The Hindrance of knowing something.

週一, 31 十月 2011 23:24

The Hindrance of knowing something.

Written by 覺妙妙明

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We are taught and rewarded most of our lives for acquiring a mental catalog of things we “know”.

That’s how we pass exams in school, (we know the required material) get promoted at work (we know how to successfully plan, organize, direct, control or perform based on past experience) and interact in relationships (we repeat patterns of meeting people, deepening connections, etc…)

The hindrance is our tendency to use our five senses ( eye, ear, nose tongue, body, mind) to understand things, to validate them.. then we are done with that particular thing and move on to new things.. no need to waste additional time on that thing because we “know” it.

The problem with this is, we don’t really ever “know” anything.. we stop once we satisfy ourselves we know enough.. to pass the test, get through a meeting, or to wonder why our relationships seemed flawed.. just like the last one……

Think of the old story of a blind man trying to know what an elephant is. He fumbles around until he touches one.. finds it feels very much like a length of rope with a tuft of hair on one end, the other attached to a thick leather wall. He now knows what an elephant is.. he’s verified by touching it with his own hands.. nothing left to question.. he can even lecture and teach others what an elephant is.

The problem arises when he meets another person that is also an elephant expert, but describes it as bigger around than your arms, like a tree trunk and the leather wall is on top… and there is more than one per animal… he knows this, has verified it with his own hands many times.

They are both experts, well documented with many students.. both are absolutely right as well as being incomplete and flawed… like most of what we pride ourselves as knowing. (what about elephant, physiology, chemistry, behaviors, thoughts, feelings?) so much more yet people will follow, argue and defend their superficial position with great passion.

It’s why we share our meditation and practice experiences.. by going to a class once a week or so and sharing, if we allow our minds and hearts to be open, we have a chance to consider a broader range of experience than ourselves.. get a bigger, more complete perspective.

Beyond just our own mind, beyond just our eye, ear, nose, tongue and body…

Life is like a net made with a gem stone at each intersection, reflecting endless facets of each other.. for anything we might encounter this is how many perspectives are available to us.. the more open we are , the more fulfilling we allow our lives to be…..attitude of ”beginners mind” always more to experience.

Musashi : “When you “know” one thing, you will know the 10,000 things” ( Go Rin no Sho)

Heart sutra teaches us Wisdom is not gained by aggregates (eye, ear nose, tongue, body) or by the mind. ..but by experiencing wisdom beyond wisdom in deep Chan Ding.

Read 5835 times Last modified on 週二, 06 三月 2012 08:11

Published in 師資心得

覺妙妙明

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2 comments

Comment Link 週六, 05 十一月 2011 03:13 posted by Maggie Chen
I am working on Chinese translation and will post on the web when ready. 我在翻譯成中文, 等翻譯好就會PO上網.
Comment Link 週三, 02 十一月 2011 23:37 posted by Maggie Chen
Thank you for sharing - dear brother Miao Ming.