[Buddha-l] neuroscience: neural plasticity

[Dharmachari Mahabodhi]

The Buddha talks about worldly (samisa) and spiritual (niramisa) feeling in the Satipatthana Sutta. The first is vedana conditioned by ones heart / mind (citta) that is worldy in that one is dominated by unskilful states like craving or hatred.  The second is spiritual in that ones citta is more ethically oriented.  An example being ones conscience, a heart/mind state that conditions an experience of painful spiritual feeling (bad conscience) or pleasureable spiritual feeling (good conscience) depending on what one has done.I think spiritual is ethical in nature and of the four satipatthanas predominantly to do with citta, but, like faith, it may or may not be informed by wisdom.
With metta
Mahabodhi> From: jkirk at spro.net> To: buddha-l at mailman.swcp.com> Subject: RE: Re: [Buddha-l] neuroscience: neural plasticity> Date: Wed, 30 May 2007 21:13:23 -0600> >  > Agreed. In fact when I hear the word "spiritual" I feel (metaphorically, of> course) like Goering did when he heard the word culture.> Spiritual doesn't mean anything, or it means everything, whatever people> want it to mean. When I hear it used, it covers a multitude of unthought or> unexamined questions.> Thanks for those two citations--more books to read.> Joanna> ========================================================> > > I've never understood what "spiritual" means, other than being related to> breathing and certain psychological states (e..g, school spirit, which> students are exhorted to raise in pep rallies). > > Seems easy to use "spiritual" as a tool of judgment, i.e., spiritual = good,> or at least better than average, and certainly much better than> non-spiritual. Related to a question of moral purity, perhaps?> > "Any road...." (James Herriott)> > Regarding meditation research, isn't the point of Buddhism to relieve> suffering? The use of skillful means is encouraged, no?> > Dr. Jeffrey Schwartz, in _The Mind and the Brain_, discusses at length his> mindfulness-based approach to treating OCD. Jon Kabat-Zinn (_Full> Catastrophe Living_) also uses mindfulness meditation in treating> intractable cases of chronic pain. Some methods of cognitive therapy are> using mindfulness as part of a treatment regimen for depression.> > So, why not study meditation to learn how it could help people in need?> > Speaking of spiritual materialism, the flip side might well be spiritual> snobbery, something _all_ religions have in abundance. > > > Or perhaps I've misunderstand you. If so, apologies in advance.> > > Michael> > > No virus found in this outgoing message.> Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.472 / Virus Database: 269.8.3/824 - Release Date: 5/29/2007> 1:01 PM>  > > _______________________________________________> buddha-l mailing list> buddha-l at mailman.swcp.com> http://mailman.swcp.com/mailman/listinfo/buddha-l
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