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In nirvāṇa, there is no contradiction between intuition, silence, and reason
January 7th, 2013
In nirvāṇa, there is no contradiction between intuition, silence, and reason

Different people relate to knowledge differently. For example, I learnt not to trust perception but to rely on reasoning to question it (and only then validate it as 'possible', or "wrong-headed delusion") while my wife relies a lot more on 'intuition' and 'silent listening' to enquire into the nature of reality. Sometimes, this gives funky conversations at the dinner table… but we reach similar conclusions (expressed from different angles). How is that? Simple! There is no (dualistic) contradiction between intuition, silence, and reason.

In silence, peace is found when there is no dissonance…
Intuitively, harmony and "what feels right" is found when there is alignment between "what I feel", "what I know", "what I intend"…
With reason, truth is found when there is consistency (no contradiction) between "what I perceive", "what I know", "what I intend"…

Peace, "what feels right" and "right view" co-dependently arise with harmony, alignment and consistency between the various aggregates and consciousnesses that are collectively appropriated as who 'I' am.

So there is no contradiction between silent "just sitting" and philosophical studies… between Pure Land's chanting and Madhyamaka's prasaṅga analysis… between Theravāda and Tibetan tantra… etc:
Dualistic distinctions in Buddhism are just games of the ego to keep feeding the "I am better than you are, therefore I am."


If you live in peace and harmony, do what 'feels' right and what you 'know' right, are you not in nirvāṇa? Nirvāṇa is not somewhere else, a different abode or a place essentially distinct from samsāra… 

If you live in peace and harmony, do what 'feels' right and what you 'know' right, are you not in nirvāṇa?

Don't worry, if the internal harmony only exists because you're 'consistently' mad and have 'consistent' unwholesome intentions and views, the world is unlikely to let you enjoy harmony long: envy, resentment, jealousy, anger (yours or others') will quickly send contradictory signals to 'feel' (and, in turn, the contradiction between experience and what you supposedly 'know' should be enough to let you know that you do not 'know')!
The only way this doesn't work is if you lie to yourself… but then neither silence, intuition, nor reason will back you up, and you'll suffer. The end of suffering is in your hands, but you obviously have to be truthful with yourself!


#Buddhism   #Dharma      #buddhistcircle  

The question "what is Zen?" as well as any answer "Zen is …" show a lack of understanding of śūnyatā: the very belief in a bold-typed is (a 'special' form of being, in some sense or another) is what Buddhism calls ignorance, and śūnyatā the antidote! Other traditions might take another view (as legitimate as Buddhism's) on 'is', but Zen is not understood outside of Buddhism… Isolating Zen from its context (and still hope to make sense of it) would be believing that Zen has some particular, some special core which may be isolated!

Try and explore: "Zen neither-'is'-nor-'is-not' our experience of the only lesson of life: how to satisfactorily 'be here' (might as well be free of dissatisfaction, or of suffering, since we are here!)."

#Zen  
by Derek Toye:
A small tree out in the misty, snowy conditions.