Some things about Space Life (part 5)

This post analyzes the Space Life episodes of the second series, "The Captain's Diary", specifically: Mind control, Presence in reality, Impermanence, Non-attachment.

In these episodes Tom finds himself in the Beagle without AL and tries to apply strategies that he seems to have learned during his training.

Tom's version of Buddhism appears to be devoid of any theology. It is pure psychology. These techniques are drawn from the original teachings of the Buddha.

To deduce the original teaching of the Buddha from the enormous Buddhist literature is not an easy task.(1) 

There are three main canons (traditions): Pali, Chinese and Tibetan, in their respective languages. The Pali canon is the oldest and therefore should be the most reliable. (2)

But it too was written long after Siddhartha's death: over two centuries. (3)

It is therefore likely that the discourses attributed to the Buddha have been partly reworked, partly even invented. They are collected in the Suttapitaka, one of the three parts into which the Pâli Canon is divided, called Tripitaka ("three baskets"). (4)

The three canons are different from each other and attribute different expressions to the Buddha. But there are two statements, which are reported by all the Canons: the Four Noble Truths and the Eight Noble Ways.

Since the Four Noble Truths and the Eight Noble Paths constitute the essence of Buddhism and describe the practice to which we must apply in order to realize Buddhahood, it is necessary to clarify and deepen what they consist of. Let's start by examining the Four Noble Truths.

The Four Noble Truths speak of suffering. 

They are statements regarding:

1.  the spread of suffering;
2.   its cause;
3.   the means of its extinction;
4.   the modalities of its extinction;

1.  the existence of suffering by ascertaining the spread of suffering
2. the cause of suffering identification of the cause of suffering: ignorance of the impermanence of reality
3.  the extinction of suffering indication of the means to extinguish suffering: Awareness of the impermanence of reality
4.  the path that leads to the extinction of suffering methods of extinction of suffering: practice of the eight noble paths

The Four Noble Truths form the premise of Buddhism. They claim that suffering is very widespread, that it is due to an erroneous view of reality, which can be eliminated through a correct view of reality, which can be achieved and maintained with the practice of the Eight Noble Paths.

Summarizing, looking at their essence, we can enunciate the Eight Noble Paths as follows.

1.  right knowledge awareness of the continuous change and interdependence of things (enlightenment) and therefore not attachment
2.  right thinking elimination of negative involuntary thinking and production of positive voluntary thinking
3.  right speech (secondary as it is not a psychological but a moral precept)
4.  right action (secondary as it is not a psychological but a moral precept)
5.  just means of subsistence (secondary as it is not a psychological but a moral precept)
6.  right effort will to implement the right concentration (secondary as implied)
7.  right awareness, attention to reality and interaction with it
8.  right concentration detached observation of the mind

The first goal is awareness of change. Non-attachment is the second goal. the second goal is non-attachment we have seen that the second noble path, right thinking, consists in the elimination of negative involuntary thinking and in the construction of positive voluntary thinking and that the eighth noble path, right concentration, consists in observation detached from the mind. but both of these actions actually effect mind control. mind control is therefore the third goal. the third goal is mind control, the fourth goal is presence in reality.

But there is another goal to be achieved in order to truly reach the state of Buddhahood: universal love. The Buddha himself names universal love in relation to Right Thought, indicating that universal love is the mental dimension of the buddha.

As Tom ultimately shows us, the practice proposed by the Buddha consists in realizing five powers that each of us already possesses but simply does not use. They are: mind control, presence in reality, awareness of change, non-attachment, universal love.

We have seen how the realization of these five powers actually constitutes the original teaching of the Buddha.

Tom during his time in solitude is trying to reach them. We guess this from his diary. After talking to us about the fourth estate, AL comes back ...

The end?