Nothing Is Absolute; no beings or phenomena exist independently of other beings and phenomena. This is especially true for the illusion of Self. All beings and phenomena are caused to exist by other beings and phenomena, and are dependent on them. Further, the beings and phenomena thus caused to exist also cause other beings and phenomena to exist. Things and beings perpetually arise and perpetually cease because other things and beings perpetually arise and perpetually cease. All this arising and being and ceasing occurs in one vast field or nexus of beingness.
Things are the way they are because they are conditioned by other things. You are conditioned by other people and phenomena. Other people and phenomena are conditioned by you.
Theand, //There has to be a first cause, call it what you will. //
If there is you shouldn't be calling it anything because you don't know what it was - and neither does anyone else. It's arrogance in the extreme to claim you do.
Neither is anyone else, theland. If the evidence is available equally to all, then why have the majority of people come to a different conclusion?
How did God always just "exist", if you could explain that, then the rest may make more sense.
pixie; I didn't mean that personally. I'm saying that the universe & its origins may just be to complicated for the three pounds of grey matter behind our eyes.
We should be amazed that our brains, which evolved to cope with the life of our remote ancestors living on the African Savannah, have been able to get so far.