Ego equals knowledge. This
knowledge comes in many forms but the world is mostly concerned with one form
and that form is thought. Thought is knowledge of something and this knowledge
is applied to everything. This appears to be a vast resource all our knowledge
of ourselves, the world, of history, science, philosophy and language have come
about through thought. This knowledge indeed seems vast yet what if this
knowledge is only 2% of the knowledge available. The body experiences the world
through the senses, which can be thought of as sensory information. This
sensory information is usually given meaning relating to the 2% or mental part
of our computation. The sensory information without the meaning is very ancient
and would have begun with the first stirrings of life. The 2% mental
computation element is relatively recent yet in the short time since it
occurred it has completely swamped the sensory information part of ourselves.
Not only has it swamped the sensory part of what we are it now completely
dominates that part. We identify with the 2% part of what we are. This is not
dissimilar to identifying ourselves with our big toe. This is the major
difference between man and all other forms of life. We are dominated and identify
with 2% of what we are. All other forms of life are aware of the sensory
information which is the remaining 98% and they identify if at all with that.
Most humans seem to think that the advantage is with us because we have access
to thought knowledge. The truth is that both man and all other forms of life
are at a disadvantage in the way we access knowledge. What if the human body
and mind were capable of accessing all the knowledge available. This is the
next stage of evolution and it is occurring but very, very slowly. The problem
is in the nature of belief because belief is taken to be real when it is not.
It is possible to have and use knowledge without believing it to be real.
Believing knowledge to be real is the cause of all the negative aspects of human
behaviour. This can be seen most clearly when we take ourselves too seriously,
this seriousness can become anger, rage, depression, greed and many other forms
of mental illness. We identify with what we believe and so feel threatened when
what we believe is threatened. Fanatics have no sense of humour. When we lose
humour we lose our humanity and become capable of any horror. To take the next
evolutionary step it is necessary to see that belief can never be real it can
however be useful. It is necessary for us to understand this distinction on the
deepest possible level. What we believe can never be real, real in the sense of
taking our beliefs too seriously. When this is deeply understood all the
knowledge we have becomes either useful or not. Sensory knowledge is always
useful, that is 98% of the information received through the senses is naturally
useful. The remaining 2% of mental knowledge would no longer have the power to
do harm. Knowledge in all its forms is ego and knowledge is the same as belief.
From this point it can be seen that all that we know or can know is not real.
Taking this knowledge to be real is a natural evolutionary mistake and as with
other evolutionary mistakes is eventually corrected. This can be seen in the
zen statement that in the beginning a mountain is a mountain then it is not a
mountain and then it is a mountain again. In the beginning we see the mountain
through our senses then at some point we add meaning to what is seen by our
senses. Finally the meaning that has been added is seen for what it is, that it
may or may not be useful and regardless of its usefulness is ultimately seen as
not real. Finally we can see the wonder of what we are and where we are without
the need to believe what is seen and this itself is the wonder.
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ReplyDeleteI find it hard to accept the fact that consciousness through the process of evolution can make a mistake. As you have said before in a way it is not really a mistake just as the negatives are not really negative as they ultimately they can help find the way out of suffering. Even this concept of evolution is knowing too much, isn't it? it may be a useful concept to try and understand what is going on intellectually but isn't it another form of knowledge belonging to the the 2%? Is it not enough to not make any concept of this process as you suggested and just be with the 98% from moment to moment and leaving the rest to the mystery and wonder that we are to be as it is. I can't understand how understanding the multidimensional aspect of the ego through the medium of thought is going to help?
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly the point what I have said may be useful to you or it may not and yes this last post is belonging to the 2% as anything composed of words has to be. Evolution or any ideas about evolution must likewise belong to the 2%. This is not to say that these ideas may not be useful to some. What would be the result of me remaining silent? If you are ready for the mystery and wonder then I assume these words would have no meaning. This is an interesting question though 'why speak'?
ReplyDeleteOMG! That was it Ray! Just what I needed! Wow, that really explains everything...'no meaning', "these words would have no meaning"
ReplyDeleteMy heartiest thanks. That really blew 'me' away....
Love
everything you said is belief.
ReplyDelete