We come to understanding many things in this world thanks to our intelligence. From books and other sources, a person learns how the banking system is organized, what forces keep the atomic nucleus stable, and what processes take place inside the computer. A person is not necessarily experienced to comprehend these things, he can learn a lot about this world, based on the works and studies of other people.
But is intellectual knowledge capable of giving a person adequate knowledge about himself? Yes and no. On the one hand, the research of psychology, sociology, philosophy can give us a lot of knowledge about a person, about the nature of his thinking, about his emotions. On the other hand, book knowledge does not always help us to penetrate deeply into our own nature, to realize our fears, to find ways to overcome our shortcomings.
Experience of personal experience
Why it happens? The first reason is the fact that modern Western science of man can tell us far from all about him. Mankind penetrates deeper and deeper into the very foundations of the organization of physical phenomena, the quantum structure of the universe, masters the cosmos and constructs complex mechanisms. But with regard to understanding their own nature and applying this knowledge to improve themselves, all of humanity in the amount has not progressed so far.
The second reason addresses the topic of this article: the problem of intellectual and intuitive cognition. It lies in the fact that not all knowledge about a person can be understood only through intelligence. It is not enough just to read about some things in books, they can be understood only with the help of "experience of personal experience"
For example, I often write on the site: "Do not identify yourself with your emotions, your emotions are not you." These words can convey only a very exemplary meaning, and they even seem paradoxical, contradictory, or simply incomprehensible to many people. To understand them, you need to personally experience, feel what this knowledge says. Moreover, you need to bring your mind to the level at which this truth will be available to him.
That is, understanding depends not only on the development of your intellect. It seems to me that a person of any level of intelligence can understand this thing. But understanding is due to the intuitive awareness of this truth in the field of personal experience.
This truth requires a certain state of mind rather than a sharp intellect. A state in which you do not identify yourself with your feelings, and therefore you can understand that this is possible. That is, this state is at the same time the goal of your knowledge and a necessary condition for it! This can not come, while remaining outside of this state. This state of mind can be achieved, for example, through meditation.
East and West
History has given us many great thinkers: Socrates, Descartes, Kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Freud and Jung, and many others. These outstanding people have done a lot for science, have anticipated many useful discoveries and promoted people to meet the understanding of their true nature. But, nevertheless, their works, in a certain respect, became just another milestones in the history of philosophy. There is no universal philosophical concept. Many philosophical schools are in contradiction with each other, although each claims to be true. The teachings of great thinkers are generally available to specialists for theoretical study. I do not think that someone lives according to Socrates or Hegel.
Meanwhile, if we compare Gautam Buddha with these philosophers, then, in my opinion, he penetrated much deeper into the understanding of human nature than they. And his immersion into the truth did not happen thanks to reading books and studying the scientific, philosophical works of his time. He just meditated, and that was enough! He turned his eyes inward, cleared his mind of emotions and addictions with the help of meditation, and extracted from this mind only what was already contained there. Nothing extra! However, many conclusions of the Buddha have practical application in real life.
I do not want to say that Buddhist teaching is universal, unlike all Western schools. Although sometimes it seems to me that Western thought is marking time, beating around the bush. And in Eastern thought, a decisive breakthrough in the understanding of man was made long ago.
The thing about which I want to say is that all information about a person is contained in the person himself, and not in books! You just need to look inside yourself with an impassive gaze and find this information! Before the mind sets foot on some territory, it is necessary that intuition, personal experience should break its way. And then the person will no longer need any words!
Intellectual knowledge and Zen
Representatives of Zen Buddhism are especially zealous adherents of intuitive knowledge. As I understand it, they are very close to a complete denial of intellectual knowledge in general. Surely many of you have met unusual and even shocking statements of teachers of this school. For example: "See the Buddha? Kill the Buddha!" or "Who is the Buddha? Shit on a stick!"
In fact, this is not quite a blasphemy and not proclaiming nihilism, as American hippies and beatniks thought, who adopted elements of Zen Buddhism because they reflected their own rebellious moods. This is a metaphorical, "shock" ascertainment of the truth about the prevalence of intuitive knowledge over intellectual. Zen Buddhists believe that, in order to achieve enlightenment, no books, sacred texts are needed, because all truth is available to man only as a direct experience, to which a person can come only on his own. Truth cannot be put into words. And therefore, any instruction is meaningless. Even the teachings of the Buddha himself.
This can be said to be the official interpretation of these reactionary statements. I agree with her. But I still have my own opinion on this. Perhaps the Zen masters resorted to such offensive words so that their students do not encounter a paradox. If someone says straightforwardly, “do not listen to anyone, not even Buddha,” then if a student agrees with this statement, it will mean that he, nevertheless, listened to someone, namely the Zen mentor who ordered him to no one do not believe. But if a mentor will beat the student with a stick and shout: “Kill the Buddha!” about killing a Buddha! I am not an authority! Nobody is an authority! Look for the truth in yourself! "
Zen Buddhism would not be Buddhism if it simply denied the teachings of the Buddha. I think its meaning can be conveyed in this wording: “Perhaps you will achieve what the Buddha has achieved! Perhaps you will understand that his words are true. But you will understand this not because it is written in sacred texts. Therefore that you will experience it yourself! " The Japanese dictum: "Do not look for the" traces of the ancients, "look for what they were looking for," as it seems to me, suits this formulation.
By the way, my interest in Buddhism is related to the fact that I once discovered that my thoughts and ideas very much intersect with Buddhist teachings. Not with the part that speaks of reincarnation, samsara and nirvana, the creation of the world. And with the practical part of the teaching, which tells about the cause of suffering and deliverance from it, as well as the nature of feelings and desires, the importance of being in the present moment of time, etc.
In short with the Buddhism, which is more practical, philosophical doctrine, rather than religion. This similarity existed even before I even started to understand the basics of Buddhism! That is, in some respects, I was a Buddhist before I knew it! And this is despite the fact that I said that I am not a religious person. I still do not profess any religion.
Therefore, I like to say the following. To be, for example, a Muslim or a Christian, one must read the sacred texts of his teaching, perform the necessary rituals. But to be a Buddhist you don't have to be a Buddhist! You may not know anything about the Buddha and his teachings, especially not to attend any temples and not to perform special rituals, while sharing the basic ideas of Buddhism, without suspecting that these ideas belong to such. Although I certainly do not insist on this position, many Buddhists may not agree with me here and will have reasons for it ...
After such a retreat, I would like to return to the idea of the teachings of Zen about the impossibility of intellectual knowledge. I myself consider this teaching to be radical. Books and intellectual knowledge, in my opinion, are needed. Just do not overestimate the value of intellectual knowledge. It seems to me that due to the fact that in the modern world book knowledge is given so much importance, a person cannot even know himself.
Where does knowledge come from?
People often ask me: "Nikolai, you wrote so many articles, where did you get so much information? Probably, you read a lot of books on psychology? Advise me a couple."
The truth is that I have read quite a few books on self-development. Basically, I took all of my knowledge from myself, watching my mind through meditation. I have seen that other people have problems similar to mys, but that at the heart of these problems different personalities have the same things.
Practically only because of this, I wrote so many articles. But I do not want to brag about this fact. Despite this, I believe that I need to read more books (articles, blogs) on the topic of my site and I try to do it. And the books I read (or the people I talked to) helped me understand many things. Or they taught me to better express in words those things that I already understood.
Although of course, most of the information that is presented on this site, I learned from meditation and the application of its experience in practice.
For example, I was meditating and just watching my emotions. I tried to apply this principle of observation in real life and saw that if one simply watches the feelings and does not succumb to them, then they cease to have so much power over the person.
He has a choice, either to obey them or not to obey. And then it became my knowledge, which I was able to build into a universal principle. In such knowledge, theory is derived from practice, and not vice versa. I first learned something, and then I formulated it in words. I thought: "I think so and so because it works," and not "... because I like this thought." I would not have been able to come to this knowledge if, through meditation, I had not developed the ability to observe in myself without being involved in the experience.
But I do not want to say that all people do not need support and help at all. If I thought so, there would be no information on this site except: "meditate and understand yourself." It is impossible to beat every person with a stick and wait for the moment when he himself comes to something without pushing him to it. Any knowledge can still be conveyed to him "by intellectual means."
A person is capable of simply “groping” with the intellect the outlines of some truth inaccessible to this intellect, and then striving towards it. Sometimes I say to someone: "Do you understand, you are not your emotions. You can not react to them at all. And then their control over you will weaken." And even if a person never meditated and did not stand close to this truth, he can answer (as it has already happened): "Yes, you know, this makes sense. I never thought about it (or I thought about it, but not understood how to achieve this), but for some reason it seems to me true. Do you understand how to achieve this? "
Words can give a person direction. Or wake up what is already in it. But to comprehend these principles by experience, by personal example, to be convinced of their truth, only he himself can! I or someone else can give only an initial impetus.
Read books, blogs, listen to what other people say, but at the same time, do not seek to get all the knowledge only from them! You do not have to try to follow the instructions of others exactly, listen to yourself, study yourself, your mind. Watch him as he behaves. Meditate. Everything you need to know about yourself is already in you. Just to this knowledge you need to come.
Many of us in childhood are inspired: "To become intelligent and wise, you need to read a lot and practice your tasks." This may be enough for the mind, but for wisdom, knowledge of yourself this is not enough. All only seek to obtain only such knowledge, studying tons of books, spending a day at lectures. But what does this lead them to?
Many smart people are very unhappy. Why? Why doesn't their mind make them happy? Because not all knowledge is available to the ordinary "intellect". And if it is not available to him, this does not mean that it is not available to man at all. Do not overestimate the role of your mind!
To achieve some knowledge, you need to soak them! To make your mind able to receive is knowledge. If you do not do this, then this knowledge will not penetrate you, no matter how clever you are. No need to become a Zen Buddhist. But everyone can learn a bit of Zen wisdom.
Let your intuition, brought up with the help of meditation, your personal experience of direct experience will indicate the right path for you. Do not try to understand everything at once, comprehend, embrace the mind. Be patient, look for.
You can rely on other people's words in these searches, but at the same time rely on your own legs! And then, someday you yourself will come to those things about which great people spoke, but which are difficult to comprehend with the mind. Maybe you will come to the love of neighbor, which Jesus preached without other people's sermons and sacred texts. You will come to the relief of the suffering of which the Buddha spoke, without using magic mantras and sutras. And you will come to this in your own way!
