Buddhist Sunyata

[FireDragon76]

Thanks Quid.



That seems like an accurate portrayal, with the goal being the non-existence of all minds and things. In fact the Madhyamaka school in particular has often been accused of a kind of nihilism.

"Merrily, Merrily, Merilly, Merilly, life is but a dream."

Apparently Madhyamaka is a kind of practical Buddhist philosophy in the sense that it is meant to remove anything that the mind might become attached to

Yes.

Thus everything is ontologically empty--Nothingness--even concepts and even the Madhyamaka philosophy itself. So it's not a body of speculative knowledge so much as a tool to guide the mind to enlightenment, almost like a macrocosmic koan.

Yes. When I studied under Thitch Nhat Hanh's denomination, one of the teachings was as a precept that even Buddhist doctrine itself is provisional, and that rigid ideas were a kind of idolatry, and that truth was found in life. I think there's some truth in that (no pun intended) still.

 

[zippy2006]

Yes. When I studied under Thitch Nhat Hanh's denomination, one of the teachings was as a precept that even Buddhist doctrine itself is provisional, and that rigid ideas were a kind of idolatry, and that truth was found in life. I think there's some truth in that (no pun intended) still.

Yeah, apparently one of Nagarjuna's controversies was extending Nothingness to include even dharma, though Mahayana Buddhists would claim that this was only controversial because Buddhism had lapsed from the Buddha's original teaching.

As a practical measure the Madhyamaka approach seems especially applicable to Christian mysticism. In Catholicism mystics are always required to be at least prepared to submit their experiences to a higher law, whether that be the Church, the bishop, the scriptures, a spiritual authority, etc. The Madhyamaka philosophy would certainly circumvent the danger of absolutizing mystical experience, whether in a speculative way or by becoming obsessed with the subjective experiences themselves.

 

[FireDragon76]

Yeah, apparently one of Nagarjuna's controversies was extending Nothingness to include even dharma, though Mahayana Buddhists would claim that this was only controversial because Buddhism had lapsed from the Buddha's original teaching.

I am sure you have heard the old Zen saying "If you see the Buddha on the road, kill him" ?

Mahayana is based on direct experience, it always has been. Tradition is somewhat secondary.

As a practical measure the Madhyamaka approach seems especially applicable to Christian mysticism. In Catholicism mystics are always required to be at least prepared to submit their experiences to a higher law, whether that be the Church, the bishop, the scriptures, a spiritual authority, etc.

The Cloud of Unknowing, from what I remember, asserts at some point our ideas about God are a potential hindrance, which is probably why it was written anonymously.

 

[Quid est Veritas?]

our ideas about God are a potential hindrance,

Many people have asserted similar views. CS Lewis wrote that we set up images or ideas of God in our minds, that we then set about worshipping like a Golden Calf. Now and then, we may need to smash them, lest we worship an intellectual Idol we declare to be God, instead of the Living God.

 

[FireDragon76]

Many people have asserted similar views. CS Lewis wrote that we set up images or ideas of God in our minds, that we then set about worshipping like a Golden Calf. Now and then, we may need to smash them, lest we worship an intellectual Idol we declare to be God, instead of the Living God.

He probably got that from one of the Church fathers, such as Gregory of Nanzianzus. They said similar things at times.