Cannabis has been, throughout the ages, been associated with enlightenment. The Vedics/Hindus believed cannabis to be a "sacred grass" bestowed upon mankind as a gift from Shiva. "Bhang (dried cannabis leaves, seeds and stems) is mentioned in the Hindu sacred text Atharva veda (Science of Charms) as 'Sacred Grass', one of the five sacred plants of India. It is used by medicinally and ritually as an offering to Shiva." http://www.erowid.org/plants/cannabis/cannabis_timeline.php It is also believed by certain sects of Buddhism that Siddhartha Gotama (THE Buddha) ate only cannabis on his path to enlightenment. "From "Plants of the Gods" by Schultes & Hofmann. Page 97. <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" width="90%"> <tbody><tr> \t <td>Quote:</td> \t</tr> \t<tr> \t <td class="quote">The Tibetans considered Cannabis sacred. A Mahayana Buddhist tradition maintains that during the six steps of asceticism leading to his enlightenment, Buddha lived on one Hemp seed a day. He is often depicted with "Soma leaves" in his begging bowl and the mysterious god-narcotic Soma has occasionally been identified with Hemp.</td></tr></tbody></table>" The anointing oil from the bible calls for nearly six pounds of a material called kaneh-bosem. "Researchers in the United States say the oil used in the early days of the Christian church contained a cannabis extract called kaneh-bosem. They suggest the extract, which is absorbed into the body when placed on the skin, could have helped cure people with a variety of physical and mental problems." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2633187.stm Interestingly, Jesus is reputed to have traveled to the East, including Tibet, and was initiated into their Mysteries (the missing years), where he was known as Issa. There he could have learned the medicinal and enlightening properties of the sacred plant. "There are persistent rumors that Jesus visited and studied in both Greece and India, and that a coin struck in His honor in India during the first century has been discovered. Early Christian records are known to exist in Tibet, and the monks of a Buddhist monastery in Ceylon still preserve a record which indicates that Jesus sojourned with them and became conversant with their philosophy." http://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/sta/sta44.htm http://reluctant-messenger.com/issa.htm So anyway, it is pretty clear that the ancients (or at least those who had knowledge of the plant) held the plant in high esteem and is often related to enlightenment. So I will ask the question: A lot of potheads like philosophy (myself included). Do you think that those who like philosophy are more inclined to try smoking weed, or that smoking weed cause one's mind to be more inclined to philosophy?
Definitely. Also, weed gets a lot of people into philosophy. Anything that alters your perception in going to get you thinking about what your perception really is. For me, i didn't have the slightest interest in philosophy until I tried weed.
I think those who like philosophy are more inclined to smoke weed. In my experience, not every person who smokes weed has been into philosophy, but most people I've met who do enjoy philosophy, also enjoy weed. I read a study awhile back that showed that marijuana doesn't cause or help with creativity, but creative people are just more likely to enjoy it.
Yeah marijuana really helps with philosophical stuff. Are you saying Jesus used marijuana? That would be fucking crazy if that was true! In a good way.
That is a really good point. I did not think of it that way. I also did not have much interest in philosophy before I smoked weed. However, is there more to it than just a psychological response to having experienced an altered state? Such as how people tend to become more creative?
There is most definetely a correlation between pot and philosophy, or rather pot and philosophical thought. Like the guy above me said, altering your perception allows you to contemplate what perception is, and then you can apply this style of thinking to other stuff (existence and form of God, what the spirit is and what its purpose is, and so on and so forth). BTW, I'm reading Hume now, and there's an awesome quote I was shown in class today that I have to share: "This world, for aught he knows, is very faulty and imperfect, compared to a superior standard; and was only the first rude essay of some infant deity who afterwards abandoned it, ashamed of his lame performance: It is the work only of some dependant, inferior deity, and is the object of derision to his superiors: It is the production of old age and dotage in some superannuated deity; and ever since his death has run on at adventures, from the first impulse and active force which it recieved from him..."- Philo to Cleanthes, Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion by David Hume.
Marijuana has definately helped changed my outlook on many various subjects. And I'm not talking about the useless contemplations and hysterical ideas we have when high...
Well supposedly. The anointing oil was made with about 6 oz of olive oil and 6 lb of bud, and some fragrant herbs and such, so it was highly potent. They'd anoint people/themselves with this oil, and the THC would be absorbed through the skin. Pot definitely makes you think at a higher level. Could it be the mental boost needed for realizing divine knowledge (enlightenment through philosophy)?
It is not just about changing your perception. MJ helps facilitate deep and creative thinking and that is what makes it a useful tool for philosophy and also really anything related to art.
That is true. But it is definitely more likely for someone who smokes weed to like philosophy than someone who doesn't. The study is interesting though. I do find that I am a lot better at music. But it could be that I just understand music more. I think I should clarify potheads to be long-term smokers. Meaning they've been smoking regularly for a while. New smokers probably would not be more inclined towards philosophy and likewise for those who smoke every now and again at parties.
True that, Ive toked quite a bit in my years of smoking, and looove philosophy and enjoy most of colors and lights being high, it creates a new inner me that you cant find soberly... PS. that time line is awesome!
tack another up! I wasn't interested in anything but myself before I started tokin. Now all I can do is ponder.
Pretty cool huh... A plant that lives for animals, teaches animals to live for each other and their Universe.
i think weed would have alot more of a philosophical effect if we used it in a sacred way, but you cant lie, u dont smoke strictly for philosophical reasons, that might be part of why u use it, but u use it mostly to get high
I know we all smoke it to get high, but I am saying I think it makes you more inclined to enjoy and partake in philosophy. I personally did not give a shit about philosophy until I started smoking weed regularly.
I'd be willing to bet (but I'm not really confident) that there are proportionately more potheads in philosophy departments than in most other departments. So, yeah, I think there's a correlation. Unfortunately I think there's also a correlation between pot and pseudo-philosophy. I take as evidence of this the fact that philosophy is grouped with "spirituality" here, and that many here seem to have their own special definition for "philosophy" which is totally different from that of academic philosophers.