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Living With Paradoxes
ajani_mgo
Veteran
Well I recently read this book "Upgrade your Brain" by John Middleton... It's excellent 52 simple suggestions towards living better.
Now I must apologize for this post done up in haste. (due to my desire to spend more time to revise for my "O" Levels).. If there's any grammatical or semantical discrepancies or some bad styling that renders half of the text incomprehensible, it is my fault...
Well one of it is "Living with Paradoxes". I didn't catch it quite right there at first, but after a slight Zen mindframe I think I could understand...
Sometimes in life we shouldn't just take one problem as either being right or wrong only.
He lists some rather old-time paradoxes such as the Grandfather Paradox in Physics, the One Hand Clapping of Zen etc. etc. But instead of saying that NO - it can't work this way, we should take a step back and live USING BOTH possibilities.
For example, for something more closer to me like my view on Love - as most of the adults here would realize as a teen's childish interpretation... I know that it is one thing to construct all that unconditional niceties (or fantasy?)... But another (and more realistic) more materialistic, rewarding love...
After the book, I realized my paradox. Heck, how'd you first even select your girl if from the start you are already unconditional? You might just as well say that you will fall for any girl anytime, anywhere, anyhow, (and that includes during in a relationship). Besides, to be continually unconditional is interesting and perhaps beneficial for a relationship, but how do you even woo a girl or even date a girl without some mutual expectations (going out, talking on phone etc. etc.)?
Perhaps it would be more right to say that one uses the expectations-filled love initially, but bearing in mind that this is not the final stage... Maybe you'd want to give both at the same time? (Well, I'm currently still getting over a lost relationship so maybe I'm no expert.) At the end of the day still, I stress non-attachment to all these mere constructs.
Another thing I remembered, was that once on this forum, the possibility of the historical Buddha literally being possibly Prophet Ezekiel (or the Muslim Dhulkifli) was raised, and I had thought it to be rather non-complementary... I must definitely prove the Buddha as either being the Buddhist one (which will disprove the proponents or very naively, Islam as I thought) or the Muslim one (and where does the Dharma and all that go?)
Well I'd recall great Simon himself coming over and tell me that basically there's nothing to be excited over in any way... I didn't understand it back then, but after some more of life I think I do see the paradoxes being solved still...
I think there are always many examples all of us have, and some which I cannot recall now, and from what I see, living with paradoxes may very well be the key to the very Buddhist life (or replace "Buddhist" with anything you see fit)... Notice, this is my personal opinion...
Opinions? :rockon:
Now I must apologize for this post done up in haste. (due to my desire to spend more time to revise for my "O" Levels).. If there's any grammatical or semantical discrepancies or some bad styling that renders half of the text incomprehensible, it is my fault...
Well one of it is "Living with Paradoxes". I didn't catch it quite right there at first, but after a slight Zen mindframe I think I could understand...
Sometimes in life we shouldn't just take one problem as either being right or wrong only.
He lists some rather old-time paradoxes such as the Grandfather Paradox in Physics, the One Hand Clapping of Zen etc. etc. But instead of saying that NO - it can't work this way, we should take a step back and live USING BOTH possibilities.
For example, for something more closer to me like my view on Love - as most of the adults here would realize as a teen's childish interpretation... I know that it is one thing to construct all that unconditional niceties (or fantasy?)... But another (and more realistic) more materialistic, rewarding love...
After the book, I realized my paradox. Heck, how'd you first even select your girl if from the start you are already unconditional? You might just as well say that you will fall for any girl anytime, anywhere, anyhow, (and that includes during in a relationship). Besides, to be continually unconditional is interesting and perhaps beneficial for a relationship, but how do you even woo a girl or even date a girl without some mutual expectations (going out, talking on phone etc. etc.)?
Perhaps it would be more right to say that one uses the expectations-filled love initially, but bearing in mind that this is not the final stage... Maybe you'd want to give both at the same time? (Well, I'm currently still getting over a lost relationship so maybe I'm no expert.) At the end of the day still, I stress non-attachment to all these mere constructs.
Another thing I remembered, was that once on this forum, the possibility of the historical Buddha literally being possibly Prophet Ezekiel (or the Muslim Dhulkifli) was raised, and I had thought it to be rather non-complementary... I must definitely prove the Buddha as either being the Buddhist one (which will disprove the proponents or very naively, Islam as I thought) or the Muslim one (and where does the Dharma and all that go?)
Well I'd recall great Simon himself coming over and tell me that basically there's nothing to be excited over in any way... I didn't understand it back then, but after some more of life I think I do see the paradoxes being solved still...
I think there are always many examples all of us have, and some which I cannot recall now, and from what I see, living with paradoxes may very well be the key to the very Buddhist life (or replace "Buddhist" with anything you see fit)... Notice, this is my personal opinion...
Opinions? :rockon:
0
Comments
Reminds me of the paradoxical nature of quantum physics (not that i understand it, mind), on which are built the foundations of the world.
What is right and wrong other than words based on the conditioning (or condition) of one's mind?
Also,
I have found the best relationships evolve from those with whom we naturally enjoy being around. The act of seeking of itself brings with it an energy all it's own. So much so, that someone somewhere once coined the phrases.
"Seek and yee shall find." "Knock, and it shall be opened to you."
Oh yeah, and the one. "Be careful what you ask for, you just may get it." ;-)