Eastern Philosophy

Learning the GameOfGo will improve your ability to appreciate eastern philosophy, such as striking a balance between conflicting goals. Also note that unlike GameOfChess, all playing pieces are identical. [Also note that until recently, Eastern political systems have been dominated by empires and feudalism...]

It is claimed that TheMatrix is a well disguised film about eastern philosophy. The counter claim is that it contains only EasternAphorisms.

Well, if the film does live up to that claim, what could we learn from it about EP?

Where is the eastern philosophy in TheMatrix?

I'd say the entire theme of illusion and being confined by perceived limitations that do not actually exist. Examples are the sparring scene and the spoon bending scene.

Hmmm. Ok, so the folks in the Matrix who know they are in the Matrix and have mastered its API can do things apparently impossible to the people in the Matrix who don't know that they are in the Matrix, is that right? Things that seem impossible because, say, your muscles shouldn't be able to move your limbs that quickly, your nervous system shouldn't be able to respond to stimuli that quickly, and so on. To the uninitiated, you seem to break the rules of the universe. Well, if that's meant to be some sort of analogy for eastern philosophy, then what apparent rules of this universe could I break if I "knew the API"? That is, what are the limits that we dullards perceive that don't really exist?

Limits? How about the CommunityLifeCycle holding this wiki down?

That's an interesting one. Having a page for CommunityLifeCycle indicates that at least some Wiki folks recognize the problem. And the comments on WabiSabi as it relates to Wiki suggest also that some folk know the answer. So why do we still punish ourselves here the way we do? And how might eastern philosophy help us stop?

CategoryPhilosophy

Here's a pet peeve of mine: people who feel their identity is immutable. People who take the Meyers-Briggs and regurgitate those same four letters for the rest of their life. Unfortunately, those people are just as mutable as anyone else, only by not being proactive, they relinquish the control of their situation to others. Go learn the API for WillToPower.

It's easy to see that this trait might be annoying. What does it have to do with whatever analogy between TheMatrix and EasternPhilosophy may or may not exist?

You're obviously not an INFP, or you wouldn't have to ask that. :) -- NotTheOriginalAuthor

The question was,"what apparent rules of this universe could I break if I "knew the API"?". -- TheOriginalAuthor

Are you suggesting that some people's tendency to view their identity as immutable is a an apparent rule of the universe?

The apparent rule of the universe that EasternPhilosophy tries to break is that the world is composed of separate things. When you see the truth, you will experience the world in a completely different way. EasternPhilosophy says that you construct this illusion for yourself, and therefore only you can deconstruct it. This is the analogy to TheMatrix.

The question is, why bother?

Or perhaps, "You know the question, just as I did. It is the question that drives us, Neo."

I have often heard "Why Bother?" being said in relation to spirituality. I would urge people who ask it to ponder over the following.

This universe always existed and will always continue to exist (Ok Let's not get into the big bang theory right now). We exist for a brief period of 60 - 100 years in which we perform various activities. All that we do in life - work, money, pleasure, etc. - will cease to have meaning to us after we no longer exist. It may have meaning to others, but they too will cease to exist someday. If we look at things from this perspective, a lot of our ambitions, etc., seem meaningless. A natural question to ask is whether there is continuity of our existence in some form. An answer to this question gives greater meaning to life and our actions. The crux of Eastern Philosophy is that all beings in this universe are immortal souls (or consciousness), that go through the cycle of birth and death because they have chosen to identify themselves with an illusion of his universe. If we are able to see reality as it is and break away from this illusion, we break out of this cycle of birth and death and exist in a state of unlimited bliss.

I'm certain that others will differ and have arguments against this. However, my request to all is to make an attempt to understand this concept before arguing against it.

Actually, Christianity and Vedanta (India/Pakistan) acknowledge the existence of immortal souls . Buddhism (India/Tibet/China) does not, AFAIK.

The Buddha apparently went for an 'I can neither confirm nor deny' type of answer on this matter, for the reason that the answer held no benefit for those seeking the Dharma. This is known to scholars of Buddhism as The Silence of the Buddha.

You are pointing to a striking fact (you mentioned it right 60 to 100 years at best). The question is why the majority of the world population encounter this fact but don't bother. However, don't forget that all true religions (including Buddhism) have talked about the great aim of existence and the life waiting for us after this brief passage. The Buddha said "you will see when you get there".

[Of course, that begs the question, "Is the truth of our religions revealed to us or the product of our thoughts and observations?]