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The discussion focuses on the distinction between relative truth and ultimate truth, emphasizing that relative truth concerns duality and the changing nature of the phenomenal world, while ultimate truth is associated with transcendental consciousness and liberation. There is a contrast between the concept of Sunyata (emptiness) and Anatta (no-self) in Buddhism, which departs from Hindu beliefs in the Atman (immortal soul) and reincarnation. The talk highlights the revolutionary nature of Buddhist teaching and its relevance to modern scientific discoveries, while also touching on the limitations of Western psychology compared to Buddhist psychology.
- References to Texts and Philosophical Concepts:
- Sunyata (Emptiness) and Anatta (No-Self): Fundamental Buddhist teachings that challenge the notion of an immortal soul, contrasting with Hindu concepts of Atman and reincarnation.
- Buddhist Psychology: Considered more profound than Western psychology for its approach to understanding consciousness through meditation and introspective practices.
- Sufi Mysticism: Mentioned in comparison to Buddhist teachings, particularly the concept of being "in the world but not of the world," illustrating a parallel view in different spiritual traditions.
These points provide insights into how the nature of truth, liberation, and consciousness are explored in Zen philosophy, supported by textual and philosophical references essential to Buddhist teachings.
AI Suggested Title: Beyond Duality: Exploring Zen Truth
Speaker: Dhyurvamsa
Additional text: Cont. ~10 mins.
Possible Title: Reel #2
Possible Title: Discussion
Additional text: Cont.
Speaker: Dhyurvamsa
Location: Z.M.C
Possible Title: Reel #2
Additional text: Discussion / May 20, 1973 Cont.
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Recording is a portion of a longer event.
the relative truth and the ultimate truth. So relative truth is concerned with relation between a subject and object, the world of duality. And we take this world as only phenomenon. So we don't take it so seriously. That's why really we should not have any problem we will understand the world of phenomenon. So phenomenon is up and down, going up and down. It's not stable. But when we sit in the ultimate area, with the ultimate transcendental consciousness, then we can see the transience, the change, the fleeting aspect of phenomenal world without being affected.
[01:04]
So that is why the Buddha said, enlightened man or awakened man grows in the world but stands above the world undefiled by the world. It's like a lotus growing in the mud but stands above the mud and the water And it's not defined by the water or the mud. But it does not mean that we have to leave the world. We have to grow in the world. But we do not belong to the world. It's quite interesting the Sufi mystics talk about being in the world but not of the world. This quite has the same meaning as what the Buddha said. We can be in the world, but we are not of the world. We have freedom and liberation to live life, to grow in the world without having any conflict or difficulty.
[02:16]
So then freedom, freedom and liberation is goal of life. We have to come to that point. So this is essential that the way of thinking is essential for coming to understanding of ultimate truth. So we have to be in emptiness in sunyata and anatta. Empty of the thinker, perceiver, feeler, enter of the things which will become the object for attachment. But emptiness is the way, the fullness, fullness of being. When we are, suppose you can see, when your mind becomes completely empty of its contents,
[03:22]
then you feel completely full in your heart. We can say that when the mind is empty, the heart is full. When the heart is full, there is love, there is compassion, there is understanding and clarity. And the mind will not disturb us because it's empty of its contents. It cannot do anything harmful or it cannot create any distractions or interruptions. I think this is a practical side of life in regard to understanding of consciousness and the operation of mind. Also talking about mind, we may have feeling and we may have mind must be divided into something like a feeling and different states and intellect.
[04:43]
So I think that should be enough for today, that we talk about the meaning of words most of the time, and the Buddhist view of life, and the teaching of sunyata or anatta, which is very essential. And this, I would like to say a few words. This teaching of sunyata or anatta makes Buddhism completely different from other systems of thinking and religion. So that is the unique thing the Buddha developed. He was really a revolutionary man against the Hindu ideas of Atman, the immortal soul. The idea of reincarnation
[05:52]
in Hinduism comes to be because of belief in the Atman, immortal soul or immortal self. But Buddha said, no, such thing does not exist. And even nowadays people cannot really accept it. But you can see that in this world of science, they come closer and closer to Buddhism when they have new discoveries of the physical world. But psychology, we cannot say that psychology in the West is like a child compared with the Buddhist psychology. So you will not be able to understand the depth of mind unless people go into meditation, learning to dive into the depths of oneself through different levels of consciousness and have the capacity to analyze.
[07:14]
The Buddha talked about this from his enlightenment, not from the theories. He didn't learn from anybody. So we can learn about it too. And tomorrow we will go further into this subject. As I said, I talk about the practical side of it too, but sometimes it's rather difficult. We have to be a bit intellectual in some way. Thank you very much.
[07:52]
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