Being a deluded seeker is an easy trap to fall into. It is like falling into a big hole. The terrible thing about this hole is it is difficult to get out of. What led me to this was the question of nirvana which describes the gnosis of the absolute (which in Buddhism comes by many different names). In particular it was this verse from Nagarjuna’s Yuktisastika, the Sixty Verses of Argument.
"Existence and nirvana: These two are not [really] to be found. [Instead,] nirvana [may be] defined as the thorough knowledge of existence."
Nagarjuna was not at his best when he said this. However, for a deluded seeker this is perfect. Nirvana means the thorough knowledge of existence (samsara). Nothing to realize; certainly not something undying or blissful. The deluded seeker is caught up in an abstraction (our big hole). He has no way to get out of his dark abstraction. But Nagarjuna was on his game when he said:
“Nirvana is of the uncreated realm while existence and non-existence are of the created realm” (MMK XXV, 13).
So we put it to our deluded seeker, “Have you awakened to the uncreated realm?” The answer is of course he hasn’t. He can then answer back and say that Nagarjuna said, “Nirvana is nothing essentially different from samsara.” Again, our deluded seeker is back into his abstract enlightenment—the big hole. In his samsara nirvana he peels his onions, carries water, chops wood or uses a chainsaw mindfully—this is all enlightenment to him. Yes, his ordinary mind is the Buddha mind.
But not once has our deluded seeker gone deep inside of his mind of birth and death so that he might penetrate through this seeming oppressive veil and reach the unconditioned Mind. No—he is not going to give up the mind he was born with which is the mind of birth and death. His reading of Zen Buddhism will be one of looking, so to speak, for loopholes by which to keep his delusions safe from challenges. Incidentally, males are the worst when it comes to giving up their deluded minds. They will fight tooth and nail holding on to the mind that creates their suffering rather than realize they have to make a difficult search for the uncreated Mind which transcends birth and death.
Nice post, but isn't "deluded seeker" redundant?
Posted by: Peter Turner | September 07, 2014 at 01:25 PM