Analysis

### **Introduction** This post explores how the Early Buddhist Texts (EBTs) can illuminate and defend the rationality of an afterlife — and thus enrich the current intellectual discourse. I've been developing this expression for a decade and want to thank everyone who has helped me out. --- ### **1. Problem Statement** The classic "afterlife debate" in philosophy  comes down to a familiar dichotomy: A) Either there is *consequent existence*  B) Or there is *nothing*  In general, many thinkers assume the second option is **rational** and the first is **superstitious**; or assert that agnosticism is the most reasonable stance. I will show how the framework of the EBTs calls to redirect discussion — from the discussion about *whether there is a **recurrent existence** or **a nothingness***; to **analysis of the causal relations begetting subjective existence** and **deducing what would make a cessation of subjective existence possible**. --- ### **2. Thesis Statement** I wil...

I will show my interpretative analysis of the Four Noble Truths, as presented in SN56.11 — by cross-reference. **The First Noble Truth** Here's the definition Pali *Idaṁ kho pana, bhikkhave, dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ—jātipi dukkhā, jarāpi dukkhā, byādhipi dukkho, maraṇampi dukkhaṁ, appiyehi sampayogo dukkho, piyehi vippayogo dukkho, yampicchaṁ na labhati tampi dukkhaṁ—saṅkhittena pañcupādānakkhandhā dukkhā* —SN56.11 English > This, indeed, monks, is the noble truth of suffering—birth is suffering, aging is suffering, illness is suffering, death is suffering, association with the disliked is suffering, separation from the liked is suffering, not obtaining what one desires is suffering—in brief, the five clung-to aggregates (pañc'upādānakkhandhā) are suffering. —SN56.11 Pañc'upādānakkhandhā here is a compound noun, meaning the five clung-to aggregates for which one has desire. This is established by cross-reference with SN22.82 > Venerable sir, is that clinging (upādāna) the ...

**What is 'Dukkha' and do the Arahants have it?** There is a surprising controversy around this term 'Dukkha', usually translated as 'suffering'. Many people believe that one's attachment or clinging to the aggregates is what constitutes dukkha in the early texts rather than the aggregates themselves being dukkha. I will show that this is wrong. Let's look at some texts > There is no dukkha like the aggregates and no bliss higher than the peace. > Hunger is the worst disease, conditioned things the worst dukkha. - Dhp 197-198 > "These three, bhikkhus (monks), are suffering. What are these three? > The suffering of pain (dukkhadukkhatā), the suffering of formations (saṅkhāradukkhatā), and the suffering of change (vipariṇāmadukkhatā)— For the direct knowledge, full understanding, exhaustion, and abandonment of these three kinds of suffering, bhikkhus, … the noble eightfold path is to be developed." - sn45.165 Here it's important t...

**Introduction** In the study of the Buddhist texts, one encounters many subtle and intricate teachings on the nature of mind and suffering. Among the most peculiar of these concepts is the term pāpañca, often translated as "mental proliferation". I have studied this concept and want to present my take on it.  As I see it, pāpañca describes the process by which the mind expands on simple experiences, attaching excessive meanings, interpretations, and emotions to them. This results in a clouding of perception and an escalation of suffering. However, there exists an important counterpoint to this proliferation of thought—nipāpañca, the absence or cessation of mental elaborations. Understanding pāpañca and nipāpañca is crucial not only for deepening our understanding of the Buddhist path but also for refining our practice of mindfulness and wisdom. **Pāpañca: The Narrative of the Mind** The word pāpañca derives from the root pa (to spread, expand) and pañca (five), often linked ...

**Introduction:** This post explores the building blocks of postmodern theory and the application of modern epistemological razors to the epistemological framework presented in the Early Buddhist Texts for analysis of their falsifiability.  **1. Problem Statement:** In the landscape of philosophical and religious thought, there’s a recurring debate about the relationship between subjectivity and objectivity, as well as the nature of knowledge and truth. Traditional philosophical frameworks like Hume’s Guillotine and Kantian epistemology  have laid the groundwork for understanding this relationship. The emergence of radical postmodern thought further complicates the matters by challenging the very merit of looking for foundations of objectivity. Amidst this philosophical turmoil, there’s a need for a robust epistemological tool that can cut through the ambiguity and identify the fundamental flaws in various interpretations of reality. **2. Thesis Statement:** The Postmodern Raz...