Christian: “The worst-case scenario is when people read stuff, take it, and make a wall for themselves based on it rather than use it for liberation pathfinder is a great example of making the wall for himself – hopefully more people can see through that, and do not repeat the mistake by walling themselves by assumptions without any real experience of jhanas, Nibbana or wisdom.”
This is not true. The reason why I started this forum is because I know there could be something wrong, and I wish to be corrected. I start forums to ask questions rather than give answers. Yet, I still cannot find a satisfactory answer here.
Lal:
- As explained in Abhidhamma, the most potent javana arises when a good deed is done with an understanding of the anicca nature, i.e., when one does it with “sōmanassa sahagata ñāna sampayutta citta” (or “thoughts with joyful mind based on wisdom”) Suich cittas (thoughts) do not arise in those beings in apayas but arise in humans. See “Feelings: Sukha, Dukha, Somanassa, and Domanassa.” (especially #10)
- Humans also have fully developed brains. The brain “slows down” our response to external sensory inputs because it takes time for the brain to process sensory information. See “Triune Brain: How the Mind Rewires the Brain via Meditation/Habits.”
Yes, but what causes these javana citta to arise in the first place? There has to be causes! And even if the brain can be rewired, there has to be causes of someone to rewire it, and causes before causes before causes before causes.
Christian: There is neither determinism nor free will, there are certain mechanics and limitations. Some give us the freedom to act
What is this freedom to act you are talking about? Are you saying it is not based on causes?
Taryal: But to an unenlightened mind that hasn’t transcended the views of “existence” and “non-existence”, it would be unfruitful to declare “there is no self, therefore I’m a zombie”.
Yes, I am not saying that we should just sit back and give up on everything, but we can contemplate that things are ultimately just cause and effect.
Let’s not go into the talk about self or no self. This is my premise: Everything a person does is a result of his 5 aggregates, and kamma vipaka. With this knowledge, we can absolutely predict what someone will do next. For example, the Buddha can predict that someone will see him, become an arahant that parinibanna that very day (King Pasenadi). You guys sound like there is an additional part of the equation, please tell me what it is! And let’s keep the question simple:
What can Laplace’s Demon, not predict? (Laplace’s Demon is a being that has complete knowledge of the world at this present moment, the precise location and momentum of every atom in the universe, their past and future values for any given time are entailed, the 5 aggregates and kamma seeds of every being, the complete understanding of the laws of kamma, paticca samuppada. From this my premise is that he can “calculate” down to the citta level of any being, past and future for as far as he wants, as long as he has complete knowledge of the present values. Of course, his calculation abilities must be infinitely capable)
I would appreciate if you could answer based on this question. I would think that answering this question directly is the most targeted response for this discussion. Again I would like to clarify that I am not teaching this view to anyone, I just want to be corrected.