Chapter 1
WISDOM. ~ Like a ball on a mountain stream,,on and on,,,
It is said that "three days away from study make for plain conversation".
Therefore "wisdom that does not increase by the day diminishes the day". Chinese Proverbs.
Wisdom is difficult to attain. Knowledge does not tell us what is important here and now.
The path to Wisdom is no simple struggle as we must encourage our Will to approach life in the manner of the Wisest of being. This was, for the ancient classical thinkers of Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism, an undertaking of spirit, embracing heart, and heart broadening the limits of mind -a journey which will require a strong and enduring effort.It is the quest to see the essentiality of one's own existence to overcome the many and self-seeking values of the modern age. If we are to counterbalance this age, then we must approach the issues of the day with open heart and mind, and listen for the unfolding of our spiritual calling. We may call upon the heritage of Knowledge,Understanding and Wisdom to open up the transactions of Modernity to the human face of Wise disposition.And for why? Because for individual, nation, creed , modernity offers no real meet place. Modernity is born of the wants of the few, overcoming the lives of the many.It is an age of transition and transformation at the expense of simple true purpose. Today's self is characterised by the struggle of material purpose chasing yesterday's action. There are many stories that characterise these affairs of the world, of personal struggle to reach the furthest of shores.
In particular, there is an old Zen story about a monk who led a very simple and direct life. His name was Rokan. He lived in a hut with no possessions. One day, a thief entered Rokan's hut while he was out. But the thief, looking to takesomething of value, found nothing and the monk returned. Rokan understood the thief's predicament (of desire and suffering) and said, "I am sorry you have found nothing, but would be pleased if you would take my clothes."After the thief had gone, the monk sat naked, looking at the moon. "Alas," he mused, "what a pity I could not give him this beautiful moon" (of deep spiritual beauty and reflection). Rokan was evolved. This allegorical tale points to the spiritual depth and spiritual causation of Oriental thinking. The material conditions of our lives are often like that of the thief's. Moral good sense tells us that Modernity has strong and grasping hands. Our hearts have personal need to develop the Wisdom which will provide us with clear insight and so encourage us to direct the very nature of ourselves to overcome our engendered restrictions. Life is possessiveness of intention, where we desire to live a life of complex self-indulgence, precariously maintained at the expense of harmony and balance. *This is not to deny a life course that necessitates maintaining a view of the world of materialism. No, classical Wisdom calls upon us to develop the knowledge that is human-hearted and compassionate, to provide ourselves and our children with a strong base for the foundation of Wisdom. Buddhism feels that proper conduct is wise;its value lies in the essential overview that is necessary to recognise, appreciate and accept all good in sentient beings. This is no small struggle to attain Wisdom, and we must start on home ground: with the self! *For here we approach our old habits of seeing the world in exclusive opposites of "either or"s. This road provides a complex inclination that will lose us in the woods of entangled, unconscious thinking and feeling, dualistically bound and deeply entrenched. We are afraid, and anxiously so. The modern self is reaching out for the defeating values of materialism to find security and peace. Who has not felt that the age of Modernity is struggling to find the Wisdom of the inner world? Yet the issues of materialism have now reached endemic proportions.Many suffer from lack of shelter and nourishment in the streets which transact a level of incredible wealth to feed Modernity's hunger. This is the new age of world culture, where it seems that the world has shrunk to follow the economic demands styled by international relations, information technology and materialistic imagery. Some forward thinkers may view the growing frequency of unwholesome restriction of knowledge as an affront on our growing humanity.
Argueably, only the "toys" of modern computer technology are given freely by international combines. To legitimate significant power with images like: I think, (therefore there is belief in) I.B.M. The paradox of this explosively expanding technological Modernity is that we have become objects within the mechanical nature of own everyday activities. This new world has need to redefine what is acceptable and what is Wise at the level of human expression. A well-felt modern dilemma is the one of accessibility to this expansion of human relations.
An "average" personal computer user is frustrated by the level of permitted access to a real exchange of transactional knowledge. The present information systems provide moderate use at massively protectionist expense to human expression. This happens across the board, in many walks of life. Security is not at issue. Real dialogue, is. This begs the question: for what and for whom is all this technology? Have we given up some sense of heritage, which was, in the main, learning by a hands-on experience? Are the past rails of human expression lost to the competitive rush of the great wheel of business and world cultural forces? If we do not notice learning as true being, and that Modernity is structured to deprive us of a mature human expansion, is this Wise? The Wisdom of Oriental thought focused ones appreciation of the impact of human influence. Knowledge was viewed as "Power" that could destroy the "Greater Wisdom" (Ta Hsueh) of intelligent action and human compassion. These are issues of Modernity, for they enable us to view the trials of existence that are social, personal and interpersonal, all commonly felt states of Being. They are about arrival to every age, to heart and mind and spirit to Sense and None Sense to Being and Aliveness.
It is genuine living that the Confucian thinker would have us employ, to stay with what is best. To arrive at Great Wisdom the Confucian would strive to employ through the acts of Virtuous conduct; a Gentleman's Way. In doing this one needs to constantly revitalize and renew the perfecting of intelligence, (Teh) for by doing this morale is restored along with happiness and good will. This is no idle or archaic maxim, for the Wisdom of virtuous conduct is no simple righteous act for the view of others. It is an action for the people's heart and the heart of all things. Buddhism declares our possibility of creative insight by asserting that all things have Buddha nature. There is in this recognition an appreciation of the highest rights of all transience, and all beings, of nonviolence and democracy of expression. Democratic values imply that today's politics follow the Taoist maxim, "As Above So Below",whereby our lives are well connected to the relativity of realistic purpose and true action; so that which is Above must meet and reflect what is below as life is a political affair because it is human. Such affairs are the bedrock of a creative life of human expression. As Above so Below. Frequently one accepts that politics as a method of struggle towards creativity precludes the arrival of ones self determination as whole or ntegrated. The struggle of genuine living whether spiritual, emotional or material is generated by a network of often compulsive sometimes obsession "needs". Needs are today materialistically encapsulated in a modern mind dichotomised by the instability of world markets, costs, resources and the means to better ends. Needs are what needs be. They both shape and are shaped by the impact of Modernity's values.
However, some acceptance of truth (spiritual or not) requires that we sense through Wisdom and love real Beauty. We arrive in this way to be, beings of Being only by the treading of a difficult path. A path that requires that many of us must call upon a deeper will to find the personal nature to the political form to our enlightenment. To do this we must step along the ladders of knowledge, understanding, truth, wisdom and beauty for this will bring perspective, where one can feel that there are some self realising choices to be created rather than a simple manipulations within a gambit expedient actions. Mankind's future rests within more than just the interplay of systems of beliefs, ideas or creeds but in the use of Power.
The human spirit exists at peace when living through tolerance. When through the power to appreciate our human frailty finds it have no need to legitimate one form of Being over another. Wisdom for the Confucian required that one pursued a course that would overcome the nature of self deception by a vigorous appreciation and practise of the foundations and fundamentals of the four classical books. The book of "Genuine Living" (Chung Yung) calls us to approach the attitude of mind that thinks it can get away with anything, this is foolishness. The aspiring man guards against his intentions, even when he is alone, advising us to love what is good and discard what is evil,this is good balance. Both Confucian and Buddhist view self development as being dependent on maintaining the right overall disposition, or spiritual attitude. These are not things simply to be talked about, but in the main to be practised with freehearted commitment.It is not important whether one commits and fails! Practise is mindfulness which is just like a leaf falling in autumn, it is just so. The Wisdom of the three schools advises not to elevate our own self importance, happiness, suffering, or wisdom to ridiculous levels. Indulgence in anger, fear, sorrow, grief, or love and belief in compulsive forms cannot "preserve" a balanced view. The rationale of this perspective encourages to highlight the essentiality of conscious appreciation with a tranquil mind as a starting point. It is said that when the mind is inattentive we look without seeing, listen without hearing and eat without tasting, therefore we lose the middle way; that which is best. Knowledge is the foundation of understanding by which we can approach Wise being only if it is "attended to" as such. The Confucians had limitations of purpose because they sought to resolve human nature as though it was a cultural attribute. As conservatives they wished to earth "middle road values" of human frailty to the Confucian "Doctrine of the Mean" . This was a valuable formulae for the foundations of civic conduct which was traditionally was only part of greater whole of Life, Love, and the Warfare of our needs. The meeting of Heaven, Earth and Man.
The Confucian advocates this perspective as a starting point to develop "Genuine-ness". Confucians regard the essential Way to Wisdom is through civic order and high virtue, their form of wisdom can best be accomplished by developing three traits. Firstly, "concern", which is to be "fond" of learning how to live in the best way, brings one close to having Wisdom (Chih). Secondly, that "goodwill" (Jen) is the essential course to approach an understanding of human nature and relationships. Finally, by using "conscientiousness" (Yung) we can admit to feelings of "guilt" as a means to knowing what is good, what will develop a deep and wholesome character. It is said that the person who clings to what is good not only promotes his own realisation, but also the selfrealization of others, through the practise of moral "Genuine action". Whatever the limitations of the Confucian perspective in the personal world, the teachings do provide a starting point for a human-hearted approach to the use of knowledge and it is the use of knowledge that leads to Wisdom. Confucian thinkers advise clearly that ones own character can best be appreciated through "genuiness". This is of value in any culture though few are able to use it in a rounded way in a world as structured by some of the oddest of humankind. Perhaps one may balk a little that "guilt" is a good guide to knowing what is good, for guilt is typically the confusion of the way of Man. However, the Doctrine of the Mean demonstrates simply that what we commit ourselves to is often less important in terms of character development than how we commit ourselves. They feel that what we give should reach out for more than we get. This is both Christian, compassionate and wise fellowship. The Confucian asks us to broaden our vision so that we may truly ask what is Good and what is Evil. To feel Wisdom is to approach ones being in a centred way of integrity with balance. It follows that it is not what you may come to say, but who you are when you say it, that is revealing of Wisdom. Wise being is to hear the call of Truth to follow a course of Wisdom. It is the creative interplay of being of Being with which the enlightened spirit of a Sage of any age would wish us to dance To meet a the Way to uncover r "being" is a journey to power that many have sought and felt. "I live in myself, but I become a proportion of that around me; and to me high mountains are a feeling".....Lord Byron
Taoists thinkers were long resigned to the innate reluctance to pursue the fabric of meaning as a simple sense of Being for this compels wise reflection within us and ironically possesses small impact value at first sight to the general beliefs of the cultured public. Modern education is in the main rudimentary for many. It has imbued us with the tenants of scientific methodologies and given us the beliefs born of the shortfalls of mechanical determinacy. A truly human face is lost. The world of meaning is supposedly only briefly hidden from the eyes of science, but who can accept this with any real cross cultural knowledge. The world is a variant place. Given that this is our starting point, we can uncover the shape of and form of mind and spirit. Please do not be too concerned with the problems of historical context, of what is valid, what is not, historicism is not at issue here. Today's truth is the quest to bring to the present the fullest meaning to ones life. This will not change, it is born of change. Values and facts will undulate, but the meaning of life flows from our ability to engender our personal and others being and point to the connectedness of good and bad of value and doubt. Issues of simple accuracy of translation cannot be overcome. It is enough to feel the spirit of what the ancient thinkers have to offer.
If we are to accept that our perspectives change like the weather in every day doings, we become child, teacher, pupil and sage often at the same time. Our minds are born in each new moment to continue a struggle whereby we arrive into a life of meaning and tangibility, to a balanced or distorting self. That life is work, is a personal imperative for the realisation of essential truth. Wisdom is something that cannot just be thought of, but can only be appreciated when thoughts are let go. This Taoist stance is held central to the Taoist cosmological feeling for the world as "Heaven, Earth and Man". Humanism suggests that we can broach our beliefs in a way that we shape the world by engendering our being and others. These are easy words yet this process of letting go is no easy process. Leaps of courage are required to placate our fears, anxieties and monstergod desires. There is always then, an issue at hand, some cup overflowing with need, the something extra that stifles our freedom, -some coffin of experience that floats in the unconsciousness.
-When the personality is afraid or desirous of some selected object it becomes more than attached to it. A personal position that is born of reaction is usually one born of excess and personal heritage. The disabling process of thisexcess is made worse by our resistance to accept something of anothers position. We do not come to truly feel what is Wise. It is a societal and personal cliché that the more we resist anything the more we are in danger of becoming what we are seeking to oppose. We project our accusations on others because of our own inadequacies and fears. Debates that produces "camps of thought" are indicative of this process of entrenchment. The type of resistance that creates a strong relationship to an object of thought, is often stronger than our attachment to it. This is a binding situation. When the personality is resisting we often are not able to notice that what we are resisting is halting the process of creative action. The mind can only permit change if the excess is let go. Truth carries life forwards, hope backwards. Truth only exists as the individual creates it through unobstructed freedom of action. Such action must prove to clear the way for the spontaneity so that meaning can arrive, otherwise there is just rehearsal and excess. Truth comes to have meaning in this way. There is a saying that a well used door never creaks, our minds are testament to this perspective. To chose the path of Wisdom is to follow the idea of Lao Tzu that "the further one travels the less one knows".
Modernity has generated a unconsciously arrogant mind. It thinks in terms of proof and performance rather than Wisdom and humanism. Today's evidence shows that there are substantial forces that would wish us to know very little about less and less, but this is not the way to Wisdom that Lao Tzu refers, this is a form of protectionism, which represents a obstruction or impasse to Being and human expression. The Philosophies that Modernity has inherited represent a major formative force, influencing the minds of artist, scientist, thinker and public at large. Even the simplest of insights have been ignored in the trail that seeks to overcome "circumstances" and define the world asa scientifically comprehensible object or nothing but a artefact of a cultural form. The unconsciously held attitude of mind asserts this in the form of it's perception abilities and self deprecating beliefs. The shape of scientific concern runs a mindfulness that asserts along the lines of if I can explain therefore it is so. Further some would argue that what I can not comprehend or understand is not knowledge. Strangely though, the history of aspiring rational man is renowned for the deeply unbridled emotionalism, of beliefs and purpose. This is no contradiction, for trees can grow in many soils. However Modernity has created the impression that we are all in some boat of materialist values together. This is true in part. We are all involved in business. Doing the business, being the business, making a business, struggling at business. Modernity's people are commercially infected. Western styled commerce has taken the values of materialism and revamped them to sell us materialistic images, of heroes and villains battling forth with the "real dreams of life". It is the way of the buck, that sadly the image makers of film and pulp novel have often served. They have instilled and mislead a predisposed public with the sensationalist side of human desires, with no end of tales of archetypal power and intrigue, at the expense of balanced humanistic thinking. The exceptions are few and are easily overpowered by the flood of clip art culture that flow into our minds everyday. We may ignore this but the resistance is in no way a real escape. Escape has become an art form in itself.
The psychology residing within western thought owes much to the teachings of Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism, without which the general public would still be subject to the arid structures of the behaviourist's mind and the self has a hunger beyond that. The general public suspects that there is a wealth of Philosophy and Aesthetic values that the East has to offer. These values although fascinating, have largely been misunderstood implicitly at least, not through simple ignorance, but because of the difficulties that such ideas cause for the Western mind. It is prudent to consider from the outset that the philosophies that have engendered Oriental thinking have valuable insights into our everyday confrontations with the issues of existence, of "Being", rather than "Doing". Yet often this concern is cast out by a burdened mind. The western is reluctant to practice an Oriental thought process, but this is not new. Taoists thinkers were long resigned to the innate reluctance to pursue the fabric of meaning as a simple sense of Being for this compels wise reflection within us and ironically possesses small impact value at first sight to the general beliefs of the cultured public. Modern education is in the main rudimentary for many. It has imbued us with the tenants of scientific methodologies and given us the beliefs born of the shortfalls of mechanical determinacy. A truly human face is lost. The world of meaning is supposedly only briefly hidden from the eyes of science, but who can accept this with any real cross cultural knowledge. The world is a variant place. Given that this is our starting point,
In this I have taken the saying that "Wise men do not talk about Noses for nothing!" and the adage as a formative force for overcoming the "difficulties" that a reflective and contemplative existence brings. This is not a "expert's book", neither does one need to be an expert to read it. It is more of a challenging journey to unfold our personal satisfactions and arrive at a larger world of human endeavour through the classic principles held in Oriental thinking.
~ The teacher (yourself) is as the needle, the disciple is as the thread ~......
The issues of the past are frequently the issues of the present. A philosophic perspective breeds the will to develop clarity at many levels of reflection and contemplation. These philosophical values are invaluable reminders to sometimes kick the habits generated by the wearing forces of a materialistic and insecure world culture. We can but try to not be tried. To maintain, as the Buddhists would argue, a well nurtured belief in "the good in life".
"I have no sword; I make absence of myself my sword".
