Joyful Irony and Western Emptiness Teachings

1. Joyful Irony and Western Emptiness Teachings Tomas Sander Science and Nonduality Conference, Oct. 2009

2. Outline • What is emptiness? • Western philosophy and the realization of emptiness • Joyful irony --- Based on joint work with Greg Goode

3. What is emptiness? If the selflessness of phenomena is analyzed and if this analysis is cultivated, It causes the effect of attaining nirvana. Through no other cause does one come to peace.--Samadhiraja Sutra

4. Traditional emptiness teachings • Based on Nagarjuna, “2nd Buddha” • Pinnacle of Mahayana Buddhism • Part of many Buddhist teachings • Here we follow the exposition that is most radical and I think most clear • Madhyamika teachings in Tibetan Gelugpa tradition • Always practiced together with teachings on compassion!!!

5. What is emptiness? • All phenomena are empty of inherent existence. • We perceive objects, the world, our self, causality etc. falsely as if they existed inherently, from their own side, were independent , solid, substantial.

6. What is emptiness? (cont) • Three types of dependence • Wholes on pieces and parts • On causes and conditions • On cognizing mind (conceptual designation) • The delusion of inherent existence is the main cause of our suffering, e.g. • Leads to attachment • Makes us think phenomena, self are “really” there • Makes us isolated and lonely • Phenomena are inherently separated .

7. Strategy for realizing emptiness • Identify sense of inherent existence in your experience • For particular material objects, the self, time, causality… • Refute this sense of inherent existence through phenomenological investigation and logical proof. • Generalize to ALL objects.

8. Strategy for realizing emptiness • Identify sense of inherent existence in our experience • For particular material objects, the self, time, causality… • Refute this sense of inherent through phenomenological inquiry and logical proof in analytical meditation • Generalize to ALL objects. • !!!Boom!!!!

9. Understanding emptiness • Not oceanic feeling of everlasting bliss • Rather a cognitive shift, Gestalt shift in how we see and consequently experience the world • Sense of inherently existing objects and of absolute truths dissolve • An insight rather then a feeling • Leads e.g. to an equilibrium of views • results in being more at ease with the world • affects ones whole being and world.

10. Result Actualization of emptiness dissolves the afflictions of delusion,clinging, and antipathy into insight, nonclinging, and compassion.--C.W. Huntington, Jr. When neither something nor nothing Remains to be known, There is no alternative left But complete non-referential ease. -- Shantideva

11. Why is it nondual? • Emptiness teachings deconstruct rigidly held dualistic distinctions, such as • existence/non-existence, • good/bad • true/false

12. *Not* the same as awareness teachings! • Neither on level of path…. • uses dependencies, relationality rather then deconstruction into single substratum (“consciousness”) • …nor result • “The ultimate truth is that there is no ultimate truth.” (M . Siderits) • Leads to appreciation of pluralism, rather then privileging particular views or states • Very open and free • However awareness teachings are excellent preparation for emptiness teachings

13. Western philosophy and the realization of emptiness Plato was a bore. --Friedrich Nietzsche

14. West: powerful anti-essentialist critique! Strong philosophical tradition to overcome essentialism, realism, our totalizing impulses, absolutism, dogmatism. • SextusEmpiricus: anti-dogmatism • L. Wittgenstein: dependence of our worldmaking on language • W. v. O. Quine, D. Davidson, W. Sellars : refutation of the “Myth of the Given”, Linguistic Holism, i.e. meaning of sentences is interdepend and weblike. Sentences never point outside of sentences, just to other sentences. • J. Derrida: deconstruction of dualisms, dogmas • includes ideological critique

15. West: powerful anti-essentialist critique! (cont) • M. Heidegger: phenomenological investigation of subjective sense of being in the world, e.g. inverts Cartesianism • R. Rorty : pragmatism • Values meeting human needs rather then absolute truths or values. (Ex: “there is no absolute notion of the ‘good’, what’s good is always good for someone.” • K. Gergen et al: Social constructionism • Studies cultural, social aspects how our reality is constructed • Includes psychological notions s.a. emotions, mental disturbances etc.

16. Western emptiness - Two ingredients Western philosophical arguments • Highly refined • Utilize culturally familiar examples and references • Addresses Western variants of our absolutist ailment • E.g. exaggerated belief in science or psychology Eastern soterilogical know how • Has a precise sense for the target, • The ‘I’, Sense of inherent existence • Brings analysis up close and makes it personal • Analytical Meditation method reliably brings insights from head to heart

17. Ex: Wittgenstein on the picture theory • Concretize the idea that what we have in our mind is a picture of something that is “really out there”. • In particular there needs to be (i) the same form and (ii) structural correspondence between mind and world. • Example of using a ruler, as a measuring instrument. Does not require that there is anything out there that looks like the ruler but only that we have a way to *use* the ruler. • The fact that a picture pictures something is part of the notion of a picture itself, not plausibly of any correspondence

18. Ex: Deconstructing privileging of silence • “In order to remain silent Da-sein must have something to say.” • Martin Heidegger, Being and Time • Deconstruction proceeds by recognizing that silence and speech crucially depend on each other.

19. Joyful Irony Clothed in facts Truth feels oppressed; In the garb of poetry It moves easy and free. --Rabindranath Tagore

20. Joyful Irony • Lack of inherent existence, i.e. emptiness , liberates the world from the chains of rigid, intrinsic, unchanging natures. • This unleashes • creativity, playfulness, fun • joy and hope that we can create life and world in a more wonderful way. • In Buddhism: • stage where Bodhisattva realizes emptiness is called “Great Joy”

21. Joyful Irony • Important goal in traditional emptiness teachings • Understanding the compatibility of emptiness and karma • Contemporary rendering of this theme • Irony as a global attitude towards life • Know yours and others views are not ultimately grounded, while still being able to • passionately embrace and live your own views in a flexible, open manner • appreciate the songs sung by others

22. The movie

23. Sources • Rorty inspired us through his notion of the “Liberal Ironist” • a liberal in his public life • an artistic creator of his own narratives in his private life • Other postmodernist thinkers, e.g. Derrida, Foucault, deMan

24. Radical contemporary emptiness • Puts *any* absolute view and grand narrative into question • including cherished Eastern or Western dogmas, values, life styles, enlightenment etc. • *none* of them has an absolute foundation, for none of them can we say what they “really” are, or that they are really true, or absolutely the best. • Consequence: • It’s OK to be Western again. • You not longer feel you get reality “wrong” if you’re not like an Eastern blueprint

25. Possible critiques • It sounds relativistic or amoral , like “anything goes.” • It is not relativistic • Values specific and contextualized resonance or heart connection. One never feels as though anything goes. • Is it just intellectual? • No, it’s very very holistic – one learns to inhabit other ways of being with body, emotions, actions, intentions, as well as with thinking. • Inquiry, contemplation and analytical meditation are tried and true methods for deep transformation • Devotion, meditation, song, dance, poetry, art, music all fit in.

26. How can I learn it? • Good practice: Contemplative reading • Pause, reflect, apply critiques to ones own sense of self, views, perceptions, styles of thinking. • Sources to start: • Richard Rorty, Philosophy and Social Hope, Contingency, Irony and Solidarity • Marie McGuinn, Wittgenstein and the Philosophical Investigations • Kenneth Gergen, An Invitation to Social Construction

27. How can I learn it? • In parallel • practice compassion, loving kindness as outlined in the traditional paths and • explore how it can cross-fertilize with your investigations into anti-foundationalism.

28. Conclusion • Emptiness teachings are a difficult but powerful, rewarding nondual path with its own flavor. • Western Philosophy can greatly enhance ones understanding of emptiness • Joyful Ironism is a new, innovative kind of nondualism for today’s times. • Compatible with many Eastern and Western ideas of the good life.

29. Any questions? For more information: Tomas_sander@yahoo.com Greg@heartofnow.com