We can all be like spotless mirrors before the light of Mahayana which is most primordial. This means that potentially we are spotless mirrors able to reflect and receive this most mysterious animative light. But in reality, our mirror is caked with dried mud—this is not a thin layer of dust. This is almost as bad as not having such a mirror. We live more like rats coming into the world and exiting it without awakening or even learning that our goal as humans is to awaken becoming this spotless mirror, beholding the animative light of Mahayana. These are bad times, spiritually. The great Neoplatonist Thomas Taylor (1758–1835) said of this era long ago:
"Hence we may justly conclude, that this age of true philosophy is no more. In consequence of very extended natural discoveries, trade and commerce have increased; while abstract investigations, have necessarily declined: so that modern enquires, never rise above sense; and every thing is despised, which does not in some respect or other, contribute to the accumulation of wealth; the gratification of childish admiration; or the refinements of corporeal delight" (The Mystical Initiations; or Hymns of Orpheus, v).
Granted, there are a few humans who have not turned into rats who might have to be fake rats. Still they have to hide while toiling at some unrewarding job so they can earn enough to continue to follow the path. In the meantime, the world continues to wallow in its subhuman ratness as if it had found nirvana; boldly proclaiming that this age is the greatest of all human ages! All this reminds me of the film, The Matrix (1999) insofar has most everyone has been ‘blue-pilled’. The people in the film don’t realize that they are enslaved by a super kind of artificial intelligence (AI) which has created a computer simulation program called “the matrix.” Only a few manage to escape like the main character Neo who achieves enlightenment. The rest are submerged in ignorance with a thirst for things of the matrix. This is more like the Buddhist doom which all beings face, being forever trapped in a cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Escape is only possible through enlightenment which transcends the matrix.
This is an intriguing film but it only goes as far as arousing curiosity in some of the rat multitude. Like everything modern, what wisdom it presents has to yield in time to the desire to accumulate wealth and the yearning for corporeal delight. Talk of a serious escape such as the practice of Buddhism, one can easily be pegged as being a little too un-rat like. I have plenty of stories about people who say they practice Buddhism and Zen. But they get kind of nervous when I try to scrape off some of the dried mud. Every once in a while I meet people who respond to the light—most follow this blog! Perhaps they looked within one night as I did when a small chunk of mud fell off their mirror.
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