[NDS] A word from the wise

[Guest guest]

on 6/3/01 at 6:38 PM Gloria Lee wrote:

 

 

The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always

so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts.Bertrand

Russell

 

That evokes the question, why accept a division like fools, fanatics and wise, as if

man didn't succeed in creating enough division already - not just religious...

Erroneous upbringing and education causes one to see:

a tree as "tree plus preconceived notions like tiny/tall" instead of

just "tree" (with properties)

a dog as "dog plus preconceived notions like cute/ferocious" instead of just "dog" (with properties)

a building as "building plus preconceived notions like beautiful/ugly"

instead of just "building" (with properties)

etc. etc. etc.

And the problem is, once the preconceived notions installed, they are defined as "right" by

the non-existent owner ("owner", another preconceived notion), for

whom they have become "holy cows"...

 

Jan

[Guest guest]

On 6/3/01 at 11:35 PM Gloria Lee wrote:

 

on 6/3/01 at 6:38 PM Gloria Lee wrote:

 

 

The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always

so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts.Bertrand

Russell

 

That evokes the question, why accept a division like fools, fanatics and wise, as if

man didn't succeed in creating enough division already - not just religious...

Erroneous upbringing and education causes one to see:

a tree as "tree plus preconceived notions like tiny/tall" instead of

just "tree" (with properties)

a dog as "dog plus preconceived notions like cute/ferocious" instead of just "dog" (with properties)

a building as "building plus preconceived notions like beautiful/ugly"

instead of just "building" (with properties)

etc. etc. etc.

And the problem is, once the preconceived notions installed, they are defined as "right" by

the non-existent owner ("owner", another preconceived notion), for

whom they have become "holy cows"...

 

Jan

 

Dear Jan,

 

Your point is well taken, as usual. But what is a "holy cow" if not

the very certainty of "beliefs" and preconceived notions that you

deplore here? And, are you not right here showing your own

resistance to being "led down the garden path" by another's ideas and

notions?? You are not gullible, nor subject to being easily fooled..

the usual prey of the fanatics ARE. But why? Isn't their very craving

for certainty (and one's own self-doubt) what makes someone so willing

to believe and follow those "others" who do seem so sure of what is

right and truth?

 

Regarding certainties,

Strictly speaking, the absolute certainty is " ".

And there are two relative certainties: mind-bodies are born and will die.

 

So what about the rest? Utilitarian constructs or "holy cow" (belief) category?

 

 

Maybe this is why Buddha encouraged his followers to not believe

anything on another's authority, even Buddha himself, but to find out

for themselves.

 

The followers of the Buddha were far less conditioned than the present

generation so they could find out easier. But how many were successful

then as to cut the root of suffering (nirvana)?

 

 

Would that we could all see "just what is" as it is, as you describe

here. Doubt can be the wisdom that opens a window to resist the

group consenus taught and see what it really is afresh.

 

The history of spiritual life could be written as beginning with

"life proper", leading to "highest realization" as "just" a

householder, then life deteriorating, spiritual practices of various

kinds making up

for the deterioration, without reversing or even halting the

deterioration.And instead of the "highest realization" (Self = mind =

body), "at best", apperception which is but the start.

So if the doubt starts in early youth, perhaps there still is a chance

to recover what could be called "lost grounds".

 

Love,

Jan

 

Love,

Gloria