Texts that destroy ""scientific" materialism

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Malcolm
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Re: Texts that destroy ""scientific" materialism

Post by Malcolm »

tobes wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 12:49 am
Madhyamaka and Dzogchen have the same view and the same intent: undoing those entrenched beliefs such that genuine experience can arise.
However, madhyamaka is purely analytical, whereas dzogchen, etc., are experiential. But yes, the view is same.
Passing By
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Re: Texts that destroy ""scientific" materialism

Post by Passing By »

Vajrasambhava wrote: Mon Aug 02, 2021 10:51 am
Passing By wrote: Mon Aug 02, 2021 6:58 am
Vajrasambhava wrote: Sun Aug 01, 2021 4:51 pm

Reading again what the scientist said about the ARAS, I guess you're right.
Anyway, I think it's very difficult to debate against them... I think there are no basis for any kind of debating.
The only thing I worry about, is that I don't really know if "mind" is something that goes on after death or if it's physically generated by brain and dies with it.
I mean, ok I know what Buddhadharma says about this phenomena, but, due to lack of my experience on the path I cannot show myself if this is true or not, and I have to admit that this kind of doubt really bothers me a lot, and compromise critically my Dharma path.
I hope I'll find a method to get rid of this materialistic affliction.
Any advice is welcome :twothumbsup:

Whatever he says, he still cannot say why does "blue" for instance appear as this particular shade of hue and not something else.
Asking ourselves "why" things are like this and not like that is a teleological naive bias. The important thing to know is "how" things are like this and not like that. This is perfectly demonstrable with the principle of cause and effect. i.e If we know how the sky is blue we can estabilsh automatically why it's not any other color. By asking "why the sky is blue and not yellow?" is just irrelevant and it subsumes that we don't know the cause and the effect of the phenomenon we want to estabilish. I think both science and Buddhism reject this teleological speculation :smile:
Just to be clear, "why" here is being used in "what is the reason for X" yes? and "how" as "what is the mechanism, process, method for X to occur"?

Anyway, the Hard problem is hard precisely because you cannot really separate the "why" when talking about subjective experience. If you want to explain conscious experience like what cognitive scientists are trying to do, there's no getting around this issue. You may have a mechanistic model that explains exactly how light of a certain energy causes perception of certain hues but it does not explain the reason for said hues to appear in the way they appear.

More importantly though, as far as Dzogchen is concerned anyway, this "why do you perceive X as X" question can help as a stepping stone to the more crucial "what is perceiving X" question. Then from there you can hopefully experience a bit what the teachings mean by lhundrub, sound/lights/rays and manifestations etc.
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Aemilius
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Re: Texts that destroy ""scientific" materialism

Post by Aemilius »

Ajahn Brahmavamso has mentioned in his talks a story about a Boy with no brain to illustrate that there is consciousness independent of brain, here is a longer version of this incident:

Is Your Brain Really Necessary?

In 1980, Roger Lewin published an article in Science, "Is Your Brain Really Necessary?", about Lorber studies on cerebral cortex losses. He included a report by Lorber, about the case of a Sheffield University student who had a measured IQ of 126 and passed a Mathematics Degree but who had hardly any discernible brain matter at all since his cortex was extremely reduced by hydrocephalus. The article led to the broadcast of a Yorkshire Television documentary of the same title, though it was about a different patient who had normal brain mass distributed strangely in a very large skull.Explanations have been proposed for the first student's situation, with reviewers noting that Lorber's scans evidenced that the subject's brain mass was not absent, but compacted into the small space available, possibly compressed to a greater density than regular brain tissue.

Dr Lorber examined the boy's head by Cat-scan to discover that the student had virtually no brain. The normal brain consists of two hemispheres that fill the cranial cavity, some 4.5cm deep. This student had a layer of cerebral tissue less than 1mm deep covering the top of his spinal column. The student had a condition called hydrocephalus in which the cerebrospinal fluid (clear colourless fluid in the spaces in and around the spinal cord and the brain) becomes dammed up in the brain instead of circulating around the brain and spinal cord.

The cerebrum constitutes about 85 per cent of the weight of the normal brain. It is generally accepted that the large surface area (cortex) and development of the cerebrum accounts for the superior intelligence of humans compared with other animals. The cortex consists of grey matter (information processing), 3-4mm thick, containing nerve-cell bodies that in turn covers an inner bulky mass of white matter (information transmission) containing insulated nerve cells. Physiologists and neurologists have mapped the cerebral cortex, identifying regions responsible for motor movements, sensory processes, memory and other cognitive functions.

In hydrocephalus the cerebrospinal fluid, which circulates through brain channels called ventricles builds up pressure that balloons up the ventricles pressing the overlying brain tissue against the cranium. This insult from within causes a loss of brain matter and many hydrocephalics suffer intellectual and physical impairment. But, a significant fraction of patients escape impairment despite grossly abnormal brain structures.

Hydrocephalus is usually fatal in the first months of childhood and, if an individual survives, he/she is usually seriously handicapped. However, the Sheffield student lived a normal life and graduated with an honours degree in mathematics.

Dr Lorber systematically studied hydrocephalus and documented over 600 scans of people with this condition. He divided them into four groups: people with nearly normal brains; those with between 50 per cent and 70 per cent of the cranium filled with fluid; those with 70 per cent to 90 per cent of the cranium filled with fluid; those with 95 per cent of the cranium filled with fluid. The latter group constituted less than 10 per cent of the study and half of these people were profoundly mentally disabled. However, the other half had IQs over 100.
svaha
"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Sarvē mānavāḥ svatantrāḥ samutpannāḥ vartantē api ca, gauravadr̥śā adhikāradr̥śā ca samānāḥ ēva vartantē. Ētē sarvē cētanā-tarka-śaktibhyāṁ susampannāḥ santi. Api ca, sarvē’pi bandhutva-bhāvanayā parasparaṁ vyavaharantu."
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 1. (in english and sanskrit)
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tobes
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Re: Texts that destroy ""scientific" materialism

Post by tobes »

Malcolm wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 3:12 am
tobes wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 12:49 am
Madhyamaka and Dzogchen have the same view and the same intent: undoing those entrenched beliefs such that genuine experience can arise.
However, madhyamaka is purely analytical, whereas dzogchen, etc., are experiential. But yes, the view is same.
Yes, I don't deny this. Also, I didn't suggest that Vajrasambhava study Madhyamaka - I suggested that by studying materialism, s/he will be naturally led to a Madhyamaka kind of open ended skepticism. i.e. in lieu of the manifold of contradictions, inconsistencies and leaps of faith that arise in the materialistic enterprise.
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Re: Texts that destroy ""scientific" materialism

Post by Vajrasambhava »

tobes wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 8:55 am
Malcolm wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 3:12 am
tobes wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 12:49 am
Madhyamaka and Dzogchen have the same view and the same intent: undoing those entrenched beliefs such that genuine experience can arise.
However, madhyamaka is purely analytical, whereas dzogchen, etc., are experiential. But yes, the view is same.
Yes, I don't deny this. Also, I didn't suggest that Vajrasambhava study Madhyamaka - I suggested that by studying materialism, s/he will be naturally led to a Madhyamaka kind of open ended skepticism. i.e. in lieu of the manifold of contradictions, inconsistencies and leaps of faith that arise in the materialistic enterprise.
Yes that's why! :smile: In my actual condition the only thing may could help me is Dzogchen, I have to experience the natural condition of myself in order to verify such things experentially. Anyway, right now I'm far from it, and the only thing I'd like to know it's: Is to experience "myself as non-ending-with-is-body" possible through direct perception (as in Dzogchen) or this is not directly-knowable?
If anyone could explain me this, it'd be really helpful :bow:
Last edited by Vajrasambhava on Tue Aug 03, 2021 4:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Texts that destroy ""scientific" materialism

Post by Vajrasambhava »

Passing By wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 5:05 am
Vajrasambhava wrote: Mon Aug 02, 2021 10:51 am
Passing By wrote: Mon Aug 02, 2021 6:58 am


Whatever he says, he still cannot say why does "blue" for instance appear as this particular shade of hue and not something else.
Asking ourselves "why" things are like this and not like that is a teleological naive bias. The important thing to know is "how" things are like this and not like that. This is perfectly demonstrable with the principle of cause and effect. i.e If we know how the sky is blue we can estabilsh automatically why it's not any other color. By asking "why the sky is blue and not yellow?" is just irrelevant and it subsumes that we don't know the cause and the effect of the phenomenon we want to estabilish. I think both science and Buddhism reject this teleological speculation :smile:
Anyway, the Hard problem is hard precisely because you cannot really separate the "why" when talking about subjective experience.
Maybe I don't understand properly, I think that the "why" question even in this case could be solved exactly knowing the "how", because right by knowing the "how" we can estabilsh the reasons of "why". Of course not necessarely basing on materialistic models.
Can you please explain me your point of view?
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Re: Texts that destroy ""scientific" materialism

Post by Vajrasambhava »

PadmaVonSamba wrote: Sun Aug 01, 2021 6:21 pm
Vajrasambhava wrote: Sun Aug 01, 2021 4:51 pm
[I don't really know if "mind" is something that goes on after death or if it's physically generated by brain and dies with it.

And even if we suppose that “awareness” itself is a matter-based illusion, that it’s all just mechanical brain function that “thinks” it is aware, there is still an awareness of that illusion.
I really like your way to explain, it's very helpful.
Anyway, quoting your last sentence: "And even if we suppose that “awareness” itself is a matter-based illusion, that it’s all just mechanical brain function that “thinks” it is aware, there is still an awareness of that illusion."

If it was an illusion it shouldn't matter anymore if it's labeled as "awareness" don't you think too?
Malcolm
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Re: Texts that destroy ""scientific" materialism

Post by Malcolm »

Vajrasambhava wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 3:44 pm
tobes wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 8:55 am
Malcolm wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 3:12 am

However, madhyamaka is purely analytical, whereas dzogchen, etc., are experiential. But yes, the view is same.
Yes, I don't deny this. Also, I didn't suggest that Vajrasambhava study Madhyamaka - I suggested that by studying materialism, s/he will be naturally led to a Madhyamaka kind of open ended skepticism. i.e. in lieu of the manifold of contradictions, inconsistencies and leaps of faith that arise in the materialistic enterprise.
Yes that's why! :smile: In my actual condition the only thing may could help me is Dzogchen, I have to experience the natural condition of myself in order to verify such things experentially. Anyway, right now I'm far from it, and the only thing I'd like to know it's: Is to experience "myself as non-ending-with-is-body" possible through direct perception (as in Dzogchen) or this is not directly-knowable?
If anyone could explain me this, it'd be really helpful :bow:
It is directly knowable through being able to remember past lives and directly perieve the minds of others
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Aemilius
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Re: Texts that destroy ""scientific" materialism

Post by Aemilius »

Malcolm wrote: Sun Jun 05, 2016 10:23 pm
Tsongkhapafan wrote:
Yes, but the appearance of pus and blood is valid for a hungry ghost, and water is a valid cognition for a human.
The preta's vision of pus and blood is not valid for humans.
It would be wrong to say that there are beings who do not experience liquid as pus and blood. In the same way, it would be wrong to say that there are no beings who experience Mount Meru.
False equivalence. We are talking about the common conventional perceptions of humans in this dimension. We are not discussing intra-dimensional perceptions. The world the Buddha and Nāgārjuna were discussing was this human realm.
Buddha talked about it, as did Nagarjuna (who went to the Western continent) and other great Buddhist masters. We cannot say that the appearance of a planet earth is the only valid appearance.
It is quite possible Nāgārjuna went to Africa (the western continent), though unlikely, given that he lived in South-East India, in the Andhra region. The basis for the Meru cosmology is this planet, merely represented inaccurately in the imagination of some medieval Indians who did not have as accurate a geographical understanding of this world as we do today.
The tip of the Indian subcontinent points toward Mount Meru. This means that you have to visualize the four cardinal directions in an other way. In the offering mandala India is to the south from Meru. Thus "west" would be in the direction of Australia, and "east" would be in the direction of Africa. In the "north" or the opposite side of Meru are the Americas.

The word Videha possibly meant "dark-body" or "negro", thinking of its ancient tibetan translations. In Moniers sanskrit dictionary we have "krishna-deha" (and a couple of other words) for negro.
svaha
"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Sarvē mānavāḥ svatantrāḥ samutpannāḥ vartantē api ca, gauravadr̥śā adhikāradr̥śā ca samānāḥ ēva vartantē. Ētē sarvē cētanā-tarka-śaktibhyāṁ susampannāḥ santi. Api ca, sarvē’pi bandhutva-bhāvanayā parasparaṁ vyavaharantu."
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 1. (in english and sanskrit)
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Re: Texts that destroy ""scientific" materialism

Post by Vajrasambhava »

Malcolm wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 5:03 pm
Vajrasambhava wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 3:44 pm
tobes wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 8:55 am

Yes, I don't deny this. Also, I didn't suggest that Vajrasambhava study Madhyamaka - I suggested that by studying materialism, s/he will be naturally led to a Madhyamaka kind of open ended skepticism. i.e. in lieu of the manifold of contradictions, inconsistencies and leaps of faith that arise in the materialistic enterprise.
Yes that's why! :smile: In my actual condition the only thing may could help me is Dzogchen, I have to experience the natural condition of myself in order to verify such things experentially. Anyway, right now I'm far from it, and the only thing I'd like to know it's: Is to experience "myself as non-ending-with-is-body" possible through direct perception (as in Dzogchen) or this is not directly-knowable?
If anyone could explain me this, it'd be really helpful :bow:
It is directly knowable through being able to remember past lives and directly perieve the minds of others
Malcolm, thank you so much...it helps me a lot.
Is it possible to gain such abilities practicing Dzogchen?
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Re: Texts that destroy ""scientific" materialism

Post by PadmaVonSamba »

Vajrasambhava wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 4:35 pm
PadmaVonSamba wrote: Sun Aug 01, 2021 6:21 pm
Vajrasambhava wrote: Sun Aug 01, 2021 4:51 pm
[I don't really know if "mind" is something that goes on after death or if it's physically generated by brain and dies with it.

And even if we suppose that “awareness” itself is a matter-based illusion, that it’s all just mechanical brain function that “thinks” it is aware, there is still an awareness of that illusion.
I really like your way to explain, it's very helpful.
Anyway, quoting your last sentence: "And even if we suppose that “awareness” itself is a matter-based illusion, that it’s all just mechanical brain function that “thinks” it is aware, there is still an awareness of that illusion."

If it was an illusion it shouldn't matter anymore if it's labeled as "awareness" don't you think too?
The label would just be part of the illusion, but awareness is there with or without a label.
EMPTIFUL.
An inward outlook produces outward insight.
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tobes
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Re: Texts that destroy ""scientific" materialism

Post by tobes »

Vajrasambhava wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 3:44 pm
tobes wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 8:55 am
Malcolm wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 3:12 am

However, madhyamaka is purely analytical, whereas dzogchen, etc., are experiential. But yes, the view is same.
Yes, I don't deny this. Also, I didn't suggest that Vajrasambhava study Madhyamaka - I suggested that by studying materialism, s/he will be naturally led to a Madhyamaka kind of open ended skepticism. i.e. in lieu of the manifold of contradictions, inconsistencies and leaps of faith that arise in the materialistic enterprise.
Yes that's why! :smile: In my actual condition the only thing may could help me is Dzogchen, I have to experience the natural condition of myself in order to verify such things experentially. Anyway, right now I'm far from it, and the only thing I'd like to know it's: Is to experience "myself as non-ending-with-is-body" possible through direct perception (as in Dzogchen) or this is not directly-knowable?
If anyone could explain me this, it'd be really helpful :bow:
Of course Dzogchen can help on this front - even a little glimpse from a direct introduction could give you all the confidence you need. However, I wouldn't be so quick to assume that other methods cannot help. i.e. if the thing you're trying to overcome is your conceptual understanding grounded in empiricism and materialism, then poking around and seeing where the knowledge/logic gaps are will definitely be helpful; it will also open you up towards the experience you seek.
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Re: Texts that destroy ""scientific" materialism

Post by Vajrasambhava »

PadmaVonSamba wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 6:53 pm
Vajrasambhava wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 4:35 pm
PadmaVonSamba wrote: Sun Aug 01, 2021 6:21 pm


And even if we suppose that “awareness” itself is a matter-based illusion, that it’s all just mechanical brain function that “thinks” it is aware, there is still an awareness of that illusion.
I really like your way to explain, it's very helpful.
Anyway, quoting your last sentence: "And even if we suppose that “awareness” itself is a matter-based illusion, that it’s all just mechanical brain function that “thinks” it is aware, there is still an awareness of that illusion."

If it was an illusion it shouldn't matter anymore if it's labeled as "awareness" don't you think too?
The label would just be part of the illusion, but awareness is there with or without a label.
Seems legit, I think you're right
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Re: Texts that destroy ""scientific" materialism

Post by Vajrasambhava »

tobes wrote: Wed Aug 04, 2021 12:11 am
Vajrasambhava wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 3:44 pm
tobes wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 8:55 am

Yes, I don't deny this. Also, I didn't suggest that Vajrasambhava study Madhyamaka - I suggested that by studying materialism, s/he will be naturally led to a Madhyamaka kind of open ended skepticism. i.e. in lieu of the manifold of contradictions, inconsistencies and leaps of faith that arise in the materialistic enterprise.
Yes that's why! :smile: In my actual condition the only thing may could help me is Dzogchen, I have to experience the natural condition of myself in order to verify such things experentially. Anyway, right now I'm far from it, and the only thing I'd like to know it's: Is to experience "myself as non-ending-with-is-body" possible through direct perception (as in Dzogchen) or this is not directly-knowable?
If anyone could explain me this, it'd be really helpful :bow:
Of course Dzogchen can help on this front - even a little glimpse from a direct introduction could give you all the confidence you need. However, I wouldn't be so quick to assume that other methods cannot help. i.e. if the thing you're trying to overcome is your conceptual understanding grounded in empiricism and materialism, then poking around and seeing where the knowledge/logic gaps are will definitely be helpful; it will also open you up towards the experience you seek.
Yes can be true. I begin to study Dharma right through Madhyamaka. When I was practicing in Gelugpa tradition under the guidance of Geshe Tenzin Tenphel in Italy. A very qualified teacher who explain Madhyamaka philosophy and reasoning quite well. After months of Madhyamaka studies (which I really appreciated so much, It was my first formation) I felt not so satisfied due to lack of experiential methods. Madhyamaka, (or at least Prasangika) is specifically involved in particular conceptualism, and I was interested into find more practical approach according to my preferences of course. I fell in love with Dudjom Tersar lineage and Its way to concern the whole Dharma path from Ngöndro to Ati Yoga. Now I'm practicing according to this wonderful lineage but I'm really at the beginning stages. Anyway as you told me, a bit of Madhyamaka can be surely useful, but actually I don't think to solve my wrong conceptuality adopting another conceptualism, even if It's a deconstructive one. I think i have to cut right through all this conceptualizing, and Madhyamaka (at least in the early approaches) cannot do this.
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Re: Texts that destroy ""scientific" materialism

Post by tobes »

Vajrasambhava wrote: Wed Aug 04, 2021 12:40 am
tobes wrote: Wed Aug 04, 2021 12:11 am
Vajrasambhava wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 3:44 pm
Yes that's why! :smile: In my actual condition the only thing may could help me is Dzogchen, I have to experience the natural condition of myself in order to verify such things experentially. Anyway, right now I'm far from it, and the only thing I'd like to know it's: Is to experience "myself as non-ending-with-is-body" possible through direct perception (as in Dzogchen) or this is not directly-knowable?
If anyone could explain me this, it'd be really helpful :bow:
Of course Dzogchen can help on this front - even a little glimpse from a direct introduction could give you all the confidence you need. However, I wouldn't be so quick to assume that other methods cannot help. i.e. if the thing you're trying to overcome is your conceptual understanding grounded in empiricism and materialism, then poking around and seeing where the knowledge/logic gaps are will definitely be helpful; it will also open you up towards the experience you seek.
Yes can be true. I begin to study Dharma right through Madhyamaka. When I was practicing in Gelugpa tradition under the guidance of Geshe Tenzin Tenphel in Italy. A very qualified teacher who explain Madhyamaka philosophy and reasoning quite well. After months of Madhyamaka studies (which I really appreciated so much, It was my first formation) I felt not so satisfied due to lack of experiential methods. Madhyamaka, (or at least Prasangika) is specifically involved in particular conceptualism, and I was interested into find more practical approach according to my preferences of course. I fell in love with Dudjom Tersar lineage and Its way to concern the whole Dharma path from Ngöndro to Ati Yoga. Now I'm practicing according to this wonderful lineage but I'm really at the beginning stages. Anyway as you told me, a bit of Madhyamaka can be surely useful, but actually I don't think to solve my wrong conceptuality adopting another conceptualism, even if It's a deconstructive one. I think i have to cut right through all this conceptualizing, and Madhyamaka (at least in the early approaches) cannot do this.
Sounds like a beautiful path to me.

I personally practice both of these traditions (well, not Dudjom Tersar, but Dzogchen alongside Gelug) and find that they are mutually complementary in so many ways: Madhyamaka is 100% aimed at cutting right through conceptualising. The path of reasoning is perhaps not necessary, but being grounded in right view is - this helps rather than hinders Dzogchen, as Mipham shows.
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Re: Texts that destroy ""scientific" materialism

Post by Malcolm »

Vajrasambhava wrote: Wed Aug 04, 2021 12:40 amAnyway as you told me, a bit of Madhyamaka can be surely useful, but actually I don't think to solve my wrong conceptuality adopting another conceptualism, even if It's a deconstructive one. I think i have to cut right through all this conceptualizing, and Madhyamaka (at least in the early approaches) cannot do this.
If Madhyamaka is causing you to be more conceptual, the fault is not Madhyamaka.
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Re: Texts that destroy ""scientific" materialism

Post by Vajrasambhava »

Malcolm wrote: Wed Aug 04, 2021 2:17 am
Vajrasambhava wrote: Wed Aug 04, 2021 12:40 amAnyway as you told me, a bit of Madhyamaka can be surely useful, but actually I don't think to solve my wrong conceptuality adopting another conceptualism, even if It's a deconstructive one. I think i have to cut right through all this conceptualizing, and Madhyamaka (at least in the early approaches) cannot do this.
If Madhyamaka is causing you to be more conceptual, the fault is not Madhyamaka.
Of course not, It's just a way that's not for me
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Re: Texts that destroy ""scientific" materialism

Post by Passing By »

Vajrasambhava wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 3:59 pm
Passing By wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 5:05 am
Vajrasambhava wrote: Mon Aug 02, 2021 10:51 am

Asking ourselves "why" things are like this and not like that is a teleological naive bias. The important thing to know is "how" things are like this and not like that. This is perfectly demonstrable with the principle of cause and effect. i.e If we know how the sky is blue we can estabilsh automatically why it's not any other color. By asking "why the sky is blue and not yellow?" is just irrelevant and it subsumes that we don't know the cause and the effect of the phenomenon we want to estabilish. I think both science and Buddhism reject this teleological speculation :smile:
Anyway, the Hard problem is hard precisely because you cannot really separate the "why" when talking about subjective experience.
Maybe I don't understand properly, I think that the "why" question even in this case could be solved exactly knowing the "how", because right by knowing the "how" we can estabilsh the reasons of "why". Of course not necessarely basing on materialistic models.
Can you please explain me your point of view?

For example, if you know how a machine like a car works, generally that is enough. But when you talk about consciousness, it always boils down to experiential qualia. "How" doesn't really work with such things. Like, imagine you have a model of how the brain interprets signals to produce the entire lived experience we engage with. Imagine that model is totally accurate. The most you would be able to say is "through process X, the brain converts the signals from say, your eyes, to give an image Y." But such a mechanistic model does not explain why Y looks like this. ie, why does your brain (or your consciousness if we talk in Buddhist terms) gives the display of Y as such. You know the "how" but not really the actuality behind the entire process.
Malcolm
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Re: Texts that destroy ""scientific" materialism

Post by Malcolm »

Vajrasambhava wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 5:45 pm
It is directly knowable through being able to remember past lives and directly perieve the minds of others
Malcolm, thank you so much...it helps me a lot.
Is it possible to gain such abilities practicing Dzogchen?
Yes, and any other system of Buddhist meditation.
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Re: Texts that destroy ""scientific" materialism

Post by monktastic »

I don't know if you're only looking for Buddhist texts, or if this author has already been mentioned, but:



Edit: I don't know why the link isn't showing up. Let me try this.
This undistracted state of ordinary mind
Is the meditation.
One will understand it in due course.

--Gampopa
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