"Why don't you make like a tree, and get outta here.." -Biff from Back to the Future
Sorry, it was on the other night.
Intro's quote-o-rama
by Introspection 151 Replies latest watchtower medical
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Introspection
Ken Wilber speaking of an essay he wrote some two decades ago titled "The Pre/Trans Fallacy":
The idea is simple: since both pre-rational and trans-rational are non-rational, they are easily confused. And then one of two very unpleasant things happens: either you reduce genuine, transrational, spiritual realities to infantile, prerational states; or you elevate childish, prerational sentiments to transcendental glory. In the first case you deny spiritual realities altogether, since you think they are all infantile rubbish. In the second case, you end up glorifying childish myth and preverbal impulse. You are so intent on transcending rationality, which is fine, that you go overboard and champion anything that is not rational, including much that is frankly prerational, regressive, downhill.
-One Tase, The Journals of Ken Wilber -
Introspection
I have learned that there are four ways to solve problems: remove yourself, remove the relationship, remove the other person, or ask what love could do in this situation. And if you look at the fourth solution, which I try to do in my life, then you find healthier and more interesting solutions. It's really about finding your way of loving the world. It isn't somebody else telling you to be a plumber, doctor, mother or violinist. You choose your way of loving the world and go do it. And since almost every occupation gets you to meet people who aren't happy, you have an opportunity to change the world and improve it. So when you meet people, bring them some joy, make fun of the craziness of life. Children with illness don't say, "I could be dead in a year." They say, "Can I have some fun today? Can I go out today?"
-Dr. Bernie Siegel
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Introspection
A few thoughts I heard from Thich Nhat Hanh last night. Don't have the exact quotes but here's a few points I jotted down:
The quality of deep listening is the fruit of practice.
There is one purpose in deep listening, and that is to allow the other person to empty his heart.
If understanding is there then compassion is possible.
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Introspection
Now I shall tell you the nature of this absolute Witness. If you recognize it, you will be freed from the bonds of ignorance, and attain liberation.
There is a self-existent Reality, which is the basis of our consciousness of ego. That Reality is the Witness of the states of ego consciousness and of the body. That Reality is the constant Witness in all three states of consciousness--waking, dreaming, and dreamless sleep. It is your real Self. That Reality pervades the universe. It alone shines. The universe shines with Its reflected light.
Its nature is timeless awareness. It knows all things, Witnesses all things, from the ego to the body. It is the Witness of pleasure and pain and the sense-objects. This is your real Self, the Supreme Being, the Ancient. It never ceases to experience infinite release. It is unwavering. It is Spirit itself.
-Shankara
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Introspection
When you know beyond all doubting that the same life flows through all that is and you are that life, you will love all naturally and spontaneously. When you realize the depth and fullness of your love of yourself, you know that every living being and the entire universe are included in your affection. But when you look at anything as separate from you, you cannot love it for you are afraid of it. Alienation causes fear and fear deepens alienation. It is a vicious circle. Only self-realization can break it. Go for it resolutely.
-Nisargadata
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Introspection
Why are you unhappy?
Because 99.9 percent
Of everything you think
And of everything you do,
Is for yourself -
And there isn't one.- Wei Wu Wei
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Introspection
Hey, where'd everybody go? Feel free to add your favorite quotes.. I can't do it all myself.
Here's something a little different, this may be of interest if for no other reason than the fact that you wouldn't see it that often. Someone let me know if I've posted this before, the memory is probably not what it used to be!
Verses for Taking the Bodhisattva Vows and Generating the Mind of Enlightenment (from this little booklet they gave to people who went to see the Dalai Lama, translated by Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche)
With a wish to free all beings
I shall always go for refuge
To the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha
Until I reach full enlightenment.Enthused by wisdom and compassion,
Today in Buddha's presence
I generate the mind of full awakening
For the benefit of all sentient beings.As long as space remains,
As long as sentient beings remain,
Until then, may I too remain
And dispel the miseries of the world. -
Introspection
Another quote from Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism by Trungpa. A note of explanation paraphrased from the book: The context is a discussion of "the six paramitas," which are six activities involved in the Bodhisattva path. The word Bodhisattva menas "he who is brave enough to walk on the path of the bodhi," and bodhi means "awake." Paramita means arriving at the other side or shore. This part discusses generosity, the first of the six paramitas.
Transcendental generosity is generally misunderstood in the study of Buddhist scriptures as meaning being kind to someone who is lower than you. Someone has this pain and suffering and you are in a superior position and can save them--which is a very simple minded way of looking down upon someone. But in the case of the bodhisattva, generosity is not so callous. It is something very strong and powerful; it is communication.
Communication must transcend irritation, otehrwise it will be like trying to make a comfortable bed in a briar patch. The penetrating qualities of external color, energy, and light will come toward us, penetrating our attempts to communicate like a thorn pricking our skin. We will wish to subdue this intense irritation and our communication will be blocked.
Communication must be radiation and receiving and exchange. Whenever irritation is involved, then we are not able to see properly and fully and clearly the spacious quality of that which is coming toward us, that which is presenting itself as communication. The external world is immediately rejected by our irritation which says, "No, no, this irritates me, go away." Such an atittude is the complete opposite of transcendental generosity.
So the bodhisattva must experience the complete communication of generosity, transcending irritation and self-defensiveness. Otherwise, when thorns threaten to prick us, we feel that we are being attacked, that we must defend ourselves. We run away from the tremendous opportunity for communication that has been given to us, and we have not been brave enough even to look to the other shore of the river. We are looking back and trying to run away.
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Introspection
Of all the messages I've posted recently, I have the most doubts whether this will be timely.. But of course given the contents, maybe it's appropriate. Perhaps I should take more of a direct approach in talking to JWs for that matter... Less beating around the bush to avoid bruised egos eh?
A Ken Wilber Seminar at Naropa Institute, taken from the book One Taste:
Student: I was discussing an integral view with some other students, and they said that because I was making judgments I was showing a real lack of compassion. I didn't think I was.
KW: Yes, there is probably more confusion about this issue than any other in spiritual circles. Basically, most of the trouble comes from confusing compassion with idiot compassion, which are the terms Trungpa Rinpoche used for this crucial distinction. We in this country--and especially in new-age circles--have a type of tepid egalitarianism and political correctness that says no view is really any better than another, and therefore all views are to be cherished equally, as a sign of rich diversity. If we don't make any judgments about better or worse, then we are showing real compassion. So we have judgmental versus compassionate, and that is the common understanding.
But, you see, that stance is a massive self-contradiction. On the one hand, it says that all views are equally part of a rich diversity, and thus no view is better than another. On the other hand, it strongly claims that this view itself is better than the alternatives. So this "compassion" states that no view is better than another, except its own view, which is superior in a world where nothing is supposed to be superior at all. It is a ranking that denies ranking and a judgment that all judgments are bad. So, although it is often truly well-intentioned, it's nonetheless a type of hypocrisy, because it is strongly doing that which it condemns in everybody else.
That hypocrisy has nothing to do with real compassion; in fact, that is idiot compassion. Idiot compassion thinks it is being kind, but it's really being very cruel. If you have an alcoholic friend and you know that one more drink might kill him, and yet he begs you for a drink, does real compassion say that you should give it to him? After all, to be kind you should give him what he wants, right? Who are you to impose your views on him, right? Giving him the drink would therefore show compassion, yes? No. Absolutely not.
Real compassion includes wisdom and so it makes judgments of care and concern: it says some things are good, and some things are bad, and I will choose to act only on those things that are informed by wisdom and care. Giving a severe alcoholic a case of whiskey because he wants it and you want to be "kind" is not being kind at all. It is showing idiot compassion, not real compassion.
Zen calls this the difference between "grandmother Zen" and "real Zen." In order to awaken from the dream of samsara, the ego itself must be really kicked around, often severely. Otherwise you will simple continue to play your favorite games. Grandmother Zen doesn't challenge you. In order to be "kind," grandmother Zen will let you sleep a little late if you want, and stop meditating early if you don't like how it's going, and allow you to wallow in you. But real Zen uses a very big stick, and lots of loud yelling, and there are occasionally broken bones and certainly shattered egos. Real compassion kicks butt and takes names, and it is not pleasant on certain days. If you are not ready for this fire, then find a new-age, sweetness-and-light, soft-speaking, perpetually smiling teacher, and learn to relabel your ego with spiritual-sounding terms. But stay away from those who practice real compassion, because they will fry your ass, my friend. What most people mean by "compassion" is: please be nice to my ego. Well, your ego is your own worst enemy, and anybody being nice to it is not being compassionate to you.
Now maybe you and I aren't accomplished masters, and so maybe we don't always know what is real compassion and what is not. But we must start to try to learn to exercise real compassion instead of idiot compassion. We need to learn to make qualitative distinctions. These are hierarchical judgments that involve the ranking of values. If you don't like hierarchy, well, fine, that is your hierarchy: you hierarchically value nonhierarchies more than you value hierarchies. That's fine with me, just be honest enough to correctly label what you are really doing. If you don't like value rankings and want to avoid them, then fine, that is your value ranking--you rank nonranking as better than ranking--and that itself is aranking, your ranking. At least be honest about this. The fact is, ranking is unavoidable in values, so at least do it consciously, honestly, and above board, and stop this hypocritical stance that you are being "nonjudgmental," which itself is a colossal judgment.