UnbornTao

A debate may be engaged as a way to validate one's preconceptions, to gain social recognition, make the other wrong, get entertained, etc. It is not about serious questioning. Wanting to debate might be motivated by a very real and personal background sense that the truth of the matter is actually unknown, hence wanting to defend what each party assumes is true. Best to remain open. A good starting point would be to be honest and to call things by their name, call a worldview a worldview, a set of assumptions. Admit that it is something you believe in and not an experience of the truth; that remains presently unknown to you. This applies to any other philosophical perspective as well. What about turning the debate into a shared contemplation? That'd be fruitful.

Would those scientists above be willing to acknowledge an assumption when (and if) they see one?

He couldn't listen to it though. I'm just pointing that out.

Imagine if you acted similarly towards others. Anyone can be mean and petty. I don't think sex is of much relevance here although it may play a role.

Not necessarily. You can actually not gather beliefs. Indeed you could make a practice of dispelling rather than accumulating, them. Skill is whatever it is, but it's not a belief. It is grounded on an accurate perception of the condition of things. Of course you have a choice in the matter. Whose choice would it be then? As a matter of fact, most people stop breakthrough learning early in life once enough of survival is handled. Learning isn't about belief either, although you can learn (adopt, perhaps) new beliefs. The etymology of "discipline" is learning. So it often requires hard work, failure and correction. Rarely does it go smoothly. However I do acknowledge that learning can take place in a way that requires less strain sometimes. This is a different conversation unrelated to awakening, one about relative things such as learning, etc.

Could be, and yet it's likely the most sensible and grounded one.

Almost everyone haha

@Rishabh R cool

No.

Why? Isn't there a conflation here of consciousness with something relative such as ability, or state? What if you were able to use your body more skilfully after enlightenment? Maybe you'd be able to walk straight for the first time!

How come every civilization throughout history has fallen? I'm extracting juicy insights from the series Foundation on this matter. Asimov was a smart fellowñ.

Consider that the nature of happiness may currently be unknown to us, hence the confusion on the matter.

The truth is that nobody knows. Since anyone who can respond to this thread is alive, what happens after one dies hasn't been gone through. Maybe you can get what you are which might already be free from life and death but presently this is a possibility that's yet to be realized.

Our culture's notion of intelligence is rather narrow. A lot of intelligence and mindfulness are involved in sports.

just a joke

Banana!

@Thought Art Just wanted to share that photo.

The Tao of Cooking.

Two words: walking

I'd venture to say cultural programming.

Why making up so much bs? Contemplate.

Exactly, that's my point. Being isn't a being.

Resorting to mind and making arguments is useless. Your communications stink of conclusions and cosmology. You're full of it. Stop speculating, wonder and contemplate. Saying that eveything is a thought doesn't say much, does it? You're making an assertion of something that's left to be known. If we were to contemplate what a thought it, that'd be better. Thought has a form and is relative. How could the nature of reality be contained in it, which is a function of mind?

I think short of profound direct consciousness, we're all truly full of bs. Remember to be honest.