The True Tao and the Tao of Convenience

Anytime we form concepts or beliefs about what the world "really is," we are already practicing negationism. We are negating the direct experience of reality by substituting a thought in its place. We are negating our own experience by confusing it with a concept of experience.

Whether we call it God, Brahman, Nature, The Void, Buddha, or Nothingness, reality is not affected by our concepts of it. Only we are affected. We become confused when reality contradicts our concepts of it. A great deal of conflict and suffering arises from this confusion.

If Nature is everything, then Nature is nothing, because everything is not a thing. All things depend on other things for their existence, because a thing that has no relation to other things is nothing at all. But if Nature is nothing, then it is everything, because nothingness is infinite.

Zenless Zen must say "neti neti," which means "not this, not this." Reality is not everything, it is not nothing, it is not both, and it is not neither. It simply is what it is. It has no need of a name. The Tao that can be told is not the true Tao. It is only a Tao of convenience.

Spiritual liberation is not about magic, super-powers, superior wisdom, or any other ego-based motivation. It is about waking up to the emptiness of all concepts, and the concept of a separate self in particular. We do not become "one" with the Infinite. We become none with it.

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[ohem]

It was Hegel who first came to the conclussion, in western thought, that since Being is universal, knows no limit and therefore has no definition (for a definition implies 1) limits, 2)differences) then Being is nothingness, for nothingness is also universal without limit. This was said in a formal sense. But it was Heidegger who best understood this, not in the formal sense, but as an ontological truth. Being and nothingness are the essence of that which is ("ens" or thing)

[Negationism]

Yes.

[welsh4360]

Don't our false concepts affect the actions of our body which is part of reality? Even though are are false aren't they still real in some sense?

[Negationism]

Yes. False concepts are real in the sense that they exist, just as lies are real in the sense that they signify some premise or statement. But the statement or premise of a lie is false, and does not correspond to reality.

[jesuisravi]

Is this an artificial voice? para que? This seems like a special case of the Lucknow disease. haha But some good thoughts are here.

[Negationism]

Yes, these videos use "AT&T Natural Voices."

[ZhuangziZhou]

@ohem I would say that this is not quite what "nothingness" means in Eastern thought though.

[DropDewey]

not this video, not that video

[DropDewey]

not this video, not that video

[MrCod18]

It is pointless to seek to be one or none with the tao just realise you already are wheather you know or not makes no difference haha if you wish to detach yourself from all things do but the world is like music and we are supposed to dance

[Dhaerma]

stop stop do not speak , the truth is not even to think-

Buddha

[livefrom614]

Good video! The last line is definitely an interesting idea.

[iZenBuddha]

"We do not become "one" with the Infinite. We become none with it."

I usually don't post comments, but this last line made me say damn aloud. It is probably one of the smartest things I've ever heard.

[taoist77]

Indeed! IT is what IT is, the name is not the named. Perception of reality clearly is not reality itself. It is the 'subjective' that is illusory, beyond objective existence there is only nothing.

[volk81]

The point is stop clinging to ideologies and start living your life.