Permanent Self Research Articles

REBIRTH, NIRVANA AND NO-SOUL IN BUDDHISM:

The whole teaching of Buddha is mainly dependent on the four noble truths. The doctrine of Dependent Origination, or Pratityasamutpada, which is the second noble truth of Buddhism, is of great importance. The doctrine of impermanence or the doctrine of pratityasamutpada is related to the concept of no-soul, rebirth, and Nirvana. Pratityasamutpada means that everything in the world is relative, conditional, dependent, and subject to birth and death, and it is, therefore, impermanent. Buddha gave importance only to how to remove suffering from our lives. Therefore, his main aim was to focus the attention of the common people on how they could come out of these sufferings. Human beings suffer in this world because of the lack of actual understanding of the everchanging nature of the world and its objects or ignorance. The doctrine of no-soul, rebirth, and Nirvana are all based on the doctrine of dependent origination or pratityasamutpada. Generally, we believe that the soul is a permanent substance, and it is not like a material body that changes continuously. But in this world, we have seen nothing permanent. Therefore, to accept the existence of a permanent self is nothing but an illusion for Buddha. Since everything is impermanent, there cannot be any permanent self, which is believed by the common people. For Buddha, we need to focus on the reasons for which we are suffering in this world and how we can come out of it. We should not give much importance to what always escapes from us. Since everything is relative and conditional, we cannot know the existence of anything as a permanent element. But if there is no permanent soul, how can rebirth be possible? Rebirth is an important concept in the teachings of Buddhism. It is said in Buddhism that until one gets Nirvana, he has to take rebirth again and again. The circumstances into which one is reborn are dependent upon the karma performed in the previous life. In rebirth, the actions or karmas of a sentient being give rise to a new existence after death in an endless cycle called samsara. The endless death and rebirth stop only if Nirvana is achieved by insight. Though different schools of Buddhism have different views regarding rebirth, all the schools agree that rebirth depends upon the karma of the previous life. The critics of the Buddhist doctrine of rebirth say that if there is no soul, only a changing stream of mental energy, then there could be no identity, and to talk about rebirth for experiencing the results of good or bad actions done in the past would be meaningless. This is definitely the common question that arises in the minds of the common people. In the same way, the realization or attainment of Nirvana without a soul is also questionable from different perspectives. So, in my article, I would like to explain whether rebirth and Nirvana are possible without a soul. How does Buddhism explain it? Buddhism does not deny the existence of the empirical soul, which is everchanging, but denies the existence of the permanent soul. His acceptance of the individual soul is clear from his declaration when he discussed the relation between the burden and the carrier: "he who holds that there is no soul is a man with false notions."1 But here my question is, since rebirth will take place till the attainment of Nirvana, then after attaining Nirvana, what would be the status of the soul? In my article, I will try to explain it since the soul can attain Nirvana only when the person (or soul) has nothing to experience in the world (good or bad results). Will the soul be destroyed after attaining Nirvana? Or What? If the soul(empirical) will change forever, and in every moment soul(mind) is a new one, without identity, how can it realize Nirvana? So, generally, questions come to the minds of people that- Did Buddha not really believe in any reality which is permanent? Is there really nothing permanent that we can think about and discuss except impermanence, which is everchanging? How far is it justifiable to accept the Buddha's suggestion that we need not discuss these problems like the existence of any permanent reality? Is it that Buddha gave an incomplete explanation of the reality to his disciples? If it is, then why? But before giving the answers to these questions, we must remember that the Buddha's teaching is strategic. Because of which, many misunderstandings and misinterpretations come out due to the lack of understanding on the main teaching of the Buddha, on which he gave emphasis.

Different Religion, Same Meditation?

The practice of meditation has become popular in Western countries during the last decades as an Eastern, and predominantly Buddhist, exercise. However, when properly compared, Christian contemplation and Buddhist meditation show numerous similarities. This paper sets out to determine the extent of comparability between these practices of the two traditions and how they are embedded in their respective theoretical frameworks. Additionally, as a further step, it aims to demonstrate how contemplative practice can act as a basis for Buddhist–Christian dialogue. The research centres around the works of two eminent monks of the 20thcentury, the American Trappist Thomas Merton and the Vietnamese Thiền master Thích Nhất Hạnh. Their work provides an ideal target of analysis, since both were not only widely appreciated members of their respective traditions but also deeply engaged in interreligious dialogue, and thus they had a proper understanding of each other’s tradition. In this paper, the author will first analyse and compare the works of Nhất Hạnh and Merton written on contemplation during approximately the same time to determine what exactly they understand by the terms ‘meditation’ and ‘contemplative prayer’, respectively. Then, their works regarding the other monk’s respective religious tradition will be discussed and compared to see what the two authors select as main avenues of comparison. The main conclusions of the article are that the concepts of meditation and contemplation in Buddhism and Christianity denote strikingly similar exercises, which aim to achieve similar goals despite differences in theoretical formulation. For Merton, Christian contemplation aims to reconnect the believer to God with whom the initial unity was lost through the Fall of Man and the establishment of the ego-self as an entity separate from God. Such contemplation needs to happen in interior solitude and involve a complete self-emptying of the believer to become one with God. Since separation from God through the ego is the fundamental problem of humans, reconnecting to God through contemplation is seen as the highest form of prayer and, indeed, life. In a similar vein, for Nhất Hạnh, the fundamental problem of humanity is the misconception of a permanent self, which results in dividing the world into different, separate entities. Thus, for him, similarly to Merton, the goal is to reach a supreme unity beyond distinctions and duality. Moreover, the way to such unity is precisely meditation, which can best unify body and mind and thus bring forth Buddhahood. Then, as the second step, the article presents how Merton and Nhất Hạnh draw parallels between Christianity and Buddhism on the basis of similar contemplation. Merton points to, among others, the connection between God and the absolute Void of Zen, kenosis and śūnyatā, whereas Nhất Hạnh points to similarities between nirvāṇa and the Kingdom of God as well as mindfulness and the Holy Spirit. Thus, the paper provides a thorough analysis of the similarities of meditation practice in Christianity and Buddhism, as practiced by Thomas Merton and Thích Nhất Hạnh, and how these similarities can provide a basis for dialogue between the two religions in modern times.

The Permanent Self: How Many Attacks Can It Endure?

The Permanent Self: How Many Attacks Can It Endure?

Candrakīrti on the Use and Misuse of the Chariot Argument

The publication in 2015 (ed. Li) of Chap. 6 of the rediscovered Sanskrit text of Candrakīrti’s Madhyamakāvatāra (MA) allows us to witness more directly Candrakīrti’s careful and deliberate critique of the ‘chariot argument’ for the merely conventional existence of the self in Indian Abhidharmic thought. I argue that in MA 6.140–141, Candrakīrti alludes to the use of the chariot argument in the Milindapañha as negating only the view of a permanent self (compared to an elephant), rather than negating ego-identification (compared to a snake in its hole). In contrast to this misuse of the chariot argument, in MA 6.150–165 Candrakīrti uses the chariot argument as an allegory to enable the meditator to refute the basis of ego-identification in seven ways. Candrakīrti’s use of the chariot argument does not establish any theory about the self or not-self, but acts as a guide to meditation as part of philosophy as a spiritual practice with the goal of liberation.

Buddhism and no-Self Theory: Examining the Relation between Human Actions and Moral Responsibility

Buddhists endorse the concept of human actions and their consequences as they uphold the doctrine of karma. However, they deny the existence of a ‘permanent self’. Few questions arise in this regard. If a permanent self does not exist then who guides a person to decide the course of an action? How does a person choose to perform an action of the many alternatives in a situation? Who takes responsibility for the consequences of an action? This paper attempts to answer these questions by reinterpreting the Buddhist’s ‘no-self’ theory from epistemological and logical perspectives. This paper argues that Buddhists while rejecting the existence of a ‘permanent self’ affirm the existence of impermanent psychophysical entities (five skandhas). The mereological sum of these psychophysical entities is known as a ‘person’ who performs actions. A person becomes morally responsible for the consequences of an action justifying the Buddhist doctrine of karma.

Reinterpreting Buddhist's No-self Theory: A Philosophical Study on Human Actions and Moral Responsibilities

The relation between human actions and moral responsibility for the consequences of the actions is a debatable topic in contemporary Buddhism. The reason is each action has either good or bad consequence(s). If consequence(s) of an action are good, the action is praiseworthy and rewarding. But if consequence(s) of an action are disastrous then the action is blameworthy. Buddhists endorse the concept of human actions and their consequences as they uphold the doctrine of karma. However, they deny the existence of a ‘permanent self’. Few questions arise in this regard. If a permanent self does not exist then who guides a person to decide the course of an action? How does a person choose to perform an action of the many alternatives in a situation? Who takes responsibility for the consequences of an action? This paper attempts to answer these questions by reinterpreting the Buddhist’s ‘no-self’ theory from epistemological and logical perspectives. While answering these questions, the paper discusses libertarianism, paleo-compatibilism, hard-determinism, and soft-compatibilism theories. It finds out which theory supports Buddhist’s claim on human actions and moral responsibility for consequences of the actions. This paper argues that Buddhists while rejecting the existence of a ‘permanent self’ affirm the existence of impermanent psychophysical entities (five skandhas). The mereological sum of these psychophysical entities is known as a ‘person’ who performs an action. A person becomes morally responsible for the consequences of an action for the reason that it justifies the Buddhist’s doctrine of karma.

Exploring Self-Consciousness From Self- and Other-Image Recognition in the Mirror: Concepts and Evaluation.

A historical review of the concepts of self-consciousness is presented, highlighting the important role of the body (particularly, body perception but also body action), and the social other in the construction of self-consciousness. More precisely, body perception, especially intermodal sensory perception including kinesthetic perception, is involved in the construction of a sense of self allowing self-other differentiation. Furthermore, the social other, through very early social and emotional interactions, provides meaning to the infant’s perception and contributes to the development of his/her symbolization capacities. This is a necessary condition for body image representation and awareness of a permanent self in a time-space continuum (invariant over time and space). Self-image recognition impairments in the mirror are also discussed regarding a comprehensive developmental theory of self-consciousness. Then, a neuropsychological and neurophysiological approach to self-consciousness reviews the role of complex brain activation/integration pathways and the mirror neuron system in self-consciousness. Finally, this article offers new perspectives on self-consciousness evaluation using a double mirror paradigm to study self- and other- image and body recognition.

Círculos dialógicos investigativo-formativos: uma metodologia de pesquisa inspirada nos círculos de cultura freireanos

Este artigo objetiva apresentar a metodologia dos Círculos Dialógicos Investigativo-formativos, desenvolvida pelo Grupo de Pesquisa Dialogus: Educação, Formação e Humanização com Paulo Freire da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, RS. A referida metodologia, inspirada nos Círculos de Cultura de Freire, toma como matriz epistemológico-política as obras do autor em diálogo com as de Josso (2004, 2010), pressupondo a realização de estudos de cunho qualitativo do tipo pesquisa-formação, pois os sujeitos participam como coautores e coautoras em todo o processo. A partir de um olhar hermenêutico, buscamos compreender a potencialidade dos Círculos Dialógicos como dispositivos de pesquisa e auto(trans)formação permanente com professores. Compreendemos que a metodologia apresentada contribui significativamente com o aprofundamento epistemológico da temática geradora da pesquisa, permitindo ao pesquisador ou à pesquisadora-líder e aos sujeitos coautores e coautoras a processualidade para a auto(trans)formação permanente, bem como a reflexão sobre a práxis pedagógica.

Rheological properties of carbon composition within temperature rang 120-170 ºC

Carbon production is widely used in chemical and metallurgic industries. Particularly, electrode mass is used in forming of permanent self baking electrode (Sodenberg`s electrode) in electrical and thermal furnaces of ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy. Elements of electric furnaces constructions, for instance, electrolysis units, are made of carbon blocks. Manufacturing of such class of products includes multistage technological process and during each stage monolithic product is formed out of powder filler and liquid binder. The given materials have unique physical properties: high thermal conductivity, thermal stress resistance, chemical inertia. That is the reason why it is so widely used in industry. Different methods of measurement of rheological properties of carbon composites were discussed, particularly, it concerns non-Newton liquids, such as Bingham liquid. The method and developed investigation equipment enables us to measure viscosity within wide temperature range. The method is based on locating the spherical body in viscous environment under definite isothermal temperature. It`s possible to measure effective dynamic viscosity up to 107 Pа∙s within temperature range up to 800 oС. Estimated error of experimental research does not exceed 10–15%. Having made the research, thermal dependence on effective factor of dynamic viscosity within temperature range 120–170 oС was found out. It concerns carbon composite materials where coke is used as a binder and thermally processed carbon material are used as a filler

Identité humaine et vieillissement dans une lecture du Temps retrouvé de Marcel Proust

Dans Le Temps retrouvé , Marcel Proust au cours d’une matinée chez la princesse de Guermantes retrouve des personnes qu’il n’avait pas vues depuis longtemps. Le vieillissement a imprimé aux visages et aux silhouettes des modifications telles que Proust évoque un bal costumé et raconte des difficultés d’identification. Mais il constate que laborieusement ou sous l’effet du surgissement du trait du visage qui déclenche le souvenir, les personnes sont en général reconnues. Bien plus, cette reconnaissance malgré les changements ouvre à l’évocation d’un passé qui n’était pas perdu. Tel est le Temps retrouvé qui, du passé profondément enfoui au présent, raconte l’histoire d’une vie dans laquelle on peut plonger jusqu’aux souvenirs les plus lointains. Et le parcours de la vie n’est plus vu comme une déchéance emportée par le naufrage du Temps. Il est vu comme un parcours ascendant même si cette ascension fragilise et rapproche sans cesse de la mort. Le vieillissement décrit par Proust peut ainsi se lire comme une permanence identitaire, au sens de l’ipséité, au-delà des changements qui n’affectent que la mêmeté et préservent le lien continu de chacun avec son passé. L’être humain, si frêle dans l’espace, tire toute son ampleur de la place qu’il occupe dans le Temps. Telle est ainsi la fascination que Proust finit par ressentir à l’égard de la vieillesse qui montre un même Moi en perpétuel changement mais aussi et du même coup en marche vers la mort qui le déliera du Temps. In Time Regained (volume 8 of Remembrance of things past ), during an afternoon party at the house of the Princesse de Guermantes, Marcel Proust met people he had not seen for a long time. The transformations of faces and features linked to old age seem to be a costumed ball and Proust experiences “difficulties in putting the required names to the faces around him” and in recognizing them. “Certainly, some women were recognisable because their faces had remained almost the same and they wore their grey hair to harmonise with the season like autumn leaves. But in others and in some men, their identity was so impossible to establish – for instance between the dark voluptary one remembered and the old monk of now – that their transformation made one think, rather than of the actor's art, of that of the amazing mimic of whom Fregoli remains the prototype”. But a fugitive impression or an effort of memory, abstracting “the natural feature from the travesty”, commonly allows recognition of persons. “One starts with the idea that people have remained the same and one discovers that they have got old. But if one starts by thinking them old, one does not find them so bad”. Despite changes, recognizing people allows one to refer to a past time which is not forgotten. Such is the “regained time”, which, from the past deeply hidden to the present, does tell a life in which we can reach the oldest memories. The course of life is not seen anymore as a decline caused by the wreck of Time. It is seen as an ascending path even if this ascent is also seen as an increase in one's fragility and weakness. Old age, described by Proust, can be interpreted as a permanent identity meaning “selfhood”, beyond changes which only affect “sameness” and preserve the unceasing link of each person with one's past. The human being, so weak in space, withdraws all his contribution to his place in time. This is why Proust is so fascinated by the feeling he has, regarding old age, which proves a permanent self maintaining its identity despite transformations over time, but also on the way to death which will set one free from Time.

Max Charlesworth’s Sophia: The First Half-Century and the Next

When Professor Max Charlesworth, OAM, founded Sophia in 1962 in Melbourne as a journal of philosophical theology, he certainly knew that he was cutting against the grain in Anglophone philosophy in one sense: he was advocating the explicit integration of philosophical and religious concerns and a dialogue between philosophy and religious studies. In doing so, he challenged the self-conception of the discipline of philosophy, a self-conception that has changed but little over the past half century. Philosophy saw and sees itself as constructed, since the Galileo affair, against religion. Religion is represented as its irrational opponent, philosophy as the voice of reason uncontaminated by revelation, spiritual practice or ritual. Now Charlesworth knew that that self-conception was built on a self-deception. For Anglophone philosophy was conceived in a religious tradition—albeit leavened by the critical tradition of the philosopher and his teacher. Thus, despite the resolute denial of this fact by many of its practitioners, philosophy derives much of its problematic and many of its analytical tools and intuitions from that tradition. How, for instance, can we discuss the freedom of the will outside of a tradition that invented the ‘will’ as a solution to a particular problem in theodicy—that of the responsibility of an Abrahamic deity for the Fall of Adam in the garden of Eden? How can we take seriously an ethics that presupposes freedom and a transcendental command outside of a tradition involving a transcendental deity who is the arbiter of good and evil? And why posit or worry about a permanent self if we aren’t worried about damnation or salvation? SOPHIA (2012) 51:419–421 DOI 10.1007/s11841-012-0352-y

Origin of photo-induced transmitting oscillations in chalcogenide glasses

Light-induced oscillatory behaviors of transmission in chalcogenide glasses are investigated using a continuous wave tunable Ti-sapphire laser. It is shown that phase change, thermal fluctuation, nonlinear index change and periodic self focusing are not at the origin of light-induced oscillatory transmittance in chalcogenide glasses. Instead, results indicate that the interference of transmitting and reflecting light is at the origin of the oscillatory behaviors of transmitted light. Just like the principle of Fabry-Pérot interferometer, these interferences result in a periodic change in transmission as the related interferential beams get in and out of phase. However, this transmitting oscillatory behavior can be registered by the detector only when the change of optical path length difference initiated by photo-induced effects is slower enough compared with the corresponding response time of the detector. Several photo-structural effects contribute to that phenomenon including photo-expansion, photo-darkening, and permanent self focusing. It appears that fluctuations of the light source intensity induce a wide distribution of the oscillatory periods.

Historia de la matemática: Integración cultural de las matemáticas, génesis de los conceptos y orientación de su enseñanza

This report seeks to claim a didactic function for the History of Mathematics, justifying the fact that a complete and profound understanding of the fundamental concepts of any science requires the knowledge of its history. The excessive logical -deductive nature of present Mathematics has given rise to an excessive dogmatism in its teaching, together with an imposition of exactness and strictness as the fundamental, almost exclusive, values of Mathematics, thus influencing the students' negative response. We believe that these deficiencies can be put back to right by means of the teaching of the History of Mathematics, so as to enrich the teachings culturally. We suggest this subject be integrated inter -disciplinarily into the curriculum, and considered a source of inspiration, permanent self training, and orientation for all educacional activity.

Being in two minds: The divided mind in the Nyāyasūtras

In this paper I suggest that the division between manas and atman in Nyaya philosophy can be interpreted in the light of Western discussions about irrationality. In Western philosophy irrationality has been explained by postulating a divided mind. This helps to account for a generally rational mind that is nevertheless sometimes prone to irrationality. I argue that the division of the mind bears similarities to the division between manas and ātman. Looking at the arguments of the Naiyāyikas Gautama and Vātsyāyana for the existence of a permanent self, I do not find any of them convincing in the light of Buddhist criticism. However, by arguing for the division between manas and ātman, the Naiyāyikas have inadvertently provided their strongest argument for the existence of a self because they have managed to account for irrationality.

Coherent spontaneous emission from short electron bunches in free space

Abstract We study superradiance of an electron bunch which has a finite transverse size in the frame of a 2-D model. This model includes effects of optical guiding as well as transverse electromagnetic energy dissipation and diffraction. Using a nonstationary parabolic equation we describe SR of a sheet shaped electron bunch in free space. It is shown that the radiation is composed of pulses of electromagnetic radiation which are diffracted after escaping from the channel formed by the electron beam. This process is accompanied by a progressive increase of the electron efficiency. This enhancement is caused by the phenomenon of permanent self supporting resonance due to the variation of the radiation angle and frequency.

Good Fences Make Good Neighbors: The Importance of Maintaining the Boundary between Factual and Fictional Narrative

Good Fences Make Good Neighbors: The Importance of Maintaining the Boundary between Factual and Fictional Narrative WILLIAM R. SIEBENSCHUH Literary generic distinctions exist only in the minds of the community of readers that creates and agrees to accept them. They are valid only as long as that community's assumptions and expectations remain stable. As a rule, changes occur continuously but gradually. Sometimes, however, the process gets speeded up. When fundamental generic assumptions are challenged directly, or made to seem invalid, temporary theoretical confu­ sion, experiment, and reassessment occur. Such confusion, experiment, and reassessment is now occurring among students of the factual genres. If literary criticism were a science, I believe that what is happening might be called a paradigm shift. "A paradigm holds sway in a profession when most of its members share the same values, recognize the same problems, and agree on similar solutions. But in time, unexplained violations of the model, or anomalies, may subvert the paradigm; questions are raised which have no meaning in the old paradigm. Practitioners must then seek new answers, which lead toward the development of a new paradigm."1 Parallels between literary genres and scientific models may not be exact in every point but Kuhn's seems an accurate description of the current state of debate about the generic status of autobiography, biography, and 205 206 / SIEBENSCHUH even history. Critics no longer "share the same values, recognize the same problems, and agree on similar solutions." Over the past few decades there have been some brilliant "violations of the model," especially by autobiog­ raphers. Reinterpretations of some of the classics have produced "anoma­ lies," because critics have approached such works in new and often contra­ dictory ways. Because critics are asking new questions, they are getting new answers which, it seems likely, will eventually lead to the develop­ ment of new paradigms. Under such circumstances, "sometimes several paradigms compete for supremacy . . . until one emerges preeminent."2 Exactly this sort of competition is happening now, because some of the culture's most basic assumptions about identity, memory, and the nature of language are being challenged — even flatly denied. The implications of these challenges for the factual genres can be de­ scribed best by looking at their impact on theories of autobiography. Au­ tobiographical form is obviously closely tied to an author's and a culture's assumptions about identity, and our assumptions about identity have changed dramatically since the great autobiographies of the nineteenth century were written. As Burton Pike, among others, points out, "History . . . provided the nineteenth century autobiographer with an ideal exter­ nal support . . . [At that time] a whole personality saw itself standing in a firm relationship to a whole culture." Development of the self was viewed as a linear process involving interaction with the culture, occur­ ring in time, and best objectified by common narrative modes. However, as the twentieth century began, Pike continues: "there was no longer a whole person standing over against a whole world, but a human something moving about in a diffuse culture medium. A sense of purpose was no longer to be sought outside the individual consciousness, and became hard enough to find even there. The sense of time, along with everything else, was fragmented and relativized."3 The implications of these changes for fiction, poetry, and painting are well-known and have been much discussed, but the implications for auto­ biography and even biography have been equally dramatic. Taking away the traditional view of identity formation means taking away the justifica­ tion for one of traditional autobiography's most important formal prem­ ises: the validity of traditional narrative structures. Shifting importance away from the social self and onto consciousness itself — the psychic self — means shifting the focus of autobiography onto a subject that many now feel can never be known. Is the self that an individual perceives a reality, or is it a psychic construct changing constantly in response to psychic needs? What is one to make of the obvious discrepancies between an in­ dividual's sense of himself and others' view of him? Is there a permanent self which can be described accurately and relatively objectively, or is there Good Fences Make Good Neighbors...

Subjective origins, objective reality: Knowledge legitimation and the TM movement

Much as one is born into a culture and social structure, a potential meditator is "born into" an objective reality which is being generated and sustained by the structure and organization of the Transcendental Meditation (hereafter, TM) movement.2 Unlike the diffuse origins and development of culture, those of the TM movement are singular and clear. The purpose and direction are given through the promise and teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. At the heart of the teaching is the promise that every individual can relocate the nonchanging, common denominator upon which the ever-changing phenomenal world is based. From this basis in "pure consciousness" and "unbounded awareness" there springs a potential for unlimited individual and species evolution, an evolution which can be facilitated through the TM mechanism (Campbell, 1975, pp. 52-54). Thus the TM technique provides a route to "happiness," "unity,""coherence,""orderliness," and "balance" both for the individual and for society. Manifest through the pragmatics of everyday living, the benefits of TM are alleged to be a reduction of "stress" and a preparation for enlivened, efficient, and productive activity. The final and total dissipation of all physiological and psychological stress yields permanent Self awareness (Campbell, 1975, p. 33). The constancy of such an awareness would free perception from its reliance on the finite, limited frames

Marcel Proust and the Problem of Time and Self

Proust conceived the true or permanent self to be a sensitiveness to the essence of things. Across this substratum moves a succession of temporary selves responsive to the accidental and evanescent. Continuity of being is traced to the memory. The true self is activated involuntarily and participates in experiences outside time. We eliminate the dimension of time when in remembering we introduce the past unchanged into the present. It is in the resonance of a former sensation, freshly occurring by chance, and the memorial representation of its prior existence, that we realize the most profound of life's truths. Through examining the past we can better know the true self and so redirect our temporal being.

Long‐Term Responses of Cistus and Certain Other Introduced Shrubs on Disturbed Wildland Sites in Southern California

The performance of seven introduced shrubs in four genera planted for erosion control on 12 disturbed sites, was observed over a 10— to 20—yr period. The sites differed widely in elevation, steepness, soils, and climatic factors. Three species of Cistus proved satisfactory on most sites for 3 to 5 yr. On several sites they persisted as useful stands for 10 yr or longer, with promise of permanent self—maintenance in at least five cases. Plantings of Atriplex, Rosmarinus, and Baccharis species generally decline and did not reproduce. The length of the effective life of the Cistus stands depended on (1) water availability, in which the chief factor was sufficiency and timing of the winter rains, and (2) the development of tall native shrubs on the sites. Cistus plantings declined and did not reproduce when overtopped by tall chaparral. This failure is ascribed to lack of light. The need of Cistus seedlings for high light intensities was established experimentally. When low—growing native species invaded a site, Cistus grew compatibly with them. Cistus seedlings competed successfully with forbs and weeds but did not survive in thick grass. They spread aggressively over level areas of thin cover. On the hottest, driest inland sites, the original Cistus bushes became woody and senescent in about 12 yr. Management is recommended to reduce the fuel load in case of fire, and to stimulate growth of new bushes. Limits of cold tolerance were established for C. villosus at 1,790 m and for heat/drought tolerance of C. laurifolius at 930 m. The latter thrived at temperatures far lower than those of a mediterranean climate.

THE EFFECTS OF ADDITIVES ON THE PYROELECTRIC PROPERTIES OF T. G. S.

The permanent poling effects of L-alanine substitution on the pyroelectric properties of T. G. S. are summarized. The observations are explained in terms of a structural model in which ferroelectric switching is impeded by the lack of the required prototypic symmetry in the substituent molecule. Other active and passive additives may be proposed from the model. Much of the recent interest in T. G. S. is related to use in radiation detectors using the pyroelectric effect. The combination of moderately high pyroelectric coefficient and low dielectric constant at room temperature, together with the ease with which large optical quality single crystals can be grown from solution, are some of the properties that make T. G. S. superior to other materials for many detector applications. The effective pyroelectric output of any ferroelectric crystal depends on its degree of poling. The major disadvantage of using ferroelectric crystals as pyroelect~ics is the possibility of a single domain crystal becoming rnultidomain or depoling in use. However, it was found recently by Lock [I] that T. G. S. crystals grown from a solution containing between 2 and 35 % alanine (a) show a permanent self bias. Dielectric hysteresis loops of such crystals are distinctive in that they are partially or completely displaced along the field axis (see Fig. la). It was found that the crystals containing alanine retained their self bias even after prolonged heating above the Curie