[Buddha-l] neuroscience: neural plasticity

[Michael Paris]

--- Joy Vriens <joy at vrienstrad.com> wrote:

[snip]

> Spiritual materialism doesn't necessarily have to be applied to
> others, one can apply it to oneself too.

I thought the term could be applied to anyone, but most often to
oneself. Wasn't that the thrust of Trungpa's book?


 
> "A man was sitting under a tree in the perfect meditation posture.
> Another man wandered by and asked, "What are you doing?" The seated
> man replied, "I am meditating on patience." The man who happened by
> said, "Well! If you are really practicing patience, then you should
> eat shit." The seated man then retorted angrily, "You should eat
> shit."" (stolen from http://www.namgyal.org/articles/peace.cfm)

Sorry, I don't see the point of this. In the first place, what's the
use of meditating on patience? To learn patience one must practice in
trying circumstances. How can one learn any virtue by "meditation?"

And what does consumption of feces have to do with patience?

 
> "Being patient" (and all it implies) is a spiritual exercice,
> meditation on patience is a religious exercice, or spiritual
> materialism if you like.

Patience is indeed a virtue, but I see nothing spiritual about it.
Again, the word "spiritual" is just too vague to pin down. Virtues are
qualities exercised in relationship, no? 

I think you're saying that the religious exercise was wrong, or
foolish, or a waste of time, or egoistic?


Michael



 
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