Buddhism And The Mind?

[alexmills]

Hi everyone. I'm doing some research for a university paper on the mind from a social psychological point of view. I have a question for you and would be grateful if you could reply with your ideas. What are the buddhist approaches to the concept of the mind??

[rich]

Dear alex,

Not being Buddhist, I do not know if I can give to you an acceptable answer.

But my answer would be, many.

[hmshutton]

[FONT=Arial]

You would be best served investigating your very own "No-Mind" but, spiritually speaking, one is rarely best served in Academia.

If there's a deadline for your paper, I suggest you track down the Heart Sutra - there are many versions on line. It will lead you (especially if you hook up with Red Pine's translation) to the various schools - all of which this short, sacred sutra totally undoes.

Once the paper is written and you've got whatever academic credit is involved, lose it. The paper, that is. Talking about Mind a sure way to make sure you never meet up with it.

Scott

[VossistArts]

Originally posted by alexmills@Apr 12 2005, 06:32 PM
Hi everyone. I'm doing some research for a university paper on the mind from a social psychological point of view. I have a question for you and would be grateful if you could reply with your ideas. What are the buddhist approaches to the concept of the mind??
what are the Buddhist approaches to the concept of the mind? man, that is a weird question. The Mind seems to opperate on concepts but is the Mind itself a concept?

I dont think the Mind is a concept. I think it might seem like it is because for most of us as such we re-create our world of experience out of words, langauge, concepts, memory imagery, which all seem to be purely conceptual by the time we're into them. The reason I argue that Mind is not a concept is that I am aware of a persons ability to experience and function purely cognatively where no words, language, or concepts are present or necessary to fully apprehend what is at hand. Mind still exists without concepts.

SO, Im going a little out here when I suggest that Buddhists, at least Zen Buddhists I think approach the Mind with the concept of neutralizing the conceptual mind giving way to pure, direct uncorrupted experience. At that point, I have only the smallest amount to contribute as to what then. So ill stop here . peace

[CSwriter1]

I will go with what VossistArts says of mind. Our human minds chatter incessantly and are full of misinformation, and conflicting concepts. The human would not be the universal mind. Academia increases the chatter in our individual minds, but I am very much in favor or gaining knowledge, and think it a waste of life, to not do so. First we fill our minds, and then we sit quietly and let our brain do what it does with all the information. This is the path to enlightenment that I prefer.

I want to check to be sure you are aware that Buddhist thought has more than one source. It begins in India and travels through Asia, and is transformed as it moves through different cultures. An Indian- Hindu explanation of mind is more concrete, in explaining what it is to be an aware being. This goes nicely with Freudian theory of id, ego and superego. Far from the Buddhist, "what is the sound of one hand clapping?"
In between is Yoga. Anyway, considering there is more than one source of Buddhist thought, there would be more than one answer to your question.

[fu*]

CS >>I will go with what VossistArts says of mind.<<

I dont think you really understood what VossistArts was saying.

Each of us uses these boards for a different reason.

You have stated that you dont want others sh**ing in your pool. But you dont seem to mind taking a dump in every other pool.

Could you at least consider the possibility that what you consider sh*t.... may not be sh*t to others?

If you are here just to preach supreme knowledge, please have the courage to have your supreme knowlege questioned. Maybe I will learn something


VossistArts said..."The reason I argue that Mind is not a concept is that I am aware of a persons ability to experience and function purely cognatively where no words, language, or concepts are present or necessary to fully apprehend what is at hand."

CS>>> I will go with what VossistArts says of mind. <<<

Then >>First we fill our minds, and then we sit quietly and let our brain do what it does with all the information. This is the path to enlightenment that I prefer. <<

How could you say that "I will go with what VossistArts says of mind", when your response was the opposite of what he/she was saying?

Sugarcoated fu*

[sahyo]

Sugarcoated fu*



:o

:lol:

:D