Zen-Brain ReflectionsA sequel to the popular Zen and the Brain further explores pivotal points of intersection in Zen Buddhism, neuroscience, and consciousness, arriving at a new synthesis of information from both neuroscience research and Zen studies. This sequel to the widely read Zen and the Brain continues James Austin's explorations into the key interrelationships between Zen Buddhism and brain research. In Zen-Brain Reflections, Austin, a clinical neurologist, researcher, and Zen practitioner, examines the evolving psychological processes and brain changes associated with the path of long-range meditative training. Austin draws not only on the latest neuroscience research and new neuroimaging studies but also on Zen literature and his personal experience with alternate states of consciousness. Zen-Brain Reflections takes up where the earlier book left off. It addresses such questions as: how do placebos and acupuncture change the brain? Can neuroimaging studies localize the sites where our notions of self arise? How can the latest brain imaging methods monitor meditators more effectively? How do long years of meditative training plus brief enlightened states produce pivotal transformations in the physiology of the brain? In many chapters testable hypotheses suggest ways to correlate normal brain functions and meditative training with the phenomena of extraordinary states of consciousness. After briefly introducing the topic of Zen and describing recent research into meditation, Austin reviews the latest studies on the amygdala, frontotemporal interactions, and paralimbic extensions of the limbic system. He then explores different states of consciousness, both the early superficial absorptions and the later, major "peak experiences." This discussion begins with the states called kensho and satori and includes a fresh analysis of their several different expressions of "oneness." He points beyond the still more advanced states toward that rare ongoing stage of enlightenment that is manifest as "sage wisdom." Finally, with reference to a delayed "moonlight" phase of kensho, Austin envisions novel links between migraines and metaphors, moonlight and mysticism. The Zen perspective on the self and consciousness is an ancient one. Readers will discover how relevant Zen is to the neurosciences, and how each field can illuminate the other. |
Contents
1 Is There Some Common Ground between Zen Experience and the Brain? | 3 |
2 A Brief Outline of Zen History | 4 |
3 Western Perspectives on Mystical Experiences | 6 |
4 An Outline of the Path of Zen | 7 |
5 The Semantics of Self | 11 |
6 Developing Our Conscious Levels of Self | 12 |
7 Some ABCs of the IMeMine | 13 |
8 Constructing Our Self Inside and Outwardly | 15 |
58 The Roots of Our Emotions | 240 |
59 Attributing Different Emotions to Various Brain Regions | 243 |
Learning and Unlearning | 248 |
61 Addictions | 251 |
62 Being in Love | 255 |
Libido and ExLibido | 260 |
The Broken Seal | 265 |
65 Empathies Mirror Neurons and Prolonged Affirmative Attitudes | 267 |
One Articulate the Other Silent | 19 |
10 Dissolving the Psychic Self and Its Veils of Interpretation | 21 |
11 Further Commentary on the Several Meanings of Zen Brain Reflections | 23 |
12 First Mondo | 24 |
Part II Meditating | 27 |
13 The Attentive Art of Meditation | 29 |
14 Just This | 33 |
Accessing Deeper Avenues of Seeing and Hearing | 37 |
16 Interpreting Synchronized Brain Waves | 40 |
17 Some Gamma EEG and Heart Rate Changes during Meditation | 48 |
18 EEG and Heart Rate Changes in Zen Meditation | 51 |
19 Delayed Physiological Responses to Meditation | 54 |
20 Breathing In Breathing Out | 58 |
Koan Huatou Jakugo Mondo | 61 |
22 The Roshi | 64 |
Part III Neurologizing | 71 |
23 Landmarks Brain in Overview | 73 |
Some New Data | 75 |
25 The Septal Region and the Nucleus Accumbens | 79 |
26 The Wide Variety of Cingulate Gyrus Functions | 82 |
27 The Amygdala as a Gateway to Our Fears | 85 |
28 Expanded Roles for the Insula | 95 |
29 Remembrances and the Hippocampus | 99 |
30 The WellConcealed Hypothalamus | 108 |
31 GABA Inhibits Glutamate Excites | 110 |
32 Stress Responses within the Brain | 113 |
33 LaidBack Nurturing Promotes LaidBack Limbic System Receptors | 116 |
Oxytocin and Vasopressin | 120 |
35 Our Brains Own Opioids | 123 |
36 Opioids Acupuncture and the Placebo Response | 126 |
37 Metabolic Cascades That Transform the Next Nerve Cells Firing Responses | 137 |
38 Neurotrophins and Change | 140 |
39 The Pineal and Melatonin | 141 |
40 Cortical Anatomy by the Numbers | 146 |
41 Where Is It? A Prelude to My Action The Parietal Lobe | 148 |
42 What Is It? The Temporal Lobe Pathway | 152 |
43 What Should I Do about It? The Frontal Lobes | 158 |
44 The Thalamus | 167 |
45 The Pulvinar | 175 |
46 The Reticular Nucleus and Its Extrareticular Allies | 176 |
47 Higher Mechanisms of Attention | 179 |
48 EverPresent Awareness | 184 |
49 Neuroimaging EEG Tomography EventRelated Potentials and Caveats | 187 |
50 SelfOther Frames of Reference Laboratory Correlates? | 193 |
51 Moving Away from The Self Embodied Teachings | 201 |
52 Neuroimaging Data from Different Studies of SelfReferent Functions | 204 |
A Commentary | 214 |
54 Words and Metaphors in Religious Traditions | 229 |
55 Multiple Meanings of Taste | 232 |
56 Witnessing Awareness during Sleep Continued | 237 |
57 Tilting the Emotional Set Point? | 239 |
66 Through What Steps Does Ordinary Insight Transform Consciousness? | 271 |
67 Second Mondo | 275 |
Part V Quickening | 277 |
68 The Remarkable Properties of Nitric Oxide | 279 |
69 The Nitrous Oxide Connection | 288 |
70 SelfAbuse by Drugs | 291 |
71 How Do Certain Drugs Alter Consciousness? | 297 |
72 Triggers | 303 |
The Hildegard Syndrome | 306 |
Part VI The Absorptions | 313 |
74 The Varieties of Absorption | 315 |
75 Space | 323 |
Part VII Insightful Awakenings | 327 |
A Commentary on the Sandokai | 329 |
A and B | 333 |
78 Varieties of Oneness and Unity Provisional Categories II and III | 342 |
79 Varieties of Oneness And Unity Provisional Category IV | 351 |
InsightWisdom | 357 |
81 Words for the Inexpressible | 358 |
An Allocentric Perspective | 361 |
83 The Construction of Time | 372 |
84 Disorders and Dissolutions of Time | 378 |
85 Emptiness | 383 |
86 Third Mondo | 386 |
Part VIII Openings into Being and Beyond to the Stage of Ongoing Enlightened Traits | 389 |
Pure Consciousness Being Cosmic | 391 |
88 Are There Levels and Sequences of Nonattainment? | 394 |
89 Cultivating Compassion a Native Virtue | 396 |
90 On Moral Cognition | 398 |
91 Some Aspects of Maturity That Are Nurtured during LongRange Meditative Training | 399 |
Allusions and Illusions | 403 |
92 Pointing toward a Late Lunar Phase of Objective Vision | 405 |
Its Profile of Early and Late Phenomena | 407 |
94 How Our Brain Normally Perceives Light and Colors | 410 |
95 Significance of the Late Moonlight Phase within the Whole Profile of Kensho | 414 |
96 Significance of the Illusions at the Close of the Moonlight Phase | 425 |
97 Some Cultural and Neural Origins of Moon Metaphors and Visual Symbols | 432 |
A Darkened Sky and Moonglow | 439 |
99 Other Ancient Fingers Pointing toward the Moon | 440 |
Psychological Considerations | 447 |
101 People Differ in Their Susceptibility to Illusions | 448 |
102 Fourth Mondo | 452 |
In Closing | 457 |
Appendix A Other Links between the Moon and Enlightenment in the Old Zen Literature | 459 |
Appendix B On Wilderness Poetry during the Tang and Sung Periods | 462 |
Appendix C Daio Kokushi On Zen | 464 |
Glossary | 465 |
References and Notes | 475 |
Source Notes | 552 |
553 | |