Right Thinking Is Reasoning
Wrong thinking is fixating
To survive as humans, we need to be able to think and reason. Once we know how to survive, we then have time to reflect on what is life all about. Of course, we could go on enhancing our survival techniques with expensive ideas, but that takes us into the land of beliefs and fantasies.
Once we ask sincere questions about life, our attention turns away from merely surviving and believing, and we attract inspirations (well, that’s how it feels 😀 ).
Thinking in conventional relative terms, we are only working our way to the top of the pile of collective confusion where the mentally blind inspire the mentally blind.
To accomplish anything, we need to reason. If, however, our mind becomes bogged down with prejudice, we won’t be thinking clearly and our view will be skewed; instead of asking question objectively, we blame and find fault. This is what makes us go round in circles = Samsara.
Once we realise the answer we seek – that we are what we have been looking for all along – our reasoning changes. We still face the same difficulties in our conventional life, but now we don’t take them too seriously. A problem brings us back to balance because there is the next moment to address and therefore we let it go. That’s where the fun and creativity lies!
On a conventional level, reasoning can be fun and creative, but we tend to cherish it, claim it, and want to be recognised for it. That’s the danger of clinging – it makes us unhappy.
The joy of letting go maintains the continuity of that joy, as there is always something else to deal with. Making do and mending is satisfying as karma is being dissolved, and we are freeing contamination.
BUDDHA IN THE MUD is a blog - a living book based on the Dzogchen teachings. Our teacher is life, and life is karma. In this way, Dzogchen is practical - no bells and whistles required. 
Hi Tony
I have always thought that as beings having intelligence and the capacity for reasoning, the goal was that humans should strive to become better for everybody and everything.
Your post made me feel that, in fact, there can be a state of being where we just are aware and not doing anything else.
Kind regards
Obbs
Hello Obbs
What you say is very important.
There are many ways or paths in using intelligence and reasoning. To make life better for all is a wonderful and essential goal, but that hasn’t happened. Here and there maybe, but not for all. Still we can try. Not even Christ or the Buddha could make things better for all. We are all at different stages of realisation, confusion and doubts.
It all depends on what we think comes first. We can try to make thing better for everyone, but who decides what is better, and, what is better? This is an exoteric view; that which is for the many to understand. It is compassion and understanding where we help others in a material way and to be a good friend.
The esoteric view is a deeper level for the few who want to realise our true nature first, and to realise what obscures this realisation, then know what to do for others, and by a spiritual friend.
Better, is clearing away our fixations and confusions that cloud our mind. In just being awareness, or being pure consciousness, clears the mind, then whatever we do is a reflection of that inner state of empathetic compassion. We recognise what is troubling others.
We can keep putting plasters onto a wound, or, go deep into the wound to see what the problem is. Where did it originate? We cannot help everyone as everyone may not want to listen. This blog is esoteric in nature and is only for those who find their way here by karma, it is not advertised. Maybe they will get something from it, and go away and express what they ‘get’ in their own way. Hopefully like a good virus!
We can all do something that helps humanity and all beings. We can join a group or we do what we can to the ability of our skill. I welcome further discussion on this subject as it’s so important.
In Buddhism we are not blind to other’s suffering and the cause of that suffering. It has it’s methods, and we are prove to ourselves that it works. Every path has its exoteric and esoteric view. The esoteric view is the same on all paths…non duality, not two, union, inseparability of the two truths.
The esoteric and exoteric are a unity, the same as Samsara and Nirvana, Heaven and Hell. Seeing confusion, confusion dissolves. “We are free in the moment of seeing” -Tulku Urgyen.
Pass it on! 😀
Kind regards
Tony
The point is that to make life better for others, doesn’t need spiritual teachings, we can just be kind, believe and feel good.
But, this is conditional feeling good, as it relies on conditions. If we take the conditions away, then we feel unhappy. It’s a temporary affair.
Unconditional happiness does not rely on conditions, it is an inner realisation of our essential nature.
We are happy for no reason…just happy.
Tony
Maybe, just being aware of our pure nature and happy for no reason is the ultimate goal of existence.
Some time back, I would have thought this to be selfish or pointless.
Now, I think maybe the best thing we can do for others is to try to help them realize this.
Thank you.
You are so right. 😀