Author Archives: vinaire

I am originally from India. I am settled in United States since 1969. I love mathematics, philosophy and clarity in thinking.

The Buddha

September 21, 2014 – 7:51 AM

Reference: Book: What the Buddha Taught by Walpola Rahula

The Buddha, whose personal name was Siddhattha (Siddhartha in Sanskrit), and family name Gotama (Skt. Gautama), lived in North India in the 6th century B.C. His father, Suddhodana, was the ruler of the kingdom of the Sakyas (in modern Nepal). His mother was queen Maya. According to the custom of the time, he was married quite young, at the age of sixteen, to a beautiful and devoted young princess named Yasodhara. The young prince lived in his palace with every luxury at his command. But all of a sudden, confronted with the reality of life and the suffering of mankind, he decided to find the solution—the way out of this universal suffering. At the age of 29, soon after the birth of his only child, Rahula, he left his kingdom and became an ascetic in search of this solution.

For six years the ascetic Gotama wandered about the valley of the Ganges, meeting famous religious teachers, studying and following their systems and methods, and submitting himself to rigorous ascetic practices. They did not satisfy him. So he abandoned all traditional religions and their methods and went his own way. It was thus that one evening, seated under a tree (since then known as the Bodhi- or Bo-tree, ‘the Tree of Wisdom’), on the bank of the river Neranjara at Buddha-Gaya (near Gaya in modern Bihar), at the age of 35, Gotama attained Enlightenment, after which he was known as the Buddha, ‘The Enlightened One’.

After his Enlightenment, Gotama the Buddha delivered his first sermon to a group of five ascetics, his old colleagues, in the Deer Park at Isipatana (modern Sarnath) near Benares. From that day, for 45 years, he taught all classes of men and women—kings and peasants, Brahmins and outcasts, bankers and beggars, holy men and robbers—without making the slightest distinction between them. He recognized no differences of caste or social groupings, and the Way he preached was open to all men and women who were ready to understand and to follow it.

At the age of 80, the Buddha passed away at Kusinara (in modern Uttar Pradesh in India).

Today Buddhism is found in Ceylon, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Tibet, China, Japan, Mongolia, Korea, Formosa, in some parts of India, Pakistan and Nepal, and also in the Soviet Union. The Buddhist population of the world is over 500 million.

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The Nature of Awareness (Part 4)

September 19, 2014 – 7:23 AM
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October 1, 2014
This issue is now obsolete. For latest reference please see: The Human-Centric Fixation.

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Reference: The Nature of Awareness (Part 3)

The idea that an observer must be separate from what is being observed implies that the observer can never observe itself. To observe oneself one would require separation from oneself. This leads to an infinite regression of observers. Whenever we run into infinite regression there is some inconsistency. Such inconsistency comes from holding a human-centric viewpoint.

The idea that an observer must be separate from what is being observed comes from a human-centric viewpoint.

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It is reality that is being observed from a viewpoint. But a viewpoint is also part of reality. It is reality looking at itself from different angles.  So it becomes possible to observe oneself when one assumes the much broader reality-centric viewpoint. One simply recognizes reality for what it is. From this viewpoint the observer is not separate from what is observed.

In truth there is no such separation because it is reality observing itself from different angles.

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In human-centric view it is assumed that observer is associated with a beingness that is separate from the reality. This “beingness” is made up of humanlike awareness. In truth, all reality is made up of awareness, and humanlike awareness has simply evolved from it. It is not separate from reality. There is nothing unique or permanent about beingness that separates it from the rest of reality. Beingness is changing all the time like the rest of reality. It is the human-centric viewpoint that considers it to be permanent and separate from reality.

Observer is a viewpoint that is changing all the time being part of reality. 

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The observer needs not be fixed permanently to a body, or have permanent characteristics of any kind. It is totally transparent in itself. It simply reflects reality for what it is from a particular angle. That angle is changing all the time.

Observer simply reflects reality for what it is from different angles.

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Observer may try to differentiate itself by acquiring filters and act as relatively permanent. It no longer sees reality as it is. It distorts reality through its make up of filters.  An example of this is the human-centric viewpoint, which assumes certain human characteristics through which it filters reality.

The human-centric viewpoint considers human self to be unique. permanent and separate from reality.

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It is the human-centric viewpoint that made us believe:

(1) Earth is at the center of the universe.

(2) The Sun revolves around the earth.

(3) The earth is flat.

And now it is making us believe that self not only stands separate from reality, but it also creates this reality.

The reality-centric viewpoint assumed by science is much broader. That viewpoint is also reflected in mindfulness.

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The Nature of Awareness (Part 3)

September 17, 2014 – 9:35 PM
Lagoon Nebula
October 1, 2014
This issue is now obsolete. For latest reference please see: The Human-Centric Fixation.

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Reference: The Nature of Awareness (Part 2)

Let’s look more closely at the “human-centric” view of awareness.  A stone does not respond to its environment with animation, so it is not aware. An animal responds to his environment with animation, but objectively only, so he is partially aware.  But a human being can respond to his environment objectively, as well as subjectively. He is aware of being aware. That is the true measure of awareness.

From human-centric viewpoint, it is the subjectivity of humans that defines awareness.

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But the universe did not start with humans. In the time frame of this universe, humanity is a very recent development. Humanlike subjective awareness exists only now that there are humans. The “human-centric” viewpoint shall like to think that humanlike awareness has been there since the beginning of time. To make it so, it projects its humanlike awareness into a God, and claims that this God created the universe.

The human-centric viewpoint claims humanlike awareness to exist before the universe started.

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Awareness cannot exist without something to be aware of. Therefore, God awareness cannot exist prior to the universe. If God awareness was aware of itself then the beginning universe would be that awareness. And this awareness shall arise from non-awareness.

The human-centric viewpoint leads to the concept of a universe at the beginning that had humanlike awareness.

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Basic awareness corresponds to relative motion. The primitive motion has the form of light. Humanlike attributes consist of very complex motion. Therefore, the beginning universe is more likely to have the form of light than something with humanlike attributes. See The Nature of Awareness (Part 2).

From reality-centric viewpoint the beginning universe is more likely to start as “light” than with human attributes.

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From reality-centric viewpoint awareness may be defined as the characteristics of existence. Light will have the characteristics of fundamental motion as awareness. Stone will have characteristics of its physical and chemical properties as its awareness. Plants will have their characteristics of germinating and growing as their awareness, and so on. Humans will have the most complex characteristics as their awareness.

Awareness is truly the characteristics of existence. Awareness starts with the simplest form of light and evolves into the most complex form of humans.

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The universe does not start with a humanlike awareness that is projected as God. That is just a human-centric viewpoint, which may be compared to the viewpoint, such as, “earth is at the center of the universe.” The universe is simply an evolution of awareness as relative motion from simple to complex. Divinity lies in this evolution and not separate from it.

The reality-centric view of God is one that has evolved with the universe. This concept of God is much more abstract than humanlike.

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Next: The Nature of Awareness (Part 4)

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The Nature of Hypnotism

September 17, 2014 – 11:10 AM
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Reference: A Model of Self /  A Model of the Mind

We may model the mind as a matrix made of definitions. These definitions are connected to each other by logics. Each definition itself may be a matrix of associations among considerations. This kind of matrix structure may go to deeper levels.

Mind is a multi-dimensional matrix made up of considerations, definitions and logics.

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We may model thinking as activating logical associations of definitions along a certain route in the matrix. Each logical association may be looked upon as a vector. Output of thinking would then be the sumtotal of the logic vectors along this route.

Thinking is activating logical associations in the “definition-logic’ matrix of the mind.

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Thinking is used to resolve inconsistencies. The thinking is analytical when one is able to (a) freely examine the definitions and logics related to the inconsistency (b) rapidly conduct the necessary thought experiments, and (c) choose the best route of thinking to resolve inconsistency.

Analytical thinking can activate any route through the “definition-logic’ matrix of the mind.

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Restrictions may be placed on how one thinks by following means: (a) Fixing the definitions by deeper manipulations of considerations. (b) Fixing the associations that can be made among definitions. (c) Fixing the route within the matrix along which associations may be activated. Such restrictions reduce the routes for thinking available in the mind.

Thinking is reactive to the degree restrictions are placed on the routes that can be activated in the mind.

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When thinking is so restricted in certain cases that only one set of logical associations can be activated, then it has become hypnotic. Here no options are allowed in choosing the routes in the “definition-logic” matrix of the mind. The outcome of thinking is pre-determined. Of course, the person is unaware of the restrictions in the mind, and he must own the thinking.

Thinking is hypnotic when logical associations in the mind can be activated in a pre-determined manner only.

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There are feedback circuits in the mind that continually examine one’s thought process. They catch inconsistencies in the thought process before thinking is acted upon. It seems that hypnotism somehow quiets these circuits. This can be done only by isolating the area of thinking from its wider context, so inappropriateness is not visible.

Hypnotism suppresses a person’s ability to examine his conclusions and impulses in a wider context.

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Such restrictions on thinking and suppression of examination are part of hypnotism. Hypnotism is imposed through trust and agreement at first, and then through the installation of considerations and definitions in the mind. The person’s mindfulness (the ability to see things as they are) is somehow suppressed. Therefore, he is unable to see the inconsistency of the thinking process that makes him act irrationally.

Hypnotism installs itself by suppressing the mindfulness (ability to see things as they are) of the person.

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Hypnotic associations are not integrated within the person’s “definitions-logic” matrix. They are compartmentalized in the mind. They appear to be rational within that compartment and so they persist. Inability to break through such compartmentalization keeps the hypnotic influence in place. The remedy is to look at one’s thinking process in a wider context.

Hypnotism may be resolved by examining one’s considerations, beliefs, and conclusions in a wider context with mindfulness.

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A common source of condition is the following:

When some know-how works, but a person does not fully understand why it works, he starts to blindly follow the source, or purveyor, of that know-how. This is a form of conditioning.

Hypnotism works by generating associations in the mind that are not integrated. This is the case when one has not thought through something that one does not understand. The remedy does not come from “figuring things out.” It comes from looking more closely in a wider context.

See Mindfulness 11: Contemplate thoughtfully .

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The Nature of Awareness (Part 2)

September 16, 2014 – 2:28 PM
nature6
September 30, 2014
This issue is now obsolete. For latest reference please see: Motion and Space-Time.

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Reference: The Nature of Awareness (Part 1)

Awareness arises from non-awareness. It evolves into this universe. It may then dissolve back ultimately into non-awareness. The form of awareness is relative motion. Awareness implies existence.

POSTULATE: Awareness has the form of relative motion. This is existence.

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The fundamental relative motion is perceived in physics as a varying field that has wavelike characteristics of a wavelength, period and frequency. Thus, we may postulate different awareness to have different wavelengths, periods and frequencies.

The fundamental form of awareness is wavelike that has a wavelength, period and frequency.

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The wavelength of awareness provides a sense of extent, which is defined by the dimension of space. Therefore, space is not absolutely empty at fundamental level. Space is filled with awareness.

Space is a measure of how far awareness extends. Space is not empty.

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The period of awareness provides a sense of duration, which is defined by the dimension of time. Therefore, time is not absolutely arbitrary at the fundamental level. It is marked by awareness.

Time is a measure of how long awareness endures. Time is not arbitrary.

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Awareness has a wavelike form that may be described as light. It seems to condense along a spectrum of increasing frequency as energy. It seems to condense further along a spectrum of increasing density as matter.

Awareness condenses as energy and matter. Awareness has form.

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This is a universe of awareness. Everything is made up of awareness. A stone has extent and duration. It has a form with certain physical and chemical properties. All these characteristics are manifestation of awareness.

We are not saying that a stone is aware the same way that humans are. The awareness of humans is manifested as human characteristics. We are moving away from a human-centric explanation of awareness.

Awareness of an object is manifested as its characteristics.

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It was the human-centric viewpoint that maintained, “Earth is at the center of this universe, and the sun revolves around the earth.” The human-centric viewpoint seems to maintain, “Awareness originates from a humanlike beingness called God.”

From a reality-centric viewpoint all reality is awareness. This has been so even before animated life and humans emerged in this universe. Everything in this universe is imbued with awareness.

Awareness is not limited to humans and animated life. Awareness forms the very fabric of this universe. 

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Next: The Nature of Awareness (Part 3)

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