Christian Critique of A Daily Dose of Dharma
Chapter 4 – Mind
Chapter 4 – Mind
Page 82: Mind is infinite, depthless, priceless, invaluable, etc. Like a gold mine it is precious and is inexhaustible. When one owns a gold mine one can live in abundance for the rest of one’s life. When one realizes one possesses the mind, one can live in abundance for the rest of one’s life.
Note: Not remembering God leads to a debased mindset.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. Romans 1:28-32.
Note: Buddhists do not believe that there is a God.
Page 83: People misuse their mind sometimes to worry about too many things, minding too much. That is no good for the mind. The sage trains and tames the mind and uses it in the right way where it is necessary to be used.
Note: Christians have their minds renewed by the Holy Spirit into righteousness.
But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:20-24.
Note: Are Buddhists doing works of righteousness or mentally daydreaming?
Page 84: Mind, untamed, can be everywhere. It can be here. It can be there. It can even be at some place one does not know. In that instant, one is said to be ignorant or mentally dull. Ignorance or mental dullness is one of the three major irks in Buddhism. The other two are anger and greed.
Note: Not being mindful of God is ignorance.
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:13-16.
Note: Buddhists do not believe that there is a God.
Page 85: Use your mind with focus and mindfulness and you will transcend duality. A person who does not use his/her mind well, is trapped in duality.
Note: Christians will be mindfully attached to works of righteousness.
Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3:8-9.
Note: Are Buddhists doing works of righteousness or mentally daydreaming?
Page 86: A mundane person lives a life of opposites of duality. When one understands light, one has to have understood dark first.
Note: People will either be doing the will of God or doing their selfish desires.
Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. 1 Peter 4:1-3.
Note: Are Buddhists doing works of righteousness or mentally daydreaming?
Page 87: When one says something is pretty, one is also acknowledging that ugliness exists. Without ugliness there is no prettiness.
Note: Christians will be mindfully attached to works of righteousness.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2.
Note: Are Buddhists doing works of righteousness or mentally daydreaming?
Page 88: One sees shortness when one is still attached to the idea of longness. When one is not attached to longness, there is no shortness.
Note: Christians will be mindfully attached to works of righteousness.
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Romans 12:9-16.
Note: Are Buddhists doing works of righteousness or mentally daydreaming?
Page 89: A portion of food is small, when one is attached to the idea of eating a big portion. When there is no attachment to any size or portion, then food is food.
Note: Non-Christians will hate salvation through Jesus Christ alone.
For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. Philippians 3:18-19.
Note: Buddhists do not believe that there is a God.
Page 90: When one likes something, that’s a danger signal that means one also has dislikes. If one has never disliked, how can one like anything?
Note: Being an imitator of God is never a danger signal.
Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them. Ephesians 5:1-7.
Note: Are Buddhists doing works of righteousness or mentally daydreaming?
Page 91: You are made of Mind and Matter, Mind and Body. Body does not feel; Mind does. Mind does not touch; Body does. When the Body touches; the mind feels. Mind and Body together is you.
Note: People are composed of their spirit, soul, and body or a trinity.
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23.
Note: Buddhists do not believe that there is a God.
Page 92: Mind matters. Body alone is matter, but does not matter. Body alone, can’t think, can’t feel, can’t hear, can’t taste, and can’t smell. Therefore body needs the mind to matter.
Note: The mind needs the body to matter so that good works can be done.
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Romans 6:12-14.
Note: Buddhists do not believe that there is a God.
Page 93: Without mind, it is only matter; only body. No feeling, no sensation, no death. Just emptiness.
Note: The mind needs the body to matter so that good works can be done.
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16.
Note: Buddhists do not believe that there is a God.
Page 94: Whenever mind comes into play, it brings with it certain emotions. Mind and emotions and body coming together for that moment, cause the conscious moment for that moment.
Note: Self sacrifice for Jesus Christ brings eternal rewards not lost moments of bliss.
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.” Matthew 16:24-27.
Note: Buddhists do not believe that there is a God.
Page 95: Mind, Emotion, and Body are all inter-dependent on each other. One can do without the other(s). All three have to be there to give rise to a brief conscious moment.
Note: Self sacrifice for Jesus Christ brings eternal rewards not lost moments of bliss.
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’” Matthew 25:31-36.
Note: Buddhists do not believe that there is a God.
Page 96: See things through your mind. Your mind can cause new Karma by how your mind determines what it sees. When you see things with the eyes, it is old Karma. You will experience (or suffer) whatever things you see, which cause you to feel.
Note: Christians have eternal life in Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit producing righteousness now.
But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:9-11.
Note: Buddhists do not believe that there is a God.
Page 97: Look into your mind, to see, to hear, to smell, to taste, to feel, and to think. Then you will be mindful of the New Karma you are about to create.
Note: Christians are saved by Jesus Christ and led by the Holy Spirit.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Galatians 5:22-24.
Note: Buddhists do not believe that there is a God.
Page 98: Be mindful (same as see) of what’s on the Mind at all times. When one is aware of what’s on one’s mind, one is less likely to create bad Karma.
Note: Those who are not saved by Jesus Christ are not led by the Holy Spirit.
Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21.
Note: Buddhists do not believe that there is a God.
Page 99: Mind can always recall what one has seen, what one had heard, what one has smelled, what one has tasted, what one has felt; therefore mind can look (see), hear, smell, taste, or feel without sense organs. In fact, advanced meditators can use their minds and focus on any object directly and can see, hear, smell, taste, or feel without the body.
Note: Christians are saved by Jesus Christ and have been changed into new people.
But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. Colossians 3:8-11.
Note: Buddhists do not believe that there is a God.
Page 100: The body and its sense organs; eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin, cannot “feel” or “sense” without the Mind. Therefore between mind and body, Mind is superior.
Note: Christians are mindful to be godly as the mind and body are directly connected.
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. Colossians 3:1-7.
Note: Buddhists do not believe that there is a God.
Page 101: We “see” the universe, the outside world, through our Mind. So, in other words, the universe is within our mind.
Note: Christians will understand a spiritual dimension to the universe.
After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.” Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. Revelation 4:1-2.
Note: Buddhists do not believe that there is a God.
Page 102: We “discover” the universe through the two eyes, Seeing, through the two ears, Hearing, through the two nostrils, Smelling, through the one mouth, Tasting, through the skin, Touching. All the “senses” go to the mind to be felt. Therefore we “see” the universe through the seven holes in the head and the skin over the body.
Note: Christians will understand a spiritual dimension to the universe.
And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!” Revelation 5:13.
Note: Buddhists do not believe that there is a God.
Page 103: A sage looks within his Mind and he sees the Universe. There is no need for a sage to look outside to see the Universe.
Note: Christians will understand a spiritual dimension to the universe.
When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. Revelation 8:1-4.
Note: Buddhists do not believe that there is a God.
Page 104: The sage sees the Universe in his mind, just like a fortune-teller see the future in a crystal ball. From the mind, the sage can foretell the Universe.
Note: Christians will understand a spiritual dimension to the universe.
I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. He had a little book open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices. Revelation 10:1-3.
Note: Buddhists do not believe that there is a God.
Page 105: The sage knows Mind is superior to the body and that Mind matters more than the body. Mind is superior. A sage can have the mind function a lot more than a mundane person. A regular person needs both mind and body to appreciate the five senses.
Note: Christians will value their soul above their mind.
“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Mark 8:36-37.
Note: Buddhists do not believe that there is a God.
Page 106: Unfocused and untamed mind cannot discern the senses and therefore is unable to differentiate correctly between the sense that is being felt (at the moment) and a similar sense that is in the memory from the past. Therefore, the untamed mind produces or causes deluded senses.
Note: The Holy Spirit focuses Christians on spiritual things thereby taming the mind.
“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” John 14:25-26.
Note: Buddhists do not believe that there is a God.
Page 107: The untamed mind causes deluded senses. Therefore, the Universe that the deluded senses portray is also deluded.
Note: Christians have hope since love has been given them by the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:1-5.
Note: Buddhists do not believe that there is a God.
Page 108: A change in the mind can change the senses and thus change the Universe we see. There is no need to change the Universe. Only the mind within.
Note: Christians have been given joy, peace, and hope by the Holy Spirit.
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13.
Note: Buddhists do not believe that there is a God.
Page 109: The Universe within our mind, is the external Universe for that person. Because of differences in the different minds, the Universe is seen in two different ways by two different people.
Note: Christians will understand a spiritual dimension to the universe.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 13:47-50.
Note: Buddhists do not believe that there is a God.
Page 110: When one practices meditation and sees the Mind within differently, the Universe outside also looks different.
Note: Christians abiding in Jesus Christ produces a godly Universe to the glory of God.
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” John 15:5-8.
Note: Are Buddhists doing works of righteousness or mentally daydreaming?
