All of the above was intended to be a thoughtful (and hopefully interesting) way to introduce a very different duality. We can say this several ways. We can borrow the appearance/reality distinction of Plato or use an ancient image from the Orient and talk about the Veil of Maya which "covers" (at least mentally) the ultimate truth of things.
In any event, the human condition is PROFOUNDLY divided into two unimaginably different worlds.
The first world is the one probably 98% of the human race is semi-consciously "living" in. Note, living was in quotes, because this first world is what the Buddha called Dukha (anguish) and it is an endless vale of tears. The supreme lie of our species is that the world practically all of us are living in isn't a world of broken hearts, bodies, and minds.
But is this being exaggeratedly "negative"? Thinking precisely that it is what keeps the game going, because the only way billions of life forms would submit to chronic abuse and even genocide is to become a species of "enablers" who never see the elephant in the living room (that wonderful image from family systems theory).
However, the Buddhist take on life is not the issue here for all its sublime wisdom.
No, the issue is The Beast.
And the Beast is what? To begin with, The Beast is the second world. It is the TRUE REALITY behind the systematically suicidal "first world", i.e., the world of politics, TV sitcoms, three jobs, lost health insurance, a raped and murdered Mother Nature, broken health, and world wide genocide of the working class.
The infinite tragedy is that nearly every human being alive thinks the first world is the ONLY world. This is as good as it gets, and nirvana is keeping up with your credit cards (even as the interest keeps rising and rising). Hey, this is it; this is life; this is reality. End of conversation.
Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
2
1
1
