[Buddha-l] Extraterrestrial

[jkirk]

I'm not into Yogacara so I can't respond to your point about that, but in 
general I don't see how Buddhist views would change in any way if 
extraterrestrials landed. Why would they? I don't see how annata, anicca, 
and dukkha would be changed or affected. How did you think they might be 
affected?  what did you havein imind?

Of course, if some aliens operated on people's brains and changed their 
cognitive and perceptive structures, then Buddhist views --along with a 
whole lot of other views and perceptions--might disappear.
Such changes could be imagined as creating human robots who'd obey the 
aliens automatically. (Sort of like some voters today who've been 
brainwashed?)

Michel wrote: "Bring on the bug-eyed monsters, we'll get them sitting 
cross-tentacled on black cushions quickly enough."

What a great Simpsons cartoon that idea would make.
Best, Joanna
===========


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Chamberlin" <jchamberl at cox.net>
To: "Buddhist Discussion" <Buddha-L at mailman.swcp.com>
Sent: Saturday, April 29, 2006 10:01 AM
Subject: [Buddha-l] Extraterrestrial


What would be the immediate and long-term effects on the world’s
great religions if extraterrestrial life were discovered?

“Extraterrestrial” meaning a life form intelligent or otherwise that
is proven to be entirely independent of life on Earth, and not just a
continuation of terrestrial life as a result of a meteor impact with
microbes flying into the void from Earth and seeding terrestrial life
on another planet.

Since this is a Buddhist discussion group, would there be a challenge
to the general Buddhist dogmas of “No Self” and “Emptiness”? I would
think the more Solipsistic Buddhist sects, if you all will allow me
to use a Western term, such as Yogocara might find a challenge here?
Or, would little green men simply have the same general
characteristics as earth-bound phenomena?

In Christianity, the general belief in Incarnation might find some
problems? The idea of the “Son Of God” taking on multitudes of alien
flesh might shake a few trees, not to mention the fact that such a
discovery would make the Copernican Revolution look like a cherry
bomb in a mailbox!

I’m currently outlining a screenplay of just such a discovery and its
socio-religious effects. I would appreciate any references if anybody
knows of any publications on this topic. I also thought it might make
for an interesting discussion?

Jack Chamberlin


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