Hey all, long time lurker here (I actually joined back in March 04, but my account was killed because I never posted! I enjoy reading the stuff here...). Finally I thought of something I wanted to talk about:
In reading interviews with Devin, and stuff like the Synchestra commentary, it led me to wonder where exactly Devin gained his philosophies on life? A lot of it could just be his own understandings through living to be 33, almost 34, but a lot of it also sounds as if it were inspired by things such as Buddhism, maybe even Hinduism, and tons of other things, but then again I am no expert on forms of spirituality and philosphy. Does Devin even enjoy or have time to read? Just something I'd like to hear thoughts on...

I've been wondering on this as well but I thought it would be too personal to ask about. I've always wondered about Dev's philosophy or religion, as he refers to Jesus in Ocean Machine and Synchestra, and also took part in Sex & Religion in which Steve Vai thanks God and Jesus in the liner notes.

It doesn't matter really to me what religion or philosophy he follows but I can't help but be curious all the same.

I have a feeling Devin's philosophies are much like his music - very unique and most likely changing often. I've never met the man (missed him in Columbus, dammit!!) but I think anyone that possesses his kind of creative genius is constantly pondering the meaning of things in life and death and religion and whatnot. I have to believe that that's what gives him the inspiration (conciously or not) to make music that is so emotional and powerful. That or the weed..either way, whatever it is he's tapped into, let's all hope the well never runs dry...

I dunno, but Gaia and Mora seem to fit in there somehow

but a lot of it also sounds as if it were inspired by things such as Buddhism, maybe even Hinduism, and tons of other things, but then again I am no expert on forms of spirituality and philosphy.

I thought about this too, what with titles like "Zen", "Gaia", "Spirituality", "Namaste" etc, SYL and DTB balanced like yingyang - and all the ying-yang symbols everywhere.

He's in Socrates's position: "I know I don't know shit." It helps clear a lot of things in life if one is able to implement this knowledge of noknowledge in the right way. I believe Dev's philosophy is built on self-reflection and being sincere with the results.

And work hard. Both for yourself and on yourself.

His career is the indicator: from "pissed off on others" to "in peace with himself".

Well, he can't be too Buddhist because, strictly speaking, Buddhists are atheists. I say this because in many interviews, Dev mentions God so I think he believes in God. I'd be surprised to find out he was religious, though.

Obviously he is very concerned with wanting to understand the meaning of life. He seems to want to know who or what God is and how God relates to the Dev. But, I also think he enjoys adding in ideas from other religions, too. Obviously, there is some influence from eastern religions. I get the feeling though that rather than studying those religions and using the concepts as thematic ideas, I think Dev just likes the way those words sound. He's said many times that he uses lyrics often because they sound good rather than because they are meaningful.

So, like in Zen, the word connotes "peace" but he's not singing literally about the Buddhist philosophy centered around meditation and oneness with the world. He might like the ideas but he's not sitting in meditation on the koans or something. Or, Namaste is not what he says because he was inspired by reading the Bahgavad'Gita as much as it's a cool word and means something cool to him.

I think his take on religion and philospophy is largely eclectic and non-doctrinal, to say the least.

Good post, gurp!1

Well, he can't be too Buddhist because, strictly speaking, Buddhists are atheists. I say this because in many interviews, Dev mentions God so I think he believes in God.

I wouldn't be so sure of that. Hasn't he also said in couple of interviews that he couldn't do a super-religious or super-satanic song.

By the way, I'm super thanks for asking One could not pick more gay word

I always though Buddhism was more of an agnostic religion (well, actually, more of a philosophy), rather than atheist...ie providing a definitive answer of where we came from etc was not important, but similarly, different "truths" are not excluded.

He's in Socrates's position: "I know I don't know shit." It helps clear a lot of things in life if one is able to implement this knowledge of noknowledge in the right way. I believe Dev's philosophy is built on self-reflection and being sincere with the results.

And work hard. Both for yourself and on yourself.

His career is the indicator: from "pissed off on others" to "in peace with himself".

thats what i think as well. nice explanation.

Well, he can't be too Buddhist because, strictly speaking, Buddhists are atheists.

I'm a Buddhist and I'm not athiest. I see God in everything around me.

Well, he can't be too Buddhist because, strictly speaking, Buddhists are atheists.

I'm a Buddhist and I'm not athiest. I see God in everything around me.

Let me clarify. I spoke with a Zen Buddhist monk for a research paper. I also read more than a few books on the subject. My understanding is that Buddhists don't have a "god" per se because the god is within us all. We are all a small part of it. But, there isn't a Diving Being watching over us all or something. So, when I say atheist, what I mean is that Buddhists don't believe in *a* God. But, Buddhists *do* believe that there is a divine life force that animates all and permeates the universe. When we die, if we are enlightened, we return to that divinity. Otherwise, the cycle of samsara continues. So, Buddhists are most assuredly atheist in that they don't believe in a personal, benevolent God that you can pray to and who is taking care of you. That's what I meant. Atheism, in the strictist sense of the word means non-theist. A theist believes in a personal Supreme Being. I think it's safe to say Buddhists do not believe in this.

This may be an exercise in semantics. (which I'm all for!)

Greg, which kind of Buddhism do you follow? Saying you're Buddhist is like saying you're Christian. There's about a thousand kinds of Christian out there and probably that mean kinds of Buddhist (which is why generalizing about religion is so much "fun").

I always though Buddhism was more of an agnostic religion (well, actually, more of a philosophy), rather than atheist...ie providing a definitive answer of where we came from etc was not important, but similarly, different "truths" are not excluded.

There are some pretty well written articles on the subjects on Wikipedia.

On Atheism (including a discussion of major religions and their relation to atheism)

OnBuddhism

So, depending on who you ask, Buddhism outright denies the existence of a theistic deity or it recognizes supernatural beings like the Devas, for example. Agnostics believe there may be a God but that it's impossible to know or prove the existence of God.

Let me clarify. I spoke with a Zen Buddhist monk for a research paper. I also read more than a few books on the subject. My understanding is that Buddhists don't have a "god" per se because the god is within us all. We are all a small part of it. But, there isn't a Diving Being watching over us all or something. So, when I say atheist, what I mean is that Buddhists don't believe in *a* God. But, Buddhists *do* believe that there is a divine life force that animates all and permeates the universe. When we die, if we are enlightened, we return to that divinity. Otherwise, the cycle of samsara continues. So, Buddhists are most assuredly atheist in that they don't believe in a personal, benevolent God that you can pray to and who is taking care of you. That's what I meant. Atheism, in the strictist sense of the word means non-theist. A theist believes in a personal Supreme Being. I think it's safe to say Buddhists do not believe in this.

This may be an exercise in semantics. (which I'm all for!)

Greg, which kind of Buddhism do you follow? Saying you're Buddhist is like saying you're Christian. There's about a thousand kinds of Christian out there and probably that mean kinds of Buddhist (which is why generalizing about religion is so much "fun").

Interesting point. I certainly don't believe in a Personal Supreme Being.

I don't even know what strand of Buddhism I fit into. I settled on these beliefs through my research into Tibet, a country I've been rather obsessed by for many years. If you have't checked these books then these are well worth a read:

Initiations and Initiates in Tibet - Alexandra David-Neel
The Way of the White Clouds - Lama Anagarika Govinda
Zen - Toichi Yoshioka
Sacred Tibetan Teachings - Giacomella Orofino
Lord of the Dance - Chagdud Tulku
The Heart of the Buddha's Path - The Dalai Lama
The Tibetan Book of the Dead - (I have the W.Y. Evans Wentz edition)
Tibet's Great Yogi Milarepa - (again I have the Wentz translation)
The Life of the Buddha - H. Saddhatissa
We Tibetans - Rinchen Lhamo
The Third Eye - Lobsang Rhampa
Doctor from Lhasa - Lobsang Rampa

As for supernatural beings or whatever you want to call them, I see these beings as what Carl Jung called Archetypes. You should read some Jung for a proper explanation but in brief they are clusters of energy in a particular vibration that takes on distinct characteristics to various people who are attuned or able to notice them. They are not given a diety or God status, but rather they are percieved as beings that represent different aspects of what is. The Roman Gods could be viewed as such also, as could many of the Egyptian Gods.

I'm also very interested in Taoism. Devin touchs on a few basic principles in some of his lyrics, particularly the ones on Infinity.