All,
Struan wrote:
Let us get this clear. I am not denying
>that there are subjects and objects and I am not denying that, for most
>practical purposes, we all
>see ourselves as distinct from everything else.
I'm writing:
That is the problem. That is SOM (as existing present-individually rather
than social-historically). The "natural" sense of "I", as ultimately other
than and often opposed to "that", or "thou".
The solution?
Dhyana, or "awakening to one's Buddha nature", "entering the kingdom of
heaven within", "grooving on the dynamic quality of the moment", etc, etc.
Don't forget we all see Quality differently.
That, I believe, is where we must begin our ethical inquiries - by "knowing
ourselves", through clear, quiet, contemplation. I think this is a very
clear message from Pirsig, stronger in ZMM.
Assembly of Japanese bicycle need great peace of mind.
Assembly of the MOQ need greater piece of mind.
So: What is good, moral, value, quality, "X", "loobley-goop"?
Tat Tvam Asi
You just have to observe, in all experiences, and with great care.
Rich
PS - Because your intellect is as capable as it is of understanding and
assimilating more complex philosophy than that found in either Pirsig's
novels or here on the site, I wanted to point your attention to a book named
"Zen and the Brain". It's huge, it's brilliant, it's elegant, it offers both
an empirical and a theoretical explanation for the phenomenon of what the
neuroscientist/Zen student author, J.Austin, calls "kensho", and we usually
call "enlightenment", it is hot off the press, it gives "proofs" for many of
Pirsig's ideas, especially the four levels. But I can't whet your appetite
any further, I've got to go, so please do email me if you begin or have read
it... and naturally, this goes for everyone else on the site.. I posted a
while ago about it. Remember how you felt when the MOQ really *got* you? And
you were desperate for intelligent discussions about it? That's what is
happening with this book (I'm just about three quarters through).
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