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Often called "not-knowing" in #Zen , curiosity
June 24th, 2014
Often called "not-knowing" in #Zen , curiosity… or looking for variations and for exceptions! This is not the same as denying knowledge, but is simply not-resting on the laurels of knowledge, not-becoming arrogant/complacent based on past conventional inferences that might hide the uniqueness of the situation at hand.

"not-" (in "not-resting" and "not-becoming") is like non- in "non-attachment", which doesn't fall into the opposite extreme of aversion. It also is like the "an-" (less-) of "anatman"  or "anatta"  (self-less-ness); it rejects the extreme views but not the existence.
The bodhisattva ideal presents nirvāṇa as non-abiding nirvāṇa:  a nirvāṇa where one doesn't 'automatically 'stay, where one isn't locked (by aversion, towards samsaric suffering), a nirvāṇa that doesn't prevent coming 'back' in saṃsāra to help others. This is a non-resting…

Curiosity is what allows not  to be locked by knowledge or by certainties, but without  falling into the naïve rejection of knowledge; curiosity opens the door to the 'beyond' the existence and non-existence  of 'essential', 'unquestionable' knowledge, of certainties that blind and bias our responses; it is a dharma gate.


#Buddhism   #Dharma