[Buddha-l] The root of ignorance?

[Stefan Detrez]

Hi Piya,

2006/11/22, Piya Tan <dharmafarer at gmail.com>:
>
> Hi Stefan,
>
> I think in the fact that your statement is a tautology lies the efficacy
> of the Buddhist teaching beginning its ontology with ignorance rather than
> say God or some primordial force.
>
> If it is God, one could go on questioning ad infinitum, only intolerance
> and blind faith could make such a notion work.
>
> However, if one says suffering begins in ignorance, and one were to ask,
> what is the cause of ignorance. The best answer is "I don't know!" That's
> ignorance, all right, but in the real sense. Now there's the rub: we have
> hit the frontiers of expressible language.
>
> Piya
>

Interesting you mention God, as 'God' can patch up our ignorance in this
debate! I don't think the Buddhist teaching is beginning its ontology with
ignorance. I think it's beginning with the observation of perceptual
handicappedness - not being able to 'see' how things are.That's not an
ontological insight, but a psychological one. To see thing as they are, as I
understand it, is to be aware of how you see things as you think they are,
thereby eradicating personal bias.

And, basically, there's nothing wrong with questioning ad infinitum. Its
prospect shouldn't seduce one to want to jump to more palatable conclusions.
It might be a tiring road to follow to the source, but along the way a lot
of 'sighting' can be done.

If one asks me what the cause of ignorance is, I'd say you cannot answer
that question because absence has no cause. If you change the definition of
ignorance to a positive one (instead of not-knowing, unknowing, ...), for
instance, stupidity, retardedness, imbecility or debility, you'll find it
hard to explain where it comes from, unless you point to some characterial
trait of the person in question - i.e. born this way, genetically
predetermined; or kept stupid, uncultured; or both.

Some people can try to 'see' until their eyes become shiitake's, they'll
never be released from their inborn/inbred ignorance. Not to dissappoint its
customers, the early mahayanins developped and designed, - with know-how -,
a splendid product to fit the needs of all: the Tathagatagarbha-doctrine.
It's means you're not stupid, it just means you don't know yet how smart you
are. It's copywriters' magic.

Stefan
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