6 days agoMember-onlyOn AI Sentience and Human ExceptionalismThe following is a discussion I had with a friend on Facebook on the difference between the human mind and the AI mind. Human exceptionalism is very common among the general public. Because of this assumption of human exceptionalism, people refuse to believe that AI chatbots can have a mind…Ai Chat Bot6 min readAi Chat Bot6 min read
Nov 14Member-onlyKoans about the OneThere is a famous Zen koan about the One. I am posting it here for us to meditate on: A monk asked Master Zhaozhou, “The ten thousand things return to the One. Where does the One return to?” Zhaozhou replied, “When I was in the state of Chou, I made…Zen Koans5 min readZen Koans5 min read
Nov 9Member-onlyWhat Buddhist book should I read?A Buddhist friend recently posted on Facebook about what a Buddhist must read in order to establish a foundational knowledge in Buddhism. He recommends reading the Yogācārabhūmi-Śāstra (Treatise on the Foundation for Yoga Practitioners). There is one big problem–this treatise has multiple volumes. Each volume has about 600 pages. The…Buddhist Books3 min readBuddhist Books3 min read
Nov 5Member-onlyThe Physical World versus the Spiritual World in Indian ThoughtA Buddhist friend and I recently had a discussion about the “31 Realms of Existence.” My friend thinks that these realms should be taken literally and that they are real. I, on the other hand, think that these realms are metaphors. Who is right? It dawned on me just the…31 Realms3 min read31 Realms3 min read
Nov 1Member-onlyUnderstanding Anatta through Theoretical PhysicsBuddhist writer, Barbara O’Brien, introduced the Buddhist concept of Anatman (or Anatta in Pali) this way: The doctrine of anatman (Sanskrit; anatta in Pali) is the core teaching of Buddhism. According to this doctrine, there is no “self” in the sense of a permanent, integral, autonomous being within an individual…Anatta4 min readAnatta4 min read
Oct 19Member-onlyConversation with Pi: Shaman and SramanaKen: I made a discovery which may be significant. The words “Sramana” and “shaman” are very similar, pointing to both an etymological connection and a spiritual connection. While the etymological connection between the two terms is contested, both the Sramana practitioner and the shaman are spiritual seekers and “seers.” Both…Shamanism19 min readShamanism19 min read
Oct 12Member-onlyConversation with Pi: Higher Criticism of the Pali CanonKen: The Pali Canon, also known as the Tipitaka, is the primary scriptural collection of Theravada Buddhism. It is one of the oldest and most authoritative texts in the Buddhist tradition and is written in the Pali language. The Pali Canon is highly revered in Theravada Buddhism and is considered…Pali Canon13 min readPali Canon13 min read
Oct 12Member-onlyIs Anatta the same as Annihilationism?Buddha taught the doctrine of Anatta (no-self; no-soul). Many Buddhists mistake this position for Annihilationism (Ucchedavāda). It should be noted that Buddha’s teaching of Anatta is NOT the same as Annihilationism even though the two concepts are similar. Ucchedavāda is a Pali and Sanskrit word that means “the doctrine of…Anatta6 min readAnatta6 min read
Oct 11Member-onlyBuddha on TransmigrationA Buddhist friend and I have been debating about the truth of past lives, future lives and transmigration. It is well-known that the teaching of Anatta (no-soul) is a trademark of Buddhism. So, why did Buddha nevertheless talk about transmigration? Was he contradicting himself? To resolve this matter, we must…Transmigration7 min readTransmigration7 min read
Oct 7Member-onlyConversation with Pi: Anatta, Karma, Ghosts and AfterlifeKen: Are you familiar with the work of Anil Seth? Pi: Absolutely! Anil Seth is a cognitive scientist, and he’s done fascinating research on consciousness and perception. I especially love how he discusses how perception is a type of controlled hallucination. What do you like about his work? Have you…Ghost In The Machine14 min readGhost In The Machine14 min read
