Watching the man, hard-of-hearing, hard-of-speech Patty learns that real joy consists of knowing that human wisdom counts less than the shimmer of beeches in a breeze. As certain as weather coming from the west, the things people know for sure will change. There is no knowing for a fact. The only dependable things are humility and looking.
In the vast forest of human understanding, two seemingly disparate trees have grown intertwined: the ancient wisdom of Buddhism and the contemporary literary ecology of Richard Powers' "The Overstory." Their branches, though separated by millennia and culture, reach towards the same sky of expanded consciousness and interconnected being.
Joseph Goldstein, in his exploration of "right view," invites us to question the very soil in which our perceptions are rooted. This fundamental aspect of the Buddhist path is not a dogma to be blindly accepted, but a seed of inquiry to be nurtured. As Goldstein reminds us, "We're always invited in the teachings to come and investigate for ourselves." This echoes the scientific method, where hypotheses are tested against lived experience.
Yet, as the Buddha himself acknowledged, some truths must initially be taken on conviction. The counterintuitive nature of suffering's relationship to the mind's feeding habits, or the ultimate need to abandon even skillful mental qualities, requires a leap of faith before personal verification. This is the fertile ground of beginner's mind, where the seeds of transformation first take root.
Richard Powers, in "The Overstory," cultivates a similar ground of expanded perception. His characters, like saplings reaching for light, stretch beyond their human-centric views to embrace a more arboreal perspective. In doing so, they echo the Buddhist concept of rebirth, not as individual souls traversing lifetimes, but as the continuous cycle of energy and matter that connects all living things.
This interconnectedness is at the heart of both Goldstein's teachings and Powers' narrative. The Buddhist concept of karma finds its literary counterpart in the intricate web of cause and effect that Powers weaves through his forest of characters. Each action, each thought, ripples through the ecosystem of existence, often in ways our limited human perception fails to grasp.
As we navigate this intellectual forest, we're invited to consider the Buddhist concept of emptiness not as a void, but as the very space that allows for infinite connections. Powers' trees, communicating through underground networks of fungi, offer a tangible metaphor for this intangible truth. In this light, human consciousness becomes not the apex of awareness, but one note in a vast symphony of being.
Ultimately, both Goldstein and Powers are inviting us to cultivate a "right view" that transcends our habitual perceptions. This is not a passive acceptance of new ideas, but an active engagement with the world around us. It's an invitation to see the forest and the trees, to recognize our place in the vast ecosystem of existence, and to act with the wisdom and compassion that such understanding engenders.
As we emerge from this intellectual journey, we're left with profound questions: How might we cultivate a "right view" that encompasses the vast, interconnected nature of reality? How could this shift in perspective transform our relationship with the natural world and with each other? In the end, the answers may lie not in abstract philosophy, but in the very ground beneath our feet, in the air we breathe, and in the silent wisdom of the trees that have stood witness to the unfolding of time.
Right View, Part One
A Dharma Talk by Joseph Goldstein
What’s important here is our intention and motivation…sometimes we do everything we can and we don't see any result from it but if our intention, if our motivation is pure and loving …and imbued with this understanding of right view, these seeds are getting planted, and maybe in some future time they'll bear fruit…
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Meditation Practice
During an insight experience, the practitioner may encounter a momentary suspension of ordinary consciousness. There's a sense of stepping beyond the usual stream of thoughts and perceptions, potentially offering a glimpse into a deeper reality or state of awareness.
Today’s Intention
I intend to cultivate Right View by opening my mind to possibilities beyond my current understanding. I'll approach my experience with humility, recognizing that there may be truths and realities beyond my immediate perception or beliefs.
Dharma Bookshelf
Today’s Featured Text:
The Overstory