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  • Unknown's avatar

    hardie karges 4:28 am on August 10, 2024 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , ermptiness, game theory, , , meditation, zero sum   

    Buddhism 499: Life is not a Zero-Sum Game 

    Don’t begrudge anyone their success. There is no shortage of blue ribbons in this world. This judgmental view is due to the theory and outlook of so-called ‘zero-sum’ games, that any gain for one side or one party is a loss for the other. And this is critical to the original ‘game theory’, which studies the relation of strategic interactions. But life is not a game, except in a metaphorical sense, and to the extent that it is, it is not ‘zero-sum’. Most games of sport are not.

    A baseball game can score an unlimited number of points, or runs, until the lights go out, or until the rains come, whichever comes first. Now, I wouldn’t say that the points are infinite, but that’s not the point, pun intended. The point is that there are no hard limits, just conceptual ones, so even if there is a temporary winner and a temporary loser, both sides are welcome to score, and any imbalance is capable of further resolution. To use political terms, the game isn’t always fair, but it isn’t ‘rigged’, either, not in any real sense.

    Such are the fantasies of conspiracy theorists and religious pre-determinists, that ‘it is all written’, supported only by the fact that such convictions can’t be disproven. To paraphrase some legal jargon I picked up somewhere, probably TV, ‘absence of evidence is not evidence of absence’. In other words, just because you can’t disprove something, doesn’t mean that it is true. But in no way does any of this imply that there is unlimited stuff, abundance in the Christian sense. Infinity is empty, and that’s the most beautiful part of it. But there is just enough stuff for everyone, almost as if by design…

     
  • Unknown's avatar

    hardie karges 3:24 am on August 4, 2024 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , meditation, , ,   

    Buddhism 334: Right Views are not Political… 

    Politics are not a suitable focus for meditation, and in fact are a great disruption. Which should go without saying, it seems, but for the fact that much meditation is of the ‘guided’ sort. So, caution should be a watchword for practice. After all, silence is the foundation of all traditional meditation practices, so any narrative is going against that stream of consciousness, which at its best is a thoughtless stream.

    But politics is particularly onerous, it being often combative, such as it is, and with no remedy to that in sight. It seems that natural selection does not select for gentleness and conciliation, but for the ability to put freshly fertilized genes into the next generation, without which there may be no next generation. Every breeding couple of every species must produce slightly more than two offspring per couple, or we will all gradually go extinct, as the elevated rates for such a situation amply prove in the present climate.

    Still, some people claim that the Buddha had a political side, but I can’t find much proof of that. His Buddhism of renunciation never advocated total renunciation, though, and that’s the important thing. Partial renunciation is another name for daily meditation, and from there one’s daily life can quickly and vastly improve. The same thing can be said for political activism, as long as it’s peaceful, mindful, and respectful. There are conservative and more liberal sides to all politics, and that’s fine. Just leave the hatred and anger outside. And that will help keep your daily meditation healthy.

     
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    hardie karges 4:35 am on July 27, 2024 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , knowledge, , meditation, perfection,   

    Buddhism 491: Everything Teaches a Lesson  

    The difference between a blessing and a curse is often only a matter of centimeters or seconds. Attaching a name explains little. Because we only know the final flowers of fruition upon completion, that is perfection, as related in the perfect tense of many languages, better described than the past tense of our own, which is misleading, to think that time can conveniently be divided into three dimensions like space, i.e. past, present, and future, analogous to length, width and breadth, convenient if not correct. 

    And if that plays into a convenient and comfortable ‘present moment’ narrative of the moment (no pun), then so be it. Because if all reality is mostly unknowable, then the future is the best example. But here’s the kicker: so is the present. The only thing that we can truly know is the past, because it is perfected, i.e. completed, complete with neural twin, through which it can be examined. You can’t do that in the present. The present may be singular in its experience, but that doesn’t imply knowledge. That implies attention, absorption, perception, and concentration. 

    Knowledge only comes from perfection, i.e. completion, a much nicer word than mere past, which implies old, mold, withered and weathered. Perfection is much friendlier. So, is that fruit a blessing or a curse? In Buddhism, everything is an opportunity to learn something, so, in effect, nothing is truly a curse. And if it feels that way, there are two possibilities: your feeling is incomplete, or the act itself is incomplete. Either way, perfection is only a step away. Be patient and be diligent. 

     
  • Unknown's avatar

    hardie karges 4:24 am on July 19, 2024 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , meditation, , Right Concentration, , Right Intention, , , ,   

    Buddhism 202: To Suffer is to be Human 

    The damages you suffer are but the beauty marks on your personality. And that’s good, because we’re not talking about some immutable permanent transcendent self that sees itself as the center of the world in some horrific act of ego incarnate. That’s the evil refrain from gurus-for-hire who know that the killer sales pitch is usually that one that puts ‘you, you, you’ in the central spotlight, even ‘You are God,’ forever enshrined in memory as ‘me, me, me’ for ease of memory and convenient interpretation. And all that rap is but salt in the wound of your condition. But that’s not the point.

    The point is that your suffering is not the end of the world. In fact, it is almost the only certainty in a world confined to matter and mechanics and gravity to boot, such that suffering is nothing to be ashamed of and even a badge of honor in a world where street cred has high value. The need for cessation of suffering is still of utmost importance, though, so don’t get too attached to your afflictions, if you really want to overcome them. Any other approach would certainly be unhealthy, and Buddhism never encourages that.

    Buddhism does encourage healthy habits always, and those are the basis of the Eightfold Path that informs the Buddhist approach to the world: Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration. What could be simpler, right? And that’s the special sauce to mend your suffering, or even plaster those nasty cracks in your exterior façade, to put the lie to any permanent damage, and help to make yourself whole again, despite all the faults of the flesh. We are not perfect, no, and no one is, but at least we are honest, and imperfection can be beautiful.

     
  • Unknown's avatar

    hardie karges 4:18 am on July 13, 2024 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , John Donne, , meditation, , ,   

    Buddhist Theravada, then Mahayana: Save Yourself, then Save the World  

    The immediate goal is personal peace and contentment. The long-term goal is universal friendship. Or to put it another way: first you save yourself, then you save the world, in some sort of secure Theravada foundation ultimately giving rise to new Mahayana fruits and icing on the cake. Because, ultimately, we all have to live together, in increasingly diverse circumstances, and the way to secure our mutual survival is to work together toward fulfillment. If we limit the cessation of suffering to the boundaries of so-called ‘self’, then we still have a long way to go as a society. 

    ‘No man is an island,’ said the English writer John Donne in 1624, and truer words have ne’er been spoke, especially since the world population has sex- or sep-tupled since that early date, and the count shows few signs of slowing. So, for someone to be content in his own little bubble of bliss is to ignore the larger demands of society and is ultimately passive, if not outright selfish, regardless of whether the Buddha said to be an island unto yourself, or a lamp. That confusion apparently comes from the similarities of the Pali/Sanskrit words dvipa and dipa, respectively, and the inability to prove anything that wasn’t originally written down.  

    But the confusion is almost serendipitous, in that both will work with a Theravadin self-centered island opening up to a broader society-centered light which might shine outward onto others once the mortal temporary self has flipped the switch to the coveted ‘on’ position. Thus, John Donne has nothing on the Buddha for the sublime play of his words nor the intent of his meaning. When you’ve gotten your own act together, then help the world. ASAP. Please. 

     
  • Unknown's avatar

    hardie karges 4:11 am on July 6, 2024 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , , , , , meditation, , retribution, , ,   

    Buddhism 499: Revenge is not Sweet…   

    Retribution is not necessary. Equanimity is a path for all situations and all times. This is central to Buddhism, if not foundational. Because the foundations are mostly personal, but it’s implicit that once you’ve attained some level of release from your own suffering that you will contribute to do the same for the world. And while this may be more pronounced in the Mahayana tradition of Bodhisattvas, it also applies to all the rest, in substance, if not style. 

    That’s explicit in the tradition of dana, which Theravada Buddhism relies on for its everyday existence, since monks are forbidden to work, at least not in any official capacity. That’s for ‘householders.’ Monks are homeless, by design, making a mockery of the disdain in which we in the west typically hold them, our India relations elevating the concept to a high plain of spirituality as rishis or even maharishis in the Hindu tradition, or arahant in the Buddhist Theravadin tradition. 

    Even more important is ahimsa, non-violence, which holds true for all the India-based spiritual traditions. And while I’m sure their armies have had their own mistakes and misgivings over the years, at least give them the credit for not glorifying it or reveling in it. Because that’s what revenge and retribution imply, whether stated or not. Retribution is a function of karma, which you’ve brought on yourself, so no violence against others is either implied or intended. Stay cool. Don’t react, unless someone’s life is at stake. And, even then, don’t be proud of it. Be forgiving… 

     
    • jmoran66's avatar

      jmoran66 7:14 pm on July 6, 2024 Permalink | Reply

      That’s the roots of jai yen here in Thailand, I would think.

      • hardie karges's avatar

        hardie karges 12:01 am on July 7, 2024 Permalink | Reply

        Cool heart, yes…

  • Unknown's avatar

    hardie karges 3:41 pm on June 30, 2024 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , , , , meditation, , , , , , , , ,   

    Buddhist Love is not like Falling in Love, Sorry…     

    No, Buddhist love is nothing like the weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth that often accompanies Christian ceremonies, whether birth or death or the multicolor gray area in between, mostly sex. Buddhist love, metta, is just a whole lot like friendship, and there’s nothing wrong with that. So, Platonic love, then maybe? I think Plato would be cool with that, maybe too cool. And that’s what falls short for a lot of people, for whom devotion is the primary practice of their religion. 

    It just doesn’t have the feeling of total surrender required for the religious experience in many people’s minds. But that’s Buddhism: cool, baby, cool. The devotional aspects were the last major additions to the three major canons of Buddhism, and long after the original discipline orientation of Theravada and the transcendental orientation of Mahayana. So, it’s no coincidence that the Tibetans got their Vajrayana straight from the source of India, which is primarily devotional to this day, whether of Shiva or Vishnu, no matter the object. Devotion is the important thing for the devotee. 

    But whether the two additional ‘vehicles’ may or may not have added something important to Buddhism, the core practice of discipline and dana (giving) remain unchanged. Upgrade the meditative practice of anapanasati to vipassana, and BOOM! You’ve got a rebirth of the original Buddhism with or without the doctrine of Rebirth to the non-Self (?!). Ouch. Yep, that’s better now, just to avoid questions that have no good answers. Too many cooks ruin the broth. The kindness is more important than the love.  

     
  • Unknown's avatar

    hardie karges 3:41 am on June 23, 2024 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , , , , , , , meditation, ,   

    Buddhism: Dealing with Dukkha, Suffering…  

    Depression and sadness are not the same thing. Still Buddhism can help with both. Dukkha, suffering, is a very broad concept, as all the modern reinterpretations prove. Still, it all comes down to unhappiness, as the modern Sanskrit (and Hindi and Nepali) words confirm: दुःखी, dukhi, nothing about stress, dissatisfaction, or my favorite word ‘bummer’: haha. Thank you, Google Translate. But if you think you’re clinically, i.e. chemically, depressed, always sad, you might want to get a clinical diagnosis, and solution, in addition to anything that Buddhism might be able to do for you. 

    Because what Buddhism can do best for you is to make you feel better about your current condition, seeing it as impermanent, as it certainly is, and even unreal, as it also arguably is. More importantly, it can help you realize that many of these conditions are the result of your own kileshas, errors, defilements, or shortcomings (not sins), in particular the defilement of avarice, or craving, or attachment to the passing show of superficial satisfactions of consumption, lust, and hatred.  

    These are problems with solutions, though, specifically training your mind to find its satisfactions elsewhere. Once you’ve found satisfaction in kindness and compassion, after all, why would you want to return to the crude contrivances of drunkenness, braggadocio, and one-upmanship? If you’re like me, then you probably wouldn’t. Subtle satisfactions that ease the sufferings of others can also have the added benefit of easing your own suffering, later if not sooner. We’re all in this together. 

     
    • jmoran66's avatar

      jmoran66 4:52 am on June 23, 2024 Permalink | Reply

      Another great post. I read it several times in succession, then went back to it again later.

      • hardie karges's avatar

        hardie karges 5:17 am on June 23, 2024 Permalink | Reply

        Thank you…

  • Unknown's avatar

    hardie karges 2:50 am on June 16, 2024 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , , , , meditation, , , , , Tiraatana, , Triratna   

    Buddhist Basics for Beginners: Three Gems… 

    Buddha, Dharma (teaching), and Sangha (community) are the three foundations of Buddhism. The Buddha, of course, is the one enlightened being to whom the inspiration for this teaching originally came and to whom we owe the effort at consolidation and collection of the diverse teachings into one coherent body of work. This happened at a time when such a thing had hardly been done before, and a paradigm hardly existed, so Buddha had to wing it. I’d say he did well. 

    The dharma, of course, is the teaching itself, which could arguably be considered the most important part of the practice. It is often translated as ‘law’ and that seems understandable, if we understand that the intention to commit as well as submit is central to the practice. The practice itself is somewhat novel in that you really don’t have to DO much of anything at all. This is perhaps best exemplified by the practice of meditation, something of a higher practice of Buddhism, not required but highly admired. 

    It’s much more important that you don’t do certain things, e.g lie, cheat, steal, kill, commit adultery, etc., very similar to the second half of the Biblical Ten Commandments (but don’t drink). All you really have to DO is be kind and peaceful. Unlike Christianity, though, which expects you to go forth and multiply, Buddhism is quite happy if you commit your life to meditation and contemplation. The object is to reduce suffering, not find bliss (sorry, Joseph C).  

    There are other dharmas, also, notably the Hindu sanatana dharma and Jainism, which are all similar, yet also quite different in specific details. The idea is to make the Sangha as large as possible, of course, the same as any religious practice, all of which work best when they have the largest number of members, for obvious reasons. If the majority of the world’s population could ever agree on anything, then that would be a notable accomplishment. If they could all agree to keep the peace at any cost, then so much the better. Buddhism is a good starting place. 

     
    • jmoran66's avatar

      jmoran66 8:38 pm on June 16, 2024 Permalink | Reply

      You just put Buddhism In A Nutshell in to a nutshell. Nicely done.

  • Unknown's avatar

    hardie karges 3:46 am on June 9, 2024 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , dialogues, , meditation, , , , , ,   

    Buddhism and the Middle Path with Feeling  

    Buddhism in Bhutan

    The fact that there is always a middle position between two extremes is not Buddhist. That’s business: buy low, sell high or just split the difference and celebrate the art of the deal, haha. The fact that there is a path is Buddhist. The middle position between extremes is also fundamental to the Socratic dialogues and resulting Platonic dialectic. And this is very compatible with Buddhism, in which a thesis and corresponding antithesis result in a higher synthesis.  

    The path comes into play over the passage of time, as multiple compromises and corresponding dialectics form a pathway over time. This assumes that the accumulated decisions and compromises are of a similar nature, such that the path has meaning in and of itself and they are not a series of isolated incidents. Why is this significant? Because this is your life, by analogy, at least, a path through the wilderness.  

    And we are all searching for something, aren’t we, mostly happiness and fulfillment, in this life, the rewards for which are not always monetary nor measurable in any way? The human dimension is one of feeling, above and beyond all thought and language, all physics and metaphysics, all rhyme and reason. Because if something just doesn’t feel good and feel right, then it’s mostly worthless, at the end of the day. For all our pretenses and pretensions, we are still animals, after all, pursuing pleasure and avoiding pain. 

     

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