philosophy – Page 12 – SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR)

Plotinus: The Concept of ‘Time’ Reconsidered! (21.9.2022)

21/09/2022 Adrian (釋大道)

The Christians then further added to this confusion (entirely of their own making) by superimposing the Germanic term ‘Soul’ over their misinterpretation of the Greek philosophical term ‘Psyche’! Plotinus (and most genuine Greek philosophers) never used or even knew of the Christian conflation of ‘Psyche-Soul’. Certainly, Plotinus NEVER used the Christian term ‘Soul’, but he did continuously use the Greek philosophical term ‘Psyche’, which refers to the ‘breath of life’, ‘the animating principle of existence’ – or that ‘spark’ which sets in motion all the conditions that grant psychological (thought) and physical (existence)! Plato’s 4th Century BCE text entitled ‘Definitions’ a manual of philosophical terms (translated by DS Hutchinson, 1996) used within his ‘Academy’ School of Philosophical Study – defines the Greek term ‘Psyche’ to mean the following:

a) That which moves itself.

b) The cause of vital processes in living creatures.

I would argue that the Greek term ‘Psyche’ implies so much more than the narrow Christian term ‘Soul’, and even if there are elements of the Greek ‘Psyche’ which overlap with the Christian ‘Soul’ – this in no way validates (or accepts) the Christian doctrine of being true anymore than it invalidates the Greek philosophical message!

Sichuan: Drought Exposes Full Extent of Ancient Buddhist Artefact! (23.8.2022)

23/08/2022 Adrian (釋大道)

Although Buddhist philosophy must be distinguished from the religious urges which have often surrounded ‘Buddhism’ (Marx, Engels and Mao possessed a healthy respect for Early Buddhist dialectics), within ancient China and elsewhere, thousands upon thousands of individuals have been motivated to stop seeking-out their daily living, the sustenance of others and/or the means to change and transform human society for the betterment of all! Instead, what a modern humanity is left with today is the often impressive and awe-inspiring physical structures of the human populations of the past, which instead of communicating with a ‘hidden realm’ (as intended) are actually communicating with exactly the same humanity, simply a humanity occupying a different space and time from them!