I had promised long back to write about Onam (to James), but had sadly reneged on it.

I have updated my blog this week with a post about Onam. This I think will offer some sort of redemption.

The Returning King

Nandu.

ONAM GREETINGS TO EVERYBODY!

Saying that in Malayalam...

എല്ലാവർക്കും ഓണാശംസകൾ!

Nandu.

I just got the news that the wife of one of my friends passed away suddenly. Quite a young girl. Cardiac arrest was the villain.

It might be that she is existing in an astral plane somewhere. But I can't get over the fact that as far as we know, she is no more.

Nandu.

As far as we know, death is the end. Everything else is conjecture. We can believe so many things, but they are just that - beliefs. As far as I am concerned, there is no evidence that anything exists beyond death, and I am trying to come to terms with that. When the illusion of my existence will be...

zoe wrote:

My current concern is with the "real" part of death - especially as it applies to me.

Agreed. I did not intend to otherwise imply anything else about your question. If it came across that way my sincere apology.

No, I meant that you seem to have got my point exactly.

Nandu.

James: We likely agree but are approaching it differently based on our filters. exactly what all myths have dealt with -- the maturation of the individual, from dependency through adulthood, through maturity, and then to the exit; - Joseph Campbell The exit is part of the experience. Some of the di...

Andreas wrote:Yes you are right.

I'll come back later and share my story but now I need to eat something.

BTW, I have sent you a PM.

Nandu

Andreas, we already had this conversation. Altruism and sacrifice are perfectly compatible with gene-based evolution, as far as I am concerned.

For the purposes of this thread, let's keep it to the concept of "Death".

Nandu.

Clemsy, Just to clarify, I meant that fear of death was one of the roots of the myths we create. According to what we know, human beings are the only species with a clear concept of time; so we are probably the only species who can imagine our non-existence. Hence the fear. Also, that video clip is ...

James, I was just asking for other associates' perception on what death was, as I have been haunted by the absolute certainty of my death at some point of time. For me, death means non-existence of consciousness within the space-time continuum. Of late, I have become convinced that the Buddha was ri...

Rom,

I believe that our self keeps on changing from moment to moment - but we perceive it as static. So as far as our perception goes, there is an intrinsic self.

I think it was this illusion that the Buddha destroyed by attaining Nirvana.

Nandu.

Before we get into the old duality merry-go-round - I do not believe we have eternal selves. I did at one point of time, but now I have come around to the Buddhist viewpoint, which matches the one provided by modern science very closely. I believe that my "self" is ephemeral, renewed continuously - ...

Andreas,

A person can believe in something, and fight against something, without necessarily accepting the CONCEPT of good and evil.

I think that's what Rom meant. It is true in my case also.

Nandu.

Cindy B. wrote:Welcome back, Nandu.

Thanks.

For the past few months, I have consistently thought about death - or nonexistence, rather. I do not believe in any kind of life after death: I believe that the entity that is "I" will be extinguished along with my physical body. While the process of dying does not scare me, the concept of not exist...