A golden thread

Back in 1937 the British economist John Maynard Keynes in The Quarterly Journal of Ecnomics wrote:

“I am more attached to the comparatively simple fundamental ideas which underlie my theory than to the particular forms in which I have embodied them....”

After reading this I beganto think about specialized terminology used in academia or for that matter, Buddhist terminology that came out of the various sects (vada) after the Buddha’s passing.  

For some reason, the simple fundamental discovery of the Buddha became plastered over with many specialized terms that were in some cases so polysematic that harldy anyone outside of the scholastic circle in which they were used could understand what was being discussed.  The terms “dharma” and “shunyata” certainly falls under this light.

Despite the seeming welter of specialized Buddhist terms, there is a golden thread that runs through the Buddha’s teaching which serves to help us decipher much of it.  It lies with our understanding of Mind—not mind as thought oriented or sensory consciousness—but Mind as absolute.  In The Awakening of Faith, a work attributed to Ashvaghosha, Mind is treated as follows:

"The Mind in terms of the Absolute is the one World of Reality (Dharmadhatu) and the essence of all phases of existence in their totality. That which is called “the essential nature of the Mind” is unborn and is imperishable. It is only through illusions that all things come to be differentiated. If one is freed from illusions, then to him there will be no appearances (lakshana) of objects regarded as absolutely independent existences; therefore all things from the beginning transcend all forms of verbalization, description, and conceptualization and are, in the final analysis, undifferentiated, free from alteration, and indestructible. They are only of the One Mind; hence the name Suchness. All explanations by words are provisional and without validity, for they are merely used in accordance with illusions and are incapable of denoting Suchness. The term Suchness likewise has no attributes, which can be verbally specified. The term Suchness is, so to speak, the limit of verbalization wherein a word is used to put an end to words. But the essence of Suchness itself cannot be put an end to, for all things in their Absolute aspect are real; nor is there anything which needs to be pointed out as real, for all things are equally in the state of Suchness. It should be understood that all things are incapable of being verbally explained or thought of; hence the name Suchness." 

In the study of Zen it is important to take Ashvaghosha’s words to heart.  It is especially important to understand that the path of Zen involves having a direct intuition of this Mind because without it we are using the commonplace mind to try and ponder the absolute Mind.  Such a course only leads to confusion serving even to dispirit us .  Nor are we ever able to break free from the commonplace mind that hides the absolute.

With the right intuition of Mind only then can we begin to bring its power forward into our lives which naturally begins to cut us free from our past clinging to the temporal which is synonymous with suffering.  Also, with this transformation, the words of the Buddha become a lot clearer.  

Mind, once realized, is like air set in motion.  It gradually acquires a force of its own although its pure nature remains unchanged.  Bodhicitta, which is our initial awakening to Mind is, therefore, analogous to feeling a slight breeze whereas before this event, we sensed nothing of the sort.  Over time, the magnitude of Mind grows acquiring strength while it ever remains immaculate and marvelously empty.  In fact, so much strength does it acquire that it is able to free itself from the temporal body.

Comments

[Capt.Knuckle&Flapjack]

zennist author says " It lies with our understanding of Mind—not mind as thought oriented or sensory consciousness—but Mind as absolute."

Flapjack says
The stupid english language utterly lacks the nuance in differentiating spirit (nous/citta); which is really not as meant to be translated anywhere near the term 'MIND',...with that of the coordinate and consubstantial consciousness (vinnana) which "goes no further than within this form (logos); i.e. the body"- MN2.

Resultantly, the moronic fool conceptualize nibbana as being = forced self-labotomization; as meant that "in peace" one is mentally retarded himself to the point of adukkha & asukkha, ...or that nothing phases him/her.

Buddhism is a rotton bovine corpse and maggot hotel, and the zennist author is attempting CPR on same. Let that old piece of crap continue to rot.

Buddhism as a term is as much a stigmatized idea as is the holy swastika,...both were ruined by fools, never to be used again in their original intent/meaning, such that their connotation to others is as deep and foul as mountain of cow crap.