[Buddha-l] Tortoise mind?

[L.S. Cousins]

Erik,

>I would say that this is purely concentration (samadhi) and it is 
>very much in line with the ontological dualism of the Giita (Arjuna 
>is advised to start the battle, because only the bodies of the 
>combattants suffer and not the souls). This is in my view due to 
>samkhya influence. Samkhya promisses moksha via separation of 
>purusha (citta) and prak.rti (kevalam or isolation), so a first step 
>would be to 'forget' the sensual stimuli, which then would become 
>nonexistent, because when the mind no longer mixes with the sensual 
>organs, they stop functioning.

Just a quick correction. Purus.a is not mind, but rather something 
like spirit i.e. 'our real nature'. Both mind and matter constitute 
prakr.ti, the alien nature with which we falsely identify. The goal 
of Saam.khya (including some Upanis.ads) is the unity which occurs 
when false identification ceases.

Buddhists have traditionally held that this is a misinterpretation of 
some kind of formless attainment. I do not know what the followers of
Saam.khya would have replied to that.

Lance