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Nirvana in Buddhism is expressed as accessing that “still center” around which the self is built. We may refer to this still center as “The Static Viewpoint”.
The primary effort in Buddhism is to access the reality of this static condition directly and not just logically. Once this “static” is accessed, a person is forever oriented properly not only to his self, but also to the rest of the universe.
The ancient Vedas tried to approach the reality of this static through the practice of “neti-neti”. The Wikipedia states:
In Hinduism, and in particular Jnana Yoga and Advaita Vedanta, neti neti is a Sanskrit expression which means “not this, not this”, or “neither this, nor that” (neti is sandhi from na iti “not so”). It is found in the Upanishads and the Avadhuta Gita and constitutes an analytical meditation helping a person to understand the nature of Brahman by first understanding what is not Brahman. It corresponds to the western via negativa, a mystical approach that forms a part of the tradition of apophatic theology. One of the key elements of Jnana Yoga practice is often a “neti neti search.” The purpose of the exercise is to negate rationalizations and other distractions from the non-conceptual meditative awareness of reality.
Thus, this “static” may be viewed as the ultimate orientation point from which to sort out the confusion of self and the universe. This has been the characteristic feature of the eastern philosophy.
In the western philosophy, the orientation point is the concept of “God”, which has been defined as “the uncaused Cause” or “the unmoved Mover.” It has been assigned infinite characteristics. The Wikipedia states:
In monotheism, God is conceived of as the Supreme Being and principal object of faith. The concept of God as described by most theologians includes the attributes of omniscience (infinite knowledge), omnipotence (unlimited power), omnipresence (present everywhere), divine simplicity, and as having an eternal and necessary existence. Many theologians also describe God as being omnibenevolent (perfectly good), and all loving…
In theism, God is the creator and sustainer of the universe, while in deism, God is the creator, but not the sustainer, of the universe. In pantheism, God is the universe itself. In atheism, God is not believed to exist, while God is deemed unknown or unknowable within the context of agnosticism. God has also been conceived as being incorporeal (immaterial), a personal being, the source of all moral obligation, and the “greatest conceivable existent”. Many notable philosophers have developed arguments for and against the existence of God…
Thus, there are many different concepts of God, but the underlying concepts seem to be a point from which motion is created without limit. It is the concept of a Self that has infinite characteristics. It is the ultimate kinetic.
We seem to have a spread of characteristics from the “zero” of ultimate static to the “infinity” of ultimate kinetic.
We may represent this spread by a scale of motion and emotional characteristics. The static end represents Nirvana, whereas, the kinetic end represents God.
Nirvana and God seems to represent the opposite ends of a scale of physical and metaphysical characteristics.
The ultimate static of Nirvana represents an absolute zero not only for physical reality, but also for metaphysical and spiritual reality. It is zero qualities, zero capabilities and zero potential.
The ultimate kinetic of God represents the infinity not only for metaphysical and spiritual reality, but also for physical reality. It is infinite qualities, infinite capabilities and infinite potential of this univrese.
Mathematically, “zero” is always viewed as the reference point on any scale. The zero of positive numbers is also the zero of negative numbers. Consistency lies in having the same zero for all numbers, whether positive, negative, rational or irrational.
Similarly, consistency lies in having the ultimate static of Nirvana as the reference point for all reality, whether physical, metaphysical, spiritual, abstract, real or imaginary. It is the point from which all values and characteristics are measured.
Infinity of God is simply an extreme value of all reality, whether physical, metaphysical, spiritual, abstract, real or imaginary. To understand infinity one requires the reference point of zero.
The understanding of God requires the orientation point of Nirvana.
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w-o-w.
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This came to me when I was recently re-reading Buddha by Karen Armstrong.
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Realization of self (thetan) is an intermediate step towards the attainment of Nirvana. This means having the realization that one’s “self” is acting as one’s frame of reference.
A person is, therefore, looking at the universe from the frame of reference of one’s “self”. But there are many different “selves”. The universe and relationships appear very different depending on the “self” that is being used as the frame of reference. This is the source of primary confusion in this universe.
A “self” is a bundle of considerations. There are other configurations of such bundles. A person is identifying himself closely with one particular “self”, He is not quite cognizant of other “selves”.
The confusion arises because one frame of reference is being used here to view other frames of references, from which to view the universe and relationships. This is highly complicated and unsatisfactory.
Therefore, using a particular “self” as one’s frame of reference is the primary source of confusion in this universe.
A deeper frame of reference than “self” is desirable, in which the different “selves” may be viewed for what they are, including the “self” one is identified with. That deeper frame of reference is the ultimate static of Nirvana.
From the reference point of Nirvana, even the differences in “selves” or thetans may be appreciated with better understanding of relationships among them and the universe.
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These are the steps toward ultimate realization:
(1) It is okay to use self or “thetan” as one’s frame of refernce.
(2) The next step is to realize that there are other thetans, as different frames of references.
(3) The next step is to realize that one needs a deeper frame of reference to appreciate the relationship among thetans as frames of references.
(4) Each thetan as a frame of reference is a bundle of considerations.
(5) The deeper frame of reference shall then measure differences in these bundles of considerations.
(6) The deeper frame of reference shall be absolute zero of considerations.
(7) This deeper frame of reference is represented by Nirvana.
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Hubbard thought that Nirvana was becoming identified with the MEST universe.
How wrong can one be!
But then Hubbard posed the challenge of clarifying Buddhism using the modern precision of science.
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The realization of Nirvana is not nihilistic as misinterpreted in the West. Nirvana is simply the orientation for ultimate objectivity.
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Mathematically, “zero” is always viewed as the reference point on any scale. The zero of positive numbers is also the zero of negative numbers. It is also the zero of rational or irrational numbers.
We look at a scale as made up of values, 1, 2, 3, and so on. These values can be as large as we can imagine. We refer to this property as infinite (without limit). But to understand infinity one requires the reference point of zero.
We see the values on the scale to be discrete. No matter how finely we divide, these values still remain discrete. It was the discovery of irrational numbers that showed that values on a scale are actually continuous without any gap.
The mathematical reasoning shows that reality in this universe is continuous, and the ultimate infinite reality is God, which is everywhere, all knowing, and all powerful. But to get properly oriented to the reality of self and God, we need an orientation point of zero on this “scale of reality”. This orientation point is the Nirvana of Buddha, or the ultimate static.
The ultimate static of Nirvana is the reference point of all reality, whether physical, metaphysical, spiritual, abstract, real or imaginary. It is the point from which orientation to all reality and characteristics of self may be attained. Infinity of God is simply an extreme value of reality and characteristics.
So, there you have my reasoning on reality in a nutshell. Mathematics provides very refined logic. If you are weak in mathematical reasoning, you won’t be able to undertand reality deeply.
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Here is a simple mathematical reasoning:
(1) There are integers.
(2) Integers are discrete.
(3) Underlying integers are fractions, or rational numbers.
(4) Rational numbers are discrete.
(5) Underlying rational numbers are irrational numbers.
(6) Irrational numbers are continuous rather than discrete.
(7) Underlying discreteness, there is continuity.
(8) Any scale of values is basically continuous.
(9) The scale of Reality is continuous.
(10) There is a continuity from the zero of Nirvana to the infinity of God.
(11) Any discontinuity is not real.
(12) Underlying apparent discontinuity there is a real continuity waiting to be discovered.
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The abstract form of discontinuity is inconsistency, disharmony, contradiction, conflicts, etc. It would be things that simply do not flow well together… like two different religions or beliefs.
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