4 ms·

Great article, confirms what I always believed about Oppenheimer and many others in that time. My grandma used to read the Gita to me every day when I was a to

by rblion 7y ago

Great article, confirms what I always believed about Oppenheimer and many others in that time. My grandma used to read the Gita to me every day when I was a toddler before I started school. She had a stroke in December and in her final days, I would read verses from the Gita to her returning the favor. Death is the greatest teacher of all, teaches us the value of life and power of decision. Since her passing, I've grown a lot and feel much like Oppenheimer as I work on my 'science project' for the sake of all beings on this planet. It may succeed, it may be ignored. It doesn't matter, I will be dead soon and all that will matter is that I fulfilled my 'dharma'. Gandhi always kept his copy of the Gita with him and it was his guidebook for his satyagraha movement which led to India's independence. Some Gita verses that help me, might be helpful to you too: “It is better to live your own destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of somebody else's life with perfection.” “Show good will to all, Be fearless and pure; never waiver in your determination or your dedication to the spiritual life. Give freely. Be self-controlled, sincere, truthful, loving, and full of the desire to serve. Realize the truth of the scriptures; learn to be detached and to take joy in renunciation. Do not get angry or harm any living creature, but be compassionate and gentle; show good will to all. Cultivate vigor, patience, will purity; avoid malice and pride Then, Arjuna, you will achieve your divine destiny.”

thewhitetulip 7y ago
Gita means many things when you read it from a perspective It helps you deal with life aka tells you that nothing is more important than Karma and that money/sex/costly things are bad It also encourages familal war. It literally tells Arjuna to wage a war against his entire family "for righteousness". That being said, Gita is great.
- rblion 7y ago
  It's important, in my view, to not only study but to sincerely experiment and eventually embody the teachings. I also read the Upanishads and the Dhammapada often to get the full message of Vedanta and living in accordance with Dharma. I also study Greek and Egyptian wisdom, it's amazing how much overlap there is when you put all of them side by side. I've spent a good deal of my 20's exploring the American National Parks and Native American plant medicines, the end result brought me closer to Dharma too. This will be a lifelong study and metanoia is an ongoing process as I transform lead (anger, lust, greed, pride, vanity, sloth, etc) into gold (peace, love, creativity, humility, earnestness, etc). Working for the welfare of all by creating economic value for them that is rooted in empathy is, in my opinion, the wisest way forward for capitalism.
  - thewhitetulip 7y ago
    I understand. I have read Gita 2 times, in Sanskrit. The book was an excellent philosophy treatise, it opened my eyes which was rivaled only by Sapiens. But it still depends on the perspective. From one reading it teaches you that you don't need to obsess on material things
  - edmundsauto 7y ago
    Apologies for hijacking, but it's interesting how lead and gold have changed in possible uses in the past couple hundred years. Gold was scarce, and used for decoration. Lead was common, but used for (unfortunately) things like pipes. Now, gold is still highly prized as a store of value, while lead has continued to be found harmful (petrol, etc.) However, gold's electrical properties (and resistance to tarnish) make it a very valuable practical material. No point here, just interesting to think about how our perception of those materials has changed over time. (Kinda like how when aluminum was prized as great utensil material, because aluminum smelting took too much energy for what they had available.)
    - rblion 7y ago
      No worries! I am very fascinated by gold as an element, diamonds too. Buddha's 'Diamond Sutra' is very powerful and literally cuts through illusion. Gold is revered around the world by cultures of all climes and times, scientists and engineers as well. It's really something to marvel at! I find the history of alchemy fascinating too, how it evolved into chemistry as we know it today. Issac Newton was obsessed with it, I know people make fun of him for it but I will always admire his genius and his passion.
  - croh 7y ago
    Well said. Many philosophies are common in between religions. What amazes me how people focus on differences instead commonality. Indeed empathy is most important character.
ultrasounder 7y ago
Thanks for sharing your very poignant story!
bigred100 7y ago
My question is why as a Western dude who grew up with lots of exposure to Christian scripture and surrounding culture elements or churches I can visit am I gonna try and learn someone else’s religion (with none of those advantages) when even taking the “easy” route is extraordinary difficult?
- narag 7y ago
  Some of those traditions are previous to Christianism and most likely had a strong influence on it. So maybe for context.
  - bigred100 7y ago
    So reading and learning a bit is cool. But I guess the part I wonder is how you’re gonna use it as a guidebook for life or something if you have none of the context and are kind of just guessing (maybe you’re not). For the record I actually have a similar issue with a lot of American Protestant Christians I’ve seen (have seemingly no connection to anyone but are convinced they can figure out how to successfully apply a 2000yr old middle eastern religious text to modern life on their own).
    - narag 7y ago
      I don't know. I wouldn't use any book as a guidebook for life, either if it was written 2000 years ago or yesterday. Actually most religious people I know have a bond to a community, being The Book kind of an identity "totem" of such community.
- zahreeley 7y ago
  Hinduism is not a religion instead it’s a Dharma. There is no equivalent English word for it as English has limited vocabulary and fails to describe yogic sciences. Hinduism gives you a way to explore the life and even question the existence of God. Can we redefine God better? Yes we can. Define in a way it works for everybody and removes extremism.
- justwake 7y ago

by rblion 7y ago

thewhitetulip 7y ago

Gita means many things when you read it from a perspective It helps you deal with life aka tells you that nothing is more important than Karma and that money/sex/costly things are bad It also encourages familal war. It literally tells Arjuna to wage a war against his entire family "for righteousness". That being said, Gita is great.

rblion 7y ago
It's important, in my view, to not only study but to sincerely experiment and eventually embody the teachings. I also read the Upanishads and the Dhammapada often to get the full message of Vedanta and living in accordance with Dharma. I also study Greek and Egyptian wisdom, it's amazing how much overlap there is when you put all of them side by side. I've spent a good deal of my 20's exploring the American National Parks and Native American plant medicines, the end result brought me closer to Dharma too. This will be a lifelong study and metanoia is an ongoing process as I transform lead (anger, lust, greed, pride, vanity, sloth, etc) into gold (peace, love, creativity, humility, earnestness, etc). Working for the welfare of all by creating economic value for them that is rooted in empathy is, in my opinion, the wisest way forward for capitalism.
- thewhitetulip 7y ago
  I understand. I have read Gita 2 times, in Sanskrit. The book was an excellent philosophy treatise, it opened my eyes which was rivaled only by Sapiens. But it still depends on the perspective. From one reading it teaches you that you don't need to obsess on material things
- edmundsauto 7y ago
  Apologies for hijacking, but it's interesting how lead and gold have changed in possible uses in the past couple hundred years. Gold was scarce, and used for decoration. Lead was common, but used for (unfortunately) things like pipes. Now, gold is still highly prized as a store of value, while lead has continued to be found harmful (petrol, etc.) However, gold's electrical properties (and resistance to tarnish) make it a very valuable practical material. No point here, just interesting to think about how our perception of those materials has changed over time. (Kinda like how when aluminum was prized as great utensil material, because aluminum smelting took too much energy for what they had available.)
  - rblion 7y ago
    No worries! I am very fascinated by gold as an element, diamonds too. Buddha's 'Diamond Sutra' is very powerful and literally cuts through illusion. Gold is revered around the world by cultures of all climes and times, scientists and engineers as well. It's really something to marvel at! I find the history of alchemy fascinating too, how it evolved into chemistry as we know it today. Issac Newton was obsessed with it, I know people make fun of him for it but I will always admire his genius and his passion.
- croh 7y ago
  Well said. Many philosophies are common in between religions. What amazes me how people focus on differences instead commonality. Indeed empathy is most important character.

ultrasounder 7y ago

Thanks for sharing your very poignant story!

bigred100 7y ago

My question is why as a Western dude who grew up with lots of exposure to Christian scripture and surrounding culture elements or churches I can visit am I gonna try and learn someone else’s religion (with none of those advantages) when even taking the “easy” route is extraordinary difficult?

narag 7y ago
Some of those traditions are previous to Christianism and most likely had a strong influence on it. So maybe for context.
- bigred100 7y ago
  So reading and learning a bit is cool. But I guess the part I wonder is how you’re gonna use it as a guidebook for life or something if you have none of the context and are kind of just guessing (maybe you’re not). For the record I actually have a similar issue with a lot of American Protestant Christians I’ve seen (have seemingly no connection to anyone but are convinced they can figure out how to successfully apply a 2000yr old middle eastern religious text to modern life on their own).
  - narag 7y ago
    I don't know. I wouldn't use any book as a guidebook for life, either if it was written 2000 years ago or yesterday. Actually most religious people I know have a bond to a community, being The Book kind of an identity "totem" of such community.
zahreeley 7y ago
Hinduism is not a religion instead it’s a Dharma. There is no equivalent English word for it as English has limited vocabulary and fails to describe yogic sciences. Hinduism gives you a way to explore the life and even question the existence of God. Can we redefine God better? Yes we can. Define in a way it works for everybody and removes extremism.
justwake 7y ago