The Unreality of Time, Space, Duration and Extension
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The Unreality of Time, Space, Duration and Extension
The Buddhist Theory of Universal Flux explained the world process represented as a motion that is discontinuous, although a compact one. It is consist of an infinite number of discrete moments following one another almost without intervals. There is no matter at all, just flashes of energy following one another and producing the illusion of stabilized phenomena.
This Universal Momentariness also implies that every duration in time is consist of point-instants following one another, every extension in space is also consists of these point instants arising in close proximity to each other and simultaneously and every motion consists of these point-instants arising in close proximity and in succession. It is just like a roll of negatives in our cinemas of old, where when set in motion at a certain speed, eventually products the stability of the pictures we see on the screen. There is therefore no Time, no Space and no Motion over and above the point instants of which these imagined entities are constructed by our imagination.
When we look at the Indian Realist interpretation, Time is a substance, eternal and all pervading. Its existence is inferred from the fact on the sequence of events occurring between phenomena. Space is likewise a substance which is eternal and all embracing. It is inferred from the fact that all extended body processes impenetrability and they are beside each other in space. According to them, different times are parts of one and the same time. When Time and Space are represented as divided in many spaces and different times, it is a metaphor. The objects situated in them, but not Space and Time itself, are divided. They are not general concepts but proper names. They are representation produced by a single object only. To the Realist, Time and Space are two all embracing receptacles contain each of them the entire Universe.
The Buddhist denies the separate reality of these two realities. Real is a thing possessing a separate efficiency of its own. The receptacles of the things have no separate efficiency. Time and Space cannot be separate from the things that exist in them. They are not separate entities. Every point instants may be viewed as a particle of Time, as a particle of Space and as a sensible quality, but this is only a difference of our mental attitude toward that point-instants. The point instant itself, the ultimate reality cut loose from all imagination is without quality, timeless and indivisible. Only subtle time, the moment, the point instant of efficiency is considered as real.
The notion of substantial Space and Time were not highlighted as it can be deducted by reasoning and where its empirical original is impossible to conceive, but they can be destroyed dialectically on the score that the notions of duration and extension contain contradictions and cannot be accepted as objectively real.
If we look at reality as a point instant of efficiency, and if we are to said that it possesses extension and duration we will be landed in a contradiction, as each real point instant cannot exist at the same time in many places, neither can the same reality be real at different times. To the realists, empirical things have a limited real duration. They are produced by the creative power of nature or by human will or by the will of God.
For the Buddhist, if a thing exists at moment A, it cannot also exist at some moment B, for to exist at moment A means not to have any real existence at moment B or at any other moment, keeping in mind the reality of a point instant of efficiency. If a thing could have any real duration through several moments, it would represent a real unity existing at once at different times. It would be either that the enduring unity is a fiction and real is only the moments, or the moments are fiction and real is only duration. For the Buddhist the moments alone are real, duration is a fiction, for if duration is a reality, it would be a reality existing at different time at once, i.e., existing and at the same time non-existing at a given moment.
Thus Ultimate Reality for the Buddhist is timeless, space-less and motionless. But it is not timeless in the sense of eternal being, space-less not in the sense of an ubiquitous being, motionless not in the sense of an all embracing motionless whole, but timeless, space-less and motionless in the sense of having no duration, extension or movement. It is just the mathematical point instant, the moment of an action’s efficiency.
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no matter how one resolves for a theory of everything, there bound to be problems which cannot be resolved within its own contextual rules...
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Originally posted by Fcukpap:
no matter how one resolves for a theory of everything, there bound to be problems which cannot be resolved within its own contextual rules...
Buddhist logic or epistemology is the study into the nature of our knowledge, its origin, limits and validity. It is a rather ‘dry’ subject and terms used may not be familiar to a beginner at first. However, if we go deeper into the subject, we will realized that it is also a study into the working of our thought process and how our mind operate as interpreted from the Buddhist perspective.
The elaboration and explanation may be all theories, dogma or metaphysic, but at the end of it all, if it can give that little bit more understanding of the nature of self as well as a broader take of the Buddhist doctrines, help us to see ourselves a little bit better, than it would have serve its purpose and usefulness.
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that truths in buddhism are transcendental in nature and spirit independent of the physical and empirical states of reality...that time and space may curve towards its own destruction, but the seeds of buddhist truths transcend beyond it...
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Originally posted by Fcukpap:
that truths in buddhism are transcendental in nature and spirit independent of the physical and empirical states of reality...that time and space may curve towards its own destruction, but the seeds of buddhist truths transcend beyond it...
How do you know "...that time and space may curve towards its own destruction, but the seeds of buddhist truths transcend beyond it... " ?
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buddhism is itself a belief and practice towards salvation from eternal recurrences..
may or not is still a time and space possibility....but whatever happens, buddhist truths seek to transcend beyond it...
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Originally posted by Fcukpap:
buddhism is itself a belief and practice towards salvation from eternal recurrences..
may or not is still a time and space possibility....but whatever happens, buddhist truths seek to transcend beyond it...
so you don't know and it is just a belief " .... that time and space may curve towards its own destruction, but the seeds of buddhist truths transcend beyond it... ".
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dont see this as very important whether time is view as unreal or real or what goes towards its own destruction.Better to spend time to still the mind and observe it activties.Whats the point of pondering and debating on sure issues unless one is a scientist or expert in the field?
Buddhism is not a belief,if you dont practice and understand what the buddha want us to know then everything really become a belief..
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Originally posted by Fcukpap:
that truths in buddhism are transcendental in nature and spirit independent of the physical and empirical states of reality...that time and space may curve towards its own destruction, but the seeds of buddhist truths transcend beyond it...
I believe the self-destruction of time and space you are referring to, have something to do with the extended theory of relativity in which nothing in the universe moves in a straight line including light? That the progression of time and space in any direction would ultimately then lead us back to the starting point?
In fact, a view into space is at the same time a view into the past. Space is visible time, however visible only in one direction. We can see worlds which are thousands of light years away and one day we may find out that one of them is our own world, not as it is now but many millions of years ago. That would be a more likely scenario than say self-destruction?