Hi all,
I recently published an article (personal blog) in my attempt to answer one of the most well-known 'unsolved' philosophical questions regarding existence and I thought I'd share it with you all .
I approached the question through my understanding of the Dhamma thus far, after years of reading and watching Dhamma talk videos, but more recently through the teachings of Ven. Ajahn Nyanamoli Thero from Hillside Hermitage. After publishing the article, I contacted Ajahn Nyanamoli to let him know of it and safe to say (and happily) that he approved of it!
The article summarises my understanding of the Venerable's approach and I hope anyone may benefit from reading it
Link to article: https://dicsonstable.wordpress.com/2021 ... ng-at-all/
Ajahn's stamp of approval: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... sp=sharing
With Metta
Dicson
Why Is There Anything At All?
- dicsoncandra
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Why Is There Anything At All?
arising is manifest;
ceasing is manifest;
change-while-standing is manifest.
Link to website: http://dicsonstable.blog/
ceasing is manifest;
change-while-standing is manifest.
Link to website: http://dicsonstable.blog/
Re: Why Is There Anything At All?
Excellent, Dicson! A very clean and clear description. Very cool that the Venerable approved!
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Re: Why Is There Anything At All?
nonexistence does not exist
never has, never will
this may seem unsatisfactory
never has, never will
this may seem unsatisfactory
Re: Why Is There Anything At All?
There is no way to show that there is anything at all
Never has been, never will be
This may seem unsatisfactory
chownnah
Never has been, never will be
This may seem unsatisfactory
chownnah
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Re: Why Is There Anything At All?
some things are obvious
Re: Why Is There Anything At All?
The buddha dhamma is deep....it is not an obvious thing.....
chownah
Re: Why Is There Anything At All?
the Buddha Dhamma says ‘something’ exists even when there is no recognition of it - AN 3.136 & SN 12.20dicsoncandra wrote: ↑Sun Jun 20, 2021 1:29 pm the Buddha Dhamma, and I hope not to misrepresent the Teaching in any way ... Firstly, we need to see that ‘something’ exists only when there is a presence of recognition of it, which implies that a phenomenon is present.
Assuming i browsed the article accurately, my impression is both the article & the Teaching do not answer Leibniz's question regarding "existence" because it appears "bhava" in Dependent Origination does not to mean the generic term "existence". For example, from Pali, various words are translated as "existence" by translators, such as "atthi-ta" & "bhava". "Bhava" appears to mean "becoming", i.e., the creation of a self-identity (MN 44) from a consciousness "established/stuck in" a sense object (AN 3.76) . Where as the "atthi" ("existence") of Nibbana (Ud 8.1), for example, does not mean "bhava". The article appears to correctly mention "appropriation" of the aggregates, which is part of "becoming" but not necessarily related to "existence".dicsoncandra wrote: ↑Sun Jun 20, 2021 1:29 pm I contacted Ajahn Nyanamoli to let him know of it and safe to say (and happily) that he approved of it!
In other words, what Leibniz refers to as "existence" appears similar to what the article calls "appearance" (namely, "sense contact"). Since the article itself says "existence ceases (appearance remains)" then then article does not appear to answer Leibniz's question regarding ‘why is there appearance at all?' Thus the suttas say:
Conjecture about [the origin, etc., of] the world is an unconjecturable that is not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness & vexation to anyone who conjectured about it.
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html
There is always an official executioner. If you try to take his place, It is like trying to be a master carpenter and cutting wood. If you try to cut wood like a master carpenter, you will only hurt your hand.
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Re: Why Is There Anything At All?
Existence in dependent arising and of ordinary worldly meaning are of two different domain .
No bashing No gossiping
Re: Why Is There Anything At All?
https://dicsonstable.wordpress.com/2021 ... ng-at-all/
Is there the sound of a tree falling if there is no one listening?
If there are no thoughts present, is there a thinker even?
No separation between the experienced and the experiencer.
Is there the sound of a tree falling if there is no one listening?
If there are no thoughts present, is there a thinker even?
No separation between the experienced and the experiencer.
‘When this exists, that comes to be; with the arising of this, that arises. When this does not exist, that does not come to be; with the cessation of this, that ceases.
And what is right speech? Abstaining from lying, from divisive speech, from abusive speech, & from idle chatter: This is called right speech.
Re: Why Is There Anything At All?
The experiencer is the experienced one and the same . But people mistook it for two separate thing hence duality . Then the notion of non duality pop up due to awareness of the misapprehension of the mind .
No bashing No gossiping
Re: Why Is There Anything At All?
Sounds like Hinduism
There is always an official executioner. If you try to take his place, It is like trying to be a master carpenter and cutting wood. If you try to cut wood like a master carpenter, you will only hurt your hand.
https://soundcloud.com/doodoot/paticcasamuppada
https://soundcloud.com/doodoot/anapanasati
https://soundcloud.com/doodoot/paticcasamuppada
https://soundcloud.com/doodoot/anapanasati
Re: Why Is There Anything At All?
No , the thoughts accumulation and subtraction movement is thinking process itself , the thinking that being aware by consciousness being assimilate as the thinker .
No bashing No gossiping
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Re: Why Is There Anything At All?
Hi Doodoot,DooDoot wrote: ↑Mon Jun 21, 2021 7:11 amthe Buddha Dhamma says ‘something’ exists even when there is no recognition of it - AN 3.136 & SN 12.20dicsoncandra wrote: ↑Sun Jun 20, 2021 1:29 pm the Buddha Dhamma, and I hope not to misrepresent the Teaching in any way ... Firstly, we need to see that ‘something’ exists only when there is a presence of recognition of it, which implies that a phenomenon is present.
Assuming i browsed the article accurately, my impression is both the article & the Teaching do not answer Leibniz's question regarding "existence" because it appears "bhava" in Dependent Origination does not to mean the generic term "existence". For example, from Pali, various words are translated as "existence" by translators, such as "atthi-ta" & "bhava". "Bhava" appears to mean "becoming", i.e., the creation of a self-identity (MN 44) from a consciousness "established/stuck in" a sense object (AN 3.76) . Where as the "atthi" ("existence") of Nibbana (Ud 8.1), for example, does not mean "bhava". The article appears to correctly mention "appropriation" of the aggregates, which is part of "becoming" but not necessarily related to "existence".dicsoncandra wrote: ↑Sun Jun 20, 2021 1:29 pm I contacted Ajahn Nyanamoli to let him know of it and safe to say (and happily) that he approved of it!
In other words, what Leibniz refers to as "existence" appears similar to what the article calls "appearance" (namely, "sense contact"). Since the article itself says "existence ceases (appearance remains)" then then article does not appear to answer Leibniz's question regarding ‘why is there appearance at all?' Thus the suttas say:Conjecture about [the origin, etc., of] the world is an unconjecturable that is not to be conjectured about, that would bring madness & vexation to anyone who conjectured about it.
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html
I began the sentence with what the existence recognises, which is that 'something', but never meant to imply what I apparently wrote. I'll re-read it and do the necessary correction, thank you for your input
And yes, that is my answer it is inconceivable but what I hinted was that 'presence, which is always positive, validates itself.' and thus appearance is (i.e., unquestionable and unexplainable), after which I proposed the more pertinent question regarding bhava.
I'll revise my articulation when I see the slightest fault so feel free to let me know
Metta
Dicson
Last edited by dicsoncandra on Mon Jun 21, 2021 1:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
arising is manifest;
ceasing is manifest;
change-while-standing is manifest.
Link to website: http://dicsonstable.blog/
ceasing is manifest;
change-while-standing is manifest.
Link to website: http://dicsonstable.blog/
- dicsoncandra
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Re: Why Is There Anything At All?
Also, I revised much of the article after my interaction with the Ajahn multiple times after, on my own accord, to which I simply let him know that it is for the sake of better clarity at one point in time before I revised it again and again since. It is very tricky to write one and perhaps I should have given myself more time to re-read and edit it before publishing
Regardless, I appreciate any feedback from anyone with the right intention
Regardless, I appreciate any feedback from anyone with the right intention
arising is manifest;
ceasing is manifest;
change-while-standing is manifest.
Link to website: http://dicsonstable.blog/
ceasing is manifest;
change-while-standing is manifest.
Link to website: http://dicsonstable.blog/
- dicsoncandra
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- Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2021 3:19 pm
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- Contact:
Re: Why Is There Anything At All?
Hi DooDoot,
I have just revised it along with some other paragraphs too
All Is Well
Dicson
arising is manifest;
ceasing is manifest;
change-while-standing is manifest.
Link to website: http://dicsonstable.blog/
ceasing is manifest;
change-while-standing is manifest.
Link to website: http://dicsonstable.blog/