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Article 4385 of comp.ai.philosophy:
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>From: brian@norton.com (Brian Yoder)
Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy
Subject: Re: mean,meaner,MEANING-est/ intention-and-self the buddhist way
Message-ID: <1992Mar10.004000.8828@norton.com>
Date: 10 Mar 92 00:40:00 GMT
References: <1992Mar6.183228.6118@a.cs.okstate.edu>
Organization: Symantec / Peter Norton
Lines: 70

onstott@a.cs.okstate.edu (ONSTOTT CHARLES OR) writes:
> In article <1992Mar06.011801.8699@norton.com> brian@norton.com (Brian Yoder) writes:
> >silber@orfeo.Eng.Sun.COM (Eric Silber) writes:

> >>  According to the Buddhist tradition of analysis of the self, it is 
> >>  the absence of intention which allows the self to be fully present.
> >>  Also, the deepest understanding, in the buddhist view, comes when
> >>  one is freed from intentionality.

> >Which undoubtedly explains the vast achievements of Buddhist societies.
> >I realize that they claim that you get what you want when you stop going
> >after it, but what in the world makes you think that's true?  There is 
> >certainly such a thing as "trying too hard", but that doesn't mean that 
> >lack of striving is the way to achieve your goals.  It's mystical nonsense.

>   Of course your western interpretation of this claim distorts its purpose.

Oh geez.  What about YOUR western interpretation?  I am interpreting the words
I see on the screen in the english language.  If there is some other way of
interpreting them, please explain and defend it.  Don't just discount my
comments because I'm a westerner.  If anything, my western outlook ought to be
a good reason to consider my comments.

> I don't think that Buddhist's meant that you could get what you want if you
> quite striving if you assume that material things are the things you can get.
> The idea here is to stop searching for the self--in so doing you are
> distorting the self. 

They do say that, but they also say that this is a general rule for 
or accomplishing anything.  Perhaps you ought to study the nature of the 
"buddah-mind they are supposed to strive for.  George Romero couldn't have 
better!

> Being locked in a western society 

"Locked in"?  Come off it.  Westerners have freedom to think and discover 
whatever they want.  It is the non-westerners (and I am using 'westerner' in
the intellectual, not in the geographic or ethnic sense) who suffer from being
unable to understand or express ideas unpopular among their countrymen.  Or 
do you feel "caged by the unceasing demand for reason" western society 
promotes?

> and receiving primarily westernized 
> buddhisim, thanks to D.T. Suzuki et al, we have a difficult time understanding
> what this means at all..Sort of like if you went back to Buddha's time and
> told him about computers..It's beyond the concept in either case.
 
Just what is this "other" point of view the buddhists have?  Does it 
contradict the one I have been describing?  Does it not treat mental relaxation
and blankness as a goal?

> >Hey, I have an idea.  I'll fill up my machine's memory with NOPs and a JUMP 
> >to the top at the end.  That would be the ultimate Buddha-Mind AI program
> >with "total enlightenment" right?

>   Yeah, right....
 
Everyone keeps just pooh-poohing this, but I was half serious.  This is exactly
what the buddhists would say is the ultimate in human mental development.
It would be thorough mental blankness of the kind an embryo has before it's
nervous system develops.  Do you deny this?

--Brian

 
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