On 9/5/2012 11:02 AM, William Rintala wrote:
> My question to the Forum is "is madness a precursor to enlightenment?"
There are no precursors. There appear to be whenever a story of an
awakening is presents. Lines drawn. Ordinary mind - defining and
redundantly redefining things. Original mind defies definition.
'Awakening' is not a matter of being strong or weak minded, sane or
insane. There is only effortless realization and delusional suffering.
Conditional and unconditional. Form is emptiness/emptiness is form.
Same. Sounds crazy, right? ;)
'Crazy Wisdom' - is well documented in many traditions. Got to be e
little nutty to talk about this stuff. Speak unconventionally to break
conventions.
To many this so called 'enlightenment'/'awakening'/'realization' is
simply obvious, ordinary, not worth mentioning. Some have never not
realized this, and don't see a problem. Some never will, and don't see a
problem. Few are suspicious of themselves enough to have reason or
opportunity to find or stumble upon 'the middle way', and fewer take it
upon themselves to try to teach.
The profundity of an awakening is proportional to the delusion dispelled
(Tolle - by his own description was really messed up - so had major
blowout vs a more subtle/funny 'aha!'/duh! moment - saw a big difference
in his functioning - had more obvious/visible reintegration period - yet
all of it quite ordinary and he had to be persuaded to talk about it.).
Each expression of this natural appearing different. Spiritual seeking,
begins and ends with a broken auto-pilot. Some crash, some land OK, some
fly on without it being a problem...
The sane and insane both lose their grip on appearances, on their
personal 'delusions'. Some have trouble functioning like 'normal
people'. Some 'return to the marketplace' and adopt appearances (old or
new) so as to appear sane enough that people will listen to them and/or
not lock them up. Ordinary mind has many such uses, largely automatic.
This is all anyone does, whether they realize this or not. Some appear
more successful at passing for whatever the social/functional norm is in
their time and place. We call them 'sane' as this label represents the
current norm. Some appear less ordinary (Gurus, masters, eccentrics,
artists... Not that all are realized - but these appearance suit some
better than a suit and 9-5 career), some appear quite mad.
Most give this very little thought. Ignorance is bliss. Realization is
bliss. Suchness.
KG
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