On 10/22/2014 10:20 AM, inmadi...@hotmail.com [FairfieldLife] wrote:
>
I've been around FFL a while...
>
/There are a few things you may not realize: Most of the informants on
FFL are idealists of the Advaita Vedanta persuasion.
It is interesting to note that Advaita Vedanta is non-theistc in
outlook. Of the six systems of Indian philosophy, only one system is
based on theism. Advaita Vedanta has been compared to the Vijnanavada
Buddhism which is also non-theistic. So, based on this information you
can understand why I said there are some informants here that seem to be
tilting at windmills. //
//
//Apparently there are no true materialists on this list. Most of the
informants on FFL seem to be transcendentalists who believe in
consciousness and the law of cause and effect. Go figure or correct me
if I am wrong about this. Thanks.
It has already been established by our enlightened FFL pundits that
consciousness is the ultimate reality in Hindu Vedanta and Mahayana
Buddhism, and by Sam Harris. So, maybe it's time to review our position.
To reiterate:
My position, and the position of most idealistic transcendentalists, is
that we infer, from the fact of being conscious, that consciousness
itself is the ultimate reality - because without consciousness, we would
not exist. And that the material world is a false projection or
superimposition upon pure consciousness which is the real. And, we
accept that inference is a valid means of knowledge. Thoughts and ideas,
not being material objects, cannot be perceived; they can only be
inferred or in some cases,intuited.
//
//This is the Hindu Advaita Vedanta view and to some extent, the view of
the Consciousness Only school of Tibetan Buddhism.
Note:
According to Harris, if consciousness means self-consciousness, then it
cannot be identified by logic with the human body. Animals also possess
a physical body, but not rational consciousness. If consciousness is a
property of the body, it must be perceived like other material
properties. But consciousness is neither seen, smelt or tasted nor
touched nor heard. Consciousness is private and cannot be shared by
others - it is the very constructed character of knowing.
"Knowledge is structured in consciousness." //- MMY//
//
//Excerpt from mANDUkya kArikA IV by gauDapAda://
//
//"Duality is only an appearance; non-duality is//
//the real truth. The object exists as an object//
//for the knowing subject; but it does not exist//
//outside of consciousness because the distinction//
//of subject and object is within consciousness."/
