Hi Glenn,

***Therefore, in the Buddhist view of life, it keeps existing from the inifinite past to the infinite future, taking the two alternative forms or reality that we call life and death. ***

During the time that the life force has taken on the alternative form of death, it is clearly outside of the dead body. Therefore it is clearly outside man's own existence, if you think of man as the manifestation of living human bodies.

***I beleive that the principle or LAW that unites the cells and organs into living beings exist "within" life and "within" the body, and there's no need to set up a deity or pneuma outside of man's own exitence.***

I agree with you that the principle of life, or the life force, is "within" the living body, animating it in the same sense that a driver is "within" a car causing it to follow a meaningful course. But as the preceding paragraphs show, this life force is outside of man's own existence. If you call this life force a deity, or pneuma, then there definitely is a deity or pneuma outside of man's own existence.

Now maybe you meant that there is no need to **set up** such a deity because it is already "set up" and in place. But I don't see how you can mean that we should not posit that a deity or pneuma exists outside of man's own existence. What exactly do you mean?

I hope I have made my question clear, and I hope you can clear up my confusion.

Warm regards,

Paul

• See the Mystic Law(NT).... - mahasattva - July 15, 2002 - 11:07 UTC
  • Lotus Sutra - yanniru - July 15, 2002 - 13:33 UTC
    • Direct transmission.....????? - mahasattva - July 18, 2002 - 07:23 UTC
      • Thank you for a very thorough exposition - yanniru - July 18, 2002 - 13:32 UTC