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The evolution of Consciousness and Buddhism
betaboy
Veteran
In the beginning there was inanimate matter. Then consciousness evolved. There was no reason why it should have, but it did. As conscious beings, we manipulated matter for our benefit. We couldn't fly, so we invented devices that could. We couldn't live in forests, so we created out of raw nature some sort of habitable environment.
Point being, it has been a constant struggle between what consciousness wants and what the world of matter/nature/environment could provide. Consciousness may want X, but nature may only provide Z; so it is up to the former to manipulate the latter so as to create X. In short, consciousness is like a prisoner of matter and every bit of its 'success' has to come through some sort of struggle against matter.
In this context, can Buddhism be seen as the highest desire of Consciousness (C) - which is nothing less than freedom from matter (M) itself? So far, C has been using M for its benefit, whether in man or the beast or the bird. But has C reached such a level in human beings that it now seeks ultimate freedom (rather than the benefits that come through the mere manipulation of M)?
Is this what Nibanna is all about?
Point being, it has been a constant struggle between what consciousness wants and what the world of matter/nature/environment could provide. Consciousness may want X, but nature may only provide Z; so it is up to the former to manipulate the latter so as to create X. In short, consciousness is like a prisoner of matter and every bit of its 'success' has to come through some sort of struggle against matter.
In this context, can Buddhism be seen as the highest desire of Consciousness (C) - which is nothing less than freedom from matter (M) itself? So far, C has been using M for its benefit, whether in man or the beast or the bird. But has C reached such a level in human beings that it now seeks ultimate freedom (rather than the benefits that come through the mere manipulation of M)?
Is this what Nibanna is all about?
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Comments
Robert Lanza theorizes consciousness is the cause of the world of matter and formations, not to mention the intangibles.
Makes a lot of 'sense' to me, for what it's worth, and seems to illustrate the cosmology the Buddha spoke of.
Gassho
Why should life be a struggle when we are only struggling with ourselves?
om ah hum benza guru pema siddhi hum
http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Padmasambhava
Consciousness could come later but who really knows?
This is based on the controversial 'two banana sutra' (not yet revealed by nagas).
Basically this contends that placing a banana in each ear whilst listening to dharma and only hearing what one wants is the first stage of 'ignorance is bliss' doctrine. After hearing nothing which interferes with ones preconceptions, one places the bananas in ones mouth and proceeds to expound the banana dharma with ones mouth full . .
more circus performing tomorrow?
Liberation is achieved in the mind, independent of material circumstances (idealistically spoken).