VincentRJ

"Unfortunately, the real meaning and especially the efficacy of the original rituals have been watered down to a meaningless habit that transforms absolutely nothing. It's a waste of time, basically." I tend to agree, but we should not ignore the placebo effect. This is a major factor in all beliefs, even when one takes a medically prescribed drug to cure an ailment. Without a belief in the soundness of the medical system and the testing of drugs, the drug would be less effective.

"One mustn't get too involved in the myths that grow around such famous figures in history, virgin births, walking on water, resurrection etc. there are also many unbelievable myths surrounding the Buddha. In more recent times even the Delai Lama has had myths attached to his birth (the sounds of trumpets and bells in the sky during his birth for instance). A high level of conscious awareness doesn't turn one from a man of flesh and bone with human desires into a demi god." This is a very significant point which is difficult for 'believers' to address because doing so would tend to undermine their faith. Religions tend to be a part of the political system of 'control of the population'. The narratives tend to adapt to the cultural background of the people, and fanciful stories are created to impress the gullible and uneducated masses. One could argue that as long as this 'fanciful story-telling' maintains a peacful and harmonious society, the fictions are justified. However, the long history of religious conflicts, which continue in the present time, would tend to falsify this argument. As you mention in your post, Buddhism appears to be in a different category in the sense that the scriptures include the advice, claimed to be the actual words spoken by the Buddha, that one should not accept the views of any authority without questioning whether the views align with one's own experience and understanding. This teaching from the Buddha is known as the Kalama Sutta. The following article describes it in detail. https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/soma/wheel008.html When I first read the Kalama sutta, I was very impressed that a religion could encourage any thoughtful questioning. As a result, I read more about Buddhism, but found there's a mixture of sensible advice and unbelievable nonsense. One should always try to separate the two.

"I don't believe EVs are the future" You should check the latest developments in China. I recently came across the following news. "At Auto China 2024, CATL unveiled Shenxing PLUS—the world's first LFP battery that achieves a range above 1,000 kilometers with 4C superfast charging. Within eight months after the launch of the Shenxing superfast charging battery in August 2023, CATL has once again pushed the boundaries of LFP battery technology, ushering in the era of superfast charging for the whole industry. The 1,000-km pure electric range comes from continuous technological breakthroughs. The cathode of Shenxing PLUS is made with a granular gradation technology, which places every nanometer particle in the optimal position to achieve ultra-high compact density." https://www.catl.com/en/news/6239.html From another source, it's claimed "it should be possible to charge the energy that would be necessary for a journey of 600 km within 10 minutes. This means that 1 km of range would be charged into the battery every second. A full charge for a range of 1,000 km can be purportedly achieved in 16.6 minutes." There is also the issue of 'spontaneous combustion' which needs to be addressed. These new LFP batteries, apparently, do not have this risk. From the following site: "Lithium phosphate cells are incombustible, which is an important feature in the event of mishandling during charging or discharging. They can also withstand harsh conditions, be it freezing cold, scorching heat or rough terrain." https://www.relionbattery.com/knowledge/how-are-lifepo4-batteries-safer-than-other-lithium-batteries#:~:text=Lithium phosphate cells are incombustible,scorching heat or rough terrain Whilst I don't believe that CO2 emissions present any risk of catastrophic climate change, I do believe in the power of technological development. Some of the claimed features of CATL's new battery technology might not be ready at the present moment, but most probably will be in the near future.

Since fossil fuels are a limited resource, it's sensible to experiment with alternative sources which are less limited, because a low-cost and reliable source of energy is essential for economic development and prosperity. However, even if we eventually succeed in developing reliable and cheap energy from nuclear fusion, and develop batteries that are cheaper, lighter, more durable, and safer than the current Lithium-Ion batteries, we will still need fossil fuels for essential products we use every day. The following article mentions some of these products. "Oil and natural gas are used in everyday products such as lipstick and deodorant and life-saving medical devices, such as MRI machines and pacemakers. Byproducts from oil refining is used to produce plastics, as well as lubricants, waxes, tars and even asphalt for our roads. Nylon, polyester, and many types of fabrics we use that allow us to camp, recreate, and enjoy the outdoors are all made possible by oil and natural gas. In fact, all forms of transportation including the manufacturing of planes, trains, cars, boats, bikes, scooters, skateboards, and even electric cars require oil and natural gas products and components." https://www.coga.org/factsheets/everyday-products-uses

This is wrong. They should be displaying modern electric vehicles, not these old-fashioned, noisy and polluting, gas-guzzling vehicles.

I agree. Dementia, Alzheimer's, and disorders in general, are caused by a combination of genetic conditions and a unhealthy life-style. We can't do much, or perhaps anything, to change our genetic condition, but we can change our lifestyle, if we have the self-control to do so. Regular physical exercise and a healthy diet are a major part of the solution, but also, meditation, mind control, and regular deep breathing exercises should remove the negative effects of anxiety and stress. The following article addresses these negative effects of mental stress. https://www.nib.com.au/the-checkup/effects-of-stress#:~:text=The physical effects of stress&text=They can include trouble concentrating,flare-ups at stressful times "On the surface, the signs of stress can include an increase in heart and breathing rates, dilated pupils and tensed muscles. Under the skin, the signs can take a little longer to notice, especially when your stress is chronic. They can include trouble concentrating for long periods of time, weight fluctuations, stomach upsets, mood changes, struggle with sleep or feeling constantly restless. Some people also notice skin breakouts or even eczema flare-ups at stressful times." "These reactions are all down to what’s going on in our body when we become stressed. Essentially, our body kicks off the same chain of events as when we are faced with danger. More specifically, the team at the Mayo Clinic explain that stress sets off an alarm in your brain which triggers a surge of hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol."

Hi Rocky, It's been a long time since there was any serious discussion on this forum. You pose some interesting questions. My interest in Buddhism tends to be mainly focused on the health benefits. Whilst I'm not particularly attracted towards sitting for long periods doing nothing, I do try to be very mindful, and avoid any stress and anxiety. I believe that a healthy diet and regular exercise will reduce the risk of dementia, but also certain practices of Buddhism and Yoga such as slow, deep breathing, where one slowly fills one's lungs with clean air whilst concentrating on one's breath, will also reduce the risk of dementia, according to a number of scientific studies. Here are just a couple of articles addressing the issue. "This study revealed that applying DSB (deep and slow breathing) can enhance the ability of elderly individuals to process new cognitive tasks and improve cognitive function. These findings suggest that deep and slow breathing training could serve as a simple yet effective method for developing cognitive training programs to prevent and manage dementia in older adults within the community." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10047962/#:~:text=These findings suggest that deep,older adults within the community "Controlled breathing can cause physiological changes that include: . lowered blood pressure and heart rate . reduced levels of stress hormones in the blood . reduced lactic acid build-up in muscle tissue . balanced levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood . improved immune system functioning . increased physical energy . increased feelings of calm and wellbeing." https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/breathing-to-reduce-stress

Did the Buddha always use a toilet?

We are currently in the Holocene Era, which is a warming period that began around 11,700 years ago, at the end of the last Ice Age (or more correctly, the last Glacial Maximum). It's interesting that the Holocene Optimum (or maximum warming) occurred around the time of the first human civilizations, when temperatures were around 2 degrees C warmer than today. Refer attached graph. It seems odd that so many people are worried about rising temperatures when we now have far better technology to protect ourselves, than the ancient people had. Yet those ancient people survived and progressed, and eventually discovered the marvelous benefits of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are not only necessary for energy supplies and fertilizers, but also for thousands of products we use every day. Refer attached article: https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2019/11/f68/Products Made From Oil and Natural Gas Infographic.pdf There are many studies which reveal that far more people die from unusual cold weather than hot weather, globally. This implies that a warmer climate is better than a colder climate. Carbon Dioxide is not a pollutant. It's a clean and odourless gas which is essential for all life. All plants need it. Satellite information shows that our planet is greening as a result of increased CO2. Greenhouse farmers increase their productivity by injecting CO2 into the Greenhouse. I mention these facts because I have compassion for those who are so worried about their future because of the alarm created about CO2 emissions from the burning of fossil fuels.

The first truth about climate change one should learn, is that climate has always been changing throughout the history of our planet, due to a myriad of interconnected natural processes. Those natural processes do not suddenly stop as a result of human development. The effect of recent human activity on our climate represents the addition of yet another of the many, complex, contributing factors that continue to cause the climate to change. However, accurately measuring the significance of that human contribution to climate change is very challenging (if not impossible), due to the complexity of the issue. The satellite-based graph you have shown looks very scary because the Y axis represents a temperature change of just 1/10th of a degree for each full year that is represented on the X axis. One tenth of one degree is insignificant. We live in a world where the temperature changes by tens of degrees from day to night and from summer to winter. A change in temperature of 1/10th of a degree would be undetectable by any living creature. Imagine if that same graph had a Y axis where each step represented one whole degree. You would see an approximately straight horizontal line with just a few small wiggles. Another issue is the 'margin of error' when measuring temperature changes of 1/10th of a degree. Here's an interesting article from NASA addressing the issue. https://science.nasa.gov/climate-change/faq/which-measurement-is-more-accurate-taking-earths-surface-temperature-from-the-ground-or-from-space/ "Satellites don't directly measure temperature or the surface where people live. Instead, they measure the brightness of Earth's atmosphere. Scientists then use computer models to convert this brightness data into temperature information. To make matters more challenging, scientists gather brightness data from more than 16 different satellites. Think of it like receiving a box of puzzle pieces without a picture to guide you on how to complete the puzzle."

Urine contains urea as well as potassium, sulphates, ammonium, phosphate and nitrogen, which is why it's a natural fertilizer. The rest is water, which plants also love.

Urine is a fertilizer. Plants love it.

Is Walking Street for obese people? 🤣

The placebo effect alone will not fix a broken bone or a heart attack, but there is evidence it will help the recovery process, and reduce the pain and anxiety. The placebo effect in heart failure "Many patients who are enrolled in controlled clinical trials of new drugs for the treatment of heart failure show favorable hemodynamic and clinical responses to placebo therapy. This "placebo effect" results from both the creation of a supportive therapeutic environment and the spontaneous improvement that is commonly seen when measurements of symptoms and cardiac function are repeated frequently over long intervals of time. Three months of treatment with a placebo produces a reduction in symptoms in 25% to 35% of patients, an increase in cardiac output and a decrease in pulmonary wedge pressure, and an increase in exercise tolerance of up to 90 to 120 seconds. Physicians commonly seek to maximize the "placebo effect," since the goal of treatment in the clinical setting is to improve the quality of the patient's life. On the other hand, clinical investigators seek to minimize the "placebo effect, since the goal of a research study is to test the hypothesis that the new drug is superior to a placebo." https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2248215/

In such circumstances, any cure, or reduction of symptons, is due to the belief of the individual. Such belief is a pre-condition for any cure. It's known as the placebo effect. The following quote from the Bible, is an example of this placebo effect. "Luke 8:43-48: “Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years; and though she had spent all she had on physicians, no one could cure her. She came up behind Jesus and touched the fringe of his clothes, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped. Then Jesus asked, ‘Who touched me?’ When all denied it, Peter said, ‘Master, the crowds surround you and press in on you.’ But Jesus said, ‘Someone touched me; for I noticed that power had gone out from me.’ When the woman saw that she could not remain hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before him, she declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.’” Science is still trying to understand the processes of the placebo effect, but there's no denying that the effect exists. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/306437#clinical-usage-of-placebos Robert Buckman, clinical oncologist and professor of medicine, concludes that: “Placebos are extraordinary drugs. They seem to have some effect on almost every symptom known to mankind, and work in at least a third of patients and sometimes in up to 60 percent. They have no serious side-effects and cannot be given in overdose. In short, they hold the prize for the most adaptable, protean, effective, safe and cheap drugs in the world’s pharmacopeia.”

I don't believe it has stopped, but it does seem to have been significantly reduced. "Now around 70% of Queensland’s crop is harvested without burning. But wherever you are through our vast sugarcane regions, there is still the possibility that the dusk or dawn sky will be lit up with a cane burn – a big, bright whoosh and then it’s done." https://www.canegrowers.com.au/page/media/latest-news/why-pre-harvest-cane-fires-still-light-up-the-sky#:~:text=Now around 70% of Queensland's,whoosh and then it's done "Any cane grower can still apply to burn cane under the authority of a Permit to Light Fire." https://www.qfes.qld.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-04/QFES-InfoSheet-CaneBurningNotification.pdf

Thanks for the explanation. I'm learning something new today. I did an internet search to find out more information, and was surprised to find that pre-harvest burning of sugar cane is also done in parts of Australia and the USA, because of the economic benefits. However, I'm still a bit puzzled why the stems (or the stalks) of the sugar cane plant are resistant to burning. "Farmers burn sugarcane crops before harvest to remove the leaves and tops of the sugarcane plant leaving only the sugar-bearing stalk to be harvested." For those interested, the following article explains some of the benefits of pre-harvest burning. https://www.bdbcanegrowers.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Reasons-for-Burning.pdf "With large lodged crops it can be difficult to harvest due to the tangle of cane in the paddock. This lodged crop can increase the cost of harvesting to the growers if cut green, as the harvester may only be able to cut one way and or at a reduced rate. This increases the amount of diesel used to harvest the crop. By burning the crop the harvester is able to reduce fuel use, decreasing the cost to growers. The burning also enables the harvester operator to see the rows in the lodged cane and enables them to follow the rows. This reduces the damage to the cane improving its ability to ratoon for the following year." (Ratoon is the part of cane left underground after harvesting, and a loged crop is a crop where the stems have been displaced from their vertical position as a result of buckling). "Another benefit of the burning in this situation is the improved quality of the billets sent to the mill (less dirt, extraneous matter) that increase the return to the grower and miller (there is less wear and tear on the mill machinery from improved billet quality). Burning also has the ability to improve the quality of the sugar that is made at the mill."

How can anyone harvest sugar cane after burning it?

Did you miss the following point I made in the post you are responding to? "As I mentioned in a previous post, the mind/body often over-reacts to experiences which are interpreted as some sort of threat to our well-being, such as various types of stress, loss, discomfort, anxiety, pain, feelings of extreme cold or heat, and so on. I believe that control of the mind through meditation and mindful practices does help to reduce such over-reactions." The results of this experiment are interesting, as I mentioned, but not surprising. Science is a continuous process of experimentation and enquiry, in order to improve our understanding. To continue this experiemnt and increase our understanding of the potential power of meditation, I would suggest comparing the reactions of experienced Thai monks, who are used to warm weather, with the reaction of non-meditating Eskimos who are used to cold weather, both sleeping with the same type of clothing in the same cold weather. If it was discovered that the Thai monks were able to sleep as peacfully as the Eskimos, or even more peacefully, in those same conditions, that would be remarkable, and surprising for me.

That's an interesting article, Sunmaster, but the subject does need more research. As I understand, the human body adapts to cold temperatures, given a sufficient amount of time. The monks in the study you linked, appear to be used to cold weather, but not the scientists doing the study. From the article: "Working in isolated monasteries in the foothills of the Himalayas proved extremely difficult." As I mentioned in a previous post, the mind/body often over-reacts to experiences which are interpreted as some sort of threat to our well-being, such as various types of stress, loss, discomfort, anxiety, pain, feelings of extreme cold or heat, and so on. I believe that control of the mind through meditation and mindful practices does help to reduce such over-reactions. I would expect anyone who has been living in a cold climate in the Himalayas for a significant period would be able to withstand the cold weather much better than someone who is used to a warm climate. If they are well-practised meditators who have also acclimatised to the cold weather, as in this study, they should be able to increase that acclimatisation when meditating. I'll address a couple of quotes from the Harvard Gazette artticle. (1) "In a monastery in northern India, thinly clad Tibetan monks sat quietly in a room where the temperature was a chilly 40 degrees Fahrenheit." 40 degrees F is above the freezing point, and 'thinly clad' is a rather imprecise term for a scientific study. I imagine a 'thinly clad' Eskimo, who is used to much colder temperatures, would feel very comfortable at 40 degrees F, without engaging in any meditation. (2) "They also documented monks spending a winter night on a rocky ledge 15,000 feet high in the Himalayas. The sleep-out took place in February on the night of the winter full moon when temperatures reached zero degrees F. Wearing only woolen or cotton shawls, the monks promptly fell asleep on the rocky ledge, They did not huddle together and the video shows no evidence of shivering." Now zero degrees F is certainly cold. That's around minus 17 degrees C. But note, 'temperatures reached zero degrees F'. That suggests the minimum temperature was zero degrees F. But for how long? 10 minutes? Perhaps most of the night was much warmer. Also, 'wearing only woolen or cotton shawls'? One shawl, or perhaps two or three per monk? A woolen shawl can be used like a blanket. The scientists engaged in this study, should have compared the Tibetan monks' reaction to the cold weather, with some Thai monks' reaction to the same weather. They would then be able measure the difference between normal adaption to extreme cold, and the controlled effect resulting from meditation.

I bet they are not naked when meditating in the snow. They surely must rely upon external, material clothing to prevent frostbite. Are you suggesting that deep meditation can prevent frostbite? Frostbite can cause permanent damage to the limbs. I don't believe even the most experienced guru or meditator can prevent frostbite occurring in an extremely cold environment without the material protection of clothing. The suffering that Buddhism addresses is the unnecessary suffering resulting from the mental exaggeration of the basic processes of pain. The basic feeling of pain is an essential biological process for our survival. It's a message which informs the mind that something is wrong with the body. If one is able to completely ignore such messages of pain, and one does so in certain circumstances, then one could die. "It might sound extreme, but I think that if you are not the master of your mind, then you are its slave. If you believe you are the mind/body, then you are its slave. There is only one way to find out whether this is true or not. Practice looking within regularly. " I completely agree that we should strive to be in control our mind, thoughts, and desires, as much as possible. Most people seem unable to have sufficient control of their thoughts and desires, which is the cause of many (if not all) of the problems in the world. An obvious example is the prevalence of obesity. It should be obvious to anyone with basic intelligence, that overweight and obesity is not healthy and is caused by eating too much. The solution is very simple. Eat less and exercise more. When I see a politician, or religious leader, who is significantly overweight, I tend to think 'this is crazy'. Here's a man (or woman) who is seeking a position of control over other people, yet they don't even have a basic control over their own eating habits.

Even if you are meditating in a cave, focussing on your breath, you are still totally dependent upon an accommodating environment. If there's no atmosphere, there's no breath to concentrate on, and you die. If one meditates in a quiet and safe forest where the atmosphere is not polluted and the temperature is not too cold or too hot, and your seating position is comfortable, you are more likely to experience calmness and happiness. However, you cannot completely separate such experiences from the environment, although, with a strongly developed 'observing' mind you can reduce the negative effects of a disturbing environment. This concept of 'observing the mind' is problematic, because it's also the mind that does the oberving. What makes sense is that one part of the mind can observes other parts of the mind, such as arising thoughts. In other words, there are two main aspects of the mind, a 'thinking mind' full of chatter, and an 'observing mind'. I would suggest that separating the 'oberving mind' from the 'thinking mind' is the process of meditation. "You haven't answered the first question though. What is your source of happiness?" There are many sources. Here are some of them. I'm retired with an adequate pension, so I no longer have to do uninteresting work to sustain myself, or follow the orders of others. I feel free and independent. I take care of my own health by eating nutritious food and exercising regularly. I have a 5 acre property outside the city area where I can enjoy the quietude of the countryside and can often get close-up to the wild wallabies that freely jump around as I do my gardening. I'm surrounded by beautiful mountains, forests and landscapes which I enjoy hiking through, and taking photos, and I've trained my mind not to worry about anything. Reading about Buddhism has helped.

I agree that the brain needs an input from the mind to trigger the release of endorphins and so on, which result in happiness, but the mind, through perception from the five senses, also needs an input. I think it's more precise to say, 'the conditions which allow happiness to occur are in the mind and the brain, in the form of past events and experiences which are stored in the brain'. For example, it's known that the developed fetus in a woman's womb, prior to birth, can hear music and experience the mother's pleasure or displeasure, and associate that pleasure or displeasure with the type of music the mother is listening to. If the mother experiences great pleasure when listening to Mozart, whilst pregnant, and that same music is later played to the child after birth, the child will show great joy. However, if the music of Mozart is never played, the joy related to Mozart will not arise. The mind and the brain are essential for all knowledge and all experience, but so is the external environment. However, the mind and brain cannot exist without an accommodating environment. But the environment can exist without a human mind and brain, so what is the true source of all experiences?

If the good times never last, shouldn't the 'bad times' also never last?

I sense a certain imprecision in the language used in your above quote. I would rephrase it as follows. "Happiness results from activities in several areas of the brain, including the right frontal cortex, the precuneus, the left amygdala, and the left insula. This activity involves connections between awareness (frontal cortex and insula) and the “feeling center” (amygdala) of the brain." The external sources that often stimulate those feelings of happiness in the brain, vary enormously, and are related to each individual's background, lifestyle, and genetic characteristics. The Marcus Aurelius quote from Red Pheonix is very relevant in this context.