Analysis

###**Introduction** In this post I show the relevant excerpts from Early Buddhist Texts (EBTs) as to how they frame the semantics of the term "consciousness" and it's ontology. I aim to present a more or less complete exposition here albeit without outlining the entire philosophical framework of the texts. I want eyes on this and encourage people to take a look because the presentation and translations of EBTs are still relatively new and not widely studied. Below I will first make a statement contextualizing the following excerpts and consequently a short conclusion. ###**Statement** In general, EBTs treat consciousness as something not even momentary, because a moment would have a beginning, middle and end, three instances of **cognized change** — thus three distinct instances of cognition-discernment. The change is like change of anything in relation to anything in the world — it's incomprehensible in terms of calculable speed. It is radical impermanence where chan...

### **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...