&quote;Dharma Philosophy&quote; (eBook)

Chapter One 634BCE to AD65

Quotes attributed to Thales

1. “All human sufferings come from ignorance.”

INITIAL RESPONSE: Suffering, defined here as the worrying mind, is inherent in all human experience.

REASONING: In a non-sentient causal universe, where no first cause of any THING, physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof, can be established, it points to the actuality that all THINGS are impermanent, subject to change and insubstantial as THINGS in or of themselves. Because the confused and conditioned self-referential mind does not see THINGS as they are, it gives rise to the worrying mind, because it’s attached to the belief, that THINGS have some degree of permanence and substantiality in or of themselves, including the sense of self.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: To awaken from the confusion created by the confused and conditioned self-referential mind, it will be required to be seen for what it is, and let go of. Only then can this experience we refer to as mind be at peace with itself, others, and the world around it.

2. “The most difficult thing in life is to know yourself.”

INITIAL RESPONSE: To know your self, you would first need to locate it.

REASONING: The self, is an idea created by the confused and conditioned self-referential mind. It’s the story of the personality you think of as you. But when you go in search of it, it can’t be found, other than as conditioned and habitual patterns of thinking, speaking, and acting, concerning sensory data input. Is it no wonder then, that this experience we refer to as mind, finds it difficult to be at peace with itself, others and the world around it, when it attaches itself to some THING, physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof, that does not exist, in or of itself.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: As difficult as it is, it’s only when the self is known to be as it is, does the opportunity arise to let go of all of its unhelpful habits that lead to the worrying dramas of the mind.

3. “Nothing is more active than thought, for it travels over the universe, and nothing is stronger than a necessity, for all must submit to it.”

INITIAL RESPONSE: It’s OK to be a fantasist, but eventually you will have to face actuality.

REASONING: This experience we refer to as mind, is capable of creating the most realistic fantasies about how the universe came into being and how it operates, to allay the inherent fear of non-existence within the pre-conscious of the human species. But eventually and by necessity, the actuality of the way THINGS physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof are, will be faced by all. All humans will, at some undetermined time, submit to death, but will never know the experience of it.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: The realization of actuality, is the liberation from the fear of it, and only then are you free to live within the joy of now-ness.

4. “Avoid doing what you would blame others for doing.”

INITIAL RESPONSE: When you take responsibility for the quality of your mental state in now-ness, blaming others becomes futile and unhelpful.

REASONING: If you adopt a way of life that is based on doing the least amount of physical, emotional or psychological harm to yourself, others and the world around you, and take responsibility for what you think, say and do, there is then no opportunity to blame others or external events, for the quality of your mental state in now-ness.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: Self-regulation is freedom from the worrying mind.

Quotes attributed to Anaximander

1 “The source from which existing things derive their existence, is also that to which they return at their destruction.”

INITIAL RESPONSE: All THINGS physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof, are no-THING-ness happening in now-ness.

REASONING: In a non-sentient causal universe, where no first cause of any THING can be established, it points to the actuality that all THINGS are impermanent, subject to change, and insubstantial as THINGS in or of themselves. This being as it is, means all THINGS are no-THING-ness happening in a causal now-ness.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: The source of all human experience is the living human brain, which is not a THING in or of itself either. So, when that brain dies beyond the necrotic stage, human experience returns to no-THING-ness.

2. “There are many worlds and many systems of universes existing all at the same time, all of them perishable.”

INITIAL RESPONSE: All THINGS physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof are inter-related in now-ness, and are impermanent and insubstantial, in or of themselves.

REASONING: There are approximately 7.5 billion (and rising), unique thoughts happening as we speak. In one way or another, they are connected within a non-sentient causal process. But just like all other THINGS, they come into existence and then go out of existence, because of causes and conditions.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: No THING has any permanent or substantial THING-ness in or of itself.

3. “To what purpose should I trouble myself in searching out the secret of the stars, having death or slavery continually before my eyes.”

INITIAL RESPONSE: The worrying mind can only be resolved in now-ness.

REASONING: You cannot change the past. You can only learn from it. If your sights are fixed on a future that has yet to come, you have failed to understand the inevitability and unpredictability of death, and have taken your eye off now-ness. Now-ness is the only opportunity to resolve what worries the mind. Being the slave of past and future thinking and fear of non-existence inhibits peace of mind.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: The centrality of contentment with THINGS physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof, as they are in now-ness, will allow this experience we refer to as mind, to be at peace with itself, others and the world around you.

4. “Immortal and indestructible surrounds all and direct all.”

INITIAL RESPONSE: If no THING physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof exists in or of itself, then all that has ever happened and will continue to happen, is the process of change in now-ness.

REASONING: In a non-sentient causal universe, where no first cause of any THING can be established, it points to the actuality that all THINGS are impermanent, subject to change, and insubstantial as THINGS in or of themselves. This being the way it is, suggests that the process under which the known universe operates is on-going into infinity, and defines all THINGS.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: As the self is just an idea created by the confused and conditioned self-referential mind, there is no THING to fear concerning non-existence as no THING was born, ages, gets sick or dies.

Quotes attributed to Pythagoras

1. “Learn to be silent. Let your quiet mind listen and absorb.”

INITIAL RESPONSE: Wisdom is realized within.

REASONING: The confused and conditioned self-referential mind is the perfect 24-hour entertainment system that functions to prevent you from seeing THINGS physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof as they are. Respite from the worrying mind that results from it, can be found within the stage of thought-less-ness, or meditational bliss, that opens the gateway to clear and non-distractive thinking, that can process sensory data knowledge into a lived experience of wisdom, expressed as compassion.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: Learning and practicing awareness meditation, is an investment for life that will train the mind to be at peace with itself, others, and the world around it.

2. “If there be light, then there is darkness; if cold, heat; if height, depth; if solid, fluid; if hard, soft, if rough, smooth; if calm, tempest, if prosperity, adversity; if life, death.”

INITIAL RESPONSE: Awakening sees through the confusion of duality, but still engages with it.

REASONING: Only a dishonest person would claim not to experience the world as being dualistic. The awakened mind is still dualistic, but it is no longer confused by the conditioned self-referential aspect of it. This means, it does not have to worry about the experience of it, as it responds as is appropriate to it, from the perspective of the centrality of contentment of duality as it is.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: Dualism is the perfect teacher. It highlights directly how causality works experientially. To deny it would be unhelpful to realizing awakening and keep you attached to the conditioned self-referential mind and its confusions.

3. “The art of living happily is to live in the present.”

INITIAL RESPONSE: Live in now-ness and you won’t need to worry about living happily in a non-existent present.

REASONING: There is no now. There is no moment. There is no present. These terms represent time as being static, and can never actually be realized, because of the nature of causality. How can you ever find happiness in some THING physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof that does not exist in or of itself, and is in a constant process of change?

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: Contentment with the way THINGS are in the on-going flow of now-ness, will result in the experience we refer to as mind, being at peace with itself, others, and the...