The conclusion to be drawn from the evidence about Pyrrho’s thought and practice is that he adopted a form of Early Buddhism during his years in Bactria and Gandhāra, including its philosophical-religious and pragmatic elements, but he stripped it of its alien garb and reconstituted it as a new ‘Greek Buddhism’ for the Hellenistic world, which he presented in his own words to Timon and his other students.
Beckwith, Christopher I.. Greek Buddha: Pyrrho’s Encounter with Early Buddhism in Central Asia (pp. 54-55). Princeton University Press. Kindle Edition.
The earliest attested philosophical-religious system that is both historically datable and clearly recognizable as a form of Buddhism is Early Pyrrhonism, the teachings and practices of Pyrrho of Elis and Timon of Phlius, as shown in Chapter One. Its central features correspond exactly to some of the central features of the traditional putatively “early” form of Buddhism presented in Pali canonical texts.
However, the latter tradition of Buddhism also contains many elements—beliefs, institutions, devotional practices, and so on—which developed at the earliest in the Saka-Kushan period, three centuries after Pyrrho. They spread throughout the ancestors of the attested forms of Buddhism, creating Normative Buddhism. The elements that are attested only from approximately the Saka-Kushan period on—the exact time remains to be established—are far from trivial. They include the Saṃgha, the community of monks; the idea of the bhikṣu ‘monk’ per se, as well as of the bhikṣunī ‘nun’; the vihāra or monastery; the Vinaya, or Buddhist monastic code; worship of the Buddha;4 development of the idea of reincarnations of the Buddha, both human and godlike; abhidharma or “Buddhist scholasticism”; and many others. They are now considered to be essential elements of traditional Buddhism, yet there is no historically sound evidence that they existed at all5 (and some evidence that they did not yet exist) until long after the visit of Pyrrho in 330–325 BC and that of Megasthenes in 305–304 BC. The lateness of the development of devotion for the Buddha and Buddha incarnations, as well as reverence for the Buddha’s teachings (the Dharma) and the community of monks (the Saṃgha), means that the invention of the Triratna (‘Three Jewels’) formula is even later (perhaps as a “popular” substitute for the difficult Trilakṣaṇa1 ‘Three Characteristics’ formula, which is phonetically similar.
Beckwith, Christopher I.. Greek Buddha: Pyrrho’s Encounter with Early Buddhism in Central Asia (pp. 61-62). Princeton University Press. Kindle Edition.
The Buddha says, “All dharmas are anitya ‘impermanent’…. All dharmas are duḥkha ‘unsatisfactory, imperfect, unstable’…. All dharmas are anātman ‘without an innate self-identity’.” ↩︎
A six-month old Neanderthal infant who lived more than 50,000 years ago reached the physical size of a modern one-year old toddler in just six months. The discovery, based on a highly complete skeleton, points to a rapid growth pattern in early life.
The fossil, called Amud 7, was found in a cave near the Sea of Galilee and dates back between 51,000 and 56,000 years. Reconstructed from 111 bone fragments, gave to scientists a detailed look at Neanderthal infancy, a stage rarely preserved in the archaeological record.
Growth rates influence energy needs, parental care, and adaptation to climate. In this situation, the findings suggest a faster start to life in a demanding environment.
Historically elites have very often controlled their subjects by limiting their access to healthy food. We see that today displayed in supermarkets, where the majority of available foods are bad for people. We also see it in the uses of vaxxes, which in many cases act like bioweapons. Hulscher provides yet another example of harmful injections causing a weakening of the population. ABN
To understand why CO₂ levels rise and fall over millennia, look at a glass of sparkling water.
When it’s cold, it stays fizzy. When it warms up, it goes flat as the CO₂ escapes into the air. The Earth’s oceans work exactly the same way. This is the principle of a solubility pump.
Cold water is a carbon sponge; warm water is a carbon chimney. Because the oceans hold 50 times more carbon than the atmosphere, even a tiny change in sea temperature causes a massive shift in atmospheric CO₂. This explains the time lag seen in ice core data.
Historically, temperature rises first, and CO₂ follows centuries later. Why? Because it takes a long time for the deep, cold thermal flywheel of the ocean to warm up enough to start releasing its stored carbon.
When the oceans finally warm—driven by those million-year Milankovitch cycles—they exhale CO₂. This natural outgassing is a primary driver of the atmospheric shifts we see in the geological record.
It is a biological and physical response to a warming world, not a trigger for a crisis.
The planet is essentially recycling carbon from its massive oceanic reservoir to its parched terrestrial landscapes. It’s a self-regulating system of incredible complexity and beauty.
On Friday, I attended Charlie Kirk’s case hearing. There’s a lot to unpack from what happened, and I break it all down in this episode with @danksterintel and @brandisiciliani I may be wrong, but my sense is that this case won’t make it to trial. I think a deal will be reached before proceedings even begin.
The FBI has not produced certain evidence the defense requested. While they may technically have the right to withhold it at this stage, it raises questions. The FBI director has publicly stated that he wants this case to move quickly and smoothly and Erika has also emphasized the importance of a speedy trial. If that’s truly the goal, then why leave any opening for the defense to argue they don’t have the evidence they need and request a continuance? There were several things in this hearing that were conducted poorly.
Sixth Amendment of theConstitution of the United States
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.
It is important for everyone to understand that the right to speedy trial is Tyler Robinson’s right, not Erika’s. And this Sixth Amendment right of Tyler’s does not permit the prosecution to withhold evidence or speedily convict someone who looks to many like a patsy. ABN
…although the sense of duḥkha in Normative Buddhism is traditionally given as ‘suffering’, that and similar interpretations are highly unlikely for Early Buddhism. Significantly, Monier-Williams himself doubts the usual explanation of duḥkha and presents an alternative one immediately after it, namely: duḥ-stha “‘standing badly,’ unsteady, disquieted (lit. and fig.); uneasy,” and so on. This form is also attested, and makes much better sense as the opposite of the Rig Veda sense of sukha, which Monier-Williams gives in full as “(said to be fr. 5. su + 3. kha, and to mean originally ‘having a good axle-hole’; possibly a Prakrit form of su-stha q.v.; cf. duḥkha) running swiftly or easily (only applied to cars or chariots, superl[ative] sukhátama), easy”. It would seem that there were two forms of each word; Prakrit and Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit chose the -kha forms instead of the -stha forms, which survived nevertheless in a much smaller way. The most important point here is that duḥ + stha literally means ‘dis-/ bad- + stand-’, that is, ‘badly standing, unsteady’ and is therefore virtually identical to the literal meaning of Greek astathmēta, from a- + sta- ‘not- + stand’, both evidently meaning ‘unstable’. This strongly suggests that Pyrrho’s middle term is in origin a simple calque.
Beckwith, Christopher I.. Greek Buddha: Pyrrho’s Encounter with Early Buddhism in Central Asia (p. 30). Princeton University Press. Kindle Edition.
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The First Noble Truth of Buddhism is usually translated as the truth of ‘suffering, unsatisfactoriness, or stress’. Beckwith presents a sound argument that it actually indicates a philosophical argument that untrained views are ‘badly standing, unsteady’ and not to be relied upon. Beckwith’s argument references Pyrrhonism because Pyrrho is known to have studied Buddhism in Bactria where he lived for ten years in Alexander’s court. During that time Pyrrho learned Buddhist philosophy and used it as the basis of Pyrrhonism, the earliest from of Greek skepticism. Beckwith is working with only attested documents. His argument that Pyrrhonism comes directly from Buddhism is very strong. I highly recommend his book Greek Buddha: Pyrrho’s Encounter with Early Buddhism in Central Asia. ABN
In a recent episode of the American Alchemy podcast, Jesse Michels facilitated a thought-provoking dialogue between mathematician Eric Weinstein and astrophysicist Dr. Eric W. Davis, focused on the complexities surrounding Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP). Over a four-hour conversation, they delved into the conspicuous absence of theoretical physicists in UAP-related programs, despite the presence of engineers and material scientists with direct knowledge of alleged crash-retrieval efforts. Weinstein’s frustration with this absence highlights a critical gap in understanding the physics behind UAP capabilities, suggesting that the challenges posed by UAPs extend beyond engineering to fundamental physics. The discussion raises crucial questions about the structure of research and the compartmentalization of knowledge in defense-related projects.
Weinstein’s analogy regarding the lack of physicists in UAP retrieval programs likens the situation to an orchestra missing its essential musicians, arguing that without the input of theoretical physicists, significant scientific advancements cannot be realized. Davis corroborates this notion by contrasting the disjointed nature of current retrieval efforts with the collaborative framework of the Manhattan Project, where various scientific disciplines worked cohesively towards a common goal. This point underscores a potential failure in the organization of UAP research, suggesting that a more integrated approach involving theoretical physics could be necessary to address the profound challenges posed by UAP phenomena.
The conversation also touches on the historical context of the Manhattan Project, illustrating how compartmentalization was a deliberate design choice rather than a flaw. This historical analogy serves as a lens to examine contemporary UAP research, prompting speculation about whether a similar compartmentalization exists today—one that may exclude physicists by design. The Wilson-Davis memo suggests that access to sensitive programs is tightly controlled, hinting at layers of classification that might keep theoretical physics work hidden from the engineers working on the retrieval efforts. This raises concerns about the efficiency and effectiveness of current UAP research frameworks and whether the critical insights from theoretical physics are being deliberately isolated from practical engineering applications.
Moreover, the discussion introduces the role of notable figures like Jeffrey Epstein and Robert Maxwell, who, through their connections to various scientific and governmental institutions, have been implicated in potentially surveilling or influencing the scientific discourse around advanced physics. Weinstein posits that Epstein may have had motives beyond finance, positioning himself at the intersection of theoretical physics and intelligence operations. This assertion, coupled with the exploration of the Department of Energy’s classification system, suggests that significant research related to UAPs may be occurring outside of public and even military scrutiny. The implication is that if physicists are indeed located in hidden layers of government or private institutions, the broader understanding of UAP technology and its implications remains obscured by both secrecy and a lack of interdisciplinary collaboration.
The game: Gain control of a large society by using a small number of military operatives.
Let’s use clandestine military operatives numbering .0001 of the targeted society.
100 million times .0001 = 10,000.
So 10,000 clandestine military operatives will play this game to win against a society with a population of 100 million.
The clandestine force can achieve its goal by:
infiltrating and blending into the large society
distributing 10,000 clandestine operatives widely across the society
this may take several generations
once in place, operatives identify natural leaders inside the host society
then they attack those natural leaders in such a way that they become poor leaders
this is better than killing them because they are rendered ineffective while their weaknesses demoralize others in the community
this method of attack is unlikely to be detected by law enforcement
they must be attacked in ways that are not easily discoverable, including socially, financially, reputationally, through bad grades, misdirection, poison, maiming, psychosurgery, and so on
it is best to begin attacking natural leaders while they are young and continue as long as effective, even for many decades
this tactic is greatly facilitated by hostile operatives being born and raised in the large society
at the same time operatives work to help those who favor their cause(s) or position(s)
this might include harming the competitors of those people being favored
within 20-30 years, social disorganization will be noticeable due to the large number of disabled natural leaders
within 50 years social disorganization will be obvious
during the same time-frame, people favored by the hostile operatives will gain positions of power
soon, the larger society will succumb to the hostile takeover and a small number of military operatives will have won against a much larger society
The cost is minimal and the methods are almost undetectable. Once achieved, the goal can be proclaimed a victory by those who gained it.
While the goal is being pursued, operatives will discover ways to extract resources from the host society, thus paying their own way without funding from abroad.
In Buddhist literature, it is frequently stated that one’s karma can be completely changed in the “duration of a single thought,” or words to that effect.
If we understand karma to mean the work or ongoing functionalhabits of the mind, and consider that in light of the above findings, we may fairly conclude that thousands of years of Buddhist practice have been based on valid insights into how our brains actually operate.
Buddhist concepts of non-attachment, emptiness, and impermanence can also be seen in this light. And this would apply both to individual psychology, group psychologies, or the cosmos itself from a Mind Only perspective.
A good tool to have is the understanding that even deep psychological states can be transformed in a moment’s time. Consider also that the Buddha did describe some individual traits as “persistent” or unchanging even after enlightenment.
American Buddhist Net 