[MD] [Bulk] spirituality

[118]

Hi Marsha,

I wouldn't say that Buddhism and Science have different goals.  Both attempt
at providing a meaningful understanding.  Science is easier to share than
Buddhism, but it is more objective.

What is interesting with both disciplines is the use of words for ownership.
 A while ago I pointed out that back nearer the beginning of written words
the Egyptians considered that to name something is to own it.  This is no
different from Science today.  If we create a bunch of words to explain
something, we seem to own it, and can easily dismiss any mysterious
ownership.  Yes, the sun is a ball of flaming gas, etc., etc.  We have done
nothing more than add a bunch of words, but by doing so, we essentially own
the sun, and have to go forth to find more things to own.  If a mystery is
explained, it loses its flavor, but such a thing is just the illusion of
ownership.  This is why there is such antagonism of defining things such as
God and Quality.  We should not own these things.

Buddhism is no different in this sense.  It creates concepts and words to
describe our existence.  By doing so, it claims full release from an endless
cycle.  But it would seem to me that it is simply putting existence into a
cage.  Of course, once you are there, you can dismiss the words as no longer
essential.  Science also has this capability.  When was the last time you
described your computer?

Mark

On Tue, Nov 30, 2010 at 1:55 AM, MarshaV <valkyr at att.net> wrote:

>
>     "Over the last twenty years, a dialogue has been conducted between
> Buddhism and science, largely because of an interest in science shown by
> certain Buddhist thinkers, notably the Dalai Lama...
>
>     "The Main difference between the pursuit of knowledge in science versus
> the same pursuit in Buddhism is their ultimate goals.  In Buddhism,
> knowledge is acquired essentially for _therapeutic_ purposes.  The objective
> is to free ourselves from the suffering that is caused by our undue
> attachment to the apparent reality of the external world and by our
> servitude to our individual egos, which we imagine reside at the center of
> our being.
>
>     "Buddhism stresses the importance of elucidating the nature  of the
> mind through direct contemplative experience.  Over the centuries it has
> devised a profound and rigorous approach to understanding mental states and
> the ultimate nature of mind.  THe mind is behind every experience in life.
>  It is also what determines the way we see the world.  It takes only the
> slightest change in our minds, in how we deal with mental states and
> perceive people and things, for "our" world to be turned completely
> upside-down.
>
>     "Profound as the findings of Buddhism are, it is important to keep in
> mind as you read this book that the Buddha's teachings are not dogmatic.
>  THe teachings should be considered as the insights of a guidebook...
>  Buddhism stands ready to revise its beliefs at any moment if they are
> proved to be wrong..."
>
>
>    ('Mathieu Ricard & Trinh Xuan Thuan, 'The Quantum and the Lotus: A
> Journey to the Frontiers Where Science and Buddhism Meet',pp.2-3)
>
> ___
>
>
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