What has humanity actually achieved?

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samseva
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Re: What has humanity actually achieved?

Post by samseva »

So, as to be more clear...

What remarkable, positive and purposeful things has humanity achieved?
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Vanda
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Re: What has humanity actually achieved?

Post by Vanda »

SDC,

Thank you. :)

Those who wish to click over and contribute to that thread, the topic is: "How can we support all beings within nature?"
Last edited by Vanda on Thu Aug 27, 2015 10:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
“Don’t go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, ‘This contemplative is our teacher.’ When you know for yourselves that, ‘These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted and carried out, lead to welfare and to happiness’ — then you should enter and remain in them.”
- Kalama Sutta, Anguttara Nikaya
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Mkoll
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Re: What has humanity actually achieved?

Post by Mkoll »

samseva wrote:
Mkoll wrote:
samseva wrote:The purpose of this thread was to actually find positive things humanity has achieved. Meaning all the overly negative/pessimistic and environmental posts are off-topic.

:focus:
If only that had been mentioned in the OP... ;)
Yeah, it wasn't that clear. However, now that it is, we can move in that direction—which will make for a much better (and uplifting) discussion.
Agreed!
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
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Vanda
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Re: What has humanity actually achieved?

Post by Vanda »

What remarkable, positive and purposeful things has humanity achieved?

Wow.... that's a tough one :?

The ability to create fire?
The printing press? Dissemination of wisdom.. to other humans (so they can be more balanced)..?

I have a feeling this thread will come to a screeching halt trying to answer that question... lol
“Don’t go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, ‘This contemplative is our teacher.’ When you know for yourselves that, ‘These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted and carried out, lead to welfare and to happiness’ — then you should enter and remain in them.”
- Kalama Sutta, Anguttara Nikaya
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Vanda
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Re: What has humanity actually achieved?

Post by Vanda »

We stopped enslaving each other?
“Don’t go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, ‘This contemplative is our teacher.’ When you know for yourselves that, ‘These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted and carried out, lead to welfare and to happiness’ — then you should enter and remain in them.”
- Kalama Sutta, Anguttara Nikaya
daverupa
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Re: What has humanity actually achieved?

Post by daverupa »

Language.

:quote:
  • "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

    "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.

- Sedaka Sutta [SN 47.19]
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Vanda
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Re: What has humanity actually achieved?

Post by Vanda »

Daverupa,

:(
Not that great of an achievement. Animal species communicate with each other, even plant species communicate with each other.
“Don’t go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, ‘This contemplative is our teacher.’ When you know for yourselves that, ‘These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted and carried out, lead to welfare and to happiness’ — then you should enter and remain in them.”
- Kalama Sutta, Anguttara Nikaya
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Sam Vara
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Re: What has humanity actually achieved?

Post by Sam Vara »

Laughter :jumping:
daverupa
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Re: What has humanity actually achieved?

Post by daverupa »

Vanda wrote:Daverupa,

:(
Not that great of an achievement. Animal species communicate with each other, even plant species communicate with each other.
Not the same at all. I didn't say "communication". I said, "language".
  • "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

    "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.

- Sedaka Sutta [SN 47.19]
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Aloka
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Re: What has humanity actually achieved?

Post by Aloka »

daverupa wrote:Language.

:quote:

:goodpost:
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rowboat
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Re: What has humanity actually achieved?

Post by rowboat »

The human species has mastered fire and harnessed the power of the beasts; we invented agriculture and the science of metallurgy; we've created work-saving machines from the wheel and the inclined plane to the combustion engine and the personal computer; the last one hundred years has been a time of the most wonderful discoveries in the field of Medicine; we've walked on the moon and even launched a probe to explore the outer reaches of the solar system; from the grand temples of Ancient Egypt and Greece to Bach's sublime suites for cello; it can be said, in every way imaginable: humanity has surpassed.

So it would seem. And yet here we are. A typical person today is likely to be at times no less angry or violent, greedy, deceitful, or destructive - than a human being of the distant past. So the real question is: 'what is progress.'
Rain soddens what is covered up,
It does not sodden what is open.
Therefore uncover what is covered
That the rain will not sodden it.
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Vanda
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Re: What has humanity actually achieved?

Post by Vanda »

Daverupa,

Tomato, Toe-mah-toe, the difference lies in our inability to understand the full depth of their conversations.
“Don’t go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, ‘This contemplative is our teacher.’ When you know for yourselves that, ‘These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted and carried out, lead to welfare and to happiness’ — then you should enter and remain in them.”
- Kalama Sutta, Anguttara Nikaya
daverupa
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Re: What has humanity actually achieved?

Post by daverupa »

Vanda wrote:Daverupa,

Tomato, Toe-mah-toe, the difference lies in our inability to understand the full depth of their conversations.
Such presumption! (We don't understand, but you understand enough to know we don't understand... but you've already made a value-assessment of language vs. what ..chemical communication? Another hidden assumption...) :lol: And yet, here we are, using language to discuss it; you made a post recently, using language, to communicate to others about what you felt was an important effort to encourage nature.

So yeah, language. Your own use of it proves the point, as it happens...
  • "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

    "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.

- Sedaka Sutta [SN 47.19]
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Vanda
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Re: What has humanity actually achieved?

Post by Vanda »

Daverupa,

Such presumption, and arrogance, on your end. Science is learning in leaps and bounds, how other animals, besides us, communicate, the depth and breadth of their lives. You presume stupidity, I prefer to say we do not have enough understanding to make that call.
Last edited by Vanda on Fri Aug 28, 2015 1:44 am, edited 2 times in total.
“Don’t go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, ‘This contemplative is our teacher.’ When you know for yourselves that, ‘These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted and carried out, lead to welfare and to happiness’ — then you should enter and remain in them.”
- Kalama Sutta, Anguttara Nikaya
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DNS
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Re: What has humanity actually achieved?

Post by DNS »

There are plenty of posts in this thread which show the achievements of humanity. But if you are purposely blind to notice it, you won't see it.

A great story illustrates this:

A young, successful couple found their dream home. Shortly after purchasing it, the couple sat at their kitchen table to indulge in a delicious breakfast. The wife looked out the window, and to her surprise, she saw her neighbor hanging dirty laundry on the clothesline.

“That laundry isn’t clean, it’s still dirty!” she said to her husband. “Someone needs to teach her a thing or two when it comes to washing her clothes!”
A couple of days later, the couple sat down at their kitchen table for another meal. The wife saw her neighbor hanging clothes on the clothesline. But this time something was different.

“Wow, look!” the surprised wife said to her husband, “Her clothes are clean! Someone must have taught her how to wash her clothes!” Without raising his head from his plate, the husband kindly responded, “Actually, honey, I got up early this morning and washed the window.”

And so it is with life—what we see when watching others depends on the window through which we look. Washing our own windows from time to time changes our perspective.
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