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#1156
Sunday, August 4, 2002 - Editor: Gloria Lee
SUNDER
from Advaitin
Philosophical Product Warning Labels
Solipsism Warning:
The consumer should be aware that he or she may be the only
entity in
the universe, and therefore that any perceived defects in product
quality are the consumer's own fault.
Determinism Safety Advisory:
Every citizen be advised that despite the possibility that his or
her
acts are all entirely predetermined by the blind mechanical
nature of
the universe and are therefore unavoidable and inescapable, he or
she
will still incur a legal responsibility and liability for any
torts,
violations, misdemeanors, or felonies he or she commits.
Knowledge-Definition Warning:
Because knowledge is defined for the purpose of this product
literature as "justified true belief", the manufacturer
cannot prove
that they "know" any of the information provided with
this product to
be true, correct, complete, or consistent because they cannot
demonstrate their internal belief states through the principle of
Philosphic Privacy.
Cartesian Evil Genius Alert:
The reader is advised that he or she may be subject to an
illusion
generated by an evil genius, and that his or her "sensory
fibers" may
be falsely manipulated at any time with neither advance warning
nor
any possible legal remedy.
Epistemological Denotation Warning:
The consumer must understand that due to the a-priori
impossibility
of assuring a shared denotation amongst independent agents, none
of
the advertising material, product literature, instructions, or
safety
warnings (including this one), associated with this product may
contain what the consumer perceives to be factual information.
Non-Universal Ethics Notice:
Due to the possibility that a common notion of ethics are not
universally shared by all sentient beings, and that therefore the
manufacturer may have entirely different concept of
"fairness",
"equity", "honesty", and
"integrity" than the consumer, the consumer
should not expect the product purchased to conform in any way to
the
advertised properties of the product.
Godelian Product Disclaimer:
As it has been proven that there are many true but unproveable
statements, the manufacturer cannot be held liable for any of its
unsupported product claims.
Penrose Addendum to Godelian Disclaimer:
Despite the above warning, the manufacturer is confident that all
its
product claims are true because of its mystically acquired and
computationally unrepudiable organic intuition. Unfortunately,
the
manufacturer cannot in any way demonstrate that its intuition is
correct, or indeed that it has an intuition.
Philosopher-General's Existentialist Tobacco Products Label:
Warning! this product has been found to cause cancer and
ephysema,
and to lead to increased likelihood of strokes and heart
disease. However, as the Universe is a soulless waste inhabited
by
unthinking machines it doesn't matter in the least whether you
smoke
or not. Go ahead, light up, it's all the same to me if you live
or
die.
http://ai.iit.nrc.ca/~andre/humour/warning.humour
GARY MERRILL
from Consciousness Is All
Without free will as an assertion of the idea of self:-
There is no one writing these words
There is no one reading them
No one ever did anything to anyone
No one invented the bomb
No one said e=mc2
No one ruled the united states
No one performed an act of kindness
No one became a terrorist or a saint
No one became enlightened
No one sinned
No one is a vegetarian
No one eats meat
No one is an atheist
No one practises religion
No one is smart
No one is dumb
No one ever thought anything
No one ever knew anything
No one makes love or war
No one became happy or sad
Dear fellow no ones, we are one.
Love,
Gary
MACE MEALER
from Dzogchen
Arboreal Bifurcation
Not to, Not two
Just this is!
If a bird sings in a tree
and there's
no one there
to hear it
does the tree fall?
In the short of it
what is not relative
to cause and time?
In the long view
what is not contained
in the absolute?
Knot too, Knot two
Is this just?
E.
from Guru Ratings
This is one small avenue of research if you are on a
quest for a "someone who knows".
I didn't actually intend my question to point at those
issues. I was trying to engage with the difference
between "knowing" and "thinking one knows".
Sorry, I'm really slow sometimes.
Would be good if I finally understand this correctly:
you are not on a quest for "someone who knows", you
wish to talk about the "the difference between
'knowing"
and 'thinking one knows' ".
In yourself?
In others?
The "knowing" in this case being not the retention in
memory of a group of thoughts but rather what we so
inadequately refer to as "realization",
"nirvana",
"nirvikalpa samadhi", or whatever.
I didn't imagine that "knows" would refer to anything
else, vocabulary notwithstanding...
Of course you understand that people who "know" are
made
of flesh and blood like us and are in organic form even
"as we speak"...
Here's an interesting fact I gleaned from the "Guinness
Book of Records": "knowing" is the second oldest
profession in the world... and the oldest profession
beyond this world.
There have been a wide variety of names attributed to
these folks who "know", which reflect the culture and
historical period in which they arise: witch doctor,
brujo, kahuna, holy hobo, caballero, chef sorcière,
shaman, witch, scoundrel, rogue, trickster, teacher,
cosmic man, alchemist, sufi, magician, old coyote... to
mention only a handful...
Most of these names reflect the controversial nature of
the "knower" as s/he is viewed superficially from the
mainstream. S/he is often a figure who shocks rather
than inspires, perceived more as an outcast, is feared
or looked down upon with disdain rather than looked
upon with respect and admiration. The "knower" is
rarely
a hero or a cult figure.
How can we account for this discrepancy between the
outer image and the inner reality? If a "knower" has
such high ethics and powerful mastery of
transformational knowledge (both of these are posited)
why then does s/he masquerade as a fool, or as a
trickster, taking on an exterior appearance far below
inner value?
What is it about humans that cannot tolerate the
"knower"?
The answer to these questions is an indication of the
general state of the "soul", not only of modern humans,
but of any humans throughout the history of the planet,
who can rarely allow themselves to abandon the "human
sector" in favor of wandering homeless in the corridors
and passageways of the cosmic labyrinth, which is to
say, anyone who has not become truly alive.
More than the empty understanding afforded by words such
as realization, nirvana, nirvikalpa samadhi, the
"knower" is actually a physician of the soul; only
skill
and a sharp scalpel can heal the deep sickness that
ravages humans. This has little to do with the theatre
of feathers, bones and rattles which are some of the
more colourful paraphernalia associated with earlier
primitive forms of "knowers". It has more to do with
lovingly but ruthlessly extracting, often with great
pain to the lucky recipient of such attention and
efforts, the cause of spiritual disease that manifests
as distortions in the ((electrical field of the))
organism which render it incapable of serving as a very
special kind of cosmic apparatus.
So, there are "knowers" in the world. And what they
know, sometimes called "the teachings", is also in the
world and of it; you, surprise, surprise, are not.
WEI OOI YANG from Dharma Direct
The Difference Between Focus on Problems and Focus on
Solutions:
When NASA began the launch of astronauts into space,
they found out that the pens wouldn't work at zero
gravity (Ink won't flow down to the writing surface). In
order to solve this problem, they hired Andersen
Consulting (Accenture today). It took them one decade
and 12 million dollars. They developed a pen that worked
at zero gravity, upside down, under water, on
practically any surface including crystal and in a
temperature range from below freezing to over 300 ºC.
The Russians used a pencil...
GENE POOLE from Nonduality Salon
Class notes for Saturday 3 August 2002
This is a rough transcript of the 'teaching' which I
provided for my Saturday class... from 10 AM to 1PM...
it is not for everyone's taste... enjoy if you will...
if you can...
Topic as provided by attendee: Loneliness
(Due to lengthiness, please use link to read entire
message.)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NondualitySalon/message/66012
EXCERPT: As the eye
corresponds to photon, so does mind
correspond to the meanings and knowledge of self... and
there is only self... self will inform... guide...
reform... heal... manifest... when mind is made
receptive... by deliberate will... by
self-remembering... and by the 're-minder' of teacher,
if one is employed...
Receptive mind... does not chew up what is coming in...
but it does deliver it... to the stage of awareness...
input appears in consciousness... as what it is...
uncolored...
Receptive mind... is a sense which is being used in one
way, that may be chosen by the one whose mind it is...
this is a choice that can be made... to chew the cud of
memory... to constantly translate 'now' into something
else... or to allow actual receptivity... this is a
choice...
I can guarantee to you... that this choice is rarely
seen...
Meaning of self will appear in the receptive mind...
upon this event... the entire enterprise of individual
nature may suddenly reform...
or, by gentleness, if that has been learned, and is the
habit... gradual awakening may occur... it is allowed...
self will 'do the thinking for you'... the meanings,
stories, and guidance of self are always available...
upon the choice of control of the mind to be
receptive... to open...
It is choice... this is a very basic choice... yet, have
you ever heard of this choice? Has this been offered to
you before?