(Ancient Temples in Patan, Kathmandu.)I found a lot of things I could talk about in this reading, but the first thing that struck me is in the first section--the thing about ideas and notions. Thich Nhat Hanh says we must be free of ideas and notions to achieve enlightment, and I can't wrap my head around this. How do you be without ideas?
In western culture, ideas are the foundations of....well, everything. Ideas lead to innovations. Ideas are what gives a person individuality. Ideas engender progress. As Americans, our whole cultural history is built on ideas; the idea of freedom, the idealistic pioneer spirit, inventiveness. How can a culture exist, develop, and grow without ideas?
No, seriously, I'm asking you.
My best guess--and feel free to argue this with me, because like I said, I don't inderstand--is that the eastern philosophy term 'idea' might be very much akin to the term 'preconcieved notion.' I think maybe the philosophy "Don't have ideas" is more thoroughly stated "Don't have preconcieved notions and ideas which you are unable to let go of, and which prevent you from acknowledging and understanding different ideas." In other words, I wonder if they mean to say that we should have openmindedness. This I can embrace and understand. It would also be a nod back to the concept of impermenance--being willing to accept that your point of view can change.
What do you think?
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I agree with you on the idea of on ideas and thoughts. With out ideas we would not be here today we would curled up in a cave with no future and no past, no culture and no meaning. you would just be.
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