Your powerful reflections land with me most powerfully thankyou so much for this piece which expands and elucidates my thoughts and feelings. Thanks also for the event yesterday
You apologize for a long article. I thank you for it and the event today, Thanissara. Once again, courageously shining light so eloquently on what were only whims of my subconscious before reading and now resonates so truly.
I'm curious, how did the Buddha reconcile the notion of other when harm is being done with anatta?
Some of the lines that most resonated with me...
"It is time to recognize that those who drive others to commit crimes against humanity are not leaders at all but parasites – feeding off the destruction of the most vulnerable."
"Maybe it’s time to hold allegiance to a different flag – one of all colors, representing all, dedicated to the truest, most inclusive spirit of this land."
"We can’t always change the outer circumstances, and while we react to emotional, mental, and physical pain, the Buddha pointed to removing the extra suffering generated by that reactivity. The ability to do this creates inner space and, from that open awareness, the power to respond from wise reflection rather than our patterning rooted in fear, trauma, and the grasping and aversion of the conditioned mind."
"Right now, while this collapse is freeing us from our last illusions, we must make a clear intention to reject the incoming agenda that seeks to destroy all humane values."
"And what is this system? African American author, feminist, and social activist bell hooks named it clearly: a system of domination that perpetuates internalized oppression by shaming us out of standing up and speaking the truth. She exposed not only the system’s nature but also its insidious grip on our ability to resist."
"Wetiko is a sophisticated diagnosis of the dynamics of evil, rooted in the egoic split within the psyche between “me” and “them.” At its core, it reflects a deeper inner fragmentation – a split from our own shadow, which instead, is projected out onto the “other.”"
"In the unconscious of every individual, there are instinctive, primitive propensities charged with considerable tension. When they are helped in one way, or another to break through into consciousness, and conscious discernment has no opportunity to intercept them and transmute them into higher forms, they sweep everything before them like a torrent–and turn men into creatures for whom the word “beast” is too good a name. They can then only be called “devils.” To evoke such phenomena in the masses, all that is needed is a few possessed persons or only one. One of these complex-ridden individuals, who sets himself up as a megaphone and revels in demagoguery, is enough to precipitate a catastrophe."
-- Carl Jung
"Here is our choice: allow these malevolent forces to run wild or rise up together to dismantle a system that rewards the worst and undermines the best."
"There have been many revolts, but the revolution we now need isn’t just overthrowing political power (which is difficult enough), but it is a revolution of consciousness."
Thanks, Andy, for pulling out these pithy sections from the article. Yes, really all very essence, capturing the current dynamic, the shifts needed, and the work to get there.
Yeah, regarding the anatta dimension, that is a cool question and classically recorded question.
Traditionally, this most subtle part of the teaching–which opens into the domain of anatta/shunyata - 'emptiness' (re phenomena) and lack of substantiality (re 'no' self) is always taught in the Tibetan system with ethics and compassion.
This is because while there is a level (a dimension of reality), "the unconditioned," that transcends all dualities, including good/ evil, this doesn't abdicate us from the conditioned level where karma operates. In other words, using emptiness to bypass the impacts of actions (I've seen that one done and quoted many times) doesn't protect us from the impact of our actions. They will happen, and we can't always "anatta" that impact away!
Ajahn Chah would also always connect the two planes, pointing out that realizing shunyata/anatta doesn't mean we preclude responsibilities and karmic impacts on the relative level.
There is a lot of confusion around this dynamic and a lot of 'gurus' who set themselves up - sometimes with very genuine insight into anatta/Nibbana, which is a sort of power, only then to bypass working with their shadow (the downer dynamic), which then lands up being projected out... and before long, you have the abusive guru syndrome. Sogyal Rinpoche thumped women and sexually abused them in the name of transcendent 'crazy wisdom' teachings.
Andrew Cohen put some of his students in red-painted dungeon rooms when they upset him (red cos it represents the blood of the guru, which they have 'drawn') and on and on and on. You only need to wait a while, when folks declare enlightenment - to see this dynamic start to happen.
Usually, in that dynamic, a lot of abuse and chaos happens, leaving a whole train of wreckage behind them.
I like the prajnaparamita take - first, there is self, then non-self, then neither self nor non-self.
A skilled master never forgets the vital importance of precepts, the ground of harmlessness, while becoming fluid in both the transcendent and relative realms... I felt that was Ajahn Chah's superpower. It was delightful to sometimes see him flip levels, challenging our attachments while keeping all safe and grounded.
Hope that gives some indicators - we can chat about it more later.
Thank you
Thank you, sister, I hope all is well in your worlds, sending much love xx
Your powerful reflections land with me most powerfully thankyou so much for this piece which expands and elucidates my thoughts and feelings. Thanks also for the event yesterday
You apologize for a long article. I thank you for it and the event today, Thanissara. Once again, courageously shining light so eloquently on what were only whims of my subconscious before reading and now resonates so truly.
I'm curious, how did the Buddha reconcile the notion of other when harm is being done with anatta?
Some of the lines that most resonated with me...
"It is time to recognize that those who drive others to commit crimes against humanity are not leaders at all but parasites – feeding off the destruction of the most vulnerable."
"Maybe it’s time to hold allegiance to a different flag – one of all colors, representing all, dedicated to the truest, most inclusive spirit of this land."
"We can’t always change the outer circumstances, and while we react to emotional, mental, and physical pain, the Buddha pointed to removing the extra suffering generated by that reactivity. The ability to do this creates inner space and, from that open awareness, the power to respond from wise reflection rather than our patterning rooted in fear, trauma, and the grasping and aversion of the conditioned mind."
"Right now, while this collapse is freeing us from our last illusions, we must make a clear intention to reject the incoming agenda that seeks to destroy all humane values."
"And what is this system? African American author, feminist, and social activist bell hooks named it clearly: a system of domination that perpetuates internalized oppression by shaming us out of standing up and speaking the truth. She exposed not only the system’s nature but also its insidious grip on our ability to resist."
"Wetiko is a sophisticated diagnosis of the dynamics of evil, rooted in the egoic split within the psyche between “me” and “them.” At its core, it reflects a deeper inner fragmentation – a split from our own shadow, which instead, is projected out onto the “other.”"
"In the unconscious of every individual, there are instinctive, primitive propensities charged with considerable tension. When they are helped in one way, or another to break through into consciousness, and conscious discernment has no opportunity to intercept them and transmute them into higher forms, they sweep everything before them like a torrent–and turn men into creatures for whom the word “beast” is too good a name. They can then only be called “devils.” To evoke such phenomena in the masses, all that is needed is a few possessed persons or only one. One of these complex-ridden individuals, who sets himself up as a megaphone and revels in demagoguery, is enough to precipitate a catastrophe."
-- Carl Jung
"Here is our choice: allow these malevolent forces to run wild or rise up together to dismantle a system that rewards the worst and undermines the best."
"There have been many revolts, but the revolution we now need isn’t just overthrowing political power (which is difficult enough), but it is a revolution of consciousness."
This ^ last one gave me chills.
Thanks, Andy, for pulling out these pithy sections from the article. Yes, really all very essence, capturing the current dynamic, the shifts needed, and the work to get there.
Yeah, regarding the anatta dimension, that is a cool question and classically recorded question.
Traditionally, this most subtle part of the teaching–which opens into the domain of anatta/shunyata - 'emptiness' (re phenomena) and lack of substantiality (re 'no' self) is always taught in the Tibetan system with ethics and compassion.
This is because while there is a level (a dimension of reality), "the unconditioned," that transcends all dualities, including good/ evil, this doesn't abdicate us from the conditioned level where karma operates. In other words, using emptiness to bypass the impacts of actions (I've seen that one done and quoted many times) doesn't protect us from the impact of our actions. They will happen, and we can't always "anatta" that impact away!
Ajahn Chah would also always connect the two planes, pointing out that realizing shunyata/anatta doesn't mean we preclude responsibilities and karmic impacts on the relative level.
There is a lot of confusion around this dynamic and a lot of 'gurus' who set themselves up - sometimes with very genuine insight into anatta/Nibbana, which is a sort of power, only then to bypass working with their shadow (the downer dynamic), which then lands up being projected out... and before long, you have the abusive guru syndrome. Sogyal Rinpoche thumped women and sexually abused them in the name of transcendent 'crazy wisdom' teachings.
Andrew Cohen put some of his students in red-painted dungeon rooms when they upset him (red cos it represents the blood of the guru, which they have 'drawn') and on and on and on. You only need to wait a while, when folks declare enlightenment - to see this dynamic start to happen.
Usually, in that dynamic, a lot of abuse and chaos happens, leaving a whole train of wreckage behind them.
I like the prajnaparamita take - first, there is self, then non-self, then neither self nor non-self.
A skilled master never forgets the vital importance of precepts, the ground of harmlessness, while becoming fluid in both the transcendent and relative realms... I felt that was Ajahn Chah's superpower. It was delightful to sometimes see him flip levels, challenging our attachments while keeping all safe and grounded.
Hope that gives some indicators - we can chat about it more later.
So helpful, thank you Thanissara 🙏🏼 love this last bit about Ajahn Chah's skill in flipping levels 💫
Will the event on Dec. 14 be recorded?
Yes, for sure, all registered will receive the recording.
Long read yes, but so worth it. Thank you Thanissara for consistently shining light on the path