Ever wonder if stepping into a transporter in Star Trek is instant death? I mean, it tears apart your molecules and then reassembles you somewhere else, so is that really you, or is that just a copy and the old you is now dead? Or is there some other way to think about it?

If that question is even remotely interesting to you, then you ought to check out Dr. Charles Goodman on The Doctrine of No-Self. This is a podcast in which Goodman, who's a professor of eastern philosophy, makes an argument for the Buddhist concept of no-self. What's nice is that he goes out of his way to make it in purely rational terms (ie, no appeals to authority or revelation or whatnot) -- which is a little tricky in a few places, but overall works pretty well and makes the stuff pretty accessible. It centers heavily on the concept of the self, of course, but it also touches on other things such as language, space, and time.

It's long -- just over an hour and a half -- but it's totally worth it. If you're already familiar with this stuff, it provides a nice articulation of it that you might enjoy. If you're new to it, it'll probably blow your mind. It's great stuff.

There's a quote, although I can't remember it precisely, that goes to the effect of, "even five minutes of zazen makes the world a little bit brighter." There's something to that.

Buddhism feels very much to me like having the teacher's edition of life. Sure, you still have to show your work, but at least you know what direction to go in. Honestly, it feels almost like cheating. I can't think of any other school of thought I've encountered that I've gotten that sense from.

Which reminds me: why aren't you reading barrygraham?

Some areas in which it sounds like Kabbalah has some overlap with the Buddha dharma. Which it may not, because I know jack shit about either. Still, interesting.

Also featuring: creepy little doors in people's heads.



( here thar be tubes... )



... Though the comparison is far from perfect. It sounds kinda like they're trying to cram nondualism into a dualistic context (or, at least, dualistic language.) Of course, I understand nonduality in the same way a fourteen year-old understands Téa Leoni, so caveat browser.

Which, actually, dates me in a weird kind of way.

Except that it doesn't, which sort of makes it a weird yet creepy kind of way.

Also, feel free to mock me for differentiating language and context. Har-dee-har-har.



Leave me to my shame.