philosophy
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“Deceiving yourself shouldn’t make logical sense. After all, lying involves telling someone something you know to be untrue. When you are both the liar and one lied to, this means you have to both know the truth and not know the truth. In practice, that means willfully disregarding key knowledge to arrive at a conclusion that is more convenient than what the facts appear to suggest.”
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“I have realized that the past and the future are real illusions, that they exist only in the present, which is what there is and all that there is.”
— Alan Watts
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“All things appear and disappear because of the concurrence of causes and conditions. Nothing ever exists entirely alone; everything is in relation to everything else.”
— Buddha
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‘The art of Zen’ education resource: History of Zen Buddhism
“Zen is a school of Buddhism which emphasises the practice of meditation as the key ingredient to awakening ones inner nature, compassion and wisdom. The practice of meditation (Zen in Japanese) as a means of attaining enlightenment was introduced, as we have seen, by the Buddha himself. Zen approached Buddhism in the most direct, simple and practical way. It grasped that enlightenment was the most fundamental aspect of Buddhism and thus did away with sacred scriptures, rituals and objects of worship, all of which had become a major aspect of Mahayana Buddhism in India.”
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The Origins of Zen
In Zen Buddhism, the main goal is not exactly “Nirvana” as understood in some other Buddhist traditions. Instead, Zen focuses on achieving “satori” or “kensho,” which are terms for enlightenment or awakening. This awakening is a direct, experiential realization of one’s true nature or the true nature of reality.
While Nirvana in broader Buddhist context often refers to the liberation from the cycle of birth and death (samsara) and the end of suffering, Zen emphasizes a more immediate and experiential understanding. Zen practice involves meditation (zazen), mindfulness, and direct experience, often guided by a teacher, to awaken to the present moment and one’s true self.
In essence, while both Zen and other Buddhist traditions aim for enlightenment and liberation, Zen’s approach is more focused on direct, immediate experience and awakening in the present moment.
By ChatGPT
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“Where it gets interesting though is when ‘what is real vs what is true’ enters our daily lives.
Real but Not True
There are many things in your life that are real but not true. The main ones are the stories in your head and the feelings in your body.”
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What If Money Was No Object? – Alan Watts