Philosophical Speculations

Hi jamesmorton, I know you were responding to Cleric, but I hope you don't mind if I also share my understanding. It's a legitimate claim from Eastern and other mystical practices - and sorry if I misrepresent that, but that's my understanding - that when you negate every sensory perception, feelin...

Cleric K. The reason I can never answer your questions is that, as I see it, they come from premises that are completely fantastic (i. e. have no basis in reality ). Instead, let me ask you a question. Once, many, many years ago, the great Zen master Harada Sekkei (whose memory I revere) asked me &q...

Cleric K, Thank you for your reply. I think I can understand a bit better what you're getting at, but it still looks like you people are laboring under a classic misconception. Genuine samadhi and the "psychic event" of which I spoke (“paravrti’ in Sanskrit) must never be considered a matt...

Thanks for the elaboration. That is the sense I had of your meaning. There is another poster here, Cleric, who is very familiar with nondual meditative practice and has illustrated the inherent problem in this 'thinking-dissociative' approach. In short, the practitioner has rid himself of intellect...

AshvinP, Thank you for your comments. Let me clarify what I mean by the word "thought". I use the word "thought" to refer to the creative or constructive mental process the raw material of which is "concept" (i.e. imagined verbal or visualized "existences" whi...

A “Zen” Perspective (1) The word “Zen” refers to the form of yoga that has been the central practice of Buddhism since the beginning. The ultimate objective of all Buddhist practice, including that of the Zen school, and that which alone gives it all its meaning and beauty, is the occurrence, or cre...