primordial confusion¶
extinguishing illusions¶
- the confusion is something that appears one way and exists in another
root cause¶
- it is not non existent
- it's mode of existence vs mode of appearance
- immediate condition: attraction & aversion
- root cause is confusion about the nature of reality
profound confusion on the nature of reality¶
- first aspect
- that we can be aware of the contents of our own mind
- second aspect
- superimposition of a subject object duality on the primordially non dual
types of confusions¶
- impermanent & permanent
- conventionally real & ultimately real
- source of happiness & source of suffering
- independent & interdependent
unanswerable questions¶
According to the Buddhist texts, there are 14 unanswerable questions that the Buddha refused to answer because he believed that they were not conducive to spiritual progress.
The 14 unanswerable questions are:
- Do you exist?
- Is the world eternal or not?
- Is the world finite or infinite?
- Is the soul the same as the body or different?
- Does a person who has attained enlightenment come back after death?
- Are there past and future lives?
- Is there free will or determinism?
- Can the world be known?
- Is the world one or many?
- Is there a God?
- Why is there evil and suffering in the world?
- When will the Buddha come back to the world?
- When will the world end?
- What is the nature of consciousness?
The Buddha believed that these questions were unanswerable because they are based on false assumptions, such as the assumption that the world is a fixed and unchanging entity. The Buddha taught that the world is constantly changing and evolving, and that there is no such thing as a permanent or unchanging entity.
The Buddha also believed that these questions were not conducive to spiritual progress because they lead to attachment and clinging. When we become attached to our ideas about the world, we become resistant to change and growth. The Buddha taught that we should let go of our attachments and open ourselves up to the truth of the world as it is.
While the Buddha refused to answer these questions, he did provide guidance on how to deal with them. He taught that we should not get caught up in intellectual speculation, but should instead focus on living a moral and ethical life. He also taught that we should cultivate wisdom and understanding, so that we can see the world as it truly is.
The 14 unanswerable questions can be seen as a metaphor for the limitations of our minds. We can never fully understand the nature of reality, but we can still live good and meaningful lives.