Category: Buddhism

Exploring the philosophy (and practice) of Early and Later Buddhism.

Screenshot photo of Nury Vittachi's X post on Sept.1, 2026.

UK: Guardian Newspaper Caught “Lying” About Tibet! (4.9.2026)

These connections have also drawn attention to the group’s relationship with the NED, which provides funding to organizations and political initiatives in countries around the world to meddle in internal affairs of other countries.

In 2011, the NED awarded the organization two separate grants totaling $70,000. A large share of its financing, however, comes from other so-called “private” and even “charitable” foundations, making the ultimate sources of financial support less transparent, particularly when donor identities not publicly disclosed.

Vittachi argued that the organization’s personnel links with the U.S. government and its financial connections with the NED raises questions about whether its activities are driven solely by advocacy for Tibetans or are also aligned with broader U.S. political and geopolitical objectives concerning China.

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UK: “Soul” & “Psyche” (ψυχή) Are Not “Interchangeable” When Discussing Greek Philosophical Texts! (29.8.2026)

The term Tyndale translates as “soul” in English is the Greek term “psychas” (ψυχὰς) – is the “plural” the more familiar “psyche” (ψυχῇ) – which translates as “breath of life”, “to blow” and “to animate” (in Latin, the Greek term “psyche” is presented by the term “anima”). This probably represents the Hebrew term “Neshama” (נשמה) – meaning “breath”, “spirit”, or “essence” (inner self). The early Christians were radical Jews seeking to distinguish their thinking and practice from mainstream Judaism. The Gnostic Christians were content to use Greek philosophical terms and parallel many Greek paths of inner self-cultivation. Later, with the rise of the Catholic Church (empowered by the Roman State), the Gnostic Churches were suppressed and their scriptures outlawed. Catholic theologians, although continuing to use Greek terms (translated into Latin) – radically departed from the original philosophical meaning of those terms (the teaching and practice of Greek philosophy was banned). This process of moving away in meaning is particularly evident when it is understood that the Greek written form of “psyche” (ψυχῇ) has been replaced in translation by the Germanic (Pagan) term “soul”.

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A Young John Lennon!

UK: Gimme Some Truth – an Interesting John Lennon Album, Documentary & Documents! (25.8.2026)

This is why I admire the genius-structure of “Taxman” – but thoroughly reject the underlying selfishness that informed its production. As for ideology – The Beatles were all over the place. I think “money” was their god – and the transcending freedom this gave them from the cycle manual labour, paying bills, and being in debt – enabled them to take drugs, reads books and explore different realities – realities not normally open to the British workers of the day. John Lennon was did flirt with Maoism (and had an affair with his “Chinese” Secretary) – and they all wore Lenin-type hats from time to time (I do not think Lennon knew anything about Maoism). But this does not amount to Revolutionary action. According to the US government – Lennon was a “Trotskyite” – but I doubt his ideological development had progressed to him taking sides in the unfolding of the Soviet Revolution. He once said the the Socialist had messed-up the world as much as the capitalists – and this was to a group of UK students! Perhaps we expect too much from our millionaires as the game they play is designed to enrich and then move privilege away from the path of Revolution (keeping them firmly ensconced within reaction).

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Krishna & mohsha

UK: Emails – Looking for “Inner” Moksha! (22.8.2026)

Younger people today, perhaps due to the instant gratification the internet entails, seem to lack the ability to be diplomatic and to ration perception. This leads to violence and aggression between groups due to differences in perception. The interior differences spill-out into the material world – and violence ensues. The stone passage in the temple prevents any unnecessary lateral movement of the body – but the individual should also limit the inner movement of the mind. Then it does not matter whether the body “moves” through the gap or not. Remember, Western sentiment does not operate in this temple. Even if the body “dies” – a mind free of the cycle of birth, life, and death – is a mind (and spiritual-being) free of all suffering. Losing the body in this context is viewed as a win-win for the liberated individual. A disembodied spiritual being is now free to roam in any dimension (and epoch of time) whilst being no longer limited to this plane of existence. What, then, is the issue? Well, it seems that a trapped-body results in a confused and frightened mind – which fastens the individual ever-tighter to the cycle of birth. life, and death. Once the Indian Fire Brigade extracts the compressed being from the birth-canal – an enhanced suffering unfolds!

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Sheldrake Lecture - 2004

UK: Should Cambridge University Investigate Rupert Sheldrake? (12.8.2026)

The Buddha does not contain ALL knowledge as if it were lying dormant in his mind at any given moment (therefore he is not “omniscient” in this sense) but he does say that an enlightened being can direct the mind in any direction he or she wishes (like a net enveloping and collecting all things) throughout the world, and in so doing bring any part of it into his enlightened conscious awareness.  This lasts for as long as concentration is held in that direction and then fails away – remember that the true nature of the mind is “empty” and spacious – so that all phenomena seems to arise and pass away within it.  In fact the Buddha states a long list of abilities and powers he possesses – including the ability for his mind’s awareness to travel to other worlds.  What happened over-time is that through various commentaries and translations, the fact that the Buddha could move his mind’s awareness in any direction (or none) became conflated with the idea that his mind’s awareness was already in every place and at every time.

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Mahayana Buddha is Trans Gender

BMA-UK: The Buddha – Gender Fluid or Gender Irrelevant? (6.8.2026)

Of course, even in Shakespeare’s time in England – men dressed as women because women were not permitted to act on the stage. The Vinaya Discipline seeks to completely “cut-off” all sexual activity in the environment, body, and mind. This includes heterosexual, homosexual, and beastiality. This is what a Buddhist monastic is expected to follow – whilst a lay-person may get married and have children – providing there is an element of sexual control. This often comes down to use in the West as “No Adultery” – but in the old Pali Suttas, it is explained in a slightly different manner. In the time of the Buddha, a rich lay-man could marry up to four wives – and as it was the Hindu custom for a man to marry sisters – the Buddha advised that “control” in this instance was not to engage in sexual activity with anyone outside his wife’s family. Replacing this with “Adultery” is a clear example of how the bourgeois (Christian) West has tinkered with Asian Buddhism – and attempted to alter its essential nature. Adultery in the monogamous (modern) West is not the same as adultery in polygamous (ancient) India.

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