Four Noble Truths ... All Life is Suffering

Though they come form the Buddhist tradition ... they still apply in the nonlinear western world ... the main message is ... All Life is Suffering, so ... once again consider the beach ...

Four Noble Truths [via Wikipedia]

1. The Nature of Dukkha: All life is suffering. This is the noble truth of "dukkha": the word "Dukkha" is usually translated as "suffering" in English. Birth is dukkha, aging is dukkha, sickness is dukkha, death is dukkha; union with what is displeasing is dukkha; separation from what is pleasing is dukkha; not to get what one wants is dukkha; to get what one does not want is dukkha; in brief, the five aggregates subject to clinging are dukkha. This first Noble Truth reflects on the nature of suffering. It comments on types of suffering, identifying each type in turn. A more accurate simplification of this truth is "Life is full of suffering."
2. The Origin of Dukkha (Samudaya): Suffering is caused by desire. This is the noble truth of the origin of dukkha: It is craving which leads to renewed existence, accompanied by delight and lust; that is, craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, craving for extermination. The second Noble Truth reflects on the sources of suffering (Dukkha.) Put very simply, it states that suffering results from expectations linked to our desires, and our attachment to those desires themselves.
3. The Cessation of Dukkha (Nirodha): To eliminate suffering, eliminate desire. This is the noble truth of the cessation of dukkha: It is the remainderless fading away and cessation of that same craving, the giving up and relinquishing of it, freedom from it, and non-reliance on it. The third Noble Truth reflects on the belief that suffering can be eliminated. It asserts that it can be done, and that it has been done.
4. The Way Leading to the Cessation of Dukkha (Magga): To eliminate desire follow the Eightfold Path. This is the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of Dukkha: It is the Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.

Om, Following up on Tat Tvam Asi

Tat Tvam Asi --- Nonlinear hop from here to OM ... The extended TAT discussion is here ... and it allows us some precedence.

Oveloading the Blogs

Maybe its just a first day phenomena ... overloading the blog with too many short posts. How do they do it? I guess you just have to practice and develop the habit. Like the habit of eating just one peanut at a time and really digesting it. I know it doesn't quite all make sense yet. I hope, Tat willing, to be able to explain this in more detail. The main point is that the Lifeguard is out ... you're on your own ... and the waves are crashing ... jump in at your own risk. It turns out though that Carl Gray Park beach isn't really all that deep ... but ... if you swim too far out, you really are on your own.

By the way ... the fine for violating a nonlinear parking ticket is steep and unpredictable ... it might depend on how close to the edge you really were.

Accelerating into Abject Absurdities

The nonlinear push is really due to the acceleration to the bottom of absurdities. All will become clearer later. Trois Fois. Let the birds chirp three times ... and don't look back or you will turn into a pillar of salt. If you agree to play by the rules, you can pass through the mirror.

Moro reflex

So what do you know about the Moro reflex? Wikipedia has an interesting article that states:

This reflex is a response to unexpected loud noise or when the infant feels like it is falling. It is believed to be the only unlearned fear in human newborns. The little Albert study used the startle reflex in the famous classical conditioning experiment to make him fear white fuzzy things.

The primary significance of this reflex is in evaluating integration of the central nervous system (CNS), since the reflex involves 4 distinct components:

1. Startle
2. spreading out the arms (abduction)
3. unspreading the arms (adduction)
4. Crying (usually)

Via Kottke's article on accelerometers .... [Nonlinear Links Win!]

Do dogs have a Moro Reflex? Did Moro have a Dog? Is surrealism dead?

Ziggy Stardust

Six degrees of nonsense ... or nonlinear links would lead you to The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust
by David Bowie

NO COMMENT!

Parking Requirements for Shopping Centers

So what about Parking Requirements for Shopping Centers? - another random trip ... this one purely by following a link to a randomly served ad ... I would never imagine that this topic had a book devoted to it .... but it would appear to be the case.

Well, it sort of makes sense ... nowadays there a lot of shopping centers, and a a lot of people who drive to shopping centers, ergo you have to plan the parking lot. Lots could go on in a parking lot. You could use for all kind of events and social gatherings, and in a pinch, you could also park there for a while. But -- DON'T LEAVE YOUR DOG in the CAR .... or any other living entity that can't get out of the car .... Maybe they should have a sign like the ones on the beach ... these would say ... "No dogs on parking lot" or "No dogs in cars on parking lots". maybe they should just have a sign that says "Leave your dog at home". That would make it real simple ... but it wouldn't be too much fun ... and it would be unAmerican ...

And if you really are into it ... you could study this Parking Requirements for Shopping Centers for real ... seriously ... and then you would find out about stuff like: peak parking demand, parking supply, parking ratios, design hour, survey day, busiest hour, demand index,

is this a nonlinear stream of consciousness ... or just a nonlinear stream of words?

80 die of cholera in Orissa

This did not make into the local news:

Bhubaneswar, Aug. 26 (PTI): Eighty people have died of cholera and several thousands affected by the disease in three tribal-dominated districts of Rayagada, Koraput and Kalahandi in southern Orissa.

and it sounds pretty serious ... and its effects are possibly intensely nonlinear ... the report goes on to say

"The treatment is simple, as saline drips are being administered along with antibiotics, but the people perhaps are not convinced," he said adding, they were resorting to "black magic" or depending on quacks.

so the message is pretty clear ... tradition trumps technology ... sometimes, or maybe always ...
The Iraq adventure would seem to argue for tradition as well ...

its totally random. I actually sat down to write something about leaky faucets, and this is what came out .... How did that happen?

No Dogs on Beach

So why is it that only DOGs are not allowed on beaches, or at least this particular beach? Why aren't cats disallowed, or pet pigs, pr pet zebras, or pet crocs, or pet anything else? Why this dog discrimination? Does the sign refer to people who might be viewed as 'dogs' by uncharitable people? Whats so special about dogs? Does this mean that other animals are allowed or even encouraged to be on the beach? What's the Deal?

Is Surrealist Sally behind all of this?

Is Nonlinear Parking a Problem?

Is nonlinear parking a real problem? I just made the term up an hour or so ago ... and then I googled it ... and the dxxd thing happened .... the first hit is for "A Nonlinear Parking Problem" by Robert Keener, Hans Rudolf Lerche, and Michael Woodroofe (1995) -- who the hxxk knew . ... THIS IS SO NONLINEAR ...I wonder what Keener and folks really have to say ... [ via U Michigan]

God and Buddha

so this is the second post ...

I always wanted to know what Deepak Chopra had to say ... and sort of didn't want to get into too much reading ... so i came across a God and Buddha DVD at Harvard by the Bay [;-) ] ... it was really good ... Veda ...Vedanta ... Buddha ...

Who Knew?

Its a talk/dialogue with Robert Thurman at Tibet House in NY.

Looks like I'll need to hear more of this ...

and its sort of nonlinear too ... and linear ... and everything ...


tat tvam asi "Thou are that" --- and that that ... and everything else in a nutshell

The wiki page on Mahavakyas is definitely a good starting point ...

The Mahavakyas are the four "Great Sayings" of the Upanishads, the foundational religious texts of Hinduism. Each of the Mahavakyas belongs to one of the four Vedas and is said to condense the essence of the entire Veda in one statement. These sayings encapsulate the central Truth of Hinduism.


The Mahavakyas are:

• Prajnanam Brahma - "Consciousness is Brahman" (Aitareya Upanishad 3.3 of the Rig Veda)
• Ayam Atma Brahma - "This Self (Atman) is Brahman" (Mandukya Upanishad 1.2 of the Atharva Veda)
• Tat Tvam Asi - "Thou art That" (Chandogya Upanishad 6.8.7 of the Sama Veda)
• Aham Brahmasmi - "I am Brahman" (Brhadaranyaka Upanishad 1.4.10 of the Yajur Veda)

All four of these great statements indicate the unity of the individual Atman (Self) with Brahman (God). Brahman is the Absolute Reality, Cosmic Consciousness, the fundamental God-stuff from which all divinities and all worlds arise and Hinduism asserts that each human being, in her or his innermost Self, is this ultimate transcendent God-Reality. It is through practices like yoga, and meditation that the individual can realize her or his unity with the Divine and escape the bonds of this world.

[More wiki for Tat Tvam Asi.]

First Nonlinear Post

So this is it, the first nonlinear post. It sort of overlaps with nonelephant or nonanythinginparticular. 'Non' doesn't tell you a whole lot, except that its not something very specific. Otherwise, it provides you tremendous flexibility ... So the question immediately arises ... why the love for specifics?

Ok ... so this is not profound or anything. Its just meant to park random thought morsels ... nothing really wild .... and here we go ....

Oh yes ... motivated by musings at Carl Gray Park

and yes ... it is close to Panama City Beach and its not about Girls.

And the picture of the sign was indeed taken at Carl Gray Park ... where I happened to park one Saturday ... and its across from GCCC (Gulf Coast Community College, aka Harvard by the Bay)