The pudding of gnosis

There is no shortage of metaphysical theories and speculations.  Man is a creative and imaginative creature.  When it comes to Buddhism, it seems like the Buddha didn’t much care for metaphysics in which one is engaged in thought-forms which, at best, are useful fictions but fictions nevertheless (this is a whole subject in itself, Zennists should read Vaihinger’s The Philosophy of “As if’ ).  

Most of the time, we are unaware that our conversations about Buddhism (and heated discussions) deal only with fictions which, however, we take to be quite real.  Incidentally, I hate to say this, but Nagarjuna spent his adult life with fictions, just as Buddhists today who take up the study of ‘emptiness’ (shunyata) .  The only difference between Nagarjuna and Buddhists today who proclaim the holy grail of emptiness is Nagarjuna realized it was a fiction.  A fiction for getting rid of fictions leaving open the door to gnosis—making the pudding, no longer reading recipes and imagining puddings.  

It may come as a shock to some, but the Buddha understood gnosis to be the better arbiter of any religious theory (or fiction).  The Buddha of, course, understood that tradition, knowledge, ritual, etc. are helpful, but only as a means and not grasping them as ends in themselves  (Sutta-Nipata 839).

Forcing our own mind to give up the dry desert of thought-forms and speculation is a very difficult undertaking.  It’s easy to sit back in a comfortable chair and dream; even dreaming we have some degree of gnosis.  But we are only deluding ourselves.  And this is where Buddhism is today: in a state of almost complete self-inflicted delusion.  Few are making the required pudding the Buddha gave the recipe for.  Perhaps even fewer understand what gnosis really means (or satori) and its huge importance.

When we turn to the classical literature of Zen, the necessity to attain gnosis is all over the place if one has an eye for it; especially with regard to koans and the sayings of Zen masters.  Much of what they say is a ‘head scratcher’ but only because we’ve never, ourselves, had the gnosis of pure Mind.  On the same track, as we move away from the classical literature of Zen there is less of a demand for gnosis.  Buddhism becomes more and more speculative.  Buddhists then take up the study of various discourses of the Buddha which they lack the required gnosis for and imagine that their interpretations are the correct ones.  We, especially, notice this in the almost vicious emptiness debates that go on in Tibetan Buddhism where there real debate should be between those who advocate gnosis and those who rely on doctrines forged by various kinds of reasoning.  

It should be obvious that Buddhism begins with the awakening of Siddhartha who then becomes the awakened one, i.e., the Buddha.  This is not a mundane awakening but supranatural and transcendent.

Comments

[Sindder Streg]

"but supernatural and transcendent"

Absolutely yes!!!

I used mostly the Western Mystery tradition & practices, ie magick, to get enlightened, also using the saying of Zen Master's as helpful guide posts & instruction (because frankly the magick tradition is clueless about this stuff or they hide in symbols - I mean I guess it isn't all that impressive or occulty to just say "look at your mind"). Now I find Mahayana Buddhism absolutely fascinating but honestly 3/4 the time I have no idea what they're talking about, though somehow I know their theory is solid. If you really wanna set my kundalini energy on fire start talking about gnosis and realization!! I'm all over that and I say yes yes and I can go on and on about it. But when I try to get formulaic I fail entirely. Get enlightened is my spiritual message. Get enlightened, get enlightened, get enlightened!!! The pudding tastes soo good!!, it's incredible and fascinating and seemingly impossible but realer than anything ever. There are hard times too, times when you wish the whole universe was exploded or you wish you never even thought about getting enlightened. I have three kids, do I want them to get enlightened? I'd have to recommend they do but i don't know if they'll even be interested. It's hard to break through and believe that enlightenment is actually real. I remember the moment when I really believed that some spiritual ultimate was really real. I also remember the moment I was enlightened, ie the moment i didn't know anything, ie the moment i didn't know anything but thought i did. Compassion will beat the shit out of you. For real.

Howdy from North Carolina!