Meditation on Ultimate Reality

Noumenon is mind, and phenomena, cosmos. When the ignorant mind discriminates between noumenon and phenomena, unreality arises in the form of confusion, and sometimes madness.

By viewing both noumenon and phenomena as one, nondual reality arises, and thus serendipity. For nonduality is the ultimate reality.

Only in the ignorant mind is the reality of existence suffering. Indeed, the mind that realizes nonduality is real has attained Nirvana.

All of what has just been written about the cosmos, the mind and reality is True. Only unbelievers doubt this Truth about reality itself.

Beyond the Buddha is Adi Buddha, the primordial Buddha. Though he is no Creator, Adi Buddha is the originator of all things, even the Creator and his Creation, the cosmos.

Although this Truth is alien to the Christian mind, the mind of the Buddhist accepts it as True and real.

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Reference:

Adi-Buddha: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adi-Buddha

Debunking The Metaphors of Permanence (satire)

Theists got it wrong about God being a metaphysical divine being that exists in reality.

God is a Germanic adjective that translates as "good". Therefore "god" means "all that is good," and does not represent a real divine being.

Instead, the divine being is a anthropomorphic metaphor made in the image of man. Thus the phrase "man is made in the image of God" is actually a declaration of humility designed to control the ego lest a person think himself a god due to a perverted egocentricity known as egomania.

Instead the line in Genesis which declare mankind to have been made into the image of God actually means that all human beings are born basically good. It does not refer to an actual divine being, contrary to the dogma of the monotheists.

Rather God is a metaphor for all that is good in humankind.

As for the soul, there is no soul that is permanent and immortal, for the only living soul is that of the body-mind.

Likewise, just as speculation about gods is moot, so too is speculation about the afterlife.

However, the cult of Amida Buddha is based on a metaphor about wisdom and compassion (endless life of compassion and endless light of wisdom).

In the context of Buddhism, "endless" actually implies a long moment in time that begins in the distant past and ends in the distant future.

Likewise for the terms "forever", "immortal", and "never": "Never" represents an ideal reality; "Immortal" represents an ideal state; and "forever" represents an "infinitely" long time. For these terms are but metaphors of permanence which represent abstract reality as opposed to physical reality.

In the abstract world, everything lasts forever and God exists. This world is a metaphysical one, and thus is not tangible in the physical world.

Even the adjective term "infinitely" is an abstract term that implies an ideal reality in which an object lasts forever. In reality, the term "infinite" is inaccurate because nothing in reality lasts forever. Indeed, "infinite" actually means an indeterminately long time which eventually ends.

Therefore, "life eternal" does not represent "immortal soul", for "pneuma" as the soul is not the same as "life".

Nor does "eternal" equivalent in meaning to "immortal". "Eternal" refers to a state of eternity, which still represents a very long time that eventually ends, and is vastly longer than human life itself.

"Life eternal" then does not mean human life is eternal when you place your trust in Jesus. Rather it subtly says "the Christian way of life values family;" and your progeny bring you "life eternal" e.g. you and your descendants as Christians bring you life eternal.

It's not about immortality; it's about human propagation. Immortality thus is a metaphor for such propagation.

For the metaphors of permanence which the monotheists use, be it "immortal soul" and "life eternal", actually are euphemisms for human propagation and thus guarantees "life eternal."

Only in the abstract world does God and the terms which represent an infinitely long time exist. They are actually reified (made to exist as a material thing) by the mind alone. Even when monotheists say "God exists", what they really mean is that their belief in God reifies the abstract thing called "God".

Monotheists deny this interpretation, and claim that in the beginning, God existed. Thus the abstract world is assumed to have pre-existed before the creation of the physical world. Only if the mind is made real by reified beliefs can it become a permanent object which is a separate object from God. In the physical sense, they do not exist as physical objects. Rather, the mind and God are both abstractions of what we call "the mind".

To a materialist, such abstractions do not exist outside of the mind. To a Buddhist, speculation about such abstractions are moot. The mind still exists even when my concept of it refers to an abstract term called "the mind" that is reified until the mind has a purported physical existence, even though it does not.

When a person is asleep or dead, the physical world does not exist. Yet there are some people who believe Dreamtime is the true reality. Yet the world of dreams is akin to the abstract world, because once awake, they both do not exist.

Thus it is possible that the beliefs of the monotheists puts their minds to sleep, and they awaken to the abstract world within where their God exists along with His heaven and hell that He created.

At the same time, what the previous sentence means is, the monotheists are asleep to the physical world and the worldliness that arises from living in this reality. They only know of God as depicted in the Bible. Yet monotheists live in their own Dreamtime and know not of the physical world.

No one can awaken a Christian to the reality of the physical world, because his beliefs isolate him from true reality. He only sees the reality of his own making, which is but a benign delusion that allows him to function in the real world without being tainted by worldliness.

Through his prayers and rituals, the Christian purifies his soul. I only object to the non-Christian concept of the immortal soul that a few foolish Christians accept as true though it is not Biblical. Instead, the conception of an immortal soul is blasphemous within context of the Bible.

On this point, both the primitive Christian and I do see eye to eye regarding the reification of an immortal soul as blasphemy. In Buddhist thought, such a soul violates the principle of no-soul, that all is impermanent in the physical world and nothing lasts forever. Christians who cling to such a concept will then argue that "life eternal" implies an immortal soul. This is a fallacy because a soul is only alive for a limited time, from birth to death.

As well, the adjective term "eternal" is not a synonym of "immortal". As I stated before, both terms refer to the cycle of human life and human propagation. Thus "eternal life" refers to the propagation of human life and "immortal soul" refers to human generations of one's ancestors and descendants.

Thus have I debunks the metaphors of permanence that delude the monotheists. For the truth is, nothing exists forever. Yet to a Buddhist, this frees him from permanence. The resulting freedom is the liberation of the consciousness from the detritus of the material world.

Throughout his liberation from such delusional metaphors of permanence, the Buddhist will come to realize that anything is possible, even a world of impermanence. For impermanence makes the material world possible. Indeed, the physical world is always in flux.

Kokoro / Heart-mind: One heart, two-minds

心が思いやりを象徴するので、心臓心が感情を感じている。

合理的心臓が理性と制御を象徴するので、我々は愚かになるといけないので、それは、心を支配するようべきである。

Romaji transliteration:
Kokoro ga omoiyari o shōchō surunode, shinzō kokoro ga kanjō o kanjite iru.

Gōri-teki shinzō ga risei to seigyo o shōchō surunode, wareware wa oroka ni naruto ikenainode, soreha, kokoro o shihai suru yōbekidearu.
English translation:
Because the heart symbolizes compassion, the heart mind feels emotion.

Because the rational mind symbolizes reason and control, it ought to dominate the heart, lest we become mindless.

What this means is the heart symbolizes emotions and feelings; and the rational mind, reason and control. This is the essence of the original concept of "one heart and two minds" (一つの心、二心 / hitotsu no kokoro, futagokoro).

Notes on Buddhist Atomism

In the following annotated text, the text in bold is the quote from the book by Fyodor Shcherbatskoy listed in the references below the following text.

The text after each quoted text are my notes to used to better understand the quoted material.

Out of respect for the fact that Stcherbatsky is referring to Dharmakirti and Buddhist atomism, I have refrained from including in my notes any reference to quantum physics including specific terms for atomic energies and intra-atomic energies.

This is because Buddhist philosophy and specifically Buddhism atomism is still based on the Buddhist notion of non-self i.e. the transitory nature of things.

I also wish to express my disclaimer that I am not an expert on Buddhist atomism. Rather, this note was made to better understand what the quoted author means.

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... The Buddhists denied the existence of substantial matter altogether. - If substantial matter is transitory, then substantial matter does not exist in a permanent state. Likewise, reality is nonexistent because it does not exist in a permanent state. Since nothing at all exists in a permanent state, then everything is transitory i.e. the ebb and flow of consciousness.

Movement consists for them of moments, it is a staccato movement, momentary flashes of a stream of energy... Movement, thus, consists of distinct but brief moments of change. Visualize movement of an object before a strobe light, which shows movement of that object "frozen" in separate instances.

"Everything is evanescent," ... says the Buddhist, because there is no stuff ... - Nothing lasts forever. Paraphrased, everything is liable to vanish or pass away like vapor. Thus, everything in life is fleeting. Yet even distinct change is imperceptible.

Both systems [Sānkhya and later Indian Buddhism] share in common a tendency to push the analysis of Existence up to its minutest, last elements which are imagined as absolute qualities, or things possessing only one unique quality. - In analyzing Existence to its smallest detail, Indian Buddhism exposes the "atoms" of existence itself.

They are called "qualities" (guna-dharma) in both systems in the sense of absolute qualities, a kind of atomic, or intra-atomic, energies of which the empirical things are composed. - Guna-Dharma are absolute qualities, and each quality, an intra-atomic energy. Things that we observe are thus composed of intra-atomic energies. Likewise, things that we experience are composed of intra-atomic qualities known as events and moments of feelings and thoughts.

Both systems, therefore, agree in denying the objective reality of the categories of Substance and Quality, ... and of the relation of Inference uniting them. - Substance refers to that which underlies all outward manifestations beiong the permanent subject or cause of phenomena, whether material or physical. Quality refers to the distinguishing property, characteristic, or attribute of any particular thing in relation to the substance of that thing. Inference refers to the association between substance and quality determined by the act of infering by deduction or induction what qualities make up a thing and what substance that thing is. By denying the objective reality of the categories of Substance and Qualities and of the relation of Inference, it is possible to contemplate things in terms of intra-atomic energies.

There is in Sānkhya philosophy no separate existence of qualities. What we call quality is but a particular manifestation of a subtle entity. - Yet these qualities do not exist separately on their own. Even when we describe the qualities of matter in terms of intra-atomic energies, they lack an independent existence as a permanent quality that lasts forever.

To every new unit of quality corresponds a subtle quantum of matter which is called guna "quality", but represents a subtle substantive entity. The same applies to early Buddhism where all qualities are substantive ... or, more precisely, dynamic entities, although they are also called dharmas ("qualities"). - All qualities which are substantive are dynamic entities called dharmas. Every new unit of quality which corresponds to a subtle quantum of matter is called guna.


References:
Stcherbatsky 1962 (1930). P. 19, Buddhist Logic. Volume 1. New York: Dover.

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Buddhist atomism http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_atomism

Living Life to the Fullest

Am I ready to accept death? Yes, though my life is not yet fulfilled, I am ready to live my life as though every day is my last because it encourages me to live life to the fullest.

Since the fear of death is very strong for me, that fear motivates me to respect all life as precious.

Indeed, life is so precious that I wish to live to an old age.

Death in Buddhist Philosophy

In Buddhism, death is a part of old age. It is the twelfth and final part of dependent arising.

In his discourse on contemplation, the Buddha urges us to reflect on ageing and death:

• I am subject to ageing, have not gone beyond ageing....
• I am subject to illness, have not gone beyond illness....
• I am subject to death, have not gone beyond death....

What is meant here is that all who are born are destined to age and die.

At first glance, the prospect of ageing and death appears depressing because one part of the twelve parts of dependent arising is taken out of context.

In context, dependent arising consists of twelve parts:

• ignorance
• consciousness
• name and form
• the six senses spheres
• contact
• feeling
• attachment (craving)
• grasping (clinging)
• existence (becoming)
• birth
• ageing and death

Regarding these twelve parts of dependent arising, the Buddha explains that:

• due to the condition of ignorance, action arises;
• due to the condition of action, consciousness arises;
• due to the condition of consciousness, name and form arise;
• due to the condition of name and form, the six sense spheres arise;
• due to the condition of the six sense spheres, contact arises;
• due to the condition of contact, feeling arises;
• due to the condition of feeling, attachment arises;
• due to the condition of attachment, grasping arises;
• due to the condition of grasping, the potentialized level of karma called existence arises;
• due to the condition of existence, birth arises;
• due to the condition of birth, ageing and death arise.

Because of dependent arising, mental unrest arises. This validates the First Truth that life is full of suffering.

In order to relieve oneself of such unrest, then one should begin by seeing how each of the twelve parts of dependent arising produce suffering.

• the unwanted sufferings of ageing and death are produced in dependence upon birth;
• birth is produced in dependence upon the potentialized level of action called "existence";
• existence is produced in dependence upon grasping;
• grasping is produced in dependence upon attachment;
• attachment is produced in dependence upon feeling;
• feeling is produced in dependence upon contact;
• contact is produced in dependence upon the six sense spheres;
• the six sense spheres are produced in dependence upon name and form;
• name and form are produced in dependence upon consciousness;
• consciousness is produced in dependence upon action;
• action is produced in dependence upon ignorance.

Thus is the First Noble Truth emphasized.

Then, by deeply reflecting on each of the twelve parts of dependent arising, it is possible to purify one's mind i.e. relieve mental unrest by seeing that:

• when ignorance ceases, action ceases;
• when action ceases, consciousness ceases;
• when consciousness ceases, name and form cease;
• when name and form cease, the six sense spheres cease;
• when the six sense spheres cease, contact ceases;
• when contact ceases, feeling ceases;
• when feeling ceases, attachment ceases;
• when attachment ceases, grasping ceases;
• when grasping ceases, the potentialized level of karma called "existence" ceases;
• when the potentialized level of karma called "existence" ceases, birth ceases;
• when birth ceases, ageing and death cease.

With the mind thus purified, it is possible to see each part causes the next part. In this way, the Second Truth - the cause of suffering is ignorance - is amplified. Then one can see that:

• the cessation of ageing and death arises in dependence upon the cessation of birth;
• the cessation of birth arises in dependence upon the cessation of the potentialized level of karma called "existence";
• the cessation of the potentialized level of karma called "existence" arises in dependence upon the cessation of grasping;
• the cessation of grasping arises in dependence upon the cessation of attachment;
• the cessation of attachment arises in dependence upon the cessation of feeling;
• the cessation of feeling arises in dependence upon the cessation of contact;
• the cessation of contact arises in dependence upon the cessation of the six sense spheres;
• the cessation of the six sense spheres arises in dependence upon the cessation of name and form;
• the cessation of name and form arises in dependence upon the cessation of consciousness;
• the cessation of consciousness arises in dependence upon the cessation of action;
• the cessation of action arises in dependence upon the cessation of ignorance.

Karma and Mental Unrest

Due to the karma of non-virtuous actions, mental unrest arises. Due to the karma of virtuous actions, mental unrest arises.

With regard to these karmas which are the sources of suffering (mental unrest), the afflictive emotions of desire, hatred and ignorance are also sources of mental unrest.

Impermanence: Nothing Lasts Forever

It is through validating impermanence that mental unrest is relieved. For each of phenomenon arising due to dependent arising have a beginning and an end.

Once mental unrest is relieved, one is freed from suffering. Yet, due to impermanence, this liberation is an on-going process involving meditation and study.

Conclusion: Death Encourages Me to Live Each Day to the Fullest

Returning to the question, "Am I ready to accept death?", the answer is a heart-felt "Yes". Indeed, I accept death as a vital part of life. My fear of it motivates me to preserve my life through meditation so as to promote peace of mind and develop respect for ageing and death.

Though I cannot stop myself from ageing and facing the prospect of death, I can accept that with serenity. However, my respect for ageing and death encourages me to change my perspective.

In living each day as it were my last day on earth, I endeavour to live my life to the fullest.

Thus am I ready to accept death.

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Reference:
12 Links of Dependent Arising: http://www.khandro.net/doctrine_12links_DLbk1.htm
Twelve Nidānas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Nid%C4%81nas

Buddha Nature (Visaya) and Nembutsu

In this text, I present a Buddhist heterodoxy of my own making based on commentary on the Nirvana Sutra, which is not my own. With it, I add what little I know of Nembutsu practice which I call "non-practice" and of Buddhism, which I consider a "non-religion". Both terms - non-practice and non-religion - are explained, and a vow not to make this heterodoxy a Buddhist sect teaching it is made.

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Buddha Nature is present always, in all times and in all being.

Yet it is hidden (occulted) from view by tenacious negative mental afflections (kleshas) within each of us. The most notable of afflictions are greed, hatred, delusion and pride.

Once these mental states have been brought to rest, Buddha Nature shines forth unimpeded. Then the Buddha sphere (a state of mind called visaya) can be consciously "entered into", and deathless Nirvana attained. Thus, Buddha Nature is that Buddha sphere and another name for it is visaya.

Mahanirvana, contrary to being death and the end of life, is Eternal, Blissful, the Self and Pure. However, this state (sphere) of ultimate awareness and Knowing, is accessible only to full awakened Buddhas.

Not even the the highest of Bodhisattvas are able to clearly see the Buddha sphere. Indeed, they fail to see with clear mind that the immutable unfabricated Buddha Nature dwells indestructibly within all beings.

Because of Buddha Nature permeating all forms of life, absolutely all beings without exception, even the lowest of all, will eventually attain Liberation (Nirvana) and become Buddhas.

Thus, for a Nembutsu practitioner such as I, through the merit of Amida Buddha's name, this revelation inspires me to continue with Nembutsu whilst considering it a non-practice and Buddhism itself as non-religion to be consistent with the Buddhist ideal of non-self.

For Nembutsu practice is a non-practice in that, due to physical limitations, a practitioner cannot practice it forever yet a countless number of practitioners have uttered the Nembutsu since its practice countless æons ago.

Furthermore, Buddhism itself is a non-religion in that it arose because of dependent arising from time immemorial and will continue to be practiced due to the karma of a countless number of Bodhisattvas.

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This is my interpretation of Buddhism and may be non-canon to Mahayana. Lest this belief leads anyone to the Buddhist Hell, I place this disclaimer and strive not to be dogmatic about this revelation nor to found a Buddhist sect which enshrines it.

Being, Emptiness and Oneness

Oneness encompasses everything, and transcends self and other.

Emptiness is a quality shared by everything, for all things, being impermanent, are empty of substance.

Beingness has to do with existence, in the here-and-now. Being impermanent, it too is empty of substance.

But what of nothingness (nihilism)? If one denies of the existence of nihilism, does that not confirm nothing exists? No, for that is a fallacy, as the denial of nihilism proves that everything exists due to dependent arising.

Thus, nothingness is a ridiculous delusion, much like the non-existence of self. All the concept of non-self demonstrates is that emptiness of self is an important truth of life.

Because everything exists due to dependent arising, all of this (being, emptiness and onesness) is in flux.

Spirituality Scares the Ignorant Masses

It's amazing that when faced with even a mention of spirituality, the ignorant ridicule the messenger.

My suspicion is that the unenlightened have persecuted the enlightened more often in history than we care to admit.

This may be at the root of the persecution of Gnostics since the Third Century by the Church.

It may even explain the Inquisition (jealousy of the syncretism of Judaism, Islam and Christianity in Spain) and modern-day Protestant myths about other sects and religions, especially the myths about "satanism."

Little does the average Christian know that satan has been bound since the Christ's death. For Christ dealt with the devil's work and bound him.

To believe that satan is bound is supported by Christian doctrine; to believe otherwise - that a personification of evil walks among us is a myth of mass media and diabolic fear-mongering.

Persnally I don't believe in satanism, I believe in Buddhism, and its traditions are free of belief in satan.

For the concept of non-self suggests that satan does not exist, being a spiritual being purported to "live forever" i.e. an exceptionally long time described as "immortal".

Since immortality as a form of permanence is impossible due to the Buddhist concept of non-self, satan does not exist except as an archetype or a symbol of Christian dualistic thought (the symbol of evil versus God as symbol of good).

For I do not view satan as a personification of evil but as a symbol of diabolism.

Within the confines of reality, satanism is a mass media myth that people believe in either for "thrills" or social control.

Regarding social control, belief in satanism helps solidify group dynamics within a religious organization provided checks and balances are observed to prevent abuse of power by religious leaders.

However, it is diabolism to abuse the trust of members of religious bodies including any groups of religious instruction formed by Christians in positions of authority, whether it is a home meeting or a church.

To further emphasis my point on diabolism, I present this website called Children of the Matrix, and its page on "Spiritual" satanism and "christian" conmen for review.

Please note how important maintaining disbelief when viewing it as it may induce a strong denial regarding the topic material.

Any suspension of disbelief that promotes antipathy towards Christianity is not my intent as I do not believe a religion is responsible for what "wolves in sheep's clothing" do behind closed doors.

http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/biggestsecret/matrix/matrix16.htm

Commentary:

Note: see http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net for disclaimer. This article appears to be propaganda.

Illuminati is a code word for the 1 percent that want to profit from mass media propaganda.

With regard to the charges again Prescott Bush, I looked up the Union Banking Corporation and found this article on wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Banking_Corporation

The bulk of the article linked in this article is wrong about the Bush family.

"Rumors about the alleged Nazi 'ties' of the late Prescott Bush ... have circulated widely through the internet in recent years. These charges are untenable and politically motivated. Despite some early financial dealings between Prescott Bush and a Nazi industrialist named Fritz Thyssen (who was arrested by the Nazi regime in 1938 and imprisoned during the war), Prescott Bush was neither a Nazi nor a Nazi sympathizer.”

However, they are right in criticizing Billy Graham for manufacturing the religious propaganda of "the immortal soul", which is a syncretism from neo-Platonic sources that the early Church fathers borrow, and then instituted as dogma.

This particular syncretism gets condoned by resorting to the Bible to back up a pagan idea called "immortality". Immortal life is not mentioned in the Bible but "eternal life" in heaven with Jesus is mentioned in that strongly symbolic chapter called "Revelations".

I do not endorse anything David Icke wrote, as the link regarding Children of the Matrix is his work of art, and looks like he cherry picked all the dirt on his targets of derision regarding the richest people of America.

Conspiracy theories like this are great for people who have biases against American organized religion, rich people, and televangelists. I don't believe anything that I can't find anything to debunk. It's not propaganda to give people choices, for it's important to not make a choice but to dance like David.

YMMV

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Originally written: May 21, 2005 at 1052H
Edited and updated: February 4, 2013 at 1017H