Do you believe in a soul?

[Salty]

And by 'shit' I mean 'mushy minded garbage wrapped in layers of stupid'.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

Ah.  Well, I'm so glad you've figured out what "matter" is composed of.

Care to enlighten us?

Space and light.

Ok, so all matter is composed of a location (space) and particles of light? Ok.. so then.. what is light made out of?

Theistic ejaculations

[Elder Iptuous]

it seems incomplete that the soul is exclusively a function of interaction with the outside world.
if one takes their experiences and meditates on them, then it seems that it could embiggen the soul without having any impact on the rest of the world's experience of you?

yeah that's is part of what I've been wrestling with

because this definition seems to minimize the internal experience


It seems to say,

Good intentions mean nothing if you're a dick to everybody.

It doesn't matter if you have brilliant ideas - the only thing that matters is their transmission or execution

It doesn't matter if deep down you're a really great guy, what matters is how you act in the material world.


This worldview treats the social world with much more weight than the private internal world. It seems to say "you are what you do. and little more."

well, i might be inclined to agree that the behavior is the only part that really matters, but the 'soul' seems like it should incorporate the internal.
of course, that simply discounts the internal experience, which seems to suck only in regards to yourself and makes perfect sense in regards to everyone else.  
so, what does it mean for something to 'matter' in this context?  (don't say vibrating thoughts, plz)

[Phox]

Ah.  Well, I'm so glad you've figured out what "matter" is composed of.

Care to enlighten us?

Space and light.

Ok, so all matter is composed of a location (space) and particles of light? Ok.. so then.. what is light made out of?

Theistic ejaculations

[Cramulus]

thinking about it a bit more, let me amend my statements...

The internal experience matters because it impacts how you act. Your motivation, your integrity, your willpower, the things that interest you... these are purely INTERNAL things, but they have a huge bearing on what you do in the material world.

in answer to the question "What matters?"

I'd say that anything that can affect the external world matters. (and that technically does include things which only affect the internal world) We all build this world by sending our vibrations* into it. The internal experience, the conclusions we reach, the attitudes we hold, these things can affect the world if we act on them or allow them to influence us.

So if you occasionally have murderous thoughts but do not act on them,
           you're okay. That doesn't matter.

But if you have murderous thoughts and actually go do violence to people, or transmit your violent attitudes to others,
           that's when it starts to matter.


this whole thing goes hand in hand with my reading / interpretation of The Art of Memetics, which treats us as extremely complex memetic aggregators. From our point of view, we feel like we're these autonomous individuals. From a meme's point of view, we're these machines which they can use to transform and transmit themselves. From a removed point of view, we have a symbiotic relationship with ideas - they use us and we use them.

[Psychonomaly]

Time and space quickly disappear. If we want to seize time and space, if we treasure life, we should chant "O-Mi-To-Fo (Amitabha Buddha)" and learn from "Amitabha Buddha." "Amitabha" means infinite light and infinite life. Infinite light is boundless space; infinite life is endless time. If we can make time and space boundless and limitless, we will have risen above the confinement of time and space. We will have broken from the rounds of birth and death. We will have turned ignorance to enlightenment. We will have escaped from the sea of suffering from samsara and have transcended the confusion and hindrance of worldly phenomena. We will have ventured into the bright and free world of Nirvana, the Pure Land of ultimate bliss.

My best wishes to all of you. May each of you extend the limited existence of life into unlimited time and space. May each of you walk the broad path of peace and happiness in life. Thanks to all of you."
http://www.dharmaweb.org/index.php/Buddhist_Perspective_on_Time_and_Space

[Don Coyote]

this shit is starting to look like a discussion on ki, unarmed martial arts, and me stabbing people.
Ninja fanboi -"well I can focus my ki into my hands to make it hurt you more"
Me- "and I can focus my ki into the end of my sword to make it stab you. I win."

[LMNO]

Time and space quickly disappear. If we want to seize time and space, if we treasure life, we should chant “O-Mi-To-Fo (Amitabha Buddha)” and learn from “Amitabha Buddha.” “Amitabha” means infinite light and infinite life. Infinite light is boundless space; infinite life is endless time. If we can make time and space boundless and limitless, we will have risen above the confinement of time and space. We will have broken from the rounds of birth and death. We will have turned ignorance to enlightenment. We will have escaped from the sea of suffering from samsara and have transcended the confusion and hindrance of worldly phenomena. We will have ventured into the bright and free world of Nirvana, the Pure Land of ultimate bliss.

My best wishes to all of you. May each of you extend the limited existence of life into unlimited time and space. May each of you walk the broad path of peace and happiness in life. Thanks to all of you."
http://www.dharmaweb.org/index.php/Buddhist_Perspective_on_Time_and_Space

You'd be better off comparing Amitabha with Ain Sof Aur than with quantum physics.

Just saying.

[Phox]

Time and space quickly disappear. If we want to seize time and space, if we treasure life, we should chant "O-Mi-To-Fo (Amitabha Buddha)" and learn from "Amitabha Buddha." "Amitabha" means infinite light and infinite life. Infinite light is boundless space; infinite life is endless time. If we can make time and space boundless and limitless, we will have risen above the confinement of time and space. We will have broken from the rounds of birth and death. We will have turned ignorance to enlightenment. We will have escaped from the sea of suffering from samsara and have transcended the confusion and hindrance of worldly phenomena. We will have ventured into the bright and free world of Nirvana, the Pure Land of ultimate bliss.

My best wishes to all of you. May each of you extend the limited existence of life into unlimited time and space. May each of you walk the broad path of peace and happiness in life. Thanks to all of you."
http://www.dharmaweb.org/index.php/Buddhist_Perspective_on_Time_and_Space

Ok, so a Buddhist take on these things is somehow more valid and relevant than a scientist's? Ok. Too bad I'm a Daoist, not a Buddhist. I'm gonna finish up with these guys then have another go with Yin and Yang.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

 

So Buddha is the one theistically ejaculating and his sperm is quanta?

Man, I'm never going to figure this QM stuff out!

[Salty]

thinking about it a bit more, let me amend my statements...

The internal experience matters because it impacts how you act. Your motivation, your integrity, your willpower, the things that interest you... these are purely INTERNAL things, but they have a huge bearing on what you do in the material world.

in answer to the question "What matters?"

I'd say that anything that can affect the external world matters. (and that technically does include things which only affect the internal world) We all build this world by sending our vibrations* into it. The internal experience, the conclusions we reach, the attitudes we hold, these things can affect the world if we act on them or allow them to influence us.

So if you occasionally have murderous thoughts but do not act on them,
           you're okay. That doesn't matter.

But if you have murderous thoughts and actually go do violence to people, or transmit your violent attitudes to others,
           that's when it starts to matter.


this whole thing goes hand in hand with my reading / interpretation of The Art of Memetics, which treats us as extremely complex memetic aggregators. From our point of view, we feel like we're these autonomous individuals. From a meme's point of view, we're these machines which they can use to transform and transmit themselves. From a removed point of view, we have a symbiotic relationship with ideas - they use us and we use them.

I see what you're saying overall, but this example...what about intrusive thoughts that you don't act upon but come unbiden and unwanted? I suppose you still have look at the tangible effects: drinking more, short temper, lack of sleep.

So if an idea has any tangible, measurable effect, positive or negative, then it matters. If not, it's inert. Hm...

[Psychonomaly]

Time and space quickly disappear. If we want to seize time and space, if we treasure life, we should chant "O-Mi-To-Fo (Amitabha Buddha)" and learn from "Amitabha Buddha." "Amitabha" means infinite light and infinite life. Infinite light is boundless space; infinite life is endless time. If we can make time and space boundless and limitless, we will have risen above the confinement of time and space. We will have broken from the rounds of birth and death. We will have turned ignorance to enlightenment. We will have escaped from the sea of suffering from samsara and have transcended the confusion and hindrance of worldly phenomena. We will have ventured into the bright and free world of Nirvana, the Pure Land of ultimate bliss.

My best wishes to all of you. May each of you extend the limited existence of life into unlimited time and space. May each of you walk the broad path of peace and happiness in life. Thanks to all of you."
http://www.dharmaweb.org/index.php/Buddhist_Perspective_on_Time_and_Space

Ok, so a Buddhist take on these things is somehow more valid and relevant than a scientist's? Ok. Too bad I'm a Daoist, not a Buddhist. I'm gonna finish up with these guys then have another go with Yin and Yang.

I am not passing value judgments on the validity or relevancy of your views or the views of scientists at large.  I am also not a Buddhist to my awareness.  My girlfriend is on days she feels like it.

[Doktor Howl]

Ah.  Well, I'm so glad you've figured out what "matter" is composed of.

Care to enlighten us?

Space and light.

Please explain how "space", which is a location, can possibly vibrate.

MY PANCE ARE A LOCATION, AND THEY VIBRATE.

[LMNO]

I am not passing value judgments on the validity or relevancy of your views or the views of scientists at large.  I am also not a Buddhist to my awareness.  My girlfriend is on days she feels like it.

So, what was your reasoning for, when the conversation was about physics, you post something about buddhism?

[Doktor Howl]

Light is a thoughtform.

So if I stop thinking, the sun will turn off?