Yes, but what does it mean to stop thinking and start knowing? We all know how does it feel to keep thinking, but we're not so sure how does it feel to start knowing. Have we already started knowing? If not, are we getting close to starting to know? How do we know that we have started knowing?
And what is it that we will start knowing? Like, right now you may think that you know how to live, how to deal with various situations. So, is this the type of knowing we can expect a breakthrough experience is going to bring? What else is there to learn?
Obviously,we're not talking about the so-called scientific knowledge. Knowing that the universe may be 15 billion years old is pretty inconsequential here on earth. Pretty much nothing is gained by knowing that, and nothing would be lost by not knowing that fact. There are many other facts that are quite irrelevant to our well being.
But because Buddhist practice is strictly concerned with the human condition, its sole focus is on human well being. So this 'knowing' that we're talking about is the knowing of how to lead a life of well being.
Curiously, seems like in order to know how to lead a life of well being, we need to stop thinking. Thinking seems to be in the way of that vital knowledge.
Basically, what we're talking about here is the type of knowledge that parents have when raising their children. They don't need to think in order to get to the point of loving their children. They love their children effortlessly, and thus, not needing to think, they instantly know what to do. They know how to provide well being for their children.
Buddhists practice that same discipline, only they train themselves to view the entire world as their own children. Once you get closer to that stage, you'll discover that you'll need less thinking, less strategising, and you'll spontaneously approach the land of effortless knowing.
michael said,
on January 22nd, 2006 at 4:26 pm
Similarly, I’ve noticed that my practice (while still in it’s beginning stages) has lead me to “stop thinking” and “start acting”.
When I’m stumped with a slew of problems, I’ve often found myself pacing around thinking about them and how to reach resolution.
Since I’ve become more mindful, I’ve started acting more rather than just thinking about it.
dharmaweb.org said,
on January 26th, 2006 at 6:11 pm
Useless knowledge is no longer interest me. For example, I am stopping reading news online, watching tv, and reading useless stuff. Instead, I spend more time reading buddhist book and with my family.
Alex said,
on January 26th, 2006 at 6:30 pm
dharmaweb.org wrote:
Useless knowledge is no longer interest me. For example, I am stopping reading news online, watching tv, and reading useless stuff. Instead, I spend more time reading buddhist book and with my family.
You bring up a very important point — what is knowledge? I would argue that news, TV, factoids and stuff doesn’t qualify as knowledge. Mere data can be processed, massaged, and shaped into something more legible: information.
But having information is not the same as having knowledge. Information needs to be massaged and distilled before one can reach the stage of knowing.
dharmaweb.org said,
on January 27th, 2006 at 3:49 pm
And I can tell you, what a difference!
When I seat down to meditate and it’s like a video tape recorder, it plays back everything. If you have less things to play back to, the better your meditation session become.
Now I wish I can renounciated more but it’s very hard. I need more time! Someone once said that all of the Buddhist teaching is boiling down to just one word, “Renounciation”.
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