I rather like this guy and thanks for introducing him Orn. This didn't work for me, though it is important for something I want to write and can't find the words for. Essentially, 'will' tends to have operational definitions and I felt the paper left me wondering on the creation of 'conditions of existence'. I preferred some early work you recommended. He is worth reading.
Buddhist epistemology, ontology and philosophy, although in no way monolithic, do address such things [operational definitions & conditions of existence] Neil. And, you are exactly correct…the current paper was edited and selected from a longer talk for inclusion in a slick and popular journal with pretty pictures and poetry for the masses. One can easily see from the list of the other topics covered in the specific edition from which the current paper was extracted what a mixed bag the publication is. http://www.mandalamagazine.org/2009/jan/default.asp I have subscribed to it over the years and know the main editor and a few of the contributors. As such publications go, I recommend it. http://www.mandalamagazine.org/ And, at the risk of appearing to be an apologist, Alan is relatively young and merely has a fairly unique set of experiences to go with his erudite style. Listening to him lecture one finds a wide range of topics, levels of and methods of scientific, philosophical and theological presentations etc. One can imagine the wide mix of people attracted to his retreats! His gift for languages coupled with years living with HHDL and monastic study allow him a rare access to and understanding of thousands of years of what for many of us would be esoteric texts. Couple this with his studies in psych and physics, for a Westerner, he is one of the very few to be able to clearly present and synthesize the many different schools of thought and science. I know of only two of his ‘elders’ alive today who might have greater insight into the lineage and tenets of Buddhism, Sanskrit etc. and neither has equivalent Western scientific credentials. Namely: Robert Thurman http://www.bobthurman.com/ and Jeffrey Hopkins http://www.snowlionpub.com/pages/hopkins.html Both currently are more published than the younger Wallace is. In the long run, I expect Alan to ‘catch up’ with and possibly eclipse them. All three often translate for HHDL. You might want to peruse a list of Wallace’s writings for a more attractive and less ‘popularized’ topic. http://www.alanwallace.org/writings.htm A local Institute for graduate studies in this area, although recently created, is well established…I used to study with and socialize with its founder on occasion. http://www.maitripa.org/ Overall, you are welcome Neil. Other than the small self aggrandizement by association found above, my motivation in sharing what I have learned is rather Buddhist in nature – for the benefit of all - and is strictly not for profit. On Oct 25, 9:37 pm, archytas <[email protected]> wrote: > I rather like this guy and thanks for introducing him Orn. This > didn't work for me, though it is important for something I want to > write and can't find the words for. Essentially, 'will' tends to have > operational definitions and I felt the paper left me wondering on the > creation of 'conditions of existence'. I preferred some early work > you recommended. He is worth reading. > > On 25 Oct, 11:54, ornamentalmind <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > “…Each partner encourages and motivates the other into > > activities and goals they might not have otherwise pursued on their > > own. …” – DJ > > > Don, while just today, I had a similar thought, my guess is that the > > professionals on this list will make it clear that we have merely > > chosen our parents to ‘marry’ and continue the unfinished process of > > our youth. > > > On Oct 25, 4:32 am, Don Johnson <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Bagginses don't go adventuring... > > > > it's considered disreputable behavior and generally frowned upon. > > > Unless one has a very powerful wizard kicking your butt out the > > > door... > > > > Come to think of it; all my life's big changes I was pretty much > > > dragged into kicking and screaming. Metaphorically speaking. All my > > > planned changes have been relatively methodical and boring. > > > > My current epiphany explains the usefulness of marriage in the success > > > of the family. Each partner encourages and motivates the other into > > > activities and goals they might not have otherwise pursued on their > > > own. Acting as each others own bullying wizard. Have we as a society > > > made it far too easy to raise ones kids on ones own? Ok, now I'm > > > descending into do do, Sorry. > > > > dj > > > > On Sun, Oct 25, 2009 at 4:03 AM, frantheman <[email protected]> > > > wrote: > > > > > There's a lot of interesting stuff here, Orn, imo, some very good > > > > observations. A few short comments: > > > > > One approach which I find useful is the question: "Freedom from what?" > > > > - and the implication, freedom for what? > > > > > Regrettably, Wallace occasionally wanders into the (false) dichotomy > > > > free/not-free, although I appreciate that it's difficult not to when > > > > trying to make arguments in this context. That said, his basic intent > > > > seems to be to go beyond this dialectic. This problem arises > > > > frequently in many presentations of Buddhist teaching when people work > > > > with the image of not-enlightened/enlightened - although I think that > > > > this has more to do with the difficulty of expressing some ideas in > > > > clear language/argument. > > > > > I find the ideas he develops from the concept of Vajrayana > > > > interesting. Although (as most of those who have been around here for > > > > longer know) I definitely do not describe myself as a Christian, I > > > > find it similar to the Christian concept of "Eschatology" in the sense > > > > in which more creative theologians work this out in the idea of the > > > > contemporaneous interaction of the "now" and the "not yet." > > > > > All of this can be put in a general context of various thought/idea > > > > models, which can help us move on a bit farther and need not > > > > necessarily be put into direct opposition to each other (a bit like > > > > the blind men and the elephant). From my personal stand-point, I find > > > > various thought-models which focus on "becoming" more useful - at this > > > > particular point in my own story. For that reason, I'm inclined to use > > > > images/metaphors like "journey", "adventure", "vector", (perhaps even > > > > "pilgrimage", although this term has some problematic connotations). > > > > This gives a picture of life as a journey into depth, experiencing > > > > more wonder and beauty, discovering simultaneously more complexity and > > > > simplicity, moving from less freedom to more freedom, from less > > > > enlightenment to more enlightenment, from ignorance to more wisdom, > > > > etc. Growth, with all that involves. Not that this journey is > > > > continually linearly progressive, like most ways it takes all kind of > > > > twists and turns and like any good adventure sometimes takes side- > > > > tracks or even goes backwards for a while. But all that goes to make > > > > up the story, the personal artistic masterpiece that is every > > > > individual life. I'm reminded of Bilbo's dangerous road, starting > > > > right outside your front door ... > > > > > Francis > > > > > On 25 Okt., 08:58, ornamentalmind <[email protected]> wrote: > > > >> I guess I was also looking for criticism, analysis, opinions, etc. > > > >> about this too...In other words: > > > > >> What do you think? > > > > >> On Oct 24, 4:53 pm, ornamentalmind <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > >> > "B. Alan Wallace addresses the topic of free will: how Buddhism > > > >> > focuses on how we may achieve greater freedom in the choices we make, > > > >> > rather than struggling with the metaphysical issue of whether we > > > >> > already have free will. > > > >> > Central to the question of free will is the nature of human identity, > > > >> > and it is in this regard that the Buddhist view of emptiness and > > > >> > interdependence is truly revolutionary..." > > > > >> > A new article by Alan, the entirety of which can be read at: > > > > >> >http://www.sbinstitute.com/readinglibrary.html > > > > >> > (the first link on the page)- Hide quoted text - > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. 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