Vinaire's Blog

These concepts are mystical and seem to be over the top. They are part of the ancient to most modern beliefs. Here are some wild conjectures emerging as a result of discussions on this blog:

(1) Soul is a set of mental energies and forces released after the physical death of a body. This is discussed further in The Self and the Soul.

(2) The body is made up of macromolecules that have a physical structure, as well as programming capabilities in the  configuration of that structure. 

(3) The various programming patterns allows the macromolecules to function as molecular computers and regulate the physical and mental functions of the body.

(4) The physical structure may represent “physical energies and forces,” whereas, this programming may represent the “mental energies and forces,” that make up the “I.” This is discussed further in The Structure of “I”.

(5) The soul of a person comprises of these mental energies and forces (programming patterns), which when functioning in a live body, may be considered to be alive.

(6) After death the physical body is reduced to a number of physical organs that gradually disintegrate into physical elements. A single physical entity is no longer there.

(7) Similarly, after death, the soul of a person is reduced to a number of programming patterns that remain. A single spiritual entity is no longer there.

(8) The soul to be alive, needs to be manifesting itself through a live body. After death, neither the soul nor the body are alive.

(9) Any identity that existed as “I” is extinguished at death.

(10) After death, the soul seems to get “stored” in space as numerous individual programming patterns . 

(11) These programming patterns are “retrieved” back from space just before birth. They are retrieved in a combination that is compatible with the physical structure of the new body.

(12) A new identity comes into being only after the physical and mental aspects have recombined in a new body. 

(13) Past life memories and child prodigies may be explained in terms of the mental patterns obtained from previous souls.  The new “soul” may be looked upon as a recombination of previous souls.

(14) Apparently, there is no “life”  in the “between-lives” area. There are only numerous programming patterns stored in space.

(15) How these programming patterns come to be stored in space requires another wild conjecture. Space is not nothing. Space is something.

(16) The ripples in the “fabric of space” are the electromagnetic waves that contribute to the formation of matter, while the fabric itself seem to contributes to the characteristics that regulate the behavior of matter.

(17) The stored patterns in the fabric of space influence not only humans but also the plant, animal and marine life.

(18) Certain aspect of these patterns may even be responsible for the Periodic Table of elements.

(19) These patterns probably are the blueprint of the universe, which exists as space. 

(20) The postulated dark energy and matter could very well be the programming patterns from dead souls stored in space.

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I admit this is as wild as it can be. Note that this conjecture is not entirely materialistic. We still don’t know how all this comes to be this way. There is a spiritual dimension to it all.

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See: Exercises: Buddha on Mind (Set 2)

Reference: The 12 Aspects of Mindfulness

Hindrances are part of the mental objects that one needs to be mindful of. There are five hindrances:

1. Sense-desire
2. Anger
3. Sloth and torpor
4. Agitation and remorse
5. Doubt

Here are some excerpts from Satipatthana Sutta: The Foundations of Mindfulness.

And how, monks, does a monk live contemplating mental objects in mental objects?

Herein, monks, a monk lives contemplating mental objects in the mental objects of the five hindrances.

How, monks, does a monk live contemplating mental objects in the mental objects of the five hindrances?

Herein, monks, when sense-desire is present, a monk knows, “There is sense-desire in me,” or when sense-desire is not present, he knows, “There is no sense-desire in me.” He knows how the arising of the non-arisen sense-desire comes to be; he knows how the abandoning of the arisen sense-desire comes to be; and he knows how the non-arising in the future of the abandoned sense-desire comes to be.

When anger is present, he knows, “There is anger in me,” or when anger is not present, he knows, “There is no anger in me.” He knows how the arising of the non-arisen anger comes to be; he knows how the abandoning of the arisen anger comes to be; and he knows how the non-arising in the future of the abandoned anger comes to be.

When sloth and torpor are present, he knows, “There are sloth and torpor in me,” or when sloth and torpor are not present, he knows, “There are no sloth and torpor in me.” He knows how the arising of the non-arisen sloth and torpor comes to be; he knows how the abandoning of the arisen sloth and torpor comes to be; and he knows how the non-arising in the future of the abandoned sloth and torpor comes to be.

When agitation and remorse are present, he knows, “There are agitation and remorse in me,” or when agitation and remorse are not present, he knows, “There are no agitation and remorse in me.” He knows how the arising of the non-arisen agitation and remorse comes to be; he knows how the abandoning of the arisen agitation and remorse comes to be; and he knows how the non-arising in the future of the abandoned agitation and remorse comes to be.

When doubt is present, he knows, “There is doubt in me,” or when doubt is not present, he knows, “There is no doubt in me.” He knows how the arising of the non-arisen doubt comes to be; he knows how the abandoning of the arisen doubt comes to be; and he knows how the non-arising in the future of the abandoned doubt comes to be.

Thus he lives contemplating mental objects in mental objects internally, or he lives contemplating mental objects in mental objects externally, or he lives contemplating mental objects in mental objects internally and externally. He lives contemplating origination factors in mental objects, or he lives contemplating dissolution factors in mental objects, or he lives contemplating origination-and-dissolution factors in mental objects.[21] Or his mindfulness is established with the thought, “Mental objects exist,” to the extent necessary just for knowledge and mindfulness, and he lives detached, and clings to nothing in the world. Thus also, monks, a monk lives contemplating mental objects in the mental objects of the five hindrances.

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EXERCISE

PURPOSE:   To practice mindfulness in mental hindrances.

1. Look and contemplate on SENSE DESIRE.

   • Know when sense-desire is present, “There is sense-desire in me,”
   • Know when sense-desire is not present, “There is no sense-desire in me.”
   • How the arising of the non-arisen sense-desire comes to be;
   • How the abandoning of the arisen sense-desire comes to be;
   • How the non-arising in the future of the abandoned sense-desire comes to be.
   • Do steps 6 – 9 before going to the next step.

2. Look and contemplate on ANGER.

   • Know when anger is present, “There is anger in me,”
   • Know when anger is not present, “There is no anger in me.”
   • How the arising of the non-arisen anger comes to be;
   • How the abandoning of the arisen anger comes to be;
   • How the non-arising in the future of the abandoned anger comes to be.
   • Do steps 6 – 9 before going to the next step.

3. Look and contemplate on SLOTH and TORPOR.

   • Know when sloth and torpor are present, “There are sloth and torpor in me,”
   • Know when sloth and torpor are not present, “There are no sloth and torpor in me.”
   • How the arising of the non-arisen sloth and torpor comes to be;
   • How the abandoning of the arisen sloth and torpor comes to be;
   • How the non-arising in the future of the abandoned sloth and torpor comes to be.
   • Do steps 6 – 9 before going to the next step.

4. Look and contemplate on AGITATION and REMORSE.

   • Know when agitation and remorse are present, “There are agitation and remorse in me,”
   • Know when agitation and remorse are not present, “There are no agitation and remorse in me.”
   • How the arising of the non-arisen agitation and remorse comes to be;
   • How the abandoning of the arisen agitation and remorse comes to be;
   • How the non-arising in the future of the abandoned agitation and remorse comes to be.
   • Do steps 6 – 9 before going to the next step.

5. Look and contemplate on DOUBT.

   • Know when doubt is present, “There is doubt in me,”
   • Know when doubt is not present, “There is no doubt in me.”
   • How the arising of the non-arisen doubt comes to be;
   • How the abandoning of the arisen doubt comes to be;
   • How the non-arising in the future of the abandoned doubt comes to be.
   • Do steps 6 – 9.

6. Continue contemplating this hindrance internally and/or as observed externally.

7. Be mindful of the origination factors in this hindrance, and/or the dissolution factors in this hindrance.

8. Be mindful that this hindrance exists to the extent necessary just for knowledge and mindfulness.

9. Live detached, and cling to nothing in the world.

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Further references: KHTK Mindfulness

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