From: Entropyfoe@aol.com
Date: Sat Oct 03 1998 - 21:11:33 MDT
Natasha wrote...
>I don't think that conventional Buddhism ties in so neatly to extropianism,
>mainly because of reincarnation and the acceptance of suffering and that
>it can only be eliminated by a spiritual overcoming. Accepting suffering
>is accepting death. Overcoming suffering through spirituality is a fairy
>tale reality and pseudoscience.
Yes I agree, Buddhism does not tie neatly into Extropianism, rather I said it
the most Extropian of the established religions. As for reincarnation, many,
esp in Zen, are agnostic. One master when asked "What happens after you
die?", answered, "How would I know, I am not dead !". Yes, life is suffering,
but it is not grim, for with dilligence, one can transcend it. Regardless of
the possibility of a fairy tale, the psychological /mental aspects of the
Buddhist practice is a powerful example of conscious(ness) development.
Buddha asked that the methods not be taken on faith, but be tried with a
critical and emprical attitude.
Hence, Extropianism, being eclectic, draws the best ideas and methods from all
sources. Not just the Zen, but Pirsig's ideas on Quality also.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Fri Nov 01 2002 - 14:49:38 MST