nagarjuna.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Different schools interpret dependent origination, <i>pratitya samutpada</i>, in different ways.
Broadly speaking, there are three levels of dependent origination. His Holiness
the Dalai Lama so beautifully captures the three levels of dependent
origination as follows:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Three levels of
Dependent Origination<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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a)<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span>Dependent origination of causation: Any result,
when comes into being, necessarily depends on its preceding causes and conditions.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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b)<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span>Dependent origination of dependence on parts:
Here the dependency may not necessarily be sequential. The ‘whole’ which
depends on its ‘parts’ for its existence is simultaneous with the parts on
which it is dependent. For example, the auditorium where we sit arose
dependently from its parts consisting of the roof, the walls, the floor, and so
forth. The auditorium simultaneously exists with its parts.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
c)<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span>Dependent origination of dependence on mere
designation: Things exist through mere subjective imputation; things come into
existence through dependence on our subjective mind which perceives the things.
This third level has great resemblance with the modern physics - theory of
relativity as well as quantum mechanics. This reflects the subtlest level of
dependent origination, the understanding of which alone has the power to
eliminate the final ignorance. <o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10pt;">I recommend the readers, if interested in understanding
this level of dependent origination, to study more in depth the two books by
Lama Tsongkapa – His commentary on Acharya Chandrakirti’s “Entry into the
Middle Way,” English translation by Dr. Thupten Jinpa and His commentary on
Arya Nagarjuna’s “Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way” translated into English
by Geshe Ngawang Samten and Jay Garfield. “How to See Yourself as You Really
Are” by H.H. the Dalai Lama is a great book indispensable for this
understanding.</span><o:p></o:p></i></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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3) As for the nature of emptiness, Arya Nagarjuna is
implying that emptiness should not be thought of in terms of a solid object but
in terms of inexpressibility in words and thought, whose bare nature is beyond
conceptuality. On that level, emptiness transcends conventionality. He explains
five natures ascribed to the ultimate reality – not known through others words,
peaceful, devoid of elaborations, transcending conceptualization, and free of
duality.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Conclusion:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Arya Nagarjuna concludes by mentioning that contrary to
things being dependently originated and empty of independent existence, if they
do exist independently, dependent origination becomes untenable. This in turn has
the implication that results are not dependent on causes. Following this line
of reasoning, causation cannot be posited. Without causation, there is no
arising and disintegration. This in turn leaves the Four Noble Truths
unaccountable. Thus, the Three Jewels cannot be posited. <o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
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Witnessing the rigorous flow of debates between the two
sides, the spontaneity of Arya Nagarjuna’s view of dependent origination slowly
unfolds. While he rejects all degrees of intrinsic and independent existence,
he espouses the full breadth of the functionality of the world as being in
total conformity with our day-to-day experience of life in the form of
dependent arising.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1249798046290896319.post-64213453981004798122012-06-08T10:19:00.002-07:002012-06-08T10:19:43.037-07:00Wisdom of Dependent Origination as espoused by Arya Nagarjuna<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt;">Wisdom of Dependent Origination as
espoused <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt;">by Arya Nagarjuna<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Summary of Chapter 24 of The Fundamental
Wisdom <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">of the Middle Way<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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Let me begin with my salutation to the Buddha for his
quality of the unconditional compassion which arose on the basis of understanding
the ultimate reality.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Enthused by Great Compassion,<o:p></o:p></div>
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You taught the immaculate wisdom of reality,<o:p></o:p></div>
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To dispel the perverted views;<o:p></o:p></div>
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To you the Buddha Gautama, I make salutations.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Dhammapada says:<o:p></o:p></div>
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"All phenomena are of the nature of mind;<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mind is their chief and precedes them all.<o:p></o:p></div>
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If with an impure mind a person speaks or acts<o:p></o:p></div>
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Suffering follows him like the cart that follows the horse."<o:p></o:p></div>
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"All phenomena are of the nature of mind;<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mind is their chief and precedes them all.<o:p></o:p></div>
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If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts<o:p></o:p></div>
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Happiness follows him like the cart that follows the
horse."<o:p></o:p></div>
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Here we clearly see that the Buddha is pointing to our mind
as finally being responsible for happiness or suffering. And He indicated that
the same mind which can be described as Buddha nature – the ultimate seed for
anyone to become a Buddha – when sullied or defiled by the mental afflictions,
the being who is in possession of that mind is referred to as a samsaric being;
One is in samsara. Contrary to this, if the temporary defilements are
eliminated, this basic nature of the mind becomes awakened. At that point one
becomes a Buddha. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The very purpose for the appearance of Buddha Shakyamuni on
this earth is to benefit others, to liberate all beings from suffering. And
from the concept of the Four Noble Truths it is clear that He is not only
pointing to the truth of suffering but also to the truth of the cause of suffering.
It is only through uprooting the cause of suffering that the latter can be
eliminated altogether. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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While in search of the cause of suffering, He points to the ignorance
as the final cause. What is that ignorance? The demonic mind which views the
self as so truly existent is the ignorance that obstructs us from seeing the
reality. This traps us in the vicious pain of samsara. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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All suffering began from this demonic mind as discovered by
the Buddha. To understand what this demonic mind of ignorance is, one has to understand
what the reality is. Given that the ignorance is the one which misconceives the
reality, without knowing what the reality is, we cannot know how the ignorance
is obscuring the mind from seeing the reality. When coming to the issue of what
constitute the ultimate reality, the Buddha, after achieving Buddhahood,
remained forty-nine days silent. On the forty-ninth day, the kings of the Devas
like Indra and Brahma, descended down on the earth with great veneration and prostrating,
asked:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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"Oh the Enlightened One! You have achieved Buddhahood
for the benefit of all sentient beings. And yet you are not benefiting beings
now; you are not giving teachings. The way by which you could benefit the
beings the most efficiently is by teaching. You are not doing that. Why is it
so? For the sake of the suffering beings, please start turning the Wheel of
Dharma."<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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And the Buddha replied: "You are right. Why I am not
teaching is because I don’t see anyone around me who has the ability to
understand the profound ultimate reality which I have discovered."<o:p></o:p></div>
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What is this ultimate reality? In short the Buddha's gesture
of not teaching for a while is to indicate that the ultimate reality is very
profound, and has unfathomable depth. Without knowing this you cannot eliminate
the subtlest of the ignorance. Of course there are so many layers of ignorance.
It is not sufficient to eliminate the coarser levels of ignorance for the
purpose of releasing yourself from samsara altogether. In order to achieve
genuine liberation from ignorance and not just from partial ignorance one has
to know how the subtlest ignorance operates.<o:p></o:p></div>
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What is this subtlest of the reality? <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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This whole concept of the suffering and its causes which the
Buddha has delineated is so beautifully and comprehensively highlighted and
explained by Arya Nagarjuna, the 2nd century great Nalanda Buddhist master, in
a single stanza in his 'The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way." <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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"Ceasing of samsaric karmas and afflictions is nirvana.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Samsaric karmas and afflictions are given rise to by
conceptual misperception,<o:p></o:p></div>
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Which in turn is given rise to by the elaboration of grasping
at the true existence of self;<o:p></o:p></div>
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The wisdom realising the ultimate reality brings an end to
this elaboration."<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The next question is; If it is through realizing the emptiness
of true existence that the final ignorance is eliminated, what is meant by
emptiness of true existence? What is that ultimate reality – this is the
question that we need to deal with. Arya nagarjuna wrote 6 treatises, all
extensively explaining what this ultimate reality is constituted of. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The debates one witnesses included in the compositions of Arya
Nagarjuna, Acarya Santideva and Acarya Candrakirti – the debates between the
Madhyamaka school, the school adhering to Arya Nagarjuna versus other schools -
helps us to explore and tease apart the extremely subtle nuances involved with
the ultimate reality. Not really can it be said that anyone who claims to correctly
understand the view of Buddha Shakyamuni can be taken as his view necessarily tallying
with that of Arya Nagarjuna's and thus with Buddha Shakyamuni's.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Arya Nagarjuna has not invented any philosophy; he simply
unravels the truth which the compassionate Buddha Shakyamuni taught us in order
for us to be liberated.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The whole corpus of teachings on ultimate reality is
presented by Arya Nagarjuna, the most essential of which is
Mulamadhyamakakarika - the Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way. The 24th
chapter is the one which I chose to be explained here. One will see the gist of
the chapter as follows:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The chapter 24 opens with highlighting the opponents' view of
true or intrinsic reality, which surely reflects our mundane natural thinking. This
is done to get a clear picture of the object to be negated through cultivating
the final wisdom, which alone is the gateway to final freedom from all
suffering. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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While the objects, instead of being intrinsically real, they
are lacking intrinsic nature. However there is a whole set of philosophical schools
which proposes the idea of intrinsic reality. They raise the qualm that if
there is no intrinsic reality, then existence cannot be posited. In the absence
of existence, the action of arising cannot be posited, which is well refuted by
our direct experience of the world where we see plants growing from seeds and
suffering arising from their respective causes. It shows us the fact of how the
truth of suffering is given rise to by the second truth - the truth of the
cause of suffering. And the truth of cessation coming forth because of the
truth of the path leading to it. As the positive factors arise, the negatives
diminishe. So this process of arising and diminishing of the negativities is
not possible, in the eyes of the opponents of Arya Nagarjuna if there is no intrinsic
reality at all. This is their qualm.<o:p></o:p></div>
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They further argued Arya Nagarjuna, that if there is no phenomena
of arising or diminishing, how then can one account for the Four Noble Truths
which is the principle teaching accepted by all followers of the Buddha. If one
does not accept the Four Noble Truths, how can one account for the
practitioners of these Four Noble Truths? Without the practitioners of the Four
Noble Truths, how is Buddhhood accounted for which is the highest goal aimed at
by the practitioners. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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In summary, the proponents of intrinsic reality argue
against Arya Nagarjuna that while claiming to be a Buddhist, he denigrates
Buddhism in real sense; He is further criticized for not accepting Three Jewels
for refuge, the Four Noble Truths and also the functionalities of all things as
they are.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Arya Nagarjuna responded by saying: "The qualms you
raised against me are not because I have the flaws, rather they reflect your
own inaptitude; You failed to understand the following three points:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1)<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->the purpose of understanding emptiness.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2)<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->the nature of emptiness - Ultimate Reality.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->3)<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->the meaning of emptiness.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Arya Nagarjuna explains the three points as follows:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->1)<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->The purpose of understanding emptiness: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
He reiterates that it is finally to
eliminate this demonic egoistic ignorance which misperceives things to be
intrinsically real and which gives rise to all the mental agitations,
irritations, suffering, pain and anxiety. As long as one believes in things as existing
truly or from the object's side, there is always a tendency for one to react to
the object. When one believes things to exist objectively and when the object
appears to be attractive, one cannot control ones mind from going after it. This
is attachment. And when one sees the object as being disgusting from the
object's side or intrinsically, then one cannot control ones mind from running
away from it. This is aversion. Arya
Nagarjuna says that the very purpose of meditating on emptiness, gaining the
wisdom of emptiness is, to eliminate all these negative emotions - attachment,
aversion and so forth. But as long as one has a belief that objects exist
intrinsically - from the object's side, there is no way that one can eliminate
the subtlest of ignorance and thus the negative emotions. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2)<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->The meaning of emptiness:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Arya Nagarjuna says:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Whatever is dependently originated,
<o:p></o:p></div>
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Is taught to be empty of true
existence. <o:p></o:p></div>
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That being dependently designated;
<o:p></o:p></div>
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This is said to be the Middle Way.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
What he is implying here is that
emptiness should not be thought of in terms of nihilistic voidness. Instead it
is to be understood from the other side of the coin - which is dependent origination.
What is meant by emptiness? It means emptiness of independent existence. When
you negate independent existence, what is implied is dependent existence. Emptiness,
thus, does not mean nothingness. It instead means dependent origination or
dependent existence. Which means everything coming into existence by dependence
on other factors. It does not infer nihilism, instead implies fullness of so
many other factors upon which the object is dependent. Things are there;
functionalities are there; functionality connotes something is changing from
one phase to the next phase. Things are changing; causes giving rise to
results; it happens only if there is dependency where the results depend on the
causes. Thus emptiness of independent existence should not be read as
nothingness, rather as dependent existence. Arya Nagarjuna summarizes this
pointed by saying:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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There is no phenomena which is not dependently originated; <o:p></o:p></div>
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There is no phenomena which is not
empty of true existence.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
This is the meaning of emptiness
as interpreted by Arya Nagarjuna. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
Different schools interpret dependent
origination - <i>pratitya samutpada</i> - in
different ways. Broadly speaking, there are three levels of the understanding
of dependent origination. His Holiness the Dalai Lama so beautifully captures the
three levels of the understanding of dependent origination as follows. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->a)<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Dependent origination of dependence on causes
and conditions. Any result, for its coming into being, necessarily depends on
it's causes and conditions preceding the object.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->b)<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Dependent origination of dependence on parts. Here
the dependence may not be in sequence. The whole which depends on its parts for
its existence is simultaneous with the parts on which it is dependent. For
example the auditorium that we are in presently arose dependently from its
parts like the roof, the walls, the floor and so forth. The auditorium
simultaneous exists with its parts.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->c)<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Dependent origination of dependence on mere
designation. Things exist through mere subjective imputation; things come into
existence through dependence on our subjective mind which perceives them. It is
dependent origination of dependence on the mind that designates things. This
third level has great resemblance with modern physics of the theory of
relativity as well as the theory of quantum mechanics. This reflects the
subtlest level of dependent origination, the understanding of which alone has
the power to eliminate the final ignorance.<o:p></o:p></div>
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3) As for the nature of emptiness, Arya Nagarjuna is
implying that emptiness should not be thought of in terms of solid object but
in terms of inexpressibility in words and thought, whose bare nature is beyond
conceptuality. On that level, it transcends the conventionality. He explains 5
natures ascribed to the ultimate reality such as the utterlessness of emptiness
in words and so forth.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Conclusion:<o:p></o:p></div>
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Arya Nagarjuna concludes by mentioning that contrary to
things being dependently originated and empty of independent existence, if they
do exist independently, it then denigrates dependent origination, which has the
implication that results are not dependent on causes. In which case causation
cannot be posited. Without causation, there is no arising and disintegration. It
in turn leaves one unaccountable for the Four Noble Truths. Thus the Three Jewels cannot be posited. In which
case one can not be a Buddhist oneself. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Witnessing the rigorous flow of the debates between the two
sides, one then slowly unfolds the beauty in the spontaneity of Arya
Nagarjuna's view of dependent origination; while rejecting all degrees of
intrinsic and independent existence, espouses the full breath of the functionality
of the world and going in total conformity with the day-to-day experience of
life. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1249798046290896319.post-88457958393942347372011-11-02T01:42:00.001-07:002011-11-02T01:42:46.758-07:00Small but a beautiful gift for you.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<strong><br /></strong>If you wish happiness and joy, embrace an affectionate smile. Don’t restrain this<br />forever. Shine forth this smile of unconditional love towards everyone<br />leaving non aside. Even the poorest has a smile from his/her heart to<br />give you. What greater gift can you expect even from the richest<br />person than this most beautiful smile coming from heart. It is so<br />immaculate, truly rich, thus so precious.<br /><br />Wisdom seeing all things as mirage-like provides peace and confidence<br />in you. Drink this nectar of the wisdom yourself. Share the same with<br />all dear dear mother sentient beings to rescue them from the<br />turbulence of the fierce samsara which is but caused by our failure to<br />realize that things are all dream-like.<br /><br /><br />Let’s walk the path together to this oasis filled with the wisdom<br />nectar which is pervaded by the soothing sunshine of unconditional<br />love brilliantly making blossom the fresh beautiful flowers of dear<br />mother sentient beings.<br /><br />Forever you are free and in peace then.<br /><br />May this wisdom of dependent origination soon be born in you;<br /><br />May this sunshine of infinite compassion soon be poured forth on you.<br /><br />In profound prayer<br />
Geshe Dorji Damdul</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1249798046290896319.post-75158113455050933002011-09-12T11:56:00.001-07:002011-10-05T10:44:41.447-07:00The Buddha's Secret of Happiness<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<h1 class="title entry-title">
<a href="http://bodhiwisdom.blogspot.com/p/buddhas-secret-of-happiness.html" rel="bookmark">The Buddha's Secret of Happiness</a>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 20.0pt;">The Buddha's Secret of
Happiness</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">It helps us a lot if we think of the fact
that everyone, whether big or small, educated or uneducated, rich or poor,
successful or unsuccessful, powerful or weak, man or woman, employer or
employee has his or her own problems. Greater the success, the bar of problem
is higher. Like the two sides of a balance, for the successful, the bar of
physical problem lowers, but the one for mental becomes higher. For the less
privileged, it is just the reverse - the bar for mental lowers but for physical
shoots up. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Given that only when the external
conditions come in contact with the internal condition of grasping at the self,
the suffering flares up. As long as the internal condition is there, no matter
what you do to make oneself more successful, the problems remain the same - <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>sometimes the physical greater and other times
the mental. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Just as the sound of a clap does not happen
with one hand alone, the external condition by itself cannot affect and inflict
suffering in us, in the absence of the internal condition. It is this
realization and thus fine tuning within us to remove the internal condition -
the <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>grasping at the self alone - <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>will help. One can remain unaffected, no
matter which bar goes up.<br />
<br />
How tricky this samsara is; and yet how amusing it is. Just a play of your mind
can change the perspective to sever the internal condition and thus reverse the
suffering. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">How compassionate the Buddha is who taught
this secret of happiness.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1249798046290896319.post-19254300189185054972011-09-12T11:55:00.001-07:002011-10-05T10:39:42.395-07:00Spirituality and Science of Consciousness<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt;">The Paradox
of Mind and Brain</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></div>
<div class="article-content entry-content">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Why different traditions including
Buddhism and contemporary science seriously deal with mind </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">What all beings, whether human or
animal, including the tiniestof insects such as a mosquito, seek is happiness
and to avoid pain, fear, and anxiety. All experiences, whether desirable or
undesirable, are <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>felt and interpreted by
the mind. It is the mind which determines if something is agreeable and
conducive. Without understanding what mind is, one is challenged with the
mysteries of how to acquire what we seek and to discard the disagreeable or the
harmful. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Thus the study of mind becomes crucial
in all the ancient Indian philosophical systems, including Buddhism and
Hinduism. In modern science, there is now a growing interest in the study of
the mind, for the simple reason that scientists are becoming aware of how
closely the state of mind of someone is related to his or her physical well
being, contrary to pre-modern times where physical wellbeing was treated as
being totally independent of the individual’s mental state. Neuroscientists and
medical experts now believe that negative emotions such as anger, fear and
jealousy eat into our immune system, while positive emotions such as mental
calmness, compassion build and enhance it.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Quite a lot of research is being done
collaboratively between scientists and Buddhist masters on how meditation
affects our mental wellbeing and gives rise to new neuronal synapses in the
brain. Scientists at the universities of Stanford, Emory, and San Francisco
have ongoing projects to study the mind and the brain in meditative practices.
Extensive and regular interactions have been going on for quite some time
between scientists and Buddhist practitioners. Such a unique dialogue was
conceived and initiated by H.H. the Dalai Lama and the prominent neuroscientist,
the late Francisco Varella.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Mind in Buddhism and in Neuroscience
respectively</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">While Buddhism defines mind as “a clear
and knowing agent,” in the nature of non-tangibility, and non-perceptibility,
neuroscientists as of now mostly believe it as either a pure product of brain
or the brain itself. The latter based their belief on popular acceptance. Given
that the brain is such a complex entity, neuroscience has still a long way to
go before coming to decisive conclusions it can make in the future. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Buddhism, on the other hand, tries to
offer extensive explanation of the mind’s separate existence on the basis of
reasons and experience through meditative techniques found explicated in the 8th
Century Buddhist Master AcharyaDharmakirti’s treatise called the ‘Commentary on
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Valid Cognition.’</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">There are quite a number of challenges
neuroscientists are confronted with when they reduce mind to brain and the
functions of mind to that of the brain.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Specific techniques are explained in
Buddhism as to how to experience the nature of mind<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- luminous and cognitive <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>– in total contrast to the tangible brain.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">One of the common techniques is to stop
chasing after all the past memories one has. One is also not to immerse oneself
in the anticipation for the future. Cut your thoughts from any external sensory
objects like form, sound and so forth. Simply remain vigilant and aware of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the present moment . Don’t engross yourself in
thoughts that might arise in the course of this meditation. Simply keep
watching the present mind without yourself engaging in thoughts even if they
bubble. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Slowly one will start to experience a
vacuity when thoughts subside on their own, like a child feeling exhausted when
the mother pays no heed to his attempts <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to draw her attention. Continue with this
meditation and try to prolong the duration of the experience of the vacuity. At
one point in time, just as a bright sun can briefly <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>be seen in between a finely narrow opening of
two clouds, one will briefly experience the sheer luminosity and the knowing
nature of the mind as it is, very briefly though, at the outset. Through
persistent practice of this meditation, stability can be achieved in viewing
the mind in its true nature in the form of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>luminosity and pure awareness. This gives an
unwavering conviction in the bare presence of mind so distinct from
physicality. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">On the basis of this understanding, the
existence of rebirth is accounted for, by applying AcharyaDharmakirti’s
reasoning, which consists of two premises – 1) that all compounded things have
causes and 2) the causes must be of the same nature as the result – in this
case, non-tangible luminous mind alone should precede as a substantial cause
for a mind to come into being.Tracking back the substantial cause of that cause
will inturn <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>take us to the time of the
first inception in the mother’s womb. The mind that preceded this mind at this
stage will shed light on a person or being designated on the basis of that mind
which is referred to as the former life. This logic will make sense only if one
has the experience of the nature of mind which one can have through the
techniques like the ones mentioned above.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">It is a great revolution in thought and
also an incredible achievement <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of
humanity that neuroscience has unfolded some of the secrets of life which were once
a mystery in the ancient times. They found that the cerebral cortex in the
brain is concerned with higher mental functions: perception, action, language,
and planning. Three structures lie deep within the brain: the basal ganglia,
the hippocampus and the amygdala. The basal ganglia help regulate motor
performance, the hippocampus is involved with aspects of memory storage, and
the amygdala coordinates autonomic and endocrine responses in the context of
emotional states. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Kandel, a Nobel Laureate in Physiology
(2000), in his ‘In Search of Memory,’ said; “We had learned that memory derives
from changes in the synapses in a neural circuit: short-term memory from
functional changes and long-term memory from structural changes.”</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">He added, “Since as we had found,
long-term memory involves the growth of new connections, it is not surprising
that the synthesis of new protein constituents is required for that growth.
Baily and his colleague, Mary Chen, and Carew and I found that long-term memory
is not simply an extension of short-term memory: not only do the changes in
synaptic strength last longer but, more amazingly, the actual number of
synapses in the circuit changes. Specially, in long-term habituation the number
of pre-synaptic connections among sensory neurons and motor neurons decreases,
whereas in long-term sensitization sensory neurons grow new connections that
persist as long as the memory is retained. There is in each case a parallel set
of changes in the motor cell.” </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">While there is no objection?to the
above findings, a question still arises if one believes that this finding accounts
for everything about memory. While we know the association of long-term memory
with certain structural changes happening in neurons, the question is why are such
structural changes in neurons associated with long-term memory? To tease apart
this question into smaller units to make it simple: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is the changed version of the structure of the
brain itself the long-term memory? Or, is the memory a product of the structural
changes in the neurons? If the former, given that the individual person
experiences the memory so vividly, he/she should have a bare experience of the
physiological changes in the neural structures. Which, of course, is not the
case. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If one asserts the latter--because
it is product of brain---, that is in itself implicative of being subsequent to
the structurally changed neuron. In which case, we should account for the
substantial basis of the memory, just as the smoke which is subsequent to fire
has a concrete substantial physical basis distinct from the fire which produced
it.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Therefore, the knowledge that long-term
memory is associated with certain structural changes in neurons <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>answers the question of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>how long-term memory occurs in physical –
mental relational context,but does <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>not tell
the full story. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The following questions remain when one
reduces mind and all mental activities to brain and neuronal activities. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">1. What makes animals self-operational and
not computers despite their great sophistication? </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">2. How does one account for the
voluntary physical movement of animals, including humans, against the natural
forces like blowing of wind? </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">(<i>While the wind determines where a
specific leaf is going to be the next moment, it cannot determine where an
animal is going to be the same next moment. It is instead determined by another
factor known as intention of the animal.)</i></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The same question can be put more
articulately and technically<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>: How does
one explain the distinction between the </span><em><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria;">natural</span></em><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> Law of Causality and the Law of
Causation that involves </span><em><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria;">intention</span></em><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">?</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">(H.H. the Dalai Lama also points to the
existence of two kinds of Law of Causation – 1) natural law of causation and 2)
the law of causation which involves thoughts. The latter is distinguished from
the first on the basis of involvement of mental intention on top of the natural
causal operation. An action operates in one way due to the presence of mental
intention, which otherwise would have operated differently.This point is an
extension of the first question.)</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">3. Why the brain and its activities are
seen by a third person as well, while the mind is experienced in its bare form
through first-person experience alone.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">4. How does one reconcile the fact that
all things are of the nature of mere mental imputation. Rephrase this please</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Through fine analysis, everything is seen to exit
only through mentalimputation, which even Quantum Physics is coming to admit
now. The brain is no exception. How can one account for this phenomena of the
world of imputation without accepting the mind as the agent over and above
everything, instead of the brain determining the mental functions.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">(If everything is purely physical with
no distinct mind, the entire universe should well be represented in its
entirety by <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>brain mapping alone, in
which case, because brains differ from individual to individual, all maps
should be different. One thus becomes handicapped to espouse the tenability of
external objects, which the world anyway witnesses and experiences commonly.)</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">5. How does one account to the
question, Why did the Universe evolve the way it did. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">(<i>H.H. the Dalai Lama questions the
mode of formation of our Universe and Darwin’s Evolutionary Theory if a
distinct mind has no role to play in them.)</i></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">6. On what ground can one reject the thediea
of the mind affecting the brain under certain situations in the way that the brain
affects the mind at other times? </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">(Through collaborative experimental
researches being carried out in a number of Western Universities, apart from
the conventional acceptance of the mind being affected by the brain, the
reverse effect is also found. Training in pure mental <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>processes like compassion-meditation, and
mindfulness-meditation, is seen to alter the brain, lessen stress levels and
sugar levels and so forth.)</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">7. With the above questions still to be
answered, can we truly equate mind and brain altogether?</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">(What Kandel explains in his book
"In Search of Memory,” represents external neuronal expressions and not
the mind itself, which is of course contingent on the former. It is like
perceiving and explaining the <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>suit an
acrobat has put on and not the exact physical skill or proficiency the acrobat
has. The physical skill of the acrobat cannot be fully felt and explained on
the basis of the space suit he has put on as the suit in itselflimits the
person from fully displaying his physical acrobatic skills. It would be
improper to grade the acrobatic skill of the person simply on the basis of the space
suit he is putting on. The mind and brain are inter-linked <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>closely in a similar fashion. Most of the
activities of the gross mind, if not all, no doubt, are necessarily dependent
on neurons and the physical brain. But explaining the brain does not fully <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>account for the mind. The mind becomes
progressively more independent of the physical body including the brain as it
becomes subtler (Please refer to the subheading - </span></i><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Gross and subtle mental states–</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">below.<i>)</i></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Exploring
the mind and its functions as <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>explained
in <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ancient Indian psychology as outlined
below will greatly help us to cross the <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>limitations imposed by the radical
materialists.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
</span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Divisions of mind in Buddhism</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Prime cognition and non-prime cognition</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Direct perception and conceptual mind</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Seven kinds of mind</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">1 Direct cognition</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">2 Inferential cognition</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">3 Subsequent cognition</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">4 Non-discerning perception</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">5 Correct assumption</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">6 Doubt</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">7 Distorted mind with reference to the
object of apprehension <i>( Note the difference between distorted mind with
reference to the object of apprehension and the mistaken mind with reference to
the object of appearance)</i></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Primary mind and mental factors</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Broadly speaking, mind is classified
into two : <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>primary mind and mental
factors. Just as in the court of a king, the king takes charge of overseeing
all the courtly activities, and the ministers are assigned to more specific
responsibilities such as external affairs, finance, education, environment and
so forth, the primary mind is like the king which experiences the overall
feelings of the mind, whereas the individual mental factors are like the
ministers assuming specific responsibilities of feeling, attention, contacting
with the object, intending, making discrimination etc.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Buddhist psychology offers explanation
to 51 mental factors which are grouped into six sets:</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">1) Five Omnipresent mental factors</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">2) Five discerning mental factors</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">3) Four variables</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">4) Eleven virtuous mental factors</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">5) Six root afflictions</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">6) Twenty secondary afflictions</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Gross and subtle mental states</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Gross mental state is constituted of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the five sense consciousnesses and a part of
the sixth mental consciousness, which is coarse, such as the one in waking
state. Within the sixth, progressively, the mind becomes subtler in the dream
state, deep-sleep state, faint state, and death state. The subtlest mental
state becomes manifest in its full form at the last moment of the time of
dying. It is for this reason that while medical experts qualify the person as
dead when the brain activation stops, Buddhism describes the person as still in
the process of dying and not as yet dead. In the case of the yogis, this subtle
mind is activated while still alive through meditative techniques. This subtle
mind is the one on the basis of which the possibility of achieving Buddhahood
is explained. Modern scientists have no clue or explanation to this phenomenon
popularly known as meditative equipoise of death in Buddhism. Last year, a
renowned Tibetan Buddhist master who is the head of the Gelug Buddhist school
remained for 18 days in meditative equipoise in Drepung Monastery in South
India after he was clinically declared dead.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Geshe Dorji Damdul</span></i></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">-------------------------------------------</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
</span><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Recommended readings:</span></i></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
<br />
<br />
</span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">1 Emotional Awareness – H.H. the Dalai
Lama and Dr. Paul Eckman</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
</span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">2 Destructive Emotions – Mind and Life
Conference (Science and Buddhism conference) with H.H. the Dalai Lama</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
</span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">3 In Search of Memory – Dr Eric Kandel
(2000 Nobel Laureate in physiology)</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
</span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">4 Commentary on Valid Cognition
(Pramanavartikakarika) – Dharmakirti</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></div>
</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1249798046290896319.post-78837347476454846702011-09-11T00:44:00.000-07:002011-09-11T00:44:14.721-07:00Interfaith Meet held at Ramakrishna Mission, Delhi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 18.0pt;"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">1) Concept of Ultimate Reality</span></i></b></div>
<br /><div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">2) Ultimate Goal of Life</span></i></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">3) Idea of Life after death</span></i></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">4) The place of women in ones religion</span></i></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">5) Attitude towards other faiths and their followers</span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Geshe
Dorji Damdul</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="" name="_GoBack"></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">September 10, 2011 <a href="http://bodhiwisdom.blogspot.com/p/interfaith-meet.html">Interfaith Meet held at Ramakrishna Mission, Delhi</a></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-US"> <a href="http://interfaith%20meet%20held%20at%20ramakrishna%20mission,%20delhi/">read more>></a> </span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US"> </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-US"> </span></i></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1249798046290896319.post-72623708848370670222011-07-25T11:17:00.000-07:002011-07-25T11:17:05.843-07:00Culture of Joy and Wisdom: The True Meaning of Life<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px;"><b></b></span></div>
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<b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Confidence</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
in the face of all adversities and pains and the <b>Joy</b> which embraces
everyone and leaving none aside are the two that give a true meaning to life.
The first is given to you by the immaculate wisdom of dependent origination and
the second by the unconditional love of Bodhicitta towards all beings leaving
not even the poorest of the poors and weakest of the weaks. How beautiful this
mind is! No words can adequately express the wonders these two can bring both
in the present and the later lives, in someone who admires these two qualities.
Cherish the two; nothing else. See if you can bring these two in your heart and
share with all the mother sentient beings. This is your journey, my journey and
all others as well. It is such a pleasant journey. Even to think of these lines
brings such a soothing awe and goodness, a very soothing confidence and
fearlessness and the latter bringing tears of tenderness and affection at heart
reaching out to all the needy beings, who are non other than your kind mothers.
<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<b>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">May everyone realize this piece of
wonder and this piece of nectar so that non suffers from fear and loneliness.
May lasting joy pervade thus in the heart and mind of all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Geshe
Dorji Damdul</span><a href="" name="_GoBack"></a><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</b><br />
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1249798046290896319.post-28653875243918057492011-06-03T01:51:00.000-07:002011-10-05T10:46:25.763-07:00Points for Meditation from Arya Nagarjuna's Ratnavali<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://bodhichittawisdom.blogspot.com/2011/06/points-for-meditation-from-arya.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>Points for Meditation from Arya Nagarjuna's Ratnavali
<br />
<div class="post-header">
</div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY28O1FLH4xC6Mthc0F0egrG20itAAMpKPx98uMfZ35Jd_Ny3XlB24dO2ICdw6NsCIpwMayR5cD2y7tnLoBz-2Aw8_tyJVNe6OEf1xMb4T4-ZuO4TXkedw48_f5orSxOqPkpvhOzOs7sk/s1600/Nagarjuna17.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY28O1FLH4xC6Mthc0F0egrG20itAAMpKPx98uMfZ35Jd_Ny3XlB24dO2ICdw6NsCIpwMayR5cD2y7tnLoBz-2Aw8_tyJVNe6OEf1xMb4T4-ZuO4TXkedw48_f5orSxOqPkpvhOzOs7sk/s320/Nagarjuna17.JPG" width="254" /></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">Prostrations to the Omniscient One</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">Who is the only benefactor to all sentient beings.</span></span></div>
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</div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 72pt; text-indent: -72pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US"> 1) There are two goals</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 72pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">a) Higher States </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 72pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">b) Ultimate Goodness</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 72pt; text-indent: -72pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US"> There are two means</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 72pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">a) Faith: it consists
of the practices of virtue in general like cultivating confidence in
the efficacy of law of Karma, Three Jewels and the truth.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 72pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">b) Wisdom: the wisdom realizing the ultimate truth.</span></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">Of the two - faith and wisdom - the latter is the prime. Faith, however should precede the latter.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US"> 3) Criteria for one
to be with faith - one who is not under the influence of attachment,
anger, fear, and delusion that one is led towards casting aside virtues.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US"> 4) 16 practices to achieve Higher States - 13 practices to abandon negativities and three practices to partake</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US"> - abandoning 10 non-virtuous actions, alcohol, wrong livelihood and harmful physical actions</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US"> 3 practices to partake - respectful generosity, offering service to the deserved and the practice of love (4 immeasurables)</span></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US"> 5) The above 16 practices can be summed up in the following three practices - generosity, ethical discipline, and patience.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US"> 6) Concomitant results of the 16 negativities in opposition to the above 16 practices a) in terms of habit</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US"> b) in terms of experience</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US"> 7) Dharma for Ultimate goodness</span></span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">Reflect as thus:</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 108pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">Grasping at self is
folly → contaminated aggregates which arose from this grasping is also
folly → grasping at self will cease → the contaminated aggregates will
cease.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 108pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 108pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">Just as an image is
formed through dependence on many factors like mirror and so forth, the
self also arises by dependence on many factors such as aggregates. The
image though appears as the real object, it is devoid as such. Likewise,
the self though appears, is devoid of its existence the way it appears
to the self-grasping mind.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 108pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">8) Grasping at the
aggregates (grasping at the self of phenomena) → grasping at self of
person → accumulates contaminated karmas → revolves in samsara.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 108pt; text-indent: -108pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US"> 9) What is nirvana? a) common acceptance: A quality of mind acquired through cessation of grasping at things and non-things.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-US">b) uncommon to Prasangika: The ultimate reality of the mind characterised by the cessation of grasping at things and non-things.</span></span><br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1249798046290896319.post-50328028515184005442011-04-19T10:58:00.001-07:002011-10-05T10:43:31.016-07:00Convergence and Divergence of Buddhism and Modern Science<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://buddhistscience.blogspot.com/2011/04/convergence-and-divergence-of-buddhism.html">Buddhism and Modern Science</a>
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<b>Convergence and Divergence of Buddhism and Modern Science</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<b><u> H.H. the Dalai Lama in his science book 'The Universe in a Single Atom' says:</u></b><br />
<br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">“I believe that spirituality and science are complementary </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">but different investigative approaches </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">with the same goal of seeking the truth.”</span></i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The world now a days has turned so small where all disciplines like
science, philosophy and so forth are heavily interconnected to each
other. No one discipline can stand independent anymore; Buddhism and
science are no exceptions. While all these systems evolved with the
primary purpose of rendering benefits to humanity, just as other
systems, Buddhism and science also have enormous roles to play and
strikingly more if they work hand in hand. The basis for the possibility
of this vision and endeavor is that the two share a lot in common while
exploring the reality and the methodology by resorting to rational
thoughts, paying credence to empiricism and above all the openness to
all possibilities of ideas and concepts. <br />
<br />
The common approach of these two systems which very much accords with
basic human nature and human intelligence indeed is what made these two
the sources of hope for inner joy and prosperity for humankind. Buddhism
is a medicine and aid for mental health and modern science for physical
health and comfort. Given that we human beings are but psychophysical
complex consisting of physical bodies and minds, we inextricably need
both science and Buddhism. <br />
<br />
For the two working closely, we need both sides to have a sound insight
into the other discipline and more importantly the rigor to see through
their similarities and their differences. New knowledge in the form of
emergent properties will surely find ample room if the two are analyzed
closely and in an unbiased fashion. They can mutually boost and even
contribute towards further development of each other.<br />
<br />
With this in mind, through the initiative of H.H. the Dalai Lama,
Francisco Varela, a world celebrated neuroscientist, and Adam Engle, the
Mind and Life Institute was founded in the year 1987. The institute
generally holds conferences biannually where scientists and Buddhist
scholar-practitioners meet for discussions to learn from each other and
more importantly to study how the two systems each offer their own
perspectives on the same topic. So far the areas of discussion have
included <br />
quantum physics, astronomy, cosmology, philosophy of science,
neuroscience, biology/ evolution, cognitive science, psychology, dream
science, economics and health sciences. <br />
<br />
With the same initiative from H.H. the Dalai Lama, science workshops are
given to young monk-scholars for more than 10 years. To the amazement
of the Western teachers including some scientists, they found a great
degree of sharpness of the monk-scholars when they pose questions in the
classes. For sure this is due to their trainings in Buddhist logic and
philosophy in the Monastic Universities. Finding a great light of hope
in these young monks, through the advice of H.H. the Dalai Lama, science
lessons are now on their way to being introduced as one of the formal
subjects in the program of the major Tibetan Monastic Universities.
These programs are being undertaken jointly by Emory University, USA and
the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives.<br />
<br />
Driving motivation<br />
<br />
Science owes its birth to the great thinkers such as Socrates, Plato,
Aristotle and so forth, although their works are treated more as
philosophy than pure science now a days. There exists an innate desire
in the human mind to know the answers to the barrages of questions
striking their consciousness. Some so peripheral as “Why vapors in a
kettle lift the lid?” Others very sophisticated as “What could be the
origin of Universe?” “Why are some objects in this world animate such as
humans, while others are inanimate such as trees and rocks?” The surge
in the desire for answers to these questions triggered the birth of
modern science. This took the form of a gradual cumulative progression,
which included numerous thinkers and experimentalists; the later ones
refining and adding to the thoughts and findings of the formers.<br />
<br />
Contrary to this, Buddhism came into being as a system in complete form
within one person's lifetime, not something that evolved over many
centuries. Overall speaking, it simply reflects the ideas of one
historical enlightened being known as Shakyamuni Buddha. Its driving
force is not simply to seek answers to any questions, but to a very
specific one i.e., “What is the solution to all our problems?”<br />
<br />
It is because of the difference, at least to some extent, in the
motivating intention, of the two systems that science involves its
search in matters, whereas Buddhism primarily with mind which forms the
basis of our experience of pains and happiness. Given that the modern
science deals with matter alone, it has its beauty in emphasizing the
need for features such as quantifiable, repeatable, observable and
empirical, without which a system is precluded from being a science.<br />
<br />
Whereas Buddhism on the contrary, because it primarily espouses the
study of mind, it may not emphasize the facets such as quantifiable and
repeatable in order to qualify a principle as authoritative. Yet it has
its own charms in profound and rigorous wisdom and experience in the
world of mind and the depth of human knowledge of dependent origination
and emptiness which now a days attract a great deal of attention of
modern scientists particularly since the advent of Quantum mechanics and
the Theory of Relativity.<br />
<br />
However if one thinks closely, both are in search of reality, but from
different dimensions. Some modern scholars consider Buddhism not as
religion but a "science of mind" and by some as "Humanism." It is for
the reason that Buddhism offers extensive and detail explanation of mind
that it is referred to as science of mind. Because that the ultimate
concept underlying all Buddhist treaties is grounded on the reality that
the animals and particularly the human beings experience - least to do
with dogma - it is described as Humanism.<br />
<br />
This is well reflected in what the Buddha has said: <br />
<br />
Just as the goldsmith testifies the purity of gold <br />
By cutting, rubbing and burning,<br />
So too should you examine my words and practice them<br />
But not simply because you respect me.<br />
<br />
It is the testimony of this single verse that the renowned scientists
such as Albert Einstein were attracted towards the insight of the Buddha
who said this almost 2600 years ago. Also during one of my personal
encounters with a physicist in Cambridge, England who was full of
skepticism, thinking that it was only science and particularly physics
which was open to any questions and analysis, he was overwhelmed to hear
what the Buddha has said (the stanza quoted above) and remarked with
great admiration: “Oh! The Buddha must have been a great scientist.”<br />
<br />
Einstein himself as well said: "Should there be any religion, which will go in hand in hand with science, it would be Buddhism."<br />
<br />
Overview of Buddhism<br />
<br />
Although vast and richly endowed with plural views, aspects, facets,
H.H. the Dalai Lama so tacitly classifies the whole Buddhism into three
categories - science, philosophy and spirituality.<br />
<br />
Buddhist science:<br />
<br />
In this section of Buddhism, there is extensive exploration into the
reality of the world in which we the beings live in. Given that the
reality or the world we live in comprises of the physical material world
and the world of animate beings which are characterized by the presence
of minds, Buddhism inquires into quite a detail about minute particles
which constitute the material part of the world; analyzing if there ever
exist subtlest particles which are part-less in nature. And as for the
mind, there is comprehensive analysis into the complex and large array
of classifications of mind or consciousness - course and subtle aspects,
mind and mental factors, valid cognition and invalid minds, sense
perception and conceptual thoughts, afflictive and non afflictive
thoughts, their functions and so forth.<br />
<br />
Buddhist philosophy:<br />
<br />
On the basis of rather a fine understanding of Buddhist science, one
then investigates into the infallibility of former and later lives and
the law of karma on the basis of understanding the nature of mind as
eternally self-perpetuating. This in turn fosters insight into the
possibility of purifying the mental pollutants altogether thereby
leading to the state of liberation and full enlightenment. Since mental
pollutants, in the form of afflictive disturbing mental emotions, are
rooted to the misconception of the reality of the world, the Buddha
eventually pointed to the need to eradicate this misconception which is
referred to as 'ignorance' for to achieve Nirvana - freedom from
suffering. Just as in a child, to eliminate the ignorance over the
alphabets, he or she needs to be introduced to the alphabets a, b, c
and so forth to newly instill in them the knowledge, it is only through
cultivating a proper knowledge of the reality which is directly in
opposition to the ignorance that we can undermine the ignorance and
suffering as its consequence. Thus, understanding what the reality is
becomes crucial.<br />
<br />
Ignorance, by its very definition, is characterized by having in it a
disparity between reality and the appearance of the object. What is the
appearance and what is reality? Reality is of two-fold - gross and
subtle. Contrary to the reality which will be explained below is what
and how things usually appear to us. The grosser level of reality
constitutes the law of karma, the understanding of which helps remove
the ignorance over the efficacy of karma and its results. This gives
conviction in the person to engage in the practice of the ten virtuous
actions, the result of which will be ripened in the form of favorable
states. Whereas, the holistic concept of dependent origination/emptiness
of independent existence is the final level of reality. This entails
that nothing exists in real term as independently true. The wisdom which
understands this level of reality undermines the ignorance which
ensnares the sentient beings in samsara thereby leading the person to
the state of freedom from suffering altogether. Thus the understanding
of law of karma, dependent origination/emptiness and nirvana form some
of the major topics which fall under the category of Buddhist
philosophy.<br />
<br />
Buddhist spirituality: <br />
<br />
Venturing profoundly into the knowledge of Buddhist science and
philosophy, one gains confidence into the possibility of achieving
liberation from suffering. One is then able to integrate the actual path
by cultivating the positive mental qualities and abandoning the
negative ones, primarily through analytical meditation on the law of
karma and dependent origination/emptiness, tempered by single-pointed
meditation. Seeing that other sentient beings, just like oneself, suffer
greatly, one engages in the practice of compassion and Bodhicitta in
order to achieve the state of Buddhahood so to most efficiently help all
sentient beings by shedding the light of wisdom upon them. The
techniques of meditation and their associated rituals inclusive of the
esoteric tantric skills to get along the path to liberation and
Buddhahood constitute the Buddhist spirituality.<br />
<br />
<br />
Methodology<br />
<br />
Both science and Buddhism rely on objective inquiries. Science
emphasizes repetitive experiments, data and third person verification.
Buddhism, on the other hand is based primarily on reasoning and
experience whose verification involves both first and third person
experience. This system of logic and experience is what keeps Buddhist
concepts alive and unmodified even to this day. First person experience
connotes an experience which, although real, is not precisely verifiable
through repeated tests by another person. For example, when one has a
very disturbing dream, it is not what someone else can so precisely
predict what happened to you. It is only the person who had the dream
that will understand the experience. Whereas third person experience
includes those experiences which are precisely verifiable by another
person. An example would be two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of
oxygen, under a given situation, make one molecule of water. Everyone
can understand this precisely just as the original discoverer found it.<br />
<br />
Convergence and divergence between the two systems<br />
<br />
Basically there are two classes of science: hard and soft. Hard science
consists primarily of physics, chemistry and biology. Soft science
consists of psychology, behavioral science, cognitive science and so
forth. It is the Buddhist concept of ultimate reality and modern
concepts of physics which are the areas to look for intersections or
divergences, if any exist. This is not the case between Buddhism and
biology, and neuroscience. In most cases the Buddhism and neuroscience
overlap each other in their explaining mind and its functions. It is
like one discipline explaining the same coin from the side of the head
and the other on the basis of the tail. However the two can be great
aids to one another which will be touched upon later. As for chemistry
and Buddhism, there is nothing pertinent to discuss. <br />
<br />
The dawn of modern physics marks a new light of compatibility between
science and Buddhism. It was Einstein (1879 - 1955) who started
formulating the Special and General Theory of Relativity to explain the
macro-world. Quantum physics, as expounded primarily by Niels Bohr (1885
- 1962), came into being with enchanting explanations of the
micro-world of subatomic particles and waves. Currently these two
theories don't go compatible with each other. Roger Penrose, one of the
leading physicists and mathematicians in the world today, in his book,
'The Large, the Small and the Human Mind', says: “The fact that they
(the laws which govern the small-scale behaviour of the world and those
which govern the large-scale behaviour of the world) seem to be so
different, and what we might have to do about this seeming discrepancy,
is central to the subject of the Chapter 3 – which is where the human
mind comes in.”<br />
<br />
Before exploring the points of comparison between the Buddhist concept
of ultimate reality and Physics’ concept of the Theory of Relativity and
Quantum Mechanics, it would be helpful to have some introduction to the
Buddhist concept of dependent origination. The Buddha taught this on
varying levels and thus can be interpreted in different ways. Depending
on the facet by which one explains this concept of dependent
origination, the compatibility with the above two mentioned theories of
science can be seen. <br />
<br />
Dependent origination can broadly be interpreted on three levels:<br />
<br />
1) Dependent origination of causality<br />
<br />
Everything which operates and sustains through dependence on their
causes and conditions, fall in this category. Where there is adequate
amount of water, soil, manure and healthy seeds, there are rich crops
growing. The crops here are the results which we seek to have. And the
other factors like water, soil, seed and so forth are the causes. The
relationship that we see between the causes and their results is known
as dependent origination of causality. This is relatively an easy
concept, and is unanimously accepted and well comprehended by all the
four Buddhist schools of thought along with people who may not
necessarily be familiar with the study of philosophy.<br />
<br />
2) Dependent origination of parts and whole<br />
<br />
The second level of dependent origination is found explained only in the
two higher Buddhist schools of thought - Mind Only and Middle Way
school. It highlights the relation between parts and the whole. A
person, if one examines well, is a psychophysical complex. The physical
body and the mind are the parts of the person and not the person. Yet we
cannot have a person which stands distinctly as a monolithic entity
aside from these parts. The whole, in this case the person, is simply
posited to be existent by dependence on its parts – the body and mind.
This relationship is so evident when we say and think, “I am in pain.”
Although it is your arms which are in pain and the arms are not you.
Here we see how I as the 'whole' is imputed in dependence on my parts -
the arms. Likewise, you are so happy and excited to see your beloved
parents after a long time apart. It is your mind which feels happy and
excited and your mind is not you. This entails you as a 'whole' coming
into being by dependence on its parts like your mind. But our innate
experience feels that there is a self totally independent of its parts.
This misconception, though relatively gross, creates lots of mental
disturbance and unease in us. One needs bit of reflection to gain
insight into this reality of the 'whole' depending on its 'parts.' This
understanding can be helpful in keeping us calm from the outburst of
emotions such as fear and anxiety.<br />
<br />
3) Dependent origination through mere imputation<br />
<br />
This level of dependent origination is the subtlest and the ultimate
purport of the Buddha's teaching. To some extent, we can say the
understanding of this level of dependent origination is the progressive
enhancement of the first two. When we see a seed growing to a shoot, the
seed is the cause and the shoot the result. Unlike the causal
relationship explained in the first category, where the result depends
on the cause, the third level of dependent origination renders a subtler
level of understanding where there is a reverse order of dependence
between the cause and the result, i.e., the cause depends on the result
not just the result depending on the cause. We might feel uneasy if we
were to think of this reverse relationship which is the seed's
dependence on the shoot or the result. This sounds so ridiculous to the
ears of ordinary people who are least introduced to such concepts.
However, without the seed's dependence on the shoot, the causal
relationship between the seed and the shoot itself will make no sense.
The seed, of course, does not depend on the shoot in the sense it is
given rise to by the shoot which is its result. It still depends on the
shoot but in a subtle sense. Without the presence of the shoot or the
result, the seed can not be designated as a cause of something. For
example, although a man is not the product of his child, but would not
be called a father without the child existing. <br />
<br />
In a similar manner, things come into existence relationally. The boy
'B' who is 16 years old is designated as old in relation to boy 'A' who
is just twelve years old. But he is young in relation to the boy 'C' who
is 20 years old. This sounds quite simple. But our innate mind does not
even know this. We are constantly being fooled and deceived by our mind
through the appearance of characteristics such as beauty,
unattractiveness and so forth which seem to exist so independently and
non-relativistically. All characteristics like beauty, taste,
joyfulness, pleasantness, sadness, hopelessness, and so forth make no
sense at all unless one understands them in relation to something else. <br />
<br />
Even more striking, which of course is really profound and obscured to
laities, is how things come into existence simply in relation to the
mind to which it appears. The existence of the mind as well depends on
the object it is perceiving. Subjects and objects exist through mutual
dependence. This is really so obscured and yet utterly profound.
Understanding this view in its depth can release us from the pangs of
samsara. This wisdom gives rise to a natural flow of compassion and
empathy towards all beings, which in turn creates a peaceful atmosphere
wherever you go. This is the ultimate answer to the basic question:
“What is the solution to all our problems?” And it is for the purpose of
teaching this level of reality to sentient beings, that the Buddha
Shakyamuni appeared on this earth.<br />
<br />
<br />
Buddhist philosophy and the Theory of Relativity<br />
<br />
Going back to the actual discussion of where science and Buddhism meet,
the theory of relativity addresses reality in the form of relativistic
world, where both space and time are relative. Through explaining the
idea of time dilation, where the concept of time is addressed only
relatively in relation to a frame of reference with the help of the
famous twins paradox example, it left Newtonian physics outdated. This
idea is truly profound. It is believed that there were only three
persons on this earth who understood this concept when Albert Einstein
first came up with it. Whereas in Buddhism, as described above in the
third level of dependent origination, everything exists relatively and
time is no exception. Things can only be spoken of relativistically, in
relation to something else. The reflection on this concept dismantles
our innate absolutist view, which underlines all disturbing thoughts
present in us. This understanding is the key to solve all our mental
disturbances.<br />
<br />
<br />
Buddhist philosophy and the Quantum Theory<br />
<br />
Quantum Theory, on the other hand, brings in a very interesting issue
with regard to how things exist. Especially Heisenberg's Uncertainty
Principle and Schrodinger's cat experiment delineate a revolutionary
description of the concept of randomness in the nature of reality. While
classical physics maintained the idea more deterministic in nature as
opposed to randomness and uncertainty, quantum mechanics rejected it
fully by introducing this new concept on the level of subatomic
particles like electrons. Simply put, the description of electrons and
their spin makes no sense, according to quantum physics, unless one
brings into consideration the observer of the object. In the language of
laity, it means objects cannot exist on their own independent of the
observer. The famous statement, “Does the moon exist when no one looks
at it?” gives a clear picture of this idea. Of course, Einstein was not
happy with this and refuted the idea through his famous statement, “God
does not play dice.”<br />
<br />
So, where does the concept of quantum theory stand from the Buddhist
perspective? Does it fit into any Buddhist theory? If yes, in which?
And what would be the response from Buddhism towards Einstein's not
being happy with Quantum theory's idea of randomness?<br />
<br />
In fact, the whole essence of quantum theory, for the convenience sake
of the discussion here, I will break into two – that the objects will
bear a sense only when they come in contact with an observer, and the
concept of randomness where knowing of an object in the previous moment,
by no means, can help predict precisely the state of the object, say an
electron, in the next moment, e.g. whether the spin of a particular
electron will be 'up' or 'down' the next moment is what we can not infer
on the basis of the information we have of the same electron a moment
ago. Again if we go back to reflect on the concept of dependent
origination on the third level, all objects exist merely through mental
imputation implying there is nothing existing objectively, independent
of the subjective mind. Quantum theory has a great resemblance with this
level of dependent origination. The two may differ in the usage of the
terminology. Buddhism calls 'the imputing mind' and quantum mechanics
calls 'the observer' to the subjective agent upon which the object
depends for its existence. Raja Raman, a celebrated Indian nuclear
physicist, once during a meeting with H.H. The Dalai Lama, remarked with
great astonishment, “The concept of quantum theory which the scientists
discovered for not more than hundred years is what Nagarjuna (2nd Cent.
AD), a Buddhist master has already elucidated so well since thousand
years ago.” In this respect, quantum theory goes well in conformity with
Buddhism. Still we have lots to explore if the two exactly converge in
their understanding or there still remain subtle nuances to tease apart
in their theses.<br />
<br />
If the understanding of the concept of ‘randomness’ as intended by the
quantum theorists tallies with how it is understood by Einstein, the
causes are not accountable for their respective results. Buddhism would
surely have reservations towards this concept as it utterly contradicts
the principle of dependent origination on the first level – which is law
of causality – as pointed out above. Which means Buddhism conforms to
Einstein's rebuttal to the idea of randomness. Future will tell if there
is going to be a paradigm shift happening in quantum theory in the
reading of what it meant by randomness, which usually happens in
science, or the gab in the understanding between the two systems will
remain forever long.<br />
<br />
Buddhist Psychology and Neuroscience<br />
<br />
Now let us see what brain science and Buddhism have to say. Do they go in parallel to each other or are they divergent?<br />
<br />
The two disciplines, in general, on the level of gross mental functions,
explain the same phenomena from two different perspectives. It is more
on the experiential level that Buddhism articulates the workings of
mind. Neuroscience on the other hand attempts to explain the same mental
phenomena, as best they can, purely on the basis of tangible neurons,
transmitters, ions, electrical impulses and so forth. There are areas,
particularly the workings of the subtle mental states, where Buddhism
offers candid explanations, which remain oblivious to the present
neuroscience. Brain science, of course, is presently still quite
primitive in the face of the prospect of its sparkling future
development. <br />
<br />
From the ongoing present collaborative works of some renowned
neuroscientists and Buddhist scholars /contemplatives happening at
various renowned institutions such as the Mind and Life Institute,
Stanford University, Wisconsin University, and Emory University all in
the US and Oxford Center for Mindfulness Studies in UK, we are
witnessing how the Buddhist understanding of the taxonomy of mind and
the complexities of the workings of mind can help guide neuroscientists
to go through faster pace and greater expanse of research and
experiments. The former gives wonderful directions to the neuroscience.
Equally, neuroscience, through their undeniably observable and
immaculately precise research, while ushering new outlooks for the
Buddhist contemplatives and scholars on mind renders confirmation and
confidence in the already existing rich knowledge on mind which the
Buddha taught almost 2600 years ago. Eric Kandel's (2000 Nobel Laureate
in Medicine) book, 'In Search of Memory' is one such exemplary piece. We
thus find mutual benefits and assistance rather than there existing any
points of convergence or divergence. <br />
<br />
Neuroscience at present attempts to explain on the level of neurons,
synapses and transmitters, the obvious mental activities like memory,
perceptions of color, language, responses and so forth - some of the
basic human characteristics - which the human beings are so well aware
of. The activities and functions of these neurons that the scientists
found so far are unquestionably very subtle, but the mental activities
that they represent are coarse and manifest, with least complexities and
multiplicities. They are still in the middle of their ordeal with the
prospect of refined experiments and findings with respect to the subtler
and more sophisticated workings of the mind. The reader of this essay,
for example, is vividly aware of his or her reading this article at this
moment and actively thinking about the subject matter of this, but has
no clue of the dynamics of the same on the brain level that is
accountable for your mental processes which are associated with this
reading, registering and imbibing; how the transmitters of which axon of
the neuron are sent to which other neuron, what kind of transmitters -
whether in the form of ions or electrical signal - are sent and so
forth. There are all too obscured to us the science laities. Whereas
neuroscience explains it so well. This is the success of the modern
neuroscience. It is indeed a great achievement of humanity. <br />
<br />
Yet, they are presently, still in a period where they make more
speculative explanations than provide convincingly coherent accounts to
address the challenging questions such as, “What is the nature of
experience?” “Can the content matter of the thoughts of a person be
precisely read through seeing the observable neuron activities with MRI
image and so forth? Say a neuro-scientist tries to read and explain the
content matter of a particular thought of a person on the basis of what
he sees of the neuronal activities. Is the mental picture formed in the
said thought identically seen by the scientist? Obviously not! It is
what he speculated and inferred as very likely mental image formed when
he sees a particular brain activity. He is capable of doing this through
training by conducting the same test earlier on another person by
asking her what thoughts are coming when he either touched a specific
spot of her brain or saw a specific neuronal activity. While one may
rightly claim that mental activities can be inferred through brain
activities which we can see by our own eyes through the use of
sophisticated instruments, but what we saw directly is the brain
activities and not the mental activities. The latter was simply inferred
and can be experienced only by that person being tested. This in itself
is indicative of the two's (brain and mind) being not identical. The
mind is thus not reducible to brain. Whereas many neuroscientists who
limit themselves of their understandings to physical tangible objects
for their researches believe that the mind is reducible to brain; in
simple words they think mind is just brain. This further leads them to
believe that there is no rebirth. Indeed it would be helpful for them
and us all to understand the distinction between 'Seeing the
nonexistence of rebirth' and 'Not seeing the existence of rebirth.'
Presently when the neuroscience is still in the stage of maturing, the
involved scientists and those non-believers can at the most say, “We can
not see the existence of rebirth.”<br />
<br />
The discussion does not end there. For Buddhists, it is their wider
understanding of such a mind which is distinct from the brain that lends
to their espousing the idea of rebirth. Whereas brain-science on the
other hand, as mentioned earlier, at least up to now, does not address
this issue of rebirth as their discipline so far limits their
exploration within the bounds of tangible brain and not beyond. However,
given that there is active exchanges happening now a days between the
two disciplines, the dawn of expanding their scope might soon uncover
many of the questions which remain unresolved.<br />
<br />
Ethical considerations<br />
<br />
His Holiness in his "Universe in a Single Atom" strongly suggests the
need for modern science to be tempered by ethical considerations; it can
potentially be of more harm than good. For example, genetic science,
which has made huge contributions to humanity, is neutral per se on the
question of ethics and benefit. Unless it is motivated ethically and
wisely, this intelligence can be used in a viciously hazardous manner
with the least consideration for the feelings of the lives involved in
their research and experiments. One such area is the partial human
beings which the genetic scientists might very likely create if there is
no moral constraints and using their biological organs so selfishly and
mercilessly as therapeutic means at the cost of many lives. The world
citizens need to be prudent. We have witnessed the disaster of the
Second World War, unimaginably evil which exhibited the consequence of
sheer misuse of modern science. Let us not destroy ourselves; instead
with the astounding wisdoms of science and Buddhism, extend our arms to
all beings with warmth and unconditional love.</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">
-Geshe Dorji Damdul<br />
<br />
____________________<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Recommended books on dialogues between Science and Buddhism:<br />
<br />
H.H. the Dalai Lama: The Universe in a Single Atom<br />
H.H. the Dalai Lama and Paul Ekman: Emotional Awareness. <br />
The list of the books from the past Mind and Life conferences:<br />
Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain<br />
The Dalai Lama at MIT<br />
The New Physics and Cosmology<br />
Destructive Emotions<br />
Visions of Compassion<br />
Healing Emotions<br />
Consciousness at the Crossroads<br />
Gentle Bridges<br />
Sleeping, Dreaming, and Dying<br />
<br />
www.bodhiwisdom.blogspot.com</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1249798046290896319.post-40421812572304044842010-11-12T10:30:00.001-08:002015-10-08T23:28:54.278-07:00About: Geshe Dorji Damdul<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ven. Geshe Dorji
Damdul<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Director, Tibet
House, New Delhi<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cultural Centre of
His Holiness the Dalai Lama<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">In
1988, Geshe Dorji Damdul joined the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics,
Dharamsala for formal studies in Buddhist logic, philosophy and epistemology. After
15 years of study in Buddhist philosophy he finished his Geshe Lharampa Degree (Ph.D.)
in 2002 from Drepung Loseling Monastic University. He joined Gyudmed Tantric
College for a year for Tantric studies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">In
2003, the Office of H.H. the Dalai Lama sent him to Cambridge University,
England for Proficiency English studies. He was a visiting fellow at Girton
College, Cambridge University. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">He
is appointed as the official translator to H.H. the Dalai Lama since 2005. He
has been serving as the interpreter for H.H. the Dalai Lama for so many years
and at the same time involved in doing written translations of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>many texts from Tibetan into English such as
Arya Nagarjuna's "Mulamadyamikakarika" (Fundamental Wisdom of the
Middle Way), Acharya Shantideva's "Bodhicaryavatara" (Wisdom Chapter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">While
assigned with the same task of translating for H.H. the Dalai Lama inside and
abroad India, he was appointed as the Director of Tibet House, Cultural Center
of H.H. the Dalai Lama, New Delhi in March 2011. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">As
assigned by the Office of H.H. the Dalai Lama, he visited the US in 2008 to
work with Prof. Paul Ekman on H.H. the Dalai Lama's book "Emotional
Awareness" which is co-authored by Dr. Paul Ekman of the University of
California Medical School.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">His
Holiness the Dalai Lama also assigned him with a text book project. He is one
of the chief editors for the text book on Buddhist Science and Philosophy. This
text book is to be used for Centers and Institutes all over the world to study
more thoroughly on Buddhist philosophy, metaphysics, epistemology, and science.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">He
was also assigned, along with few other scholars to work on H.H. the Dalai
Lama's book "Ethics for the New Millennium - Part II," and the series
of "Art of Happiness" book which were jointly written by H.H. the
Dalai Lama and Prof. Haward Cutlar. Likewise he is actively involved in critical
editing works with other books of H.H. the Dalai Lama like "The Graded
Path."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">He
was affiliated with Drepung Loseling Library where he served as the editor of
Dreloma Magazine for eight years from 1994-2001. Prior to that he was the
editor and contributor for 5 years for "Lhaksam Tsekpa" - a journal
of comparative studies, the theme of which is on Science and Western philosophy,
published by the Institute of Buddhist Studies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">He
wrote number of important papers for National and International Conferences
held in Delhi University, Somaya University in Mumbai, Ramakrishna Mission
Institute and so forth. The papers constitute interesting topics such as <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Paradox of Brain and Min</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">d</i>" and "<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Ultimate Reality According to
Arya Nagarjuna</i></b>."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">He
is in the process of writing two important books, one on "Journey into the
Paradox of Brain and Mind" and the other "What Constitutes the
Ultimate Reality: The Effects of Understanding the Ultimate Reality."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">In
2004 - 05, for two years, he was assigned as the Philosophy Lecturer for the
Emory University Study Abroad Program which is being held in Dharamsala, India
since 2001. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">In
2008, he was appointed as a visiting fellow in Delhi University to give
lectures in three of the University's departments - Philosophy, Psychology, and
Buddhist Studies. The students received his lectures with such enthusiasm and rigor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin-left: 7.1pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">In
2011, he was recruited as one of the chief experts to design the syllabuses for
B.A. and M.A. course on the Tibetan Studies as a part of Indira Gandhi National
Open University (IGNOU) program.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">While
assigned with the responsibility of the Directorship of Tibet House, the
Cultural Centre of H.H. the Dalai Lama, which is based in New Delhi, India, he also
gives regular lectures in Tibet House and many other places like Universities
and Institutes. He also travels widely within India and abroad, like Mumbai,
USA, U.K., and Singapore to teach Buddhist philosophy, psychology, logic and
practice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1249798046290896319.post-87086900162330898992010-05-30T14:20:00.001-07:002011-10-05T10:52:12.927-07:00Teachings...free download<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div>
<div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Follow this simple instruction to download audio</span></span></b></div>
<div>
( to download click<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"> </span></i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">divshare then</span></b></div>
<div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"> fill up all four required information </span></b></div>
<div>
<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">and then finally select</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;">download</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"> )</span></i></b><i><br />
</i></div>
</div>
<div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">1. </span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Science and spirituality of Consciousness</span></span></b></div>
<div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Ramakrishna Mission </span></span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Conference....</span></span></b></div>
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<embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=11687477-770" width="335" height="85" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed></object><br />
<div>
to download click <b><i>divshare </i></b></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: arial;"><b><br />
</b></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
2.</div>
<div>
<object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" height="85" id="divplaylist" width="335"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=11687477-770">
<embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=11687477-770" width="335" height="85" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed></object></div>
<div>
to download click <b><i>divshare</i></b></div>
<div>
<b><i><br />
</i></b></div>
<div>
<b><i><br />
</i></b></div>
<div>
<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">3.</span><br />
</i></b><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" height="85" id="divplaylist" width="335"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=11687477-770">
<embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=11687477-770" width="335" height="85" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed></object> </div>
<div>
to download click <b><i>divshare</i></b></div>
<div>
posted on 10 june 2010</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">4. </span></b></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Study and Meditation on Arya Nagarjuna's Ratnavali:</span></span></span></span></b></div>
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<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><b>5. Buddhism and Science:<br />
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6. Buddha Nature and four seals of Buddha's Teaching by Geshe Dorje Damdul.<br />
<object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" height="85" id="divplaylist" width="335"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=11687477-770">
<embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=11687477-770" width="335" height="85" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed></object>to download.</b></span></span><br />
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