Hi folks,
I just finished reading Branching Streams Flow in the Darkness by Shunryu Suzuki so the idea of Oneness is kind of on my mind. So I thought it might be fun to chime in here. I actually wanted to offer some thoughts on "Oneness." Though in a way I'm sure its about my interpretation of Oneness.
The idea of One (at least for me) suggests boundaries and what has boundaries is (mentally) graspable. So "the One" is something that can be grasped by the hand of thought. Because of this I see two issues.
1. What exists outside the boundaries? Even if its empty space that's still something excluded by the One. So it can't be all there is in the ten directions if it doesn't include that empty space.
2. "The One" as we think about it is just an idea. So its a thought and as a thought its kind of a discrete entity. One thought among others. At best its like a finger pointing at the moon at worst its a delusion likely to get us cast into a hell realm or just miss the point. This also means its something we experience so their is a kind of duality here. Observer and observed even if what's observed is a thought. All talk of oneness much include us and everything else. So if you want to see the buddhadharma you just need to open your eyes, smell the smells or feel the pain in
For my own part I think these types of discussions can help set the stage for a kind of acceptance of our own intellectual limitations and encouraging a kind of surrender or "ceasing of struggling" or equanimity what have you. Just a kind of accepting the flow of the world. Its sort of like zazen where we just have to let things be. I don't think it means a kind of pessimism because we are part of the world as well so we can be a force for change. But it can help us to stop beating our heads against the wall and focus our energies on something that can help others.
Does this make sense?
When Thay offers a materialistic reading of interbeing its important to note that we occupy a relative size and duration to any other object. All the things we are connected to are also changing and "dieing" (or being undone.) But we don't notice it because the changes are usually very small in duration and size. We don't really notice it. I have more grey hair than I did 10 years ago. But I just kind of woke up one day and noticed then I forgot and probably noticed again at a later date. So the movement or change of buddha nature is always occurring but we don't see it because own brains are such that we see things are discrete entities. I'm pretty sure its how we can have abstract concepts like justice and "the state." Does this make sense to anyone?
Anywho, these are some thoughts I had after I read the last few posts. If you have any criticism or comment I would appreciate it.
Gassho,
Sattoday
Hoseki
I just finished reading Branching Streams Flow in the Darkness by Shunryu Suzuki so the idea of Oneness is kind of on my mind. So I thought it might be fun to chime in here. I actually wanted to offer some thoughts on "Oneness." Though in a way I'm sure its about my interpretation of Oneness.
The idea of One (at least for me) suggests boundaries and what has boundaries is (mentally) graspable. So "the One" is something that can be grasped by the hand of thought. Because of this I see two issues.
1. What exists outside the boundaries? Even if its empty space that's still something excluded by the One. So it can't be all there is in the ten directions if it doesn't include that empty space.
2. "The One" as we think about it is just an idea. So its a thought and as a thought its kind of a discrete entity. One thought among others. At best its like a finger pointing at the moon at worst its a delusion likely to get us cast into a hell realm or just miss the point. This also means its something we experience so their is a kind of duality here. Observer and observed even if what's observed is a thought. All talk of oneness much include us and everything else. So if you want to see the buddhadharma you just need to open your eyes, smell the smells or feel the pain in
For my own part I think these types of discussions can help set the stage for a kind of acceptance of our own intellectual limitations and encouraging a kind of surrender or "ceasing of struggling" or equanimity what have you. Just a kind of accepting the flow of the world. Its sort of like zazen where we just have to let things be. I don't think it means a kind of pessimism because we are part of the world as well so we can be a force for change. But it can help us to stop beating our heads against the wall and focus our energies on something that can help others.
Does this make sense?
When Thay offers a materialistic reading of interbeing its important to note that we occupy a relative size and duration to any other object. All the things we are connected to are also changing and "dieing" (or being undone.) But we don't notice it because the changes are usually very small in duration and size. We don't really notice it. I have more grey hair than I did 10 years ago. But I just kind of woke up one day and noticed then I forgot and probably noticed again at a later date. So the movement or change of buddha nature is always occurring but we don't see it because own brains are such that we see things are discrete entities. I'm pretty sure its how we can have abstract concepts like justice and "the state." Does this make sense to anyone?
Anywho, these are some thoughts I had after I read the last few posts. If you have any criticism or comment I would appreciate it.
Gassho,
Sattoday
Hoseki
for positive poetry 優婆塞 台 婆
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