A Lack Of Transparency

If there’s a lack of transparency, we cannot see clearly – or we’re not allowed to see clearly – and therefore we remain confused. We don’t see clearly when our mind is full of ideas – others’ ideas – or something is omitted.

Double-talk is language that appears to be earnest and meaningful but is, in fact, a mixture of sense and nonsense. Deciding which is which can be a tricky business. This why most people are in political and religious conflict with one another. The world is run on redacted texts which we’re not allowed to see. 

If we are transparent, we have no hidden agenda. 
This is emptiness, pure consciousness, shunyata. 
It’s our natural state. 
In meditation, when we sit in silent awareness, we have no sides.

When we feel dissatisfied with the way people interact and the world in which we live, we can either start to wake up or remain opaque.
Opaque: from Latin opacus ‘darkened’.

On the path to enlightenment, the first noble truth of the Buddha is acknowledging suffering, both personal and worldly. Jumping to a conclusion about the cause of suffering is a great mistake, as there are causes behind causes. The original cause is self-interest that obscures the clarity within. 
Clarity: divine splendour.

Word create an agenda, and stop us seeing clearly. The way we use language obscures direct experience. How often do we say something to someone and the other person takes the opposite view because of the words they’ve collected?

It’s up to each individual to weigh up what makes sense and what is nonsense. Some people are very good at talking, but this doesn’t mean they’re telling the truth – even the Buddha. 

How do we know someone is telling the truth?
How do we know what is missing? 
The missing element is direct experience, 
rather than something borrowed.

We spend our lives 
watching images of people… listening to songs… reading what others say… 
living vicariously maintains the illusion.

Being transparent means not holding on to anything.