Dharma Philosophy: Meditations of Lama Dharma DingDong

Chapter One 634BCE to AD65

Quotes attributed to Thales

1. All human sufferings come from ignorance.

INITIAL RESPONSE: Suffering, defined here as the worrying mind, is inherent in all human experience.

REASONING: In a non-sentient causal universe, where no first cause of any THING, physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof, can be established, it points to the actuality that all THINGS are impermanent, subject to change and insubstantial as THINGS in or of themselves. Because the confused and conditioned self-referential mind does not see THINGS as they are, it gives rise to the worrying mind, because it’s attached to the belief, that THINGS have some degree of permanence and substantiality in or of themselves, including the sense of self.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: To awaken from the confusion created by the confused and conditioned self-referential mind, it will be required to be seen for what it is, and let go of. Only then can this experience we refer to as mind be at peace with itself, others, and the world around it.

2. The most difficult thing in life is to know yourself.

INITIAL RESPONSE: To know your self, you would first need to locate it.

REASONING: The self, is an idea created by the confused and conditioned self-referential mind. It’s the story of the personality you think of as you. But when you go in search of it, it can’t be found, other than as conditioned and habitual patterns of thinking, speaking, and acting, concerning sensory data input. Is it no wonder then, that this experience we refer to as mind, finds it difficult to be at peace with itself, others and the world around it, when it attaches itself to some THING, physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof, that does not exist, in or of itself.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: As difficult as it is, it’s only when the self is known to be as it is, does the opportunity arise to let go of all of its unhelpful habits that lead to the worrying dramas of the mind.

3. Nothing is more active than thought, for it travels over the universe, and nothing is stronger than a necessity, for all must submit to it.

INITIAL RESPONSE: It’s OK to be a fantasist, but eventually you will have to face actuality.

REASONING: This experience we refer to as mind, is capable of creating the most realistic fantasies about how the universe came into being and how it operates, to allay the inherent fear of non-existence within the pre-conscious of the human species. But eventually and by necessity, the actuality of the way THINGS physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof are, will be faced by all. All humans will, at some undetermined time, submit to death, but will never know the experience of it.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: The realization of actuality, is the liberation from the fear of it, and only then are you free to live within the joy of now-ness.

4. Avoid doing what you would blame others for doing.

INITIAL RESPONSE: When you take responsibility for the quality of your mental state in now-ness, blaming others becomes futile and unhelpful.

REASONING: If you adopt a way of life that is based on doing the least amount of physical, emotional or psychological harm to yourself, others and the world around you, and take responsibility for what you think, say and do, there is then no opportunity to blame others or external events, for the quality of your mental state in now-ness.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: Self-regulation is freedom from the worrying mind.

Quotes attributed to Anaximander

1 The source from which existing things derive their existence, is also that to which they return at their destruction.

INITIAL RESPONSE: All THINGS physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof, are no-THING-ness happening in now-ness.

REASONING: In a non-sentient causal universe, where no first cause of any THING can be established, it points to the actuality that all THINGS are impermanent, subject to change, and insubstantial as THINGS in or of themselves. This being as it is, means all THINGS are no-THING-ness happening in a causal now-ness.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: The source of all human experience is the living human brain, which is not a THING in or of itself either. So, when that brain dies beyond the necrotic stage, human experience returns to no-THING-ness.

2. There are many worlds and many systems of universes existing all at the same time, all of them perishable.

INITIAL RESPONSE: All THINGS physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof are inter-related in now-ness, and are impermanent and insubstantial, in or of themselves.

REASONING: There are approximately 7.5 billion (and rising), unique thoughts happening as we speak. In one way or another, they are connected within a non-sentient causal process. But just like all other THINGS, they come into existence and then go out of existence, because of causes and conditions.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: No THING has any permanent or substantial THING-ness in or of itself.

3. To what purpose should I trouble myself in searching out the secret of the stars, having death or slavery continually before my eyes.

INITIAL RESPONSE: The worrying mind can only be resolved in now-ness.

REASONING: You cannot change the past. You can only learn from it. If your sights are fixed on a future that has yet to come, you have failed to understand the inevitability and unpredictability of death, and have taken your eye off now-ness. Now-ness is the only opportunity to resolve what worries the mind. Being the slave of past and future thinking and fear of non-existence inhibits peace of mind.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: The centrality of contentment with THINGS physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof, as they are in now-ness, will allow this experience we refer to as mind, to be at peace with itself, others and the world around you.

4. Immortal and indestructible surrounds all and direct all.

INITIAL RESPONSE: If no THING physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof exists in or of itself, then all that has ever happened and will continue to happen, is the process of change in now-ness.

REASONING: In a non-sentient causal universe, where no first cause of any THING can be established, it points to the actuality that all THINGS are impermanent, subject to change, and insubstantial as THINGS in or of themselves. This being the way it is, suggests that the process under which the known universe operates is on-going into infinity, and defines all THINGS.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: As the self is just an idea created by the confused and conditioned self-referential mind, there is no THING to fear concerning non-existence as no THING was born, ages, gets sick or dies.

Quotes attributed to Pythagoras

1. Learn to be silent. Let your quiet mind listen and absorb.

INITIAL RESPONSE: Wisdom is realized within.

REASONING: The confused and conditioned self-referential mind is the perfect 24-hour entertainment system that functions to prevent you from seeing THINGS physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof as they are. Respite from the worrying mind that results from it, can be found within the stage of thought-less-ness, or meditational bliss, that opens the gateway to clear and non-distractive thinking, that can process sensory data knowledge into a lived experience of wisdom, expressed as compassion.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: Learning and practicing awareness meditation, is an investment for life that will train the mind to be at peace with itself, others, and the world around it.

2. If there be light, then there is darkness; if cold, heat; if height, depth; if solid, fluid; if hard, soft, if rough, smooth; if calm, tempest, if prosperity, adversity; if life, death.

INITIAL RESPONSE: Awakening sees through the confusion of duality, but still engages with it.

REASONING: Only a dishonest person would claim not to experience the world as being dualistic. The awakened mind is still dualistic, but it is no longer confused by the conditioned self-referential aspect of it. This means, it does not have to worry about the experience of it, as it responds as is appropriate to it, from the perspective of the centrality of contentment of duality as it is.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: Dualism is the perfect teacher. It highlights directly how causality works experientially. To deny it would be unhelpful to realizing awakening and keep you attached to the conditioned self-referential mind and its confusions.

3. The art of living happily is to live in the present.

INITIAL RESPONSE: Live in now-ness and you won’t need to worry about living happily in a non-existent present.

REASONING: There is no now. There is no moment. There is no present. These terms represent time as being static, and can never actually be realized, because of the nature of causality. How can you ever find happiness in some THING physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof that does not exist in or of itself, and is in a constant process of change?

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: Contentment with the way THINGS are in the on-going flow of now-ness, will result in the experience we refer to as mind, being at peace with itself, others, and the world around it.

4. Strength of mind rests in sobriety; for this keeps your reason unclouded by passion.

INITIAL RESPONSE: Intoxication prevents clarity of mind.

REASONING: Intoxication happens whenever the experience we refer to as mind is distracted from its natural state of conscious awareness. Sobriety, in this context, means maintaining peace of mind. To realize this, it’s helpful to understand why we choose to distract the mind from its natural state. If we peel back all of the conditioned layers of that experience, we will find that we choose a distraction when we are not content with the current experience as it is and want it to be different. This is the worrying mind state.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: To avoid distracting the mind, it’s helpful to meet all experience as it is with clarity and simply respond as is appropriate to the experience.

Quotes attributed to Xenophanes

1. It isn’t right to judge strength as better than good wisdom.

INITIAL RESPONSE: Strength without wisdom is corruptive power.

REASONING: The most powerful person in this world is one whose strength is founded in compassion. Only the weak impose their strength on others because they live within the confusion of the conditioned self-referential mind that does not realize the inter-relatedness of humanity.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: Depending on the context and motivational intent, the most compassionate THING physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof, you could do is end the life of another.

2. No human being will ever know the truth, for even if they happen to say it by chance, they would not even know they had done so.

INITIAL RESPONSE: No THING physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof is a TRUTH, in or of itself.

REASONING: Some statements are true (currently factually correct) and there are personal truths (conditioned beliefs), but in a non-sentient causal universe, where no first cause of any THING can be established, it points to the actuality that all THINGS are impermanent, subject to change and insubstantial as THINGS in or of themselves.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: As there is no such THING as a chance within a causal universe, no THING will be identified as a TRUTH in or of itself, and that includes the idea that there is some THING searching for it.

3. Ethiopians imagine their gods as black and snub-nosed; Thracians blue-eyed and red-haired. But if horses or lions had hands, or could draw and fashion works as men do, horses would draw the gods shaped like horses and lions like lions, making the gods resemble themselves

INITIAL RESPONSE: Human imagination is limited by its conditioned nature.

REASONING: The pre-conscious drive to survive and replicate the gene pool, is inherent within the human species. This creates a fear of non-existence, which will invoke the imagination of the confused and conditioned self-referential mind, to create beliefs that will alleviate or eradicate that fear. Naturally, it will cling to ideas that match its nature, as it is this that it seeks, to survive and replicate.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: It’s never going to be helpful to make your way on this journey between life and death, being dependent on a figment of the imagination. All that will do, is cause the experience we refer to as mind, to worry.

4. One needs to be very wise to find a sage.

INITIAL RESPONSE: Wisdom is keeping the eyes, ears, and mind open.

REASONING: A wise person embraces the on-going learning experience that now-ness presents, and will draw from the sage advice of those that they meet on the journey from birth to death. The wise person knows no THING physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof, is a TRUTH in or of itself. The fool thinks they know everything and the sage meets both as they are, and responds as is appropriate. The wise person will listen to the sage and learn, but the fool will call the sage foolish, or defame them and remain within the cycle of confusion.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: The sage will point their finger at the moon and encourage you not to believe that they are the moon. The wise will understand. The fool will be too busy looking at their finger to even see the moon.

Quotes attributed to Parmenides

1. Everything is of the nature of nothing

INITIAL RESPONSE: No-THING-ness is all there is.

REASONING: In a non-sentient causal universe, where no first cause of any THING physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof can be established, it points to the actuality that all THINGS are impermanent, subject to change and insubstantial as THINGS in or of themselves. This being the way it is, means that all THINGS are not THINGS in or of themselves and are simply an expression of no-THING-ness happening in now-ness, that are dependent on preceding causes and conditions for their existence and will end when those causes and conditions end.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: When this is realized, the confusion of the conditioned self-referential mind is seen through and falls away within the awakening experience of not-self that is aware that no THING is having the experience.

2. It is indifferent to me where I am to begin, for there I shall return.

INITIAL RESPONSE: That which was not born shall not die.

REASONING: What you think of as being you, is exactly that. It’s a thought created by the confused and conditioned self-referential mind. That thought began at the point of personalization in the early stages of life when separation from the inter-relatedness of all THINGS physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof happened. That thought will end the moment the brain on which it is dependent, reaches the necrotic stage of death.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: This being, that becomes. With the ceasing of this, that is no more. That which is born as no-THING-ness will return to no-THING-ness.

3. The only roads of inquiry there are to think of: one, that is and that is not possible for it not to be, this is the path of persuasion. (for truth is its companion); the other, that it is not and that it must not be – this I say to you is a path wholly unknowable.

INITIAL RESPONSE: The method of inquiry that you use to make sense of the world around you, will define what can be understood as the most current, plausible, functional understanding, and what can only be believed.

REASONING: All THINGS physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof are subject to change because of impermanence and insubstantiality. But in now-ness, some THING that is factually accurate, requires no belief, because it has credible and verifiable evidence (as opposed to anecdotal) to support it. Whereas, any THING that has no credible or verifiable evidence to support it, can only be accepted based on blind or un-evidenced belief.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: Choose your method of inquiry well. Even the meditative method of inquiry can lead you down blind alleyways of belief if you can find no credible or verifiable evidence to support what you find there.

4. You must not only hypothesize if each thing is true, and examine the consequences of that – you must also hypothesize if that same thing is not true.

INITIAL RESPONSE: You can only hypothesize about all THINGS physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof.

REASONING: Because all THINGS are impermanent, subject to change and insubstantial in or of themselves, no THING can be a TRUTH in or of itself. The remit of the scientific method of inquiry is not to prove any THING. It’s to understand some THING and put forth the most plausible, current, functional understanding based on credible and verifiable evidence.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: The Buddha suggested a method on which to hypothesize that can be helpful as follows:

It is unhelpful to simply believe what you hear just because you have heard it for a long time.

It is unhelpful to follow tradition blindly, merely because it has been practiced in that way for years.

It is unhelpful to listen to rumors.

It is unhelpful to confirm anything just because it is stated in scripture or text.

It is unhelpful to make assumptions.

It is unhelpful to conclude what you see and hear.

It is unhelpful to be fooled by outward appearances.

It is unhelpful to cling to or become attached to, any view or idea just because you are comfortable with it.

It is unhelpful to accept as fact, anything arrived at by logic.

It is unhelpful to be convinced of anything out of respect or reverence to your chosen Dharma communicator.

It is helpful to go beyond opinion and belief.

It is helpful to reject anything that, when accepted, tried and tested with integrity, leads to worrying in the form of want, not want, and confusion.

It is helpful to accept anything that, when accepted, tried, and tested with integrity, leads to the practice of loving-kindness, contentment, and clarity.

Quotes attributed to Epicharmus

1. It is the understanding that sees and hears; it is the understanding that improves everything, that orders everything and that acts, rules, and reigns.

INITIAL RESPONSE: Human awareness is all that’s happening.

REASONING: All human understanding arises through sensory data input, being processed by the experience we refer to as mind. The human species evolved to have an ability to be aware of being aware within a thinking process, which makes cognitive sense of the neuro/electro/chemical activity in a living human brain. That thought process developed an idea that created confusion about what it thinks is thinking. If awareness is brought to that experience it will be realized that what you think of as being you, does not exist in or of itself.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: Living in conscious awareness, allows for the experience we refer to as mind to be at peace with itself, others and the world around it, as it engages in the on-going learning opportunity that now-ness presents, between birth and death of the human brain.

2. Judgment, not passion should prevail.

INITIAL RESPONSE: Trying to be non-judgmental is not wise.

REASONING: Judgement can be a valid and appropriate response to sensory data input. It’s embedded within the pre-conscious, biological nature of the human species as the instinct to survive, to replicate the gene pool. The use of judgment, therefore, can be helpful or unhelpful to move the experience we refer to as mind away from worrying, towards being at peace with itself, others, and the world around it. Judgment becomes unhelpful when it is driven by a want for THINGS physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof, to be other than they are. This is judgment inflamed by the passion of the worrying mind.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: Wisdom is knowing when to judge, and when not to judge, and it is conscious awareness of the quality of the mental state in now-ness, that will define if it’s helpful or unhelpful.

3. Only mind has sight and hearing; all things else are deaf and blind.

INITIAL RESPONSE: Thinking requires sensory data input.

REASONING: The experience that is referred to as the human mind is the evolved ability of the human brain to be aware of being aware, and to make cognitive sense of the neuro/electro/chemical activity within it, concerning sensory data input. Without that living human brain, there is no thinker to be blind or deaf.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: Without the perception of the living human brain, all other THINGS physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof do not exist in or of themselves.

4. A mortal should think mortal thoughts, not immortal thoughts.

INITIAL RESPONSE: Thinking can only happen in now-ness.

REASONING: Human death is the effect, of the cause of human birth. It’s inevitable, but its timing is uncertain, although it will only ever happen in now-ness. It’s unhelpful, therefore, to worry about death, because it will never be experienced by you. It’s helpful to live life as it presents itself in now-ness and to respond as is appropriate to the experience, so that the experience we refer to as mind can remain at peace with itself, others, and the world around it, in now-ness.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: It’s always helpful to ask yourself how worrying about that which is inevitable can be helpful.

Quotes attributed to Anaxagoras

1. Appearances are a glimpse of the unseen.

INITIAL RESPONSE: No THING physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof is as it seems.

REASONING: In a non-sentient causal universe, where no first cause of any THING can be established, it points to the actuality that all THINGS are impermanent, subject to change, and insubstantial as THINGS in or of themselves. THINGS appear because of causes and conditions, are seen, and labeled by the confused and conditioned self-referential mind and then disappear again when the causes and conditions for their appearance ends.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: To maintain peace of mind, it’s helpful not to become attached to the confusion created by the conditioned self-referential mind, and see THINGS as they are and not how we believe them to be.

2. Men would live exceedingly quiet if these two words, mine and thine, were taken away.

INITIAL RESPONSE: The cause of all conflict arises because of confusion.

REASONING: All THINGS physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof are inter-related within a non-sentient causal universe. When the world is seen and engaged with through the eyes of the perceptions of the confused and conditioned self-referential mind, it becomes separate from the way THINGS are, and so conflict between self and other arises.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: Peace of mind is realized when the confusion of self and other is resolved within the awakening experience.

3. Everything has a natural explanation. The moon is not a god but a great rock and the sun is a hot rock.

INITIAL RESPONSE: The need for magical mystical thinking, or unevidenced beliefs, will enhance the confusion of the conditioned self-referential mind and cause it to worry.

REASONING: Some THINGS physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof can be known in now-ness, and some THINGS cannot be known in now-ness. That which can be known will have credible and verifiable evidence (not anecdotal) to support it, so there is no need to worry about it as you can accept it as it is. Worrying about THINGS you can’t know in now-ness is irrelevant in now-ness, and is a hindrance to the mind being at peace with itself, others, and the world around it.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: Questions such as how did the universe begin or what happens after death, are irrelevant in now-ness, as no first cause or end effect of any THING can be established.

4. The seed of everything is in the seed of everything else."

INITIAL RESPONSE: All THINGS physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof are inter-related.

REASONING: Although no first cause of any THING can be established within the known universe, all forms of consciousness/aliveness did however develop within an inter-related evolutionary process. This being the way it is, means the division between the thought of you, and the perception of others is just a confusion created by the conditioned self-referential mind.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: When this is realized, equanimity arises in the form of compassion.

Quotes attributed to Empedocles

1. This is not lawful for some and unlawful for others, but what is lawful for all extends on continuously through the wide-ruling air and the boundless light.

INITIAL RESPONSE: All THINGS physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof are subject to the law of causality.

REASONING: All THINGS that happen within the known universe, do so for no other reason than the preceding causes and conditions that enable them to happen. There is no fate, destiny, luck, chance, randomness, or accident within a causal system in which no first cause of any THING can be established.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: Some will accept this law as the most plausible, current, functional understanding, and that will alleviate or eradicate the worrying aspect of the experience we refer to as mind. Others will reject this law, and believe in THINGS for which there is no credible or verifiable evidence, and will continue to worry. Either way, the non-sentient causal universe will not be worrying about it.

2. There are forces in nature referred to as love and hate. The force of love causes elements to be attracted to each other and to be built up into some particular form or person, and the force of hate causes the decomposition of things.

INITIAL RESPONSE: Human nature is defined by pleasure and pain.

REASONING: The pre-conscious, biological nature of the human species, which combines the evolutionary data of the species with the genetic imprints of the preceding donors, contains the primary drive to survive to replicate the gene pool. To enable this, it utilizes the pleasure and pain principle, love and hate, like and dislike, want and not want experiences, processed by the human brain as neuro/electro/chemical activity. This is made sense of by the perceptive awareness factor of the experience we refer to as mind, - and thought of as being us, by the confusion created by the conditioned self-referential aspect within the experience.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: The mind can only be at peace with itself, others and the world around it when it is content with THINGS physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof as they are, and is not caught within the imbalance of pleasure and pain, love and hate, like and dislike or want and not want.

3. None of the gods has formed the world, nor has any man, it has always been.

INITIAL RESPONSE: The origin of the world is irrelevant in now-ness.

REASONING: No first cause of any THING physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof can be established within this non-sentient causal universe. How does it help to move the experience we refer to as mind, away from worrying about THINGS, if we are forever trying to establish that which can’t be established? At the subjective level of reality, you can assure yourself that the origin of your existence in this world, was highly likely to have happened as the result of your parents having sex. Do you need to worry about anything that happened before that event? Isn’t there enough to worry about because of the actuality and insubstantiality of all THINGS in now-ness?

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: Worrying about THINGS that have no actual relevance in now-ness will never allow the mind to be at peace with itself, others, and the world around it.

4. Each man believes his own experience.

INITIAL RESPONSE: No THING physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof is at it seems.

REASONING: When all human experience is infused with the actuality of impermanence and insubstantiality, it will inevitably give rise to the worrying mind if you believe the experience to be other than it is. If you believe that all human experience is any THING other than the on-going process of causality happening within a non-sentient, causal universe in now-ness, then you will remain attached to the idea that there is this self-existent you that has the experience, and the mind will never be at peace with itself, others and the world around it.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: It is helpful not to believe in any THING.

Quotes attributed to Zeno of Elea

1. The goal of life is living in agreement with nature.

INITIAL RESPONSE: Nature is what is happening in now-ness.

REASONING: All THINGS physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof are inter-related because of the nature of causality. Human nature is to survive, in to replicate its gene pool, and utilizes the pleasure and pain principle of want and not want to realize its inherent objective. Because the experience we refer to as mind is confused and conditioned by its self-referential dualistic drive, it will inevitably result in worrying beyond the inherent objective being realized.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: If peace of mind can be established and maintained in now-ness, by the acceptance of THINGS as they are, the inherent objective can be realized without the dualistic worrying disturbing the nature of THINGS.

2. The avaricious man is like the barren sandy ground of the desert which sucks in all the rain and dew with greediness, but yields no fruitful herbs or plants for the benefit of others.

INITIAL RESPONSE: The journey to awakening begins and ends with generosity.

REASONING: It may take time to begin living in an ethically helpful way. It may take time to build up a regular meditation practice. Both of these activities are, I suggest, vital to the Dharma journey if peace of mind is to be realized. But the only THING physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof, that is preventing you from being generous in now-ness, is the unhelpful attachment to stuff you don’t need, although it could help others. De-cluttering stuff de-clutters the mind and can help those in need. It also helps the process of letting go of self-interest and moves towards the actuality of inter-relatedness that will eventually require you to give away even the thought of self.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: When you give to others it may start from the position of being transactional and that’s OK. But when you give for no other reason than giving itself, then you’re closer than ever to awakening.

3. By silence, I hear other men’s imperfections and conceal my own.

INITIAL RESPONSE: Even in silence, motivational intent defines the quality of your mental state in now-ness.

REASONING: It can be helpful at times not to voice what it is you are thinking, if it may cause emotional or psychological harm to others. But it is also helpful to be aware, that if the thought is one that may cause harm to others, it’s already causing harm to you because it is your mind that is worrying.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: It’s never going to be helpful to realize peace of mind if you act out of integrity and point to the imperfections of others, without understanding that the pointing is coming from your imperfections.

4. But what has been said once can always be repeated.

INITIAL RESPONSE: Repetition can be the foundation of a fixed belief.

REASONING: If you hold firm to a fixed belief about any THING physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof, you close the experience of the mind to the actuality of change, and become no more than a self-defensive intellectual parrot. To free the experience of mind and to be open to causality, will require an on-going attitude of testing, challenging, attempting to refute, or to realize, the most plausible, functional understanding in now-ness, that moves the mind away from worrying, towards being at peace with itself, others and the world around it.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: Just as trying to step in the same stream twice is unhelpful, so it will be, trying to hold on and repeating the same belief.

Quotes attributed to Protagoras

1. There are two sides to every question

INITIAL RESPONSE: Whether you ask the right or the wrong question about any THING physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof, you will never arrive at the right or wrong answer.

REASONING: All we can ever have is the most plausible functional understanding of any THING in now-ness. We can base that view on credible and verifiable fact-based evidence, and accept that it is subject to change, and therefore the experience we call mind will remain open to the on-going learning opportunity that life presents. Or we can choose to believe that we are right, and close the mind behind the belief and defend it, at all costs.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: The fixed belief approach is unhelpful because it will cause the mind to worry. The transitory view approach will allow the mind to be at peace with itself, others, and the world around it.

2. Man is the measure of all things, of the reality of those which are, and of the unreality of those which are not.

INITIAL RESPONSE: No THING physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof is as it seems.

REASONING: Human perception is flawed because of its confused and conditioned, self-referential nature. There are about 7.5 billion unique versions of reality happening in now-ness. But all THINGS are just inter-relatedness happening within a non-sentient causal universe. Even when we think we can verify some THING evidentially, and more so when we can’t, the mind will still worry, because we are not seeing that all THINGS are impermanent and insubstantial in or of themselves.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: Although man is defined by the ability to be aware, and make cognitive sense of the neuro/electro/chemical activity within the human brain (concerning sensory data input), peace of mind will only be realized when we see THINGS as they are and are content with them being that way in now-ness.

3. Let us hold our discussion together in our own persons, making trial of the truth and of ourselves.

INITIAL RESPONSE: Introspection is the most helpful way to discuss all THINGS physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof.

REASONING: When we argue or debate with another, two fixed positions then close two minds to the on-going learning opportunity that discussion provides. But even then, what we learn during the discussion may just be the personal unevidenced opinion/view/belief of the other. If we simply then accept all of that without testing and challenging it within our own experience, (by trying to refute it experientially, or realizing whether it works or not to move the experience of mind away from worrying towards being at peace with itself, others and the world around it), then all we will have done is create a personal truth that we will need to defend, and therefore worry about it.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: When we reflect within the meditative process, there is no one to argue with, and as we move our practice beyond the stage of thought-less-ness, where self-referential thinking falls away, clarity arises so we can see THINGS as they are, and that results in peace of mind.

4. As to gods, I have no way of knowing either that they exist or do not exist, or what they are like.

INITIAL RESPONSE: Worrying about THINGS physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof, that are irrelevant in now-ness is never going to result in peace of mind.

REASONING: Questions, such as how did the universe begin, or what happens after death, or do I exist or not, are all obstructions to the realization of peace of mind in now-ness. They are irrelevant to the experience of it and will just cause the mind to worry. What we do know, is that we were born, we will age, get sick, and die. If we spend the period between the points of birth and death worrying about THINGS that are irrelevant in now-ness, then we will miss the joy of being within the flow of it.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: When you meet all experience as it is, and simply respond as is appropriate, then the mind can remain at peace with itself, others, and the world around it. If you happen to meet a god on the road instead of a Buddha, killing it would also be helpful.

Quotes attributed to Gorgias

1. Nothing exists; even if something exists, nothing can be known about it; and even if something can be known about it, knowledge about it can’t be communicated to others.

INITIAL RESPONSE: No THING physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof exists in or of itself.

REASONING: All THINGS are in an on-going process of change within causality. This means that no THING has any aspect of permanence or substantiality. Therefore it cannot be known as a THING in its own right. When this is realized, the knowledge of it cannot be communicated to the confused and conditioned self-referential mind, because it is the obstruction. The Dharma mind therefore can only point to the potentiality of awakening, by sharing its experience from within it.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: It is unhelpful to accept the idea (that is promoted within classical religious Buddhism), that awakening is reserved for the spiritual elite, or that the experience is something to achieve or gain, or that it’s special, or that it creates a superior or perfect human being. This is just the projected baggage of the institutions that have a vested interest in not recognizing that it can be realized by anyone.

2. Being is unrecognizable unless it manages to seem, and seeming is feeble unless it manages to be.

INITIAL RESPONSE: Believing your self is never going to be helpful

REASONING: When we go and look, there is no independent self that can be found within any experience, although, because of the confusion created by the conditioned self-referential mind, it would seem that there is. It’s no wonder then, that we worry so much when we are reliant on a figment of our imagination.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: To deny the existence of a self is silly and also an extreme view. To believe that the self is fixed, enduring, and independent is also silly and an extreme view. The actuality is, that there is a self that is not a self in or of itself, and when this is realized it no longer needs to worry about it.

3. The effect of speech upon the condition of the soul is comparable to the power of drugs over the nature of bodies. For just as different drugs dispel different secretions from the body, and some bring an end to disease and others to life, so also in the case of speeches, some distress, others delight, some cause fear, others make the hearers bold and some drug and bewitch the soul with a kind of evil persuasion.

INITIAL RESPONSE: The awareness of kindness that motivates your speech, liberates the mind from worrying.

REASONING: As all THINGS physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof are inter-related, when the motivation behind what you say results in harm to others, it also causes harm to you. But even when it’s not spoken and causes no harm to others, it’s still causing harm to you in the form of an unexpressed thought. The ability to communicate as a human being provides an amazing potential to be of benefit to humanity but is also possibly its most destructive weapon of offense.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: The four most helpful questions to be aware of concerning speech are: 1. Is it accurate? 2. Is it kind? 3. Is it necessary? 4. Is it appropriate?

4. The man who deceives shows more justice than he who does not.

INITIAL RESPONSE: Sometimes deception is compassion in action.

REASONING: There is no compassion in speaking what is true if it results in causing physical, emotional, or psychological harm to yourself, others, or the world around you. To avoid harming, it would be compassionate to intentionally deceive, but only if you are not deceiving yourself by trying to rationalize or justify an unhelpful thought, speech, or action.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: The motivational intent that drives what you think, what you say, and what you do, defines the quality of mental state in now-ness. Compassion arises when the mind is at peace with itself, others, and the world around it, and is free to deceive with no need for the guilt imposed by the attachment to conditioned subjective morality.

Quotes attributed to Socrates

1. I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think.

INITIAL RESPONSE: Teaching is egocentric. Sharing knowledge and experience is not.

REASONING: A teacher relates to a disciple/student/follower from a subconscious position of power and superiority, and the disciple/student/follower projects from the subconscious position of subordination. This can lead to unhelpful thoughts, words, and actions which may cause physical, emotional, psychological, sexual or financial harm to the disciple/student/follower, and also an unhelpful quality of mental state for the teacher. There is a learning opportunity within all interactions with others, without the need to formalize a commitment to one individual. To avoid such harm, it’s helpful to become self-taught, and seek advice from those you consider more knowledgeable or experienced, - but still test, challenge, attempt to refute or realize what they advise, within your own direct experience, to see if it moves the mind away from worrying and towards being at peace with itself, others and the world around it.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: Sharing knowledge and experience of the Dharma journey is an expression of friendship and compassion that arises naturally from the awakened mind of equanimity. It is only ever the finger pointing at the moon and is never about the finger. You are never taught by anyone; no answers can be given. You are encouraged to think and work it out for yourself, to see if it works to alleviate or eradicate the worrying mind.

2. The secret of happiness is not found in seeing more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less.

INITIAL RESPONSE: Less is more.

REASONING: Happiness is just a transitory heightened sense of pleasure when you experience some THING physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof that you want or like. But its pursuit creates the conditions for unhappiness when it inevitably ends. Peace of mind cannot be realized whilst there is an attachment to the idea that any THING has any degree of permanence or substantiality in or of itself.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: There is nothing wrong with having THINGS. THINGS can be helpful or unhelpful depending on how you utilize them. But the attachment to the unrealistic expectations of them will always cause the mind to worry. De-cluttering stuff from our life helps to de-clutter the mind and can also help others in need when we let go of stuff we no longer need.

3. To know, is to know that you know nothing. That is the meaning of true knowledge.

INITIAL RESPONSE: No THING physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof can be known in or of itself.

REASONING: When we think we know some THING, it gives rise to an attachment to the idea that this THING has a fixed and unchanging nature and some degree of substantiality in or of itself. When we do this, it leads to a belief that this THING is true in or of itself. When we become attached to a belief it becomes a personal TRUTH that we then need to defend, and it closes the mind to the actuality of causality. This gives rise to the worrying mind because we’re not realizing THINGS as they are, but rather how we believe them to be through the lens of the confused and conditioned self-referential mind.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: It’s helpful to consider that we know nothing, and can be content with living within the non-attached, open-minded option, of the transitory view of THINGS to engage fully with the experiential on-going learning opportunities that life presents in now-ness.

4. To move the world, we must first move ourselves.

INITIAL RESPONSE: Change your mind, change your world, change the world around you.

REASONING: Change is the only constant in the known universe. But you can’t change the thoughts, speech, or actions of anyone else. Only they can do that, just as only you can change yours by taking responsibility for the quality of your mental state in now-ness. Making changes that will move your mind away from worrying, towards contentment and peace of mind, and living based on doing what you can to cause less physical, emotional or psychological harm to yourself, others and the world around you, may well be influential in being the catalyst for change in others, but trying to force them to change will just cause you to worry.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: The quality of your mental state in now-ness, is dependent on what you think, say, or do and not what others think, say, or do. Blaming them for theirs would be an act of unkindness and comes from a position of egocentricity.

Quotes attributed to Critias

1. It was man who first made men believe in gods.

INITIAL RESPONSE: When any belief is forced upon you it will never be helpful.

REASONING: The need to impose any belief upon others is driven by a want to manipulate and control another person into thinking, speaking, and acting the same way as you do. It’s an attempt to force an artificial connection that we believe will give us a sense of security that groupthink and behavior will provide, against the dangers we perceive. As a result, we become the prisoners of others, and our minds become obedient and an unthinking slave, that prevents the development of human conscience.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: Freedom is a state of mind. Taking responsibility for what we think, say, and do is liberation. To choose not to believe is the key to unlocking the prison cell and releasing the chains of slavery so the mind can be at peace with itself, others, and the world around it.

2. If you will discipline yourself to make your mind self-sufficient you will thereby be least vulnerable to injury from outside.

INITIAL RESPONSE: Meditation is the perfect medication.

REASONING: When you train the experience we refer to as mind to see THINGS physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof, as they are, with an open acceptance of what they are without judging them as good or bad or wanting them to be other than they are, then there can be no worrying present within the experience, and the mind will be at peace with itself, others and the world around it.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: A disciplined awareness meditation practice, will lead to the realization that the worrying mind arises in dependence on what you think, say and do, and not on others or external events. When this responsibility is understood, the need to blame others falls away and acceptance of self-responsibility comes without guilt attached.

3. Fortune always fights on the side of the prudent.

INITIAL RESPONSE: A fool rushes in whilst the wise are still thinking.

REASONING: When we think, speak or act based on conditioned habit, we are on auto-pilot, running around the wheel of life like a demented rodent on crystal meth. To step off the wheel whilst it’s moving will result in injury, so it would be prudent to allow it to come to a halt so we may step off, catch our breath and experience life in the slow lane, savoring the opportunity to experience it as it is, rather than rushing towards its inevitable end.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: Fortune is realized when the mind is at peace with itself, others, and the world around it. This will not happen whilst you’re busy fighting with life to get what you want and to resist what you don’t want. The prudent find the contentment of the middle way approach of the Dharma journey to be the most helpful approach.

4. No matter how hard you fight the darkness, every light casts a shadow, and the closer you get to the light, the darker that shadow becomes.

INITIAL RESPONSE: There is no THING physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof to fear in the shadows.

REASONING: Fighting against the darkness of your unhelpful thoughts, speech and actions, (or those of others), will just reinforce the worrying mind. If you shine the light of actuality into the darkness, you will see THINGS as they are. To awaken, will require the courage to enter the darkest of shadows, to realize there is no THING there.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: The Dharma journey of meditation, ethics, and insight, lights the way and reveals that there has never been any THING hiding in the shadows, other than the confusion created by the conditioned self-referential mind.

Quotes attributed to Leucippus

1. Nothing occurs at random, but everything for a reason and by necessity.

INITIAL RESPONSE: Causality combines reason and necessity.

REASONING: All THINGS physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof, happen independently of preceding causes and conditions. We may not know yet what those causes and conditions are and we may never be able to establish the first cause of any THING, but if we explore all human experience we can establish causality within it, right back to conception - and even that was causal and dependent on human sperm fertilizing a human egg.

DHARMA PHILOSOPHY: Concepts such as random, chance, luck, fate, destiny, and accident, etc, all have a place within the communication lexicon of human beings. In terms of subjective, conditioned reality, they may at some level, be helpful. But they can also be unhelpful, when we begin to ascribe some external force or entity with the powers of decision making over our actions, as it prevents us from taking full responsibility for what we think, say and do.

2. The sum of things is unlimited and they all change into one another. The all includes the empty as well as the full.

INITIAL RESPONSE: All THINGS physical, emotional, psychological, or any combination thereof are inter-related happenings in now-ness.

REASONING: Oneness is just the duality of the conditioned self-referential mind adding in another layer of confusion that blinds you to the actuality that all THINGS in a non-sentient, infinite, causal universe, - where no first cause or end effect of any THING can be established, are inter-related but