Spiritual Aphorisms (Missing Nietzsche Seminar and Feeling Philosophical)

1.

It’s not about getting to some other place, be it psychological or physical, but appreciating and relaxing in the place we are in right now. This is the most important thing I’ve discovered since coming to Malaysia. It is a totally new perspective on Buddhism that lends it even greater credence in my mind. I encountered it in Pema Chodron’s book, When Things Fall Apart, but it pervades Buddhist philosophy and is one of its most poignant tenants.

Live each moment as if that moment will continue into eternity. Live it as if you have no hope, no dreams, no desire and no fear.

Barack Obama’s path to the White House can be summed up by his two extremely marketable adages: “Change” and “Hope”. It’s funny that in a recent Zencast, Thich Nhat Hanh calls Barack Obama an enlightened leader because these two concepts, which are paradigms of the American way, are the antithesis of Buddhist philosophy. (sidenote: I think Obama is enlightened and his phrasing must be looked at in its context) But, these two words nearly sum up the source of suffering. The desire for change – to have a new girlfriend, to change your job, to improve your living situation – is a source of tremendous suffering. Similarly, hope – the hope for a better tomorrow; hope for the stock market to turn; hope for people to like me – causes incredible pain. The way out of this path of pain and suffering towards a more peaceful existence is to give up hope and abandon the desire for change. Try settling into the current set of circumstances you find yourself in.

Since I started reading about Buddhism, I have encountered phrases like ‘the heart of the Buddhist warrior’ and discarded them for exaggerating the seemingly safe and passive action of sitting in silence on a pillow. Now that I have discovered the concept of relaxing into the present moment whether it is joyful or happy, I recognize the bravery that the path actually requires. All of the typical stress-relief rituals we go through that help distract us from reality are thrown out. The practice is to be compassionate with yourself when moments of extreme suffering come up. When your father dies or wife divorces you, try (the near impossibly task) to avoid the comfort of a drink or a movie. The goal – that seems extremely far off for me right now – is to be able to relax into the moment of suffering and embrace it. See how the whole bravery thing comes in? Pretty incredible.

The main idea is best expressed in Chodron’s words: “we think that the point is to pass the test or to overcome the problem, but the truth is that things don’t really get solved…thinking we can find some lasting pleasure and avoid pain is what in Buddhism is called Samsara.”

--“Any time you push anything away, it’s still there” – Ram Dass--

2.

I want to be comfortable and certain about what I believe in. I want to know that my convictions make the most sense. I mean, I want my theology to coincide with reality as effectively as my limited mind can make it. I struggle with Western traditions because I find that they do not coincide with the reality that I see around me.

3.

I refuse to take my conception of reality and metaphysics on authority. I refuse to believe something simply because my family believes. I refuse to believe something simply because it is the most useful in helping me deal with my issues (sorry Nietzsche). My philosophy may be as effective as any at helping me deal with problems, but I refuse to hold a metaphysical belief that Thor will take care of all of my problems just because it alleviates some anxiety. I take pride in this perspective. I see it as enlightened. And that may be the biggest problem.

4.

Other problems: A fellow Fulbrighter here pointed out a little nugget of truth the other day just after our minds had been blown by a deep-space visualization at the science center in Kuala Terengganu. Having witnessed only a smidgeon of the massiveness of the universe, and the subsequent insignificance of humanity in comparison, he explained, ‘anyone who thinks he can construct some sort of a universal and objective metaphysics from this incredibly limited point of view has gotta be on crack’.

It must have struck him as we were sitting back at a 45-degree angle staring up at a IMAXesque simulation of the depths of the universe that literally go on forever, leaving the infinitesimal earth and its pathetic Milky Way behind about five minutes into the hour long video. The arrogance or ignorance, it must be one or the other, of an individual to create a universal law of metaphysics or, even worse, a universal legal code that should apply to all beings in existence, is hilarious. My buddy went on after the experience, ‘so if some alien, who lives 100,000,000 light years away and has never seen a pig before, comes to earth, he is obligated to refrain from eating pork or else he will be condemned to a life of eternal damnation?’

The concept that an ant (granted, a self conscious one) is capable of creating an all-encompassing world view and legal code is as outrageous to me as the concept that man is capable of the same task.

5. 
A reflection on number one... I'm reading Paul Tillich's Courage To Be, which analyzes the concept of courage from the perspective of a diversity of philosophical and spiritual traditions. I have just come upon the chapters summarizing Nietzsche and Spinoza, who propound a similar philosophy on courage which emphasizes self-affirmation and the will to power. 


Not only do these terms reflect each other, but they almost mirror the Buddhist concept of courage, which Nietzsche famously and ignorantly repudiated as superstitious mumbo jumbo. Nietzsche says in Zarathustra, "He hath heart who knoweth fear but vanquisheth it; who seeth the abyss, but with pride. He who seeth the abyss but with eagle’s eye, - he who with the eagle’s taons graspeth the abyss: he hath courage." It's essentially the same idea as Chodron in number one. 


The individual who is able to experience groundlessness without panicking and grasping after a god, a pill or a distraction, has courage. The Buddhist perspective takes it a step further to say that this courageous person will consequently experience less suffering in her life by living presently and relaxing into this sense of groundlessness. 

6.

What kind of omnipotent, omniscient, benevolent being gets jealous?
What kind of omnipotent, omniscient, benevolent being requires occasional offering?

What kind of omnipotent, omniscient, benevolent being needs to rest on a weekly basis?