GrandmasterP Posted August 12, 2014 OooHHH So youre saying I have no Brain ! I skim read that as " I have no Brian." and thought... " We've got a Brian on TTB." 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted August 12, 2014 OooHHH So youre saying I have no Brain ! Hehehe. No, I didn't say or suggest that. But I did suggest that you have no mind because what is referred to by the use of the word is actually part of the brain. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted August 12, 2014 Where is the brain of the Tao? (and does the Tao have to have a brain before it exists beyond normal existence, hehe) (and isn't it a little strange that this string has spun so long, eh?) Yes, it is strange that this thread has lasted as long as it has. But it apparently flipped some switches and people are talking. Please do not personify Tao. There is no brain for Tao. Sorry. Remember, Tao follows Tzujan. It needs no brain. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GrandmasterP Posted August 12, 2014 (edited) To experience any facet of Tao we really need 'no-mind' IMO. Experiences are 'felt' ( perceived). Hence whatever we 'feel to' experience of or about Tao, by definition - at the moment we begin and attempt to describe what we felt / perceived- cannot be Tao. Edited August 12, 2014 by GrandmasterP 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3bob Posted August 13, 2014 "Please do not personify Tao. There is no brain for Tao. Sorry. Remember, Tao follows Tzujan. It needs no brain" By MH Ah this is where a lot of conceptual problems come up as in: to personify or not to personify, to de-personify or not to de-personify... me thinks somewhere in the middle although with some dependence on the framework... If a Sage is one with the Tao as directly alluded to in the T.T.C. then going by your pov they do not need a brain - hehe Btw, one can step out of and view their body (and also brain) from quicker energy realms - thus it could be said that non-physical brains and or minds, which of course are way before and also after the formation of just a flesh and blood one exist... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted August 13, 2014 You really don't want me to respond to that post 3bob. Hehehe. No, I will remain silent. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brian Posted August 13, 2014 I skim read that as " I have no Brian." and thought..." We've got a Brian on TTB." We are synonymous, you see. On my fourth birthday, an ice-cream cake was delivered to the party just moments before time to serve it. Unfortunately, I had been reading since I was two and immediately noticed that the cake read: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRAIN! <sigh> Story of ny life... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
silent thunder Posted August 13, 2014 I'm brian... and so's my wife! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3bob Posted August 13, 2014 (edited) You really don't want me to respond to that post 3bob. Hehehe. No, I will remain silent. You are free to respond or not regardless of what 3bob wants... Btw, I see the T.T.C. responding and correlating with my last post in Chapter 16 via the saying of: "...To be one with the Tao is to abide forever. Such a one will be safe and whole Even after the dissolution of his body" And with the logic and teaching above it follows that the body and the brain that it supports (or Brian if applicable) meets dissolution yet can "abide forever" "safe and whole" - which if one accepts that level of reasoning found in the T.T.C. (which to me is about more than only flesh and blood and human ethics) then such a saying is very reasonable... and if one does not accept that level of teachings in the T.T.C. (or at least the possibilities of same) then it is reasonable to say that such sayings in the T.T.C. are illogical, unreasonable and probably fantastically imaginary to them. Edited August 13, 2014 by 3bob Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted August 13, 2014 "...To be one with the Tao is to abide forever. Such a one will be safe and whole Even after the dissolution of his body" Yeah, we can talk about this. But first lit's look at Henrichs' translation of those two last lines: "To be like Heaven is to be one with the Tao; If you are one with the Tao, to the end of your days you'll suffer no harm." Nothing about "abiding forever". Nothing about what might be after physical death. And this really speaks to the concept of awareness, not any spiritual stuff. But still, (s)he who is remembered after death lives on (in the mind of those who remember them). Only after we have been forgotten has our life (and how it effected others) ended. I know you are a spiritual being, at least as to your view of the totality of reality. That's fine. I am a materialist. That's fine too. So I look into the totality of those aspects of Tao I can observe or be aware of and I see no reason to think that there is any part of me that will have any form of consciousness after my body and brain (or Brian) dies. But what we were will become aspects of other life forms. So yeah, we could say that there is the potential for aspects of us to live a very long time indeed. But after death, even these will not be us. It will be part of something else. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3bob Posted August 13, 2014 How many here see the T.T.C. as a whole and or in its the context (through many various translations and also through one's direct experience) speaking to the spiritual stuff while also giving pointers for the physical and ethical realms? (which is cool and also needed) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brian Posted August 13, 2014 Y'all be careful about killing me off prematurely. Not that I'd necessarily be troubled by it, of course, but you might miss me. Well... someone might... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh Posted August 13, 2014 (edited) You are free to respond or not regardless of what 3bob wants... Btw, I see the T.T.C. responding and correlating with my last post in Chapter 16 via the saying of: "...To be one with the Tao is to abide forever. Such a one will be safe and whole Even after the dissolution of his body" And with the logic and teaching above it follows that the body and the brain that it supports (or Brian if applicable) meets dissolution yet can "abide forever" "safe and whole" - which if one accepts that level of reasoning found in the T.T.C. (which to me is about more than only flesh and blood and human ethics) then such a saying is very reasonable... and if one does not accept that level of teachings in the T.T.C. (or at least the possibilities of same) then it is reasonable to say that such sayings in the T.T.C. are illogical, unreasonable and probably fantastically imaginary to them. You may not agree with this ,, but I feel It agrees well with my view of the sage,, its not a real person , its a literary tool , which is the personification of tao (as a human would be) , demonstrative of the situation where someone was actually following the advice that the TTC propounds. for ex.. Why shouldnt one get involved with everyone elses business? Well , the sage doesnt , and you cant really lay any blame on him , and he lets you do as you'd choose. the logic of the advice to not interfere , applies even unto the extreme of the sage or Tao. Edited August 13, 2014 by Stosh Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh Posted August 13, 2014 I'm brian... and so's my wife! No no no! Im really Brian ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh Posted August 13, 2014 Y'all be careful about killing me off prematurely. Not that I'd necessarily be troubled by it, of course, but you might miss me. Well... someone might... So ,, Rise on the third day and freak us all out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted August 13, 2014 So ,, Rise on the third day and freak us all out. Yes, that would be really strange. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
silent thunder Posted August 13, 2014 zombie brian blood cult for the win! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vanir Thunder Dojo Tan Posted August 28, 2014 Ive come to the decision that our system has deteriorated and the vote has been defeated by the paradigm of divide and conquer. When the supreme court can say that corporations are individuals and police canines are officers ,, well, the fall of the roman empire is repeating itself. we the people..... what a farce. we the people dont even believe in we the people anymore, and those of us that DO, are fucking considered "really strange!" Its an outrage, a downright injustice that we the people divest from we the people. Where is the justice anymore, where are the vigilantes, where is the group who will stand against all odds and say "Right makes might!" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aaron Posted August 28, 2014 (edited) I urge everyone to be strange for at least a little while. I'm strange to most people. I'm a gay jew living in a small conservative western Washington town. I refuse to conform, unless there's a reason to conform. For me living life is about living as simply as possible. My home consists of a studio apartment about the size of most people's bedrooms. My only luxury is a full sized tub in the bathroom. I'm happy, my studio is small, and doesn't take much time to clean. I don't have a car, which is very uncommon, instead I have a bike, which also has fenders to keep the streaks of mud from running up my back when I'm riding in the rain, and it does rain a lot here. I tend to talk with a faint accent. People often ask if I'm from back east. I tell them yes, Florida, but I don't tell them my accent is from New York. I like to keep them guessing. I live in a very religious community and work for the Catholic Church as a counselor. Yes, they are aware there is a gay jew in their midst, so no worries about that. I help people who have substance abuse problems as a counselor. Most of these people worry about "being normal", I tell them normal is overrated and sometimes the best you can ask for is a peaceful day. Sobriety and life in general shouldn't really even be about strange or normal, but rather whether we are living our lives authentically. Authenticity means you never have to lie about who you are. I've had to do that out of fear in the past, but I don't do it anymore. If you like me, you like me. If you don't, you don't. I ramble, that makes me strange, but what makes me happy is that I do something I love and get paid to do it. I have good friends that I have the good fortune of sharing my time with and I have opportunities that many people don't have. In the end I will live my life as I see fit, for so long as I can. Compassion, frugality, and never striving to be first in the world. Try that for awhile and you'll know what strange is. Edited August 28, 2014 by Aaron 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh Posted August 28, 2014 we the people..... what a farce. we the people dont even believe in we the people anymore, and those of us that DO, are fucking considered "really strange!" Its an outrage, a downright injustice that we the people divest from we the people. Where is the justice anymore, where are the vigilantes, where is the group who will stand against all odds and say "Right makes might!" I think Im right almost all the time, and the other times Im just not sure. But Im suspicious that vigilante justice has the same pitfall as our voting habits , it hinges on uncoordinated opinion. Persons -are often decent , its mobs that rarely are. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chang Posted August 28, 2014 I think Im right almost all the time, and the other times Im just not sure. But Im suspicious that vigilante justice has the same pitfall as our voting habits , it hinges on uncoordinated opinion. Persons -are often decent , its mobs that rarely are. The last thing we want are vigilantes or mobs seeking justice, for "What are a handful of reasonable men against a crowd with stones in their hands?" GEORGE ELIOT, Romola As for being really strange one of my old Mums favourite sayings was "Theres nowt as queer as folk." Its true I'm afraid. As regards a group who will stand against all odds and say "Right makes might!" Well good luck in finding a group who can all agree on what is right or have the wisdom to recognise it when they find it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted August 28, 2014 we the people..... No argument to your post but let us not forget that when that was written "we the people" was referring to Landed, White, Males only. Everyone else were not "we the people" just as it remains today in the most part. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GrandmasterP Posted August 28, 2014 (edited) Quite right too. Time was here in Blighty that only male Freeholders aged over 35 had a vote. Leaseholders and the unlanded could not vote but their landlord could vote 'on their behalf'. We used to have entire ' Rotten Boroughs' wherein the lord of the manor was the only voter . Hence ( surprise surprise) either the Lord of the Manor, his brother or similar close relly or chum was the sitting Member of Parliament winning every election with a 100% landslide majority. British Democracy really meant something back in the day. Edited August 28, 2014 by GrandmasterP 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vanir Thunder Dojo Tan Posted August 29, 2014 No argument to your post but let us not forget that when that was written "we the people" was referring to Landed, White, Males only. Everyone else were not "we the people" just as it remains today in the most part. There's missing the point, and then there's enforcing that the point be missed. kudos on the latter. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
