On Fri, 15 Sep 2000 16:21:16 -0400, Philip Thrift <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

>On Wed, 13 Sep 2000 08:39:35 -0400, Amadeus Schmidt <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>>On Wed, 13 Sep 2000 07:02:10 -0400, Philip Thrift <[log in to unmask]>
>>wrote:
>>
>>>Mental models, logic, abstractions (seperating reality into "things" and
>>>"sets of things"), etc. have been useful (mental)
>>>technologies our species has developed in our survival.
>>>But they should not be mistaken for reality ("truth" if you want) itself.
>>
>>I would go so far as to say that models (pictures abstactions)
>>are the only kind of reality available.
>>
>>Every "thing", object, reality or "truth" you can talk about
>>is necessarily a object in your mind.
>
>I was just reminded of the story:
>
> Hogen, a Chinese Zen teacher, lived alone in a small temple
> in the country.  One day four traveling monks appeared and asked
> if they might make a fire in his yard to warm themselves.
>
> While they were building the fire, Hogen heard them arguing
> about subjectivity and objectivity.  He joined them and said:
> "There is a big stone.  Do you consider it to be inside or
> outside your mind?"
>
> One of the monks replied: "From the Buddhist viewpoint
> everything is an objectification of mind, so I would say that
> the stone is inside my mind."
>
> "Your head must feel very heavy," observed Hogen,
> "if you are carrying around a stone like that in your mind."
>
>       (from "Zen Flesh, Zen Bones")

After pondering the subjective/objective issue for awhile, I came
across the
following which explains the situation quite well:

"The ego arises from the mistaken notion that the light of
consciousness
reflected in the intellect and coloured by objectively perceived
phenomena
is the true nature of the Self.  Thus, the personal ego falsely
identifies
the Self with that which is not the Self and vice versa." - Mark
Dyczkowski


--
Cheers,

Ken
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