When someone states: "I am a seeker of truth." Your response must be: "What do you mean?"
To seek the truth of a matter is sensible enough. What is the meaning of seeking "the truth"?
Of course, in the spiritual circles, "the truth" is the "supreme truth". That truth, which is already written about in various scriptures. And to experience or realize it on one's own is the quest.
But that is a misguided journey. A seeker must start his quest not by first fixing an esoteric destination, but by discovering answers to very normal questions about the world. Is it not strange that those who have little grounding in history, logic or science claim to know about the deepest mysteries of the brain, consciousness and the origins of life.
If you must seek, seek. But seek the truths about what is all around you.
To seek the truth about how criminal trials work.
To seek the truth about how crony capitalism operates.
To seek the truth about climate change.
To seek the truth about large corporations and their aims.
To seek the truth about history.
To seek the truth about gender dynamics.
To seek the "supreme truth" is a narcissistic journey of feeling a psychological high. A better truth to seek might be: what is driving me to this spiritual goal and how valid is this goal?
If you know your conclusion at the start of your quest, you are not really a student. You are trying to confirm something whose validity you have taken on faith.
By all means be a seeker, but if you are seeking "the truth", a better label might be "a sucker".
To seek the truth of a matter is sensible enough. What is the meaning of seeking "the truth"?
Of course, in the spiritual circles, "the truth" is the "supreme truth". That truth, which is already written about in various scriptures. And to experience or realize it on one's own is the quest.
But that is a misguided journey. A seeker must start his quest not by first fixing an esoteric destination, but by discovering answers to very normal questions about the world. Is it not strange that those who have little grounding in history, logic or science claim to know about the deepest mysteries of the brain, consciousness and the origins of life.
If you must seek, seek. But seek the truths about what is all around you.
To seek the truth about how criminal trials work.
To seek the truth about how crony capitalism operates.
To seek the truth about climate change.
To seek the truth about large corporations and their aims.
To seek the truth about history.
To seek the truth about gender dynamics.
To seek the "supreme truth" is a narcissistic journey of feeling a psychological high. A better truth to seek might be: what is driving me to this spiritual goal and how valid is this goal?
If you know your conclusion at the start of your quest, you are not really a student. You are trying to confirm something whose validity you have taken on faith.
By all means be a seeker, but if you are seeking "the truth", a better label might be "a sucker".
7 comments:
Democritus : "Of Truth we know nothing,for Truth lies alone and naked in a well". Many a "Seeker of Truth" , reaches the well looks down and sees his own image reflected and mistakes that for Truth...often falling in love with that image. Not many would really have the courage or willingness to dive in to seek the naked Truth because that would mean embracing the "aloneness" (or oneness) of Truth.
How, what, why, who are all different questions.
Absolutely boring question to ask!!
I am trying to seek the truth about the Israel-Palestine conflict. It has captured my interest and fascinated me from a historical standpoint. The more you listen to people on one side, the more it seems that one side is in the right and the other is in the wrong. It all depends on who you listen to. Of course, atrocities have been committed on both sides. Harman, I would love to hear your views on this: if you feel you are educated enough on the matter and are inclined to express your views.
"If you know your conclusion at the start of your quest, you are not really a student."
But this is exactly how science works. A scientist publishes a theory and students study it and perform experiments to verify the theory.
The scientific methodology is that a certain number of experiments are performed and then a theory is proposed to explain those experimental observations.
Later some experiments are performed whose observations cannot be explained by the theory, and then a new theory is proposed.
Hence the scientific methodology is such that we can never be 100% sure of any scientific theory.
This is not to deny the practical utility of these theories.
For the vast majority (I hesitate to say "all") spiritual seekers, the end is known: the end as described in glowing terms by the various sages, scriptures etc. The goal for the spiritual seeker is not therefore the truth of the matter, but to also experience that state which is called blissful. It is state-seeking, with a-priori acceptance of the truth of what the sages and scriptures have said.
"The goal for the spiritual seeker is not therefore the truth of the matter, but to also experience that state which is called blissful. It is state-seeking, with a-priori acceptance of the truth of what the sages and scriptures have said."
Exactly how google-maps works!
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