Best Of
Re: Selflessness and Altruism
No correction on my end, just my thoughts on the topic and specifically your last post. A lot of it differs depending on one's POV. And you're correct, many Buddhists practice generosity as a way to create merit. I've found that this is true for many traditional Buddhists n countries like Thailand, specifically with offerings to monks.
Jason
Re: Ploggers of the world...unite!
With all packaging being naturally biodegradable in the Buddha's time, before plastic, what would they be picking up?
They used to make their robes from abandoned garments of the dead so that was the only plogging that I've heard of.
how
Re: The limits of the mind’s understanding
"The mind that opens to a new idea, never returns to its original size"
~Albie Einstein~
Shoshin1
Re: How is dependent origination different than determinism?
@lobster said:
Determinism proposes that all events, including human action, are ultimately determined by causes external to one's free will.
Yuk! Life is just luck? Yuk?
If there is truly free will, all would be chaos.
Imagine trying to cross a busy road or getting paid for doing no work.
Re: The limits of the mind’s understanding
When it comes to us focussing on consciousness, if anything, it's the other way round, we serve as instruments through which consciousness examines and refines itself....
Indeed.
We do refine, reframe, return to different forms of self. The Real Self (TM) ... as trademarked is the flux, flex, featured and experienced in a continuum through which we wonder, wander and ultimately enfold into ...
lobster
Re: The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions
He is not wrong, if you don’t know the domain well you cannot accurately determine a “good” course of action, and what from one perspective may appear good and desirable from another may be quite despicable.
Jeroen
Re: The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions
The number of people through history who thought they were doing evil things for evil reasons is probably relatively few. Everyone thinks they're doing what's right and good.
As he says in the middle, at differing times differing qualities will be of greater value due to circumstances. I think the problem is when those qualities get hardened into "THE good for all time and all people". Homogeneity has the benefit of efficiency and trust, but is vulnerable to changing circumstance and things outside its domain. Diversity requires greater effort but brings innovation and resilience.
I think why democracy and science have shown themselves to be of value is that they have self correcting mechanisms to them. Autocracy and belief based truth can be more effective when they line up with reality, but lack the ability to correct mistakes.
person
Re: Just for fun: the random, useless announcements thread!
You can use a black light to light up the urine that mice dribble when they run. Tracing these urine paths can lead you to the water & food supply sources that they are depending on, or to the means by which they are coming in or out of your home.
how