[Buddha-l] Buddhism and psychoactive substances

Barnaby Thieme bathieme at hotmail.com
Mon Oct 2 17:53:13 MDT 2006


Hi folks

Many thanks for all the illuminating and useful replies I have gotten to 
this question, on and off list.

I have two comments.

1) Strassman's book "DMT; The Spirit Molecule" is intersting, but it must be 
emphasized that his discussion of endogenous DMT is extremely speculative, 
and that it is largely driven by his Buddhist convictions. Anyone familiar 
with the Bardo Thodol will understand why Strassman speculates that the 
pineal gland reduces DMT 49 days after birth. The actual structured research 
that Strassman undertook was very limited in scope.

2) In related news, many of you may already know that Griffiths et al. 
published a study of psilocybin (the active ingredient in psychedelic 
mushrooms) and mystical experience in the journal Psychopharmacology in May 
of this month. The study has been widely-praised by pharmacologists, 
neuroscientists, and psychologists of religion for the extreme rigor and 
precision of its experimental design. The study found in a two-month 
follow-up that a staggering 67% of participants rated their experience with 
psilocybin as one of the five most significant experiences of their lives, 
and fully one-third of the subjects rated it as the most significant 
spiritual experience of their lives.

The Johns Hopkins press release:
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/Press_releases/2006/07_11_06.html

Barnaby~


_________________________________

It's not getting any smarter out there. You have to come to terms with 
stupidity, and make it work for you.
- Frank Zappa




>From: curt <curt at cola.iges.org>
>Reply-To: Buddhist discussion forum <buddha-l at mailman.swcp.com>
>To: Buddhist discussion forum <buddha-l at mailman.swcp.com>
>Subject: Re: [Buddha-l] Buddhism and psychoactive substances
>Date: Mon, 02 Oct 2006 16:34:10 -0400
>
>The use of psychedelics as a religious "sacrament" varies a great deal, 
>apparently, from culture to culture. One thing for sure is that the 
>indigenous cultures of the western hemisphere used mind-altering substances 
>quite widely in their religious traditions. The book "Plants of the Gods" 
>by Richard Evans Schultes (who was a straight-laced conservative Republican 
>- by the way) and Albert Hoffman deals with the religious use of "sacred 
>substances" all over the world - but a great deal of it focuses on the 
>Americas - especially South America.
>
>The basic lesson is that those substances "work" as spiritual tools. But 
>they are literally "power tools" - and if you leave some stupid teenagers 
>in a room alone with them the kids will probably kill themselves - or at 
>least get seriously hurt. Like any tools they require some tutelage to use 
>properly - and like any power tool they must always be used with care, 
>especially if you think you know what you're doing. But also like power 
>tools they can make the work go faster - if you are in a hurry. Or they can 
>allow you to make some things that you might not be able to build at all 
>with just a hammer and a saw. Or so I've heard.
>
>If you really want to read a mind blowing book about the spiritual uses of 
>these things - check out Wade Davis' "One River". It is a beautiful 
>travelogue/adventure story and also a heartfelt homage to Davis' mentor, 
>Richard Evans Schultes. And it's a mind blowing book about cool drugs, too!
>
>Smoke 'em if you got 'em.
>
>- Curt
>
>Michael J. Wilson wrote:
>>
>>
>>Speculating now on why or if buddhist lineages would use these substances, 
>>I would say there would be no use for them.  Ngakpas were not based in 
>>monastic orders as much as other Tibetan lineages and may be known more 
>>for using experiences in the world for their spiritual development. Recent 
>>scientific examination on human participants of psychedelic mushrooms in 
>>clinical studies have shown a remarkable ability to lift people out of 
>>despression.  I wonder why it has taken so long for science to establish 
>>this kind of evidence.  At the same time, neuroscientists are suggesting 
>>that buddhist meditators are "happier" than people who do not meditate. 
>>How is the brain structured that way?  I recall the story told by Ram Das 
>>(the Harvard prof who took a lot of LSD) who went to Indian and gave his 
>>guru many many hits of LSD and observed that it had no effect on him.  He 
>>was already in that state!
>>
>>I was able to do a liquid only diet-fast (the Master Cleanser so called) 
>>for 10 days.  After 6 days my dreams at night were almost on the order of 
>>being psychadelic.  Hunger can do that.  Or, call it purifying the 
>>channels. Meditation retreats can do that to.  The Tibetan practice of 
>>living on the essence of flower pills would really do that.  Though living 
>>for a year or more on pills containing the essence of flowers, some of 
>>these Tibetan yogis are actually quite plump.
>>
>>My final personal anecdote is hearing a story by a well known non-Tibetan 
>>Tibetan translator who was once stoned out of his tree on LSD while 
>>looking at at Tibetan tanka.  This was way before he even knew anything 
>>about Tibet or buddhism.  The experience of looking at the tanka under the 
>>influence of a psyschadelic substance had a profound effect on him.  
>>Shortly after, he bought a ticket and went to India and Nepal looking for 
>>Tibetan lamas to study with.
>>
>>Of couse in Nepal, and other Himalayan states there are many wandering 
>>Sadhus who are constanlty filling their pipes with bhang. To be fair there 
>>are also many wandering Sadhus who do not.  But no doubt some Tibetans or 
>>other buddhists are indulging in that from time to time.  Personally, I 
>>have never heard of it being made into a sacrement, a ritual, or a 
>>practice, unlike say, the use of peyote in the Native American church.
>>
>>peace
>>
>>mike
>>
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