No reflection on you whatsoever, but this is a fearful, self-defeating statement that's a warping of the original. Avoid this idea like the plague, common as it is. If it were the case then we wouldn't follow Buddha or anyone else. It originally sprang from a similar statement in Taoism about seeking the truth for yourself rather than trusting the words of others. Whilst a seeker is a seeker, he or she can not be a knower, so why listen to them? If they had true knowledge they wouldn't be just seekers. You can't even be a knower on your way to realisation, once you know, you're there. MelT
very wise deconstruction of it there. it's interpretation so, to create limiting psychology, i had not considered. it's intent is still worthy though, to prevent taking as truth the shpeal coming from those who are simply caught up in their own arrogance and mapping. what is the original? yeah, i wasn't claiming it as my own... just something thrown out there for discussion.
Is this to say you can seek truth, but never find it, or if you find it, you must keep it to yourself?
Quote- Is this to say you can seek truth, but never find it, or if you find it, you must keep it to yourself? - Quote. If we take one of the variations as the theme, "He who knows (the true nature of reality) does not speak and he who speaks does not know'. There are two reasons for this: 1) The idea is that the ultimate truth is so beyond words (but crucially, not understanding) that any conceptualisation of it to form teachings negates the very truth it tries to explain. Any attempts to teach it will usually end in the person hearing the teachings misunderstanding what they mean, so information is fed to students in a very gradual way, making sure that they understand each new facet before moving on. So, anyone who does 'know' will not talk about the nature of reality in its entirety for fear of giving the wrong ideas and locking the hearer permanently into samsara. One wrong idea about its nature is all it takes to do that. 2) Anyone still talking about reality has not reached a point where the dichotomy and contradiction it seems to represent can no longer be voiced, so they do not 'know it'. But it is understandable, at least to some, and all meditational traditions are based on top down teaching, the knowers leading the unknowing. If people just rested in realisation and said nothing, what would be the point of the journey beyond personal gratification? The truth, as long as it's broken into segments, can be spoken of. Whereas the dangers of discussing much of it are still there, now that physics is presenting ideas about the nature of reality and giving us new terminology, we can talk about reality in ways that it wasn't possible to do in ancient times without giving the wrong impression. MelT
nor any kind of seafood chowder. and i like seafood! must be to do with the chowder/soup distinction. there's a great G'Kar quote about this too... where he declares he's only ever found 4 things that were true, and that to even find one truth in a lifetime is a great accomplishment indeed. though i dont have his exact eloquent words on hand.
i think the version i was trying to quote was from rumi (or someone else deepak chopra is fond of quoting), and was writen with much jest.
Uhm... I'm pretty sure California Uber Alles was off of Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death. But yeah, great song.
My bad, the song is actually called "We've Got a Bigger Problem" now. It's like a California Uber Alles redux or something. Really good track!
socretes's philosophy is similar to this. He was considered wise because he admitted he knew next to nothing. wisdom comes with the knowledge of the lack of knowledge because no one should ever stop searching for truth
Truly bro and amen, all of us have a piece of the puzzle not the completed picture. Individuals have too many flaws to be declared prophets but humanity acting as a collective body are powerful beyond measure. If you're looking for truth don't settle for less but don't look so hard and never forget to live. Nobody's every found out anything for sure because if they had life would lose so much of it's luster and meaning, they're just the "comfort food" we need on a bad day. Our inner selves always know what's up. "There is no truth. There is only perception." ~Gustave Flaubert~ Ahhhhhhh - stay green.
yuh know I once asked a wise mayn witch was da way he just tell me 'find it yuh self dammit..' mumbling.. "askin stupid questions..."
>>Nobody's every found out anything for sure because if they had life would lose so much of it's luster and meaning, they're just the "comfort food" we need on a bad day. I'd disagree with that (if 'for sure' means to personal satisfaction, we have nothing else). Life IS different afterwards and does not have the same meaning, but the 'new' meaning is just as important as the old. The lustre is just of a different nature. The comfort does disappear entirely though, leaving you to face yourself and life head on completely alone. But if you truly understand then you see the comfort is as false as everything else and that you've lost nothing. I know very few people who are serious about seeking enlightenment for the comfort it could give, because you realise it doesn't offer any. Life is still lived afterwards perfectly happily, one meaning lost, another gained. MelT