[Buddha-l] mind wandering

[Dan Lusthaus]

Franz,

> But seriously, this is one of those findings that makes we wonder
> about our evolutionary adaptedness. What could be the benefit of this
> mind wandering? There has got to be some powerful advantage to
> something we engage in for almost half of our waking lives. Right?

Obviously this was all part of Vishnu's teleological design so that we would 
waste time wondering about such questions on buddha-l. Vishnu is the god of 
procrastination.

More seriously, "planning" got us out of the jungle (literally and 
figuratively), and that means being able to imagine what is not present or 
actual. We wouldn't be human without it. That we are not trained to use that 
capacity well leads to many unfortunate individuals torturing themselves 
with self-afflictive imaginations. Or so I imagine...

Dan