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Chapter of the Week: #32 [Archive]
We can see hypocrisy everywhere so there is no letting up in the fun we can have. We'll even find a smidgen in ourselves if we look in the self honesty mirror. So how's that entertainment? It isn't all that entertaining if we are only aware of other people's hypocrisy. So besides entertainment, this also offers a useful tool for self understanding. If 'they' are the 'problem', then all we will feel is anger, frustration, and perhaps even disgust. Entertainment value increases as we come to see 'we' are the 'problem'. I imagine the humor we feel is related to simple physical humor, e.g., like slipping on a banana peel. We realize 'we' are slipping on the peel and humor is the emotional release we feel.
Self righteous hypocrisy (is there any other kind?) is all pervasive. It is rooted in desire - need. But all animals feel [chref=1]desire[/chref] for what they need to survive, e.g., all animals desire food. Without desire animals would die. If desire drives all animals, why are only the human ones hypocritical? Our big ol' brain! It creates the [chref=19]thought of self[/chref] - the 'greatest illusion'. Our brain then enables us to rationalize our own self desires as justified, while at the same time judging (rationalizing) other people's selfish desires as unjustified - especially if 'their' selfish ones interfere with 'my' justifiable ones. So what? Why is living a double standard a problem? After all, everybody does it!
Well, like they say, ignorance is bliss. We never really face our own hypocrisy, so we remain ignorant of it. But, does that ignorance really enhance our sense of bliss? Ignorance and a lack of awareness are two peas in a pod. Isn't the cornerstone of life awareness? Without awareness we're dead. So, death is bliss? Well, I suppose it is, at least from a correlations' point of view . (For more on ignorance and bliss see Caring Not To Care .)
For those of us who would rather be more aware - less [chref=16]ignorant[/chref], all we need to do is avoid hypocrisy. Avoiding hypocrisy is easy, and makes life more peaceful. Best of all, we don't need to give up our desires either. All we need do is just stop rationalizing them - thinking, judging, blaming and just live and let live. It is as easy as pie; just be self honest. We only need to see that it is 'we', not 'me', or 'I', or 'them'. MMmmm... maybe it isn't as easy as it sounds, eh? Why? Emotions drive our thoughts and how we see life. So, we must not only see it is 'we', we must actually feel it is 'we'. Nuts! There is always a snag.
Self righteous hypocrisy (is there any other kind?) is all pervasive. It is rooted in desire - need. But all animals feel [chref=1]desire[/chref] for what they need to survive, e.g., all animals desire food. Without desire animals would die. If desire drives all animals, why are only the human ones hypocritical? Our big ol' brain! It creates the [chref=19]thought of self[/chref] - the 'greatest illusion'. Our brain then enables us to rationalize our own self desires as justified, while at the same time judging (rationalizing) other people's selfish desires as unjustified - especially if 'their' selfish ones interfere with 'my' justifiable ones. So what? Why is living a double standard a problem? After all, everybody does it!
Well, like they say, ignorance is bliss. We never really face our own hypocrisy, so we remain ignorant of it. But, does that ignorance really enhance our sense of bliss? Ignorance and a lack of awareness are two peas in a pod. Isn't the cornerstone of life awareness? Without awareness we're dead. So, death is bliss? Well, I suppose it is, at least from a correlations' point of view . (For more on ignorance and bliss see Caring Not To Care .)
For those of us who would rather be more aware - less [chref=16]ignorant[/chref], all we need to do is avoid hypocrisy. Avoiding hypocrisy is easy, and makes life more peaceful. Best of all, we don't need to give up our desires either. All we need do is just stop rationalizing them - thinking, judging, blaming and just live and let live. It is as easy as pie; just be self honest. We only need to see that it is 'we', not 'me', or 'I', or 'them'. MMmmm... maybe it isn't as easy as it sounds, eh? Why? Emotions drive our thoughts and how we see life. So, we must not only see it is 'we', we must actually feel it is 'we'. Nuts! There is always a snag.
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Chapter 32
The way is for ever nameless.
Though the uncarved block is small
No one in the world dare claim its allegiance.
Should lords and princes be able to hold fast to it
The myriad creatures will submit of their own accord,
Heaven and earth will unite and sweet dew will fall,
And the people will be equitable, though no one so decrees.
Only when it is cut are there names.
As soon as there are names
One ought to know that it is time to stop.
Knowing when to stop one can be free from danger.
The way is to the world as the River and the Sea are to rivulets and streams.
Read commentary previously posted for this chapter.
Knowing when to stop is the essence of art. And the art of living is knowing when to stop. A life time is the [chref=41]great[/chref] canvas onto which we 'paint' our life as we live out each day. We finish our unique work of art when we take our last breath.
I spent many youthful years cutting up and naming this uncarved block - life. I still do; being the big brained animal that I am. All the more reason why [chref=2]practicing the teaching that uses no words[/chref] is the only 'teaching' that works. By and large, it all boils down to this: [chref=36]If you would have a thing laid aside, you must first set it up[/chref], and so on. Alas, one of the most tempting [chref=53]by-paths[/chref] in life is the desire to find a short cut around the suffering side of life. We want it the 'easy' way. Likewise, we are seduced by the illusion of perfection. It is as though we believe that [chref=2]the good[/chref] can exist without the bad, or [chref=2]the beautiful[/chref] without the ugly. Thus we hack away at the uncarved block driven by the [chref=37]desire[/chref] to have it our way. All we get in return are endless [chref=63]difficulties[/chref].
This is one reason why [chref=70]my words are very easy to understand and very easy to put into practice, yet no one in the world can understand them or put them into practice[/chref]. We want it both ways - easy and perfect. Only when [chref=45]great perfection seems chipped[/chref] (in our stream of consciousness) are we able to [chref=33]know contentment[/chref] a little deeper. Indeed, the great way [chref=64]is easy[/chref] when we can be content with chipped perfection.