[Buddha-l] Heart of the matter? (was: the advent of the meditationmachine?)

[jkirk]

One wonders why so many cultures locate the source of feelings in the heart
while recognizing that the brain is the central processor of the body?

- Chris
====================
Good q	uestion! But did they always understand the brain as central
processor, and did the brain always in all cases represent mind? I wonder.

And then there's also the fact that often in Buddhist texts 'mind' (man) is
translated into English and other languages by 'heart', and vice versa! Also
in Indian texts as well. Seems we had quite a thread on this a while back,
but I forget when. 
In Bengali Baul (mystics, like Lalon Shah Fakir) songs, moner monush (Hindi,
man ka manush)--the 'man of the heart,' uses the term mon/man as
representing both mind and heart. What do do? The man of the heart is the
mystical tantric ultimate...Allah, Krishna, ineffable,whatever. 
Cheers,
Joanna K.

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