Pure Mind has nothing whatsoever to do with moral behavior. On the same track, a defiled mind can be mind of the highest moral behavior. This is not so paradoxical when we understand that pure Mind means Mind, itself, its wave-like actions having momentarily ceased. On the other hand, the defiled mind is one in which no such cessation has taken place. Mind does not behold Mind, itself. For it there is only ceaseless waves of disturbed mind, like water being constantly agitated.
The history of morality, in particular, that we should act in pure ways, is a checkered history, replete with many instances of overt cruelty and violence. Moral history, for example, informs us that Nazi Germany regarded itself as a great moral culture almost without peer. From this we would not be off-track to say that moral cultures are often totalitarian and monophasic (i.e, adverse to multiple states of consciousness). Order, obedience, and uniformity are the rule in which strict limits are set with regard to certain kinds of behavior.
The common worldling (prithagjana), who has no nose for the scent of the spiritual world, is often the one caught in the snare of morality; who cries out for a moral culture, one in which the contagion element will be removed and all will become right. This same worldling considers the Ten Commandments or the Buddhist monastic rules to be holy when, in fact, they have nothing whatsoever to do with the realization of pure Mind. For the spiritual adept, such rules are a stumbling block. Related to this, we find this passage in the Pali canon from the Bhaddhali Sutta (M. i. 445).
“When beings are deteriorating, when true Dharma is vanishing away, there are more rules of training and fewer monks established in profound knowledge.”
We might even be so bold as to say that there is no profound knowledge in a moral culture. The impetus to look within, where true reality is to be searched for, has been substituted with external behavior. Ironically, such moral behavior is always hypocritical. How can it not be so since one is pretending to be what is impossible to become? The corporeal body is illusory. For this reason it cannot be perfected. It is something born; soon to be exhausted. Only our spiritual nature is perfect. It is boundless and all pervasive, never comes into being nor does it pass away. But then the common wording has no intention of seeing and perfecting this nature. At best, they much prefer to be pious frauds.
I feel that what should really be said as a corrective about morality is that there are two types of morality as there are two paths (four if you count accordant and discordant: see MN 117 "The Great Forty").
In outward appearance the two moralities superimpose (The Buddha adhered perfectly to outward morality), but in principle or aim they are different (see the beginning of the Brahmajala sutta), like superimposing a hologram (the transcendent path) over a 2D picture (the "moral" path)...from the front they appear identical, but by going deeper one sees a further dimension to the hologram and realize that the 2D picture is imprisoned even if what it depicts is beautiful, it stops and is trapped in the surface of the picture (the world). Each of the path factors is like this. A superimposition, but the transcendent path always has a further dimension.
Posted by: Vaccha | June 24, 2011 at 08:50 AM
“Two things fill the mind with ever new and increasing wonder and awe: the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me.”
- Immanuel Kant
Moral laws are neccessary but they are only for children and nations in their infancy.
True right action/behaviour comes from insight/wisdom that transcends moral laws. For example, in Schopenhauer`s moral right action comes out of the conviction that all sentinent beings are the same single will to live. Recognizing this, one should treat others like oneself therefore overcoming egoism.
Posted by: fofoo | June 23, 2011 at 03:07 PM
Kenny Wheeler wrote;
"the fools confuse "aught to do" or conducive
with profane conduct/morality
the wise few like myself know this. most dont."
There has never been, nor is, any wisdom in your words. Only desperation. You are not what you imagine yourself to be nor are those you scorn what you imagine them to be eg. beneath you.
I detect a heavily unbalanced mind with to many mental problems to mention here. You have probably cultivated them since childhood and many lives before that. This spiritual inertia will not cease until you cease with this unhealthy activity of assumed enlightenment.
Posted by: Azanshi | June 23, 2011 at 02:46 PM
"Only our spiritual nature is perfect. It is boundless and all pervasive, never comes into being nor does it pass away."
This form of transcendentalism was vehemently denied by the Buddha. It's OK to subscribe to it, it is a marvellous, awe-inspiring teaching etc., but let's not erroneously confuse it with Buddhism. Buddhist teaching and practice is decidedly anti-Absolutist, anti-transcendentalist, anti-substantialist and anti-permanence.
Posted by: Alex | June 23, 2011 at 02:32 PM
it is amoral monism
illumination has NO bearing within any sphere of morality
" beyond good and evil" by this is meant
the fools confuse "aught to do" or conducive
with profane conduct/morality
the wise few like myself know this. most dont
this is the same idiocy between religion which
itself is secularized metaphysics.
Posted by: hexagonal mangos | June 22, 2011 at 11:18 PM