Nature or God by Michael Joseph Francisconi

The Buddhism of the Pali scriptures does not worship or make reference to the divine. Taoism of Lao Tzu or ChuangTzu talks about nature not the divine. The Greek atomists like Democritus and Leucippus, Greek and Roman Epicurean philosophies of Epicurus and Lucretius were either atheists or they held the gods to be irrelevant.

Atheism is the belief that empirical evidence for the divine is lacking. It is lacking in the same way that there exist no compelling proof for Unicorns or Pegasus. In addition Ferengi, Cardassian, Klingon, Angosian, Bajoran, or Lela Dax who joined a Trill cannot be proven to exist other than science fiction characters. The point is atheism is not a profound faith in the non-existence of god or gods. But atheism simply states there is insufficient evidence to waist time worrying about the nature or existence of the divine. This does go beyond a lack of faith in God. Atheists state God is not necessary. At a certain level all atheists are agonistic in the same way that it is impossible to prove that a hot pastrami sandwich, double shot of espresso and a shot of Canadian whisky eternally rotates around Pluto without ever changing temperatures. It is so remote a chance that to considerate is absurd. At this point our discussion has slipped into intellectual masturbation.

Humanism claims people are capable of being ethical and decent and becoming richly fulfilled without belief in God. In fact belief in the divine makes this more difficult.

Pantheism adds to atheism a profound celebration of life and a reverence for the magnitude of the universe and a respectful exaltation and the veneration of the earth. Science is the way we gain understanding and respect for humanity, life, the earth and the universe. God as a term if it is used at all is an emotive expression not a description of reality.

Ignosticism simply states that because without a clear definition of the divine that is subject to testing and capable of being proven false the question of God’s existence is meaningless. Because ultimately believe in God is a matter of faith and there is not a single acceptable definition, then the question itself is silly.

All in all, our galaxy is made up of billions of suns and solar systems. The Universe is made up of billions of galaxies and galaxy clusters. The Earth and life continues living on the recycled resources, the same materials that have made up all the ancient eras that have come and past. I breathe in the air breathed by a thousand generations in our commonly shared humanity. I am the lifeblood of the continuing struggle for freedom, equality, comradeship, and understanding.

Epicurean

Many Christians are looking to the first century of the Common Era for a model to live by this is great. I too can find a model from that time that may work as well. As a self confessed Epicurean let me offer my personal interpretation of the hedonist philosophy of a fellow named Epicurus. I suggest we examine the following philosophy.

“Epicurus, the son of Neocles and Chaerestrata, was an Athenian from the deme of Gargettus and the lineage of the Philaïdes. He was born 341 B.C.E. He live till 270 B.C.E.

From his garden he crated a utopian community where people could live devoted to simple pleasures and joy in a way the exploited no one, harmed no one, including oneself and could easily be shared with all of humanity. This is what he taught.

  The fundamental obstacle to happiness, says Epicurus, is anxiety. No one can be happy if they are anxious or never satisfied no matter how rich. Good health will not make you happy if you're worried about getting sick. You will not be happy in this life if you're worried about what happens to you after you die. People who are fearful of worried about being punished or victimized by powerful divine beings will only find sorrow in life. It is very easy to be happy if you follow the four basic truths of Epicureanism: there are no divine beings that threaten us; there is no next life; what we actually need is easy to get; what makes us suffer is easy to put up with. "Don't fear god, don't worry about death; what's good is easy to get, and what's terrible is easy to endure”.

  In summery:

To live simply is the first canon. We have enough resources on this planet to support every individual with modest but comfortable life style.
The second principle is to harm no one. To live in peace and accept there are different cultures and religions on this planet. To love, respect, tolerate, with considered kindness, reverence, and to make available a place for all people to have their differences in religion and cultures on this planet.
Enjoy life, we find life to be a celebration to be indulged in and not a burden to be endured.
Have good friends and enjoy their company.
Eliminate the concept of sin and redemption, sin I think this only makes people feel bad. If you find any of your personal behavior awful or objectionable work on changing that behavior. If I try to be the best Michael I know how everyday I am doing my part. A personal savior is not what I need. I need to be true to my values.
We as citizens of this world need to embrace our social responsibility as a resident of this planet to work to end any unnecessary suffering. Whether that suffering be the result of greed, hate, cruelty, exploitation or oppression. All living things should have the right to the best life possible. One hungry child on this planet diminishes all of us as human beings.

Epicurus Path to Happiness:

1. Fear no god 

2. Fear death even less 

3. Pleasure is easily attained 

4. Pain can be endured

Epicurus Path to Happiness expanded 

1. It is impossible to live pleasurably without living sensibly

2.To provide for one self with minimum effort to secure protection from harm 

3. True security cost little 

4.Comfort is easily attained and wealth is never enough 

5. Pleasure that costs little and harms no one is best

 6. The greatest pleasure is the simplest pleasure 

7. Reason makes any surprises acceptable 

8. Allowing all people the same amount of life's necessities this makes theft unimportant .

9. The greatest obstacle to pleasure is fear 

10. The fear of the gods and of death is the source of most evil 

11. We can dispel these fears by understanding life, death, nature and the universe 

12. Pleasure is impossible until science dispels superstitions about life, death and nature 

13. True pleasures are simple and easily attained neither wealth or eternal life adds anything 

14. Eternity contains no more or greater pleasure than that attained in the now 

15. The gods add nothing to humans or their happiness   .

Siddhartha Gautama Buddha maybe (?) (563 BCE to 483 BCE) Siddhartha was born into the royal Hindu Kshatriya family. His mother died in childbirth. The Buddha was raised by his mother's youngest sister, Maha Pajapati. When Siddhartha was sixteen he married his cousin Yasodhara. They had a son Rahula. When he was 29 he left home to travel alone a find the source of suffering and seek enlightenment.

  Buddha’s four noble truths:

  Dukkha: Human life is filled with pleasure and suffering. 

Tanka: Suffering and pain are the result of desires. This is our karma

 Nirodha: Escape from pain can only happen when all desires are eliminated. 

This can only happen by following the eight-fold path to nirvana.  

Eight fold path.  

1. Right knowledge – the four noble truths

 2. Right thought  

3. Right speech

4. Right behavior

5. Right effort  

6. Right livelihood  

7. Right mindfulness or watchfulness  

8. Right concentration and meditation

Also Lao Tse Born 604 BCE of the Taoist school. He was from Ch'ü-jen, which is which called Honan Province, today it is the southern most tip of China. He never died he simply road off on the back of a buffalo to Tibet and was never seen again.  

Taoist concepts, beliefs and practices:

1. Tao the unity and first-cause of the universe. All life is a manifestation of Tao.

 2. Tao is everywhere surrounding everything in time and space 

3. A wise person’s goal is to harmonize with the Tao. 

4. The many gods are but a manifestation of Tao, existing any other living thing. 

5. The gods do not answer prayers of humans, as they are unaware of people.

 6. Answers are found through observing nature. 

7. Time is cyclical moving in continuous patterns.

 8. Each person should try to be as healthy as possible. 

9. Five main organs and orifices of the body correspond to the five parts of the sky: water, fire, wood, metal and earth. 

10. People should take care to nurture their breath (Ch`I), which is sacred. 

11. This will give us the three jewels of compassion, moderation and humility. 

12. Follow wu wei meaning allow nature to be natural in her own way. 

13. Through this mindset people can plan their actions safely.

 14. Compassion is its own reward.

How May Gods are there The real problems comes from Hinduism which according the their scriptures has 320 million gods, Some Hindu's will say there is only one god with 320 million forms, but certainly enough believe in this total that they would exceed your 100,000 limit and therefore the total would be over 320,000,000 gods.

South American: 53 Deities, Demigods, Beings of Divine Substance

Pacific islands: 99 Deities, Demigods and Immortal Monsters

Norse, 111 Deities, Giants and Monsters

Native American: 711 Gods, Heroes, and Anthropomorphized Facets of Nature

Hellenes (Greek) Tradition (540 Gods, Demigods, Divine Bastards)

Celtic: 166 Gods, Goddesses, Divine Kings and Pagan Saints

Caribbean: 62 Gods, Monsters and Vodun Spirits

Egyptian: 85 Gods, Gods Incarnate and Personified Divine Forces

Buddhism: 10 Gods and Relatives of God

Australian: 93 Gods, Goddesses and Places in the Dreamtime

African: 250 Gods, Demigods and First Men

China (170)

balto slavic: (125)

Hindu (72)

Japan (53)

India (43)

Other Asian: (31)

Mesopotamia and the Levant 72

https://www.rationalresponders.com/a_big_list_of_gods_but_nowhere_near_all_of_them

Nature or the Universe is what there is. If it is it is it is in the Universe. Billons of planets are in our galaxy. Beyond that there are billions galaxies. How arrogant the to think that I really matter in the vast expanse of everything. Also how comforting it is to think that existence is so substantial and comprehensive. Everything one can possibly imagine is embedded in the above. This is neither tautological nor theological. Being neither redundant nor doctrinal it can be openly empirical and examined. Weather you call this god, nature or the material universe is irrelevant, it would be the same thing only using a different name. By carefully observing the world around us we can make decisions that have a greater chance of turning in a way that will not harm us. At every point we must choose between possible options. Through careful observation and appraisal we can limit our choices to exclude the absurd and concentrate on the possible. Once chosen history now is forever altered and a new set of determind options are in front of us. Given there are always unforeseen consequences that change everything we can enhance our possibilities of achievement. Through reason and observation we not only increase our chances of success, but we also increase our serenity and pleasure. If this is done ethically through not harming others and sharing the pursuit of happiness we can live in a just and humane way. By being fair and kind we strengthen our own probabilities of endurance.

Ataxia:

Formal Dinner With Epicurus, Buddha and Marx

As stated before Epicurus was extremely harsh of the belief in a god, why he asked would gods concern themselves with the worries of humans. The Buddha also did not concern himself with the question of God’s existence. Fear of death and the uncertainty of what happens to us after we die is a source of discomfort. We can choose another way. We can choose to become the authors of our own lives. This is true even if we have very little choice of the raw materials we have before us in making those decisions that will affect the rest of our lives. We can accept our fates quietly and suffer the consequences or we can fight back and enjoy the freedom of open rebellion and resistance. By turning our lives over to a god the hope is we can avoid our freedom. In the attempt to escape our freedom we will fail. The fear of freedom leads us to the door of faith. Faith is the abdication of responsibility. But, late at night alone when our faith abandons us we face the truth that will not go away. Life has no meaning except the meaning we choose to give it. Epicurus taught us this is the beginning of happiness. By embracing our freedom without God we can now face life as a celebration to be indulged in and not a burden to be endured.

The only faith that can be counted on is the unshakable faith in the lack of faith. Chance and necessity intermingle in away no matter how well we plan there are both surprises and unanticipated outcomes that are the result of our decisions. These doubts and unforeseen consequences can be dealt with once we let go of faith. Faith in God, nature or other people only leads to disappointments. The truly pursue happiness and peace of mind we must learn to expect the unexpected. Through careful study of the situation we increase our chances of being right. But, there still a chance things will not turn out as planned and we can deal with it if we abandon faith and accept the element of chance will always be there.

Peace of mind comes when we learn to work with what we have before us and to continue the pursuit of happiness for others and ourselves. We must learn the only real pleasures are that which we can easily obtain without hurting, exploiting or oppressing anyone else. Happiness is a natural desire and is good for you as living a life that harms no one else.

Pleasure that leads to pain later on, is not real satisfaction. Gratification that harms others is not real happiness. Sharpness of mind, vitality of body leads to enjoyment in our self-control. This kind of pursuit of happiness is easily attained and easily shared and there is no need that anyone will get hurt. This makes life relaxed and attractive.

Physical pleasure and the absence of pain are important in the pursuit of happiness. But, pleasure must be pursued with moderation to be sustainable. Pursuit of happiness should be practiced in a way that does not disturb your mind with anxieties. Also happiness is better shared, or at least practiced in away as not to harm others. This life is the time to enjoy our pursuit of happiness, as waiting for the life to come is an empty effort and denies us of the possibility of that happiness in this life. Eternity is in the now, not the future. If death is a natural part of life and not to be feared, then eternal life really adds nothing to enjoyment of this life. But, the way it is presented by most religions eternal life adds to our anxiety in this life because of the uncertainty of the next. If the mind i.e. the soul dies with the body and this is not to be dreaded then death is not frightening and causes us no anxiety in the pursuit of happiness in this life. Our mortality is the greatest source of pleasure in life, because happiness shared is intensified. With death there is no sensation, no pain, no consciousness and nothing to fear.

The only faith that is left is an unshakable faith in the total lack of faith. This becomes the source of our liberation. This is because we can understand faith in God, or other human beings only lead to disappointment and disillusionment and results in a decisive pain and unhappiness. We can deal with uncertainty if we start from life is uncertain. The ambiguity of an unfamiliar an approaching future requires we live each day with effort to achieve tranquility of peace of mind.

This search for peace of mind and the pursuit of happiness outside of the divine is a theme that is often repeated across the globe. In history we often find a similar refrain or conclusion appearing in away that we bring together restraint, serenity, and joy.

Cārvāka is an Ancient school of Indian Philosophical materialism. Cārvāka or Lokāyata the interactive relationship between the various parts of any statement lets us reflect on how closely what we say about the world around us reflects that real world. The Epistemology of the Greek Atomists according to Democritus is only approximate because observation using the senses is at best subjective. To Carvaka would claim there is no reliable way to relate what we say we see to what really exists. Our experience of the external world is direct and instantaneous, stimulus response. The past beyond our own history and especially the future cannot be physically experienced but only guessed at. Because change is constant, the probability of an error in judgments is always there and that changes everything. The Greek Atomists and the Indian Caraka claim we act on the best guess in making decisions. The mind itself cannot be shown to have any life or reality beyond the living human body. Because two people experiencing the same material phenomena will have two dissimilar interpretations, the only way to resolve this is through careful observation and an agreed upon scheme to observe the same physical event. Math and observation are the sources of knowledge, where as observation is always subject to misinterpretation, math has the potential of being more precise. Using the logic derived from math we can guide our investigation of the material world. This is not a matter of faith, because our trust in our findings must be balance by a healthy amount of skepticism.

Diagoras of Melos and Theodorus of Cyrene, believed in a world without gods to interfere in our everyday lives. We are free to obtain our own joy and to avoid grief. Happiness comes from knowledge, and sorrow from ignorance. If contentment can be gained through understanding and information of the world we live in, then distress born from unawareness the details of that world can be circumvented.

Without absolutes ethics there begins the possibility of tolerance. If friendship is the source of lasting pleasure and inequality causes greed and resentment leading to anxiety then acceptance of diversity among our friends would be a positive. Through our comradeship with others, built upon understanding, tenderness, empathy, and compassion, an educated sympathetic understanding is formed. We are the product of the social environment we are born, raised and educated in.

In the pursuit of happiness it is important to remember this is an expression of freedom. The ancient Greeks of the atomic school, the ancient Epicureans and with them was a rise in empirical studies and in some ways Hellenistic cultural center of Alexandria opened the way for serious dialogue. The atomists and the Epicureans created an earthly school that gave people power over their own lives, without divine intervention. This stood as a scandal to 18^th century Christian supporters of science and the ethics outlined by Epicurus. They wanted both science and choice, but to do so with out god would call upon their heads eternal damnation and social ostracization. The same thing would happen to Darwin and evolutionary biology, to separate evolution from a world created without god was now possible but dreadful to the believers. But, others saw this as a source of deliverance from theological despotism.

Deception often is the cornerstone of Orthodoxy. The threat of pain and fear becomes a way to keep a people submissive. Sorrow and anxiety becomes the dominant theme in life without a personal savior. Living in fear and trembling make a people compliant and easily controlled. Pursuit of happiness makes a people unmanageable. By freeing them from terror and apprehension the people collectively become dangerous and subversive. Because the ungodly are treacherous, rebellious, and wicked this type of life is truly the finest and upmost form of virtue. This morality leads to a community of support.

Ethics founded on Mutual Aid as outlined by Kropotkin is a natural part of evolution. We can see this also in many other species. The concern of the needs of others becomes central to the survival of both the species and the individual. Sociability and communication arranges the foundation for society. Through the exchange of ideas as well as help when needed friendship becomes the main artery of morality. Expanding outward from family to band, to clan, to tribe, nation and the world humanism means doing good with out expectation of future reward in this life or the next. The reward is in the sociability and survival of the species. Friendship to Epicurus is the greatest of pleasures.

As stated ethics and human effort coalesce around what Kropotkin called mutual aid. The human species survives through cooperation among individuals and not competition. Protection of the weak defends the entire society. Abandonment of the weak threatens the entire society, requiring coercion and the threat of force to shelter the rich and the influential. The wealthy and the powerful will protect their assets at all costs.

To end the subjugation and manipulation begins with a strong commitment to social justice founded upon universal lessening of pain and expanding contentment for everyone. We all have our own way of appreciating beauty, pleasure, education, scholarship and friendship. All of this requires that we become attuned to our feelings and our senses. Also we need to become in harmony with the sensations and appreciations of others. We need to replace the idea that my freedom ends when it denies you your freedom. This statement is true but it does not go far enough. Instead we should say my freedom is manifest in your freedom.

Rebellion is both cleansing and liberating. Everyday we need to make ourselves a very serious threat to power, wealth, privilege and property. The menace we pose to people of authority, money, entitlement and capital becomes are freedom in action.

Prayer and piety is not only a waist of time but if it does not lead to a rebellion for freedom, democracy and socialism it is malicious, grievous, disingenuous and craven. The Church and the State are one in the orthodox under unadventurous habits. Both the Church and the State protect the affluent, influential, and the advantaged that have control over considerable quantities of exclusive resources. Support of the powerful leads to a tortuous thinking of first causes i.e. God that is defended in religion and philosophy. At some point we need to make a choice either to be the authors of our fate, or its’ victims.

Free will and determinism, agency and necessity, objective and subjective are nonsensical dichotomies. The two are in opposition to each other each fulfilling the other in a unity. This unity is constantly reformulating itself by its own atomic movement. Resolving the tensions recreates new tensions. At the sub-atomic level and at the cosmic level independent of anybody ‘s will, including the gods. But, with consciousness come choice which translates that necessity establishes at every turn not one option, but multiple options. By necessity choice is unavoidable. Free will is determined. All objective studies begins with a subjective idea and ends with a subjective interpretation.

But, through choice the objective events are altered by our actions. This is limited to be sure but the new set of choices carry with it all the relevant raw materials for the next round. Cumbersome as that phrase sounds it reveals that the options are determined independent of our will. But, this is clear there are never only one choice possible and the choice we make changes forever the future choices we will make.

So we can choose to remain passive or to resist oppression. The pursuit of happiness is a right, a goal and an obligation.

What I see as the message the hedonism of Epicurus.

Eternity is in the now and not the future. Life is a celebration to be indulged in not a burden to be endured. Fear no god, fear death even less. The goal of the good and humble is compassion, empathy and peace of mind. The pursuit of happiness and the joy of tranquility are founded on equality, comradeship, liberty and laughter. The simple life in which everyone has enough for comfort leads to the ultimate pleasure of living in peace.

Pleasure is the highest virtue. The pursuit of happiness is the foundation of the moral act. That which leads to this achievement is evidently supported in fairness, freedom, equality and friendship. Harmony between individual interests and the needs and security of the community is in a way that which each persons joy is manifest in the joy of others. The personality is a social creation and its’ joys are the joy within the happiness of others. True hedonism is the opposite of selfishness. I derive by pleasure by sharing my happiness with others and allowing, no encouraging others to share their happiness with me. What harms another or stands in the way of the other people living rich a fulfilling lives lead to conflict, fear and hate. The happiness coming from greed is a false happiness that can be maintained only through insecurity, coercion and the dehumanization of those we exploit. The intellectual freedom from emotional anxiety leads to serenity of mind and body. Is this not what we really seek when we say we want peace of mind and the pursuit of happiness.

Part of coming to terms with life, is having a sense of one’s place in a larger whole. Companionship and shared happiness is the highest form of pleasure. Pleasure that not gives us joy but increases the contentment of those around us and exploits no one is virtuous.

In the attainment of circumstances in which existence takes a deeper meaning is developing an appreciation of one’s location in a grander comprehensive view of living each day in the short run and being conferrable with the meaning of life. This gives a deeper meaning to life. This allows one person to become and be a part of a tradition that was around before any person alive today was born. To be a part of a process that will continue long after we are all gone. All cultures conservative or not are always a work in progress. Thus, tradition continues as long as it has life. This changes continuously until revolution shatters the Osteoporosis of senility of the old order. But, every revolution is created out of pre-established materials.

Traditions are part of a collection of symbols and stories that are charged with meaning and among the followers there are differing interpretations. There are enough similarities to call it a tradition. This tradition has enough parallels to be called by a single name. Inspirations from accompanying customs are widespread, but with restrained influences revealed by corresponding and recognized frontiers.

When any faction goes beyond goes beyond boundaries we have a schism. This is said in very general terms. Each rupture in faith is historically exceptional and exclusive. Depending on what the observer is looking, determines whether the factions are distinct philosophies are differing interpretations of the same tradition. For example what does it mean to be Christians?

Add to this participants in any distinct faction differ on faithfully they follow the ritual. Sacramental routines define the tradition for all members. But, the more we ask questions the clearer it becomes interpretations diverge. There are going to be movements within movements to revitalize and repair the association.

Control over aspects of the external environment requires songs, art, stories and rituals that restore the previous balance. We call this healing, motivation, revitalization and many other things. All these terms mean remembering why we have embraced this movement or tradition. The terms used are secondary to the sensation of recommitment. Correct attitudes leads to correct behavior. This renewal needs a continual effort to discover again and again the underlying issues and bring back to our lives the map of the path we are to follow. In this effort this is agreed upon definitions in a very comprehensive and ambiguous way the vocabularies we are using and what means to be correct.

Orthodox and reformed expressions of a tradition stand in opposition. Conventional and converted appearances of customary perspectives create both antagonisms and mutual support. Agreement is on the most general level at the broadest definition of a movement or tradition. Finer refinements of those terms narrows the disagreements, but never entirely eliminates them. At he margins words are more emotive than descriptive. As the words become more precisely defined disagreements become more intense.

This leads to final break and establishing a different tradition. Each new tradition carries within it elements of the earlier tradition, in both what rejected and what is reformed.

Rebellion is as old as authority. It can happen with in any tradition. What is important is the quest for happiness, freedom and peace of mind. The rebellion is both individual as well as social. In the last few hundred years utopian socialism, Marxism, anarchism both of the communist and syndicalist verities have fired the imagination of workers and intellectuals in the modern world.

In ancient Asia Buddhism, Jainism and Taoism had some broad similarities that were expressed by the Epicureans.

The Buddhism of the Pali scriptures does not worship or make reference to the divine. Taoism of Lao Tzu or ChuangTzu talks about nature not the divine. The Greek atomists like Democritus and Leucippus, Greek and Roman Epicurean philosophies of Epicurus and Lucretius were either atheists or they held the gods to be irrelevant.

Humanism claims people are capable of being ethical and decent and becoming richly fulfilled without belief in God. In fact belief in the divine makes this more difficult.

Pantheism adds to atheism a profound celebration of life and a reverence for the magnitude of the universe and a respectful exaltation and the veneration of the earth. Science is the way we gain understanding and respect for humanity, life, the earth and the universe. God as a term if it is used at all is an emotive expression not a description of reality.

Ignosticism simply states that because without a clear definition of the divine that is subject to testing and capable of being proven false the question of God’s existence is meaningless. Because ultimately believe in God is a matter of faith and there is not a single acceptable definition, then the question itself is silly.

All in all, our galaxy is made up of billions of suns and solar systems. The Universe is made up of billions of galaxies and galaxy clusters. The Earth and life continues living on the recycled resources, the same materials that have made up all the ancient eras that have come and past. I breathe in the air breathed by a thousand generations in our commonly shared humanity. I am the lifeblood of the continuing struggle for freedom, equality, comradeship, and understanding.

Epicurean

“Epicurus, the son of Neocles and Chaerestrata, was an Athenian from the deme of Gargettus and the lineage of the Philaïdes. He was born 341 B.C.E. He live till 270 B.C.E.

  In summery:

To live simply is the first canon. We have enough resources on this planet to support every individual with modest but comfortable life style.
The second principle is to harm no one. To live in peace and accept there are different cultures and religions on this planet. To love, respect, tolerate, with considered kindness, reverence, and to make available a place for all people to have their differences in religion and cultures on this planet.
Enjoy life, we find life to be a celebration to be indulged in and not a burden to be endured.
Have good friends and enjoy their company.
Eliminate the concept of sin and redemption, sin I think this only makes people feel bad. If you find any of your personal behavior awful or objectionable work on changing that behavior. If I try to be the best Michael I know how everyday I am doing my part. A personal savior is not what I need. I need to be true to my values.
We as citizens of this world need to embrace our social responsibility as a resident of this planet to work to end any unnecessary suffering. Whether that suffering be the result of greed, hate, cruelty, exploitation or oppression. All living things should have the right to the best life possible. One hungry child on this planet diminishes all of us as human beings.

Epicurus Path to Happiness:

1. Fear no god 

2. Fear death even less 

3. Pleasure is easily attained 

4. Pain can be endured

Epicurus Path to Happiness expanded 

1. It is impossible to live pleasurably without living sensibly

2.To provide for one self with minimum effort to secure protection from harm 

3. True security cost little 

4.Comfort is easily attained and wealth is never enough 

5. Pleasure that costs little and harms no one is best

 6. The greatest pleasure is the simplest pleasure 

7. Reason makes any surprises acceptable 

8. Allowing all people the same amount of life's necessities this makes theft unimportant .

9. The greatest obstacle to pleasure is fear 

10. The fear of the gods and of death is the source of most evil 

11. We can dispel these fears by understanding life, death, nature and the universe 

12. Pleasure is impossible until science dispels superstitions about life, death and nature 

13. True pleasures are simple and easily attained neither wealth or eternal life adds anything 

14. Eternity contains no more or greater pleasure than that attained in the now 

15. The gods add nothing to humans or their happiness   .

  Buddha’s four noble truths:

  Dukkha: Human life is filled with pleasure and suffering. 

Tanka: Suffering and pain are the result of desires. This is our karma

 Nirodha: Escape from pain can only happen when all desires are eliminated. 

This can only happen by following the eight-fold path to nirvana.  

Eight fold path.  

1. Right knowledge – the four noble truths

 2. Right thought  

3. Right speech

4. Right behavior

5. Right effort  

6. Right livelihood  

7. Right mindfulness or watchfulness  

8. Right concentration and meditation

Taoist concepts, beliefs and practices:

1. Tao the unity and first-cause of the universe. All life is a manifestation of Tao.

 2. Tao is everywhere surrounding everything in time and space 

3. A wise person’s goal is to harmonize with the Tao. 

4. The many gods are but a manifestation of Tao, existing any other living thing. 

5. The gods do not answer prayers of humans, as they are unaware of people.

 6. Answers are found through observing nature. 

7. Time is cyclical moving in continuous patterns.

 8. Each person should try to be as healthy as possible. 

9. Five main organs and orifices of the body correspond to the five parts of the sky: water, fire, wood, metal and earth. 

10. People should take care to nurture their breath (Ch`I), which is sacred. 

11. This will give us the three jewels of compassion, moderation and humility. 

12. Follow wu wei meaning allow nature to be natural in her own way. 

13. Through this mindset people can plan their actions safely.

 14. Compassion is its own reward.

Summing up Buddhism

Introduction to Buddhism

The Middle Way or living in peace and harmony.

1. Do not kill

2. Do not steal

3. Do not lie.

4. Do not commit adultery.

5. Do not get drunk.

The primary goal in life is the extinction of suffering.

In doing this we follow the path of eliminating all our pre-existing assumptions and preconceived notions, through a profound reconciliation with the wondrous existence.

Four Nobel Truths

1. Most desires lead to unsustainable satisfaction.

2. We will fail to be satisfied, leading to suffering.

3. We can eliminate suffering, by eliminating clinging to our desires.

4. Live like Buddha decency, modesty, caution, and compassion, meditate daily, compassion for all living things and follow the eight-fold path.

Eight fold path:

1. Right view of life.

2. Right intention, desire only what harms no one else.

3. Right speech no lying, cruel talk, cussing, gossip or idle chatter.

4. Right action or the middle way.

5. Right livelihood, take a jobs based upon the benefit to the larger community.

6. Right effort work and live with diligence and ethically.

7. Right mindfulness stay focused

8. Right concentration by meditating often and correctly and think correctly.

Three types of Buddhisms:

Theravada

Ethical Buddhism lived through confidence being honest and compassionate.

Guard the door of our lives to stop pain, through modesty and moderation.

Remain mindful of one’s impact.

Remain disciplined.

Be content with your life.

Be pure in thought and conduct.

Overcome doubt.

Stay true to your path.

Gain knowledge.

Know what harms and what liberate.

Seek final enlightenment.

Mahayana

Seeking enlightenment is the primary vow.

Other vows include:

1. Generosity

2. Moral discipline

3. Patient tolerance

4. Meditation

5. Contemplation

6. Wisdom

Core goals and beliefs:

1. Desire to overcome suffering

2. Practice meditation often

3. Meditate on what is real

4. Realize the emptiness of reality

5. Enlightenment

Vajrayana

The short path to enlightenment:

This is done through intensive, structured, frequent and guided meditation techniques.

You need a very strong ‘Aspiration’ for enlightenment for oneself and all other living things. This can only begin when you understand completely the emptiness of reality.

Tantra are the specific practices. There is a beginning of your education, that once engendered needs recurrent construction and decisive completion.

During early stages of meditation focus on the emptiness of everything, next we visualize what it is to become, then what it is to be a deity, then discover our hidden channels and chakatas within our bodies to eliminate all earthly attachments, then eliminate the mind and soul of any remaining attachments, meditate on emptiness, becoming empty and embrace emptiness, finally enlightenment.

Zen sudden enlightenment is different for each individual. This can be done through non-attachments to any specific method or guided meditation techniques.

Theravada

Buddha said a fool who knows he is a fool is wise. But, a fool who thinks himself wise is a fool indeed.

Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it. Unless it agrees with your reason and your own common sense. Buddha

Buddha taught suffering was everywhere, but it could be brought to an end. The teachings of Buddha are a guide to liberation. Theravada the elders who keep the teachings tell the goal is personal liberation. Buddha himself established this. Within less than three months after Buddha died his teachings were collected and preserved by the elders, Theravada. Buddha never named a successor. It was his followers who remembered his teachings, collected them and saved them for future generations.

Theravada is the first, therefore the oldest and most orthodox school of Buddhism. The teachings were called the three Baskets. The memory of Buddha, his collected words or teachings, and the community of followers are part of this. The teachings include the discourses, the discipline and the higher doctrine mark levels of Buddha’s wisdom. Over the next few centuries his words known by the elders and taught to disciples were written in Pali the language of the common people during the time of Buddha, and not Sanskrit the classical and sacred language of Hinduism.

Buddha opened up liberation to anyone male or female. Buddha unlocked the path of liberation to anyone regardless of caste or cultural temperament. Siddhartha Gotama became Buddha. Buddha taught sickness, old age and death are the curses of life. But, through thoughtful meditation we can learn to end our fear of these things. The Buddha set about teaching others how he achieved liberation. After he died, his teachings were divided between monks, nuns, laywomen and laymen. Each in their own way could be given instruction.

Buddha means the enlighten one, Dhamma is the teachings of Buddha, Sangha is the community that was set aside to follow the teachings of Buddha. Buddha was a title meaning awakened. His name was Siddhartha Gotama; he called himself Tathagata meaning one whom has already gone. The name Buddha came after his death. It was said he was one of twenty-eight buddhas. The Buddha was enlightened, praiseworthy, and honorable like all buddhas. Gotama was different in that most of the other buddhas never left the forest to live with the rest of society. Siddhartha returned to teach others what he discovered. He became the Buddha because his teachings are still remembered, Dhamma.

Sangha or the community of the faithful was set up to include monks, nuns and regular wives and husbands living ordinary lives. Both men and women in spite of social class can seek enlightenment. Because of suffering all people would want enlightenment. The community helps each other. Sangha supports all of in preserving and carrying on well-mannered conduct.

Sanctuary offers protection from evil. Refuge in the teaching of Buddha (Dhamma) and in Sangha the community of Buddhists. Protection is offered both to help and to trust (saddha) in the meaning of Confidence in His Teachings as the shortest path to liberation. But, this does not come from any god. Buddha was fully human and not divine.

In enquiry of the origins of suffering the meditative state of intense silence and concentration helps the observer to learn how to use this state that opens the way to liberation. Tathagata or "one who has arrived" destroys lust. But, the seeker must keep an open mind allowing Tathagata to prove itself. But, with each stage as the trust in the final enlightenment grows, always keep your skepticism alive. Trust requires evidence.

Only hard work through deep meditation, contemplation, compassion and doing good to others leads to enlightenment. Buddha was a man not a god, prayers wouldn’t help. Buddha died never to be reborn. Buddha’s teaching are but guides and not magic.

Teachings of Buddha must be put into practice to have any results. Dependent co-origination, all things are interconnected. All things affect everything else. Everything that is, is because other things are interconnected. Ignorance is the lack of understanding about the source of our suffering, and how to make it stop. Choice, interpretation and achievement of this suffering and becoming aware of this are the beginning of the path of enlightenment. Through our sensual experience of the world around us we learn to seek pleasure and avoid pain. This leads to repeat failure and frustration is the origin of our suffering. Thus, recurring disappointment and irritation begins the source of our grief, which only accumulates over time.

To escape birth, death, and rebirth one must go beyond clinging to seeking pleasure and avoiding pain. Only by giving up our foolish ignorance can we see the way finally to end our suffering.

Nature does exist in a never-ending chain of cause and effect always changing. Thus, humans also operate in this way. If there is no Creator God or human soul to define what is real, then there is no definitive certainty. Reality is always changing even before we understand it, and therefore is never really real. To see this helps us let go of our illusions. Because there are many co-existing cause for any effect, regularities in this seeming chaos we can learn to accept the only way to end our suffering is to realize we will always fail when clinging tightly to our pleasures. Only by accepting we are responsible for our own disappointments. By not accepting nature, as it exists, we are always disillusioned. Through the teachings of Buddha we can find away to free ourselves from this suffering, Only then can we live free from all irritations.

The origins of our suffering begin with desiring pleasure. This is a never-ending quest that can never be satisfied. Fear of death leads to a failed quest for life. Then because the pain we suffer leads to a desire for death to end the suffering. This produces additional grasping and extra sorrow. The only way to end the suffering is to end all desires, including the desire for self-annihilation. Extinction of desire leads to extermination of deceptions and yearnings.

Buddha rejected the authenticity of the presence of a separate person, with and individual soul. If the individual is a delusion then there is no soul to disappear when Nirvana is attained. The individual is simply extinguished, or parinarvana meaning nirvana-after-death. This is liberation.

The compassionate person tries to harm no one either with violence or by taking what is not given freely. Try not to take advantage of another or show them disrespect. Then we can begin to seek peace of mind. Through concentration and meditation this quiet compassion can grow. All living things suffer because of sickness, old age and death. Everything is temporary, unsatisfactory, and unstable. Thus, compassion by choice leads to not increasing the suffering of others. Compassion leads helping others find peace of mind.

Everything we believe to be real is always changing, and therefore not real, even before it gets started. It is contributory and reliant on and built upon occurrences that we invent in order to recognize our involvements with peripheral experiences. Everything we love passes away. What is born, dies. The soul is also temporary thus is a no soul. The soul is born from consciousness. But, there is no clear, deliberate or primal realization of consciousness. Consciousness is feebly learned. There is no independent consciousness. Thus, the individual is an illusion. Suffering then makes all this sense of permanence false.

If I never existed, there is no permanent soul attached to the I. This is the beginning of the realization of the four truths and the eightfold path. Everything passes away. This is also the beginning of goodness and awareness of knowing. It becomes obvious the world we know is not the material world we live in, but our interpretation of that world. The world of hallucinations, illusion and foolishness can lead to nothing but disappointment. The complete separation between the ever changing material world and our illusory interpretation of that material world can only be understood through deep meditation. From this we can stop lusting, discontinue destructive actions and begin to purify our minds.

Our thoughts for good or bad, then lead to our actions, which always will have consequences. But, either good or bad, things rarely turn out the way we expect. Through meditation we learn to get beyond attachments and learn to let go of these attachments. Even though good deeds produce good results, to reach liberation this too must be transcended. We are free to change our behavior, but only when we want to go beyond our daily yearnings can we see the world beyond our illusions. But, until then doing good feels good.

Buddha

What ever we do has consequences. Our actions reflect our thoughts; our thoughts are molded by our actions. When we do good things for others we ourselves feel good. When we lust after happiness we end up feeling disappointed and frustrated. Because we seek happiness from physical pleasure we find it is limited leaving us with a desire for more. Irritation, anger, discontent, disapproval and sorrow follow lightheaded exhilaration. By abandoning desire, bitterness and silliness we can enjoy wide-ranging understanding, unconditional wisdom, tranquility, endless contentment and composure.

Sincerity or the effort at being honest is the pathway to agelessness. Inconsiderate efforts lead to distress and bereavement. Arrogance, lust and avarice pave the way to regret. The mind is erratic and must be domesticated. When we are no longer self-indulgent or clouded we have gone beyond good or evil. We can live with out anxiety and indistinguishable nervousness. Goodness pervades everywhere. Integrity, consideration leads to liberation in the course of wisdom and the anger is quenched. You cannot seek companionship with a fool with out being a fool.

The fool who knows she is a fool is wise. The fool who believes himself wise is a fool indeed. As long as we get away we things that are wrong we think ourselves smart. But victory, prosperity and contentment are not success, wealth and happiness when others are harmed and in the end it will be like ashes in our mouth. Thus, seek company of one who is empathetic, knowledgeable, tender and fair-minded. Learn from those worthy of your respect. Craving troubles the mind is troubled. Rage, unawareness and arrogance require us to seek peace of mind. The astute can educate you in serenity, kindness, enlightenment, humbleness and bliss.

The revered is one who is free from lust, pride, ambition and all other desires. To be learned means we respect all living things, value other people, and venerate the elderly, we need not desire wealth, power or fame. Because she who is learned will see that being alive, she will have loveliness, satisfaction and strength without desiring them. In this way malevolence is prevented and decency achieved. Speak kindly to others, even when it is not returned. True joy is joy only when it is achieved without harming another. When we harm another we will live in fear of their revenge. If wronged forgiveness heals both of us. Life being short and old age and death being sure and true resentment is much too costly. Each needs to put her own minds to rest, as anger is never extinguished. Bliss is all around. The harmless will rest in ecstasy.

Endurance is the highest amends. Tolerance is the upmost asset. Lust can never be satisfied; only the obliteration of all our wants can lead to gratification. Pain is the origin of grief, discomfort can be abolished, this is our sanctuary, and only this safety will release us from agony. Only forgiveness can deliver us from hate. Generosity will free us from greed. Victory in battle leads to a sure defeat as our peace is now ruptured. The only peace is peace. We can live in peace only when we have gone beyond anger, lust, greed, desire, ambition and the quest for what never really was. We can be certain that life is uncertain. Only when our expectations are laid to rest can we live quietly in contentment.

Because all things expire we become calm in our tenuousness. The decent stand out in the distance as a lighthouse at night. Disclaim the malicious action so it will be ruined before it gets started. There is depravity in immorality. Give generously but anonymously so it is nature and not you who is silently bighearted. Lacking information the can be no thought. Without deliberation there can be no learning. In self-control and observation all shackles become extinct.

Mahayana

Everyone wants to be free from pain. The “One Who has Gone” can gain insight into how to avoid suffering. Trust in our ability to end our suffering through our own merits is the Way. Trust builds on trust. Trust grows through a community of those who support each other. We can move from weakness and failure to a greater control over the origins of our suffering. We learn to lock our feelings and reasoning from toxic desires. To remake our lives by first controlling our views begins by getting freed of craving, avariciousness, hatred and unawareness. Then we aspire to learn serenity and understanding. We gain strength against intellectual infringement.

The Universal Soul predates and is the origin of all souls and every living thing. The Universal is outside of and beyond time, unchanging and without division. All differences are but mental hallucinations of the mind coping with the world around us. Essence is the Universal. Concentration is the Universal beyond differences and is eternal. The everlasting is enthusiastic in its endless and immeasurable excellence. All good works is originally a reflection of the comprehensive overall certainty. The one who comes to this realization is just beginning to learn. To learn is a step-by-step process leading to final enlightenment.

The Universal Soul is found in each individual. The Universal is beyond eternal. The individual is born, lives but a short time and then dies. What is really real is the timeless Universal. What is an illusion is the individual. Nothing is created and nothing is destroyed. Because of our illusions we believe there are different things in the Universe. When we come to see how shallow are illusions are we can see the unchanging Universal. Existence is organized in its totality. We in our ignorance behave as if what we see is real. But, before we can react it has already changed. This leads to still more illusions.

The order of the Universe is complete, thus anything that can be defined is temporary and the definition has already missed the point. Eternity is constant and forever unchanging. Thus, what we can define is indefinable. That what is in existence has already passed out of existence. What we define is our creation and not real. The real is eternal and undifferentiated.

There is neither the real nor the unreal. There is neither the object being defined nor some one to define it. When your biases are entirely annihilated you have nothing left but what is really real. Truth is the negation of what is only real but not really real. The Universe is neither created nor destroyed.

III

The Universal is general, uncontaminated, everlasting, perpetual, imperishable, free and limitless. This can be recognized only when we go beyond knowing. The temporary is eternal. Only when we are free from distinctions can we understand this. Even divisions within our illusions form a unified whole. Only by obliterating our knowledge of the dissimilarities can we approach the Absolute. Subjectivity, partiality, transcendence and divine existence have no reality or certainty. Only by transcending transcendence can we be emancipated from illusions. Even gods would need to be born human before becoming enlightened.

Consciousness has no origin. The mind is born and it dies and is independent of the consciousness that gives it meaning. Consciousness has no absolute existence, because awareness has no unrestricted survival. The mind is born and it dies. The mind takes place in a specific time and place. Life is forever ceasing to exist and therefore it is not real. It is unawareness that gives the mind its’ authenticity. Reality is not the ultimate reality. Only by going beyond ordinary reality can the ultimate reality be known. What comes into being and ceases to exist is but an incomplete reflection of the ultimate reality. That which never changes nor comes into being nor ceases to exist is genuine. All an apparent reality is but an imperfect mirror to the eternal emptiness.

That which is, is always evolving into what it will be in the future. Leading to what is really real or emptiness. If ignorance is born out of disturbances, the non-enlightened will mistake this what is real. This accumulates like so much litter carried over from one life to the next this is karma. Only by seeking enlightenment, can some one eliminate all this past debt, clearing the mind to see the ultimate reality. The soul loses its perfect tranquility through disturbances and begins to difference between objects around the world. We come to see that the “me” and the “not-me” as being different. Only by long lasting contemplation and deep meditation can this trend be reversed. Disturbances lead to longing, which in turn leads to misery. Only through enlightenment can we see sameness in the eternal void. Only through enlightenment can one end suffering.

Whatever strengthens the appearances of things in the world is made up of different objects only increases our attachments thus leading to suffering. This leads to acting as if what is real is really real. But, this misses the whole pint of what is really real. Only by exterminating ignorance can we embrace emptiness. Being free from subjectivity, can we embrace eternity.

Buddha embraces all living things with tenderness and blissful wisdom. The path to purity remains open. Deterrents to all-pervading understanding are demolished. This allows one to become aware of total singleness of the Universe.

Self-comprehending strengthens the ego. But, even here we begin the path to enlightenment. Ignorance and belief in differences is being challenged leading to increasing peace of mind. Connecting to ego attachment begins to lessen. Inaction becomes the source of future action leading the mind becoming silent. Abandonment of all partiality will end the particular appreciation of separate groups. The everlasting and the unconditional now become understandable and this is the beginning of wisdom.

While the world as it appears is a creation of our interpretation, it is always a reflection of our mental constructions that can only let go of when we come to realize how all things are connected and this is where the beginning of truth rests. Then we move to empty our minds and to experience directly the eternal unity that is outside of time. By letting go of attachments we can free ourselves of suffering.

Tao Tai Chi

Good deeds should be done anonymously, other wise it is only an investment in ego. If kindness and charity are genuine you need no reward. Arrogance cheapens these acts.

If you want praise, fame, or fortune you use the grief of others for your own gain. If you ask for nothing in return you will not be disappointed. If you live simply, no one can steal anything from you that will cause suffering. Your lack of wealth is your freedom.

Being honest and humble you have the power to live a life free of pain and disappointment. First develop empathy, compassion and humility then your education and skill will benefit others. Trying to further your own wealth and power you will never be satisfied. If your reward was or is personal gain then your prize will only lead you further away from peace of mind and the end of suffering.

Being true to our shared humanity means in our affection for others we are faithful to ourselves. If we let private gratification be our agenda we will lose sight of who we are. Originally we are a part of a species and communal environs of which we are a communicating element.

We should let go of our connections to self-indulgence, self-glorification and greed. Next we need to go beyond our disappointments and frustrations. We need to fully embrace life as it unfolds. Balance comes from moving with the flow of life and not fighting against it.

We are born into a setting. Then, we create our fate through our actions. If we try to gain wealth and power with a great deal of hard work and effort we create not only resentment in others, but our own frustration and personal dissatisfaction. There is never enough wealth or power and we always want more. Wanting less leads directly to satisfaction. We should try for peace of mind instead.

Living a life of compassion, moderation and humility leads to peace of mind and quiet satisfaction. If we live a life like this we are earnest in our truthfulness. If we are sincere in our honesty we can find peace of mind. When our passions over take us we have no peace in our lives.

When we give into anger, lust, greed, and ambition our passions control us. When desire, avarice, or resentment is come too strong our appetites take over our lives. We become unhappy as satisfaction is beyond our reach. It is only through controlling our thoughts, we can control our passions and then we can gain control over our lives. To live in peace we must begin with peaceful thoughts.

Tao is harmony through awakening and knowing from start to finish a re-emergence to the reality of the void. This is a slow process, following a precise formation and succession of outcomes. Activating disposition that domesticates stormy judgments and emotions must be secured. You must suspend your personality, as the ego is the foundation of your discomfort and excesses. The temporary things in life are not real, emptiness and silence is. The real predates everything that is worldly and momentary. Anything that can be named is not real.

We create much of our suffering through pursuing short-term pleasures that have long-term consequences. Desiring what harms us leads to pain even if we do not act on it. Lust is exhausting and desires drain our energy. When we stop these desires even before they start we gain health and vigor we never knew we had.

That which is simplicities and modesties is worthy of our thoughts and actions; if not, then not. It is all a matter of attitude. Confident feelings will lead to positive thoughts and actions. Sympathy leads to kindness and modesty and must be refined every day. Hate, anger, cruelty, greed, ambition and want come up and ruin our lives and must be dissolved.

Self-importance makes us stupid. This leads to quarrels, stinginess, irritation and ferociousness. Aggravation creates irritability. Control your thoughts and anger. Virtue is born from avoiding fear. Desire leads to anxiety. To own something runs the risk of losing it. Not to own it leads to wanting it. Only by giving up the desire can you be free. With freedom comes balance in understanding. Balance leads to peace of mind. Wealth is an illusion peace of mind is forever. Good deeds build good health. Peace of mind begins with being a good person. Calm your passions. Empty yourself of resentments. Resist provocation. Empty your mind of stray thoughts. Stop concentrating on wandering judgments. Replace both with serene tranquility. Self-interest will lead to disappointment and tragedy. Peace of mind is the beginning of all that is desirable. Peace of mind leads to harmony, good health and a long and a righteous life.

Papasconi

Friday, February 1, 2019

Nature or God by Michael Joseph Francisconi

Rebellion is both cleansing and liberating. Everyday we need to make ourselves a very serious threat to power, wealth, privilege and property. The menace we pose to people of authority, money, entitlement and capital becomes are freedom in action.

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