If you so listen, what takes place? Let us say that the Buddha says to me, âThe ending of sorrow is the bliss of compassion.â I donât examine the statement; I donât translate it into my own way of thinking. I donât question it; I donât analyse it; I donât say, âWhat do you mean by it?â I am only in a state of acute, total attention of listening â nothing else â because that statement has enormous truth, and there is tremendous content in that statement. Then I would say to the Buddha, âForgive me, but I am not capable of such intense action or non-action â whatever it is â of listening, so please help meâ. So the Buddha says, âFirst listen to what I have said, namely, that no agency the mind or thought has invented will help you. Nothing will help you. There is no outside agency that will help you to have this tremendous insight.â I listen, and I am frightened, for that means I must drop everything I am attached to. So I ask, âHow am I to be detached?â You see, my reasoning is false? My reasoning â the questionerâs reasoning â is false. The moment I ask, âHow am I to be detached?â I am lost. He says, âBe detached,â but I am not listening. I have a great reverence for him, but I am not listening. I am not listening because attachment has been a tremendous thing in my life, and in one stroke, he says, âThrow it out.â And in one instant, I must throw it out...
From Fire in the Mind
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