The Ivory Tower and the pursuit of knowledge

[kevn]

Here's a very well-known koan about all of this:

"What's the sound of one hand clapping?"


To represent that with the intellect would be impossible. Outside the intellect, though, it's easy: clap with one hand and you just made the sound of one hand clapping. Lesson: there's a big field of truth that exists outside the intellect, hence why the intellect is often considered like a limiting box. A useful box. But a box.



I agree about the map analogy. If spiritual growth is mapping the whole Earth, then mapping Asia first and then America isn't better or worse than doing the opposite, or than starting with Europe.



I see many people here saying things along the lines of: "I am the whole, I am the Creator, I am God". I would point out that the whole, the Creator, God is a lot more you than the other way around A bit like some random molecule in your elbow saying: "I'm the body" - Yes, that's right, molecule. But... the body is you, too.



In fact, if there is "I" within the whole and you remove the "I", what's left? The whole. That's the key principle of every religion I have ever read about.

Now, try removing the whole so all that's left is the "I". That's very doable, too. That's actually the state of mind of... well... Let's say "most people".

I'm not sure if there's any middle ground to that. Can I have half an ego?