Hi Adrian!
When you write that the ‘temple claimed a life‘ – are you implying that (ironically) the constricting passage (rather like the birth-canal) took the life of the adherent and therefore ‘released’ them (almost as an after-thought) from the cycle of existence? I ask as you seem to write with pristine clarity – embedded within a subversive humour. The former anchors the reader to material reality (historical materialsm) whilst the latter frees the reader from this anchoring (the ‘spirituality’ you claim not to have anything to do wiith).
Thanks
Dear J
Thank you for your interesting email. I suspect the ironies in this story are legend. As Marx states – theistic religion is premised upon inverted thinking – a thought in the head (such as of “god”) is mistakenly assumed to exist in the environment. Marx and Engels had an interesting respect for Buddhism which Marx likened to a “rational” Brahmanism – and Engels to the clear dialectical scrutiny of material reality found in Classical Greek thinking. Both received their education on the subject from their friend Karl Koppen (I have read his German-language books about Buddhism and they are very good). I think you are correct in the perception of my written work. I have lived amongst high-caste Hindus in the UK (Kaitri) and had no problem with their beliefs. They thought the Buddha was an incarnation of Vishnu and that my pink-skin afforded me some-type of high-caste status (that was why I was allowed in the house). Of course, the ability to accommodate should not be taken to mean “agreement” – as that is a completely different matter. Tolerating and adapting should have nothing to do with agreeing or disagreeing and is a form of face-to-face diplomacy. It just so happens that when we sit in physical meditation – we may look te same outwardly – but inwardly we are arranging the furniture in a completely different manner. The Hindus are attempting to clarify their “Atman” so that it can unite with god – whilst I am uprooting the deluded view that an “Atman” exists as there is no god for it to unite with. When we open our eyes everything is pristinely material and we both believe we have achieved a non-material objective. We both sit in the same state of inner peace despite the differences as to why we think we are there. Younger people today, perhaps due to the instant gratification the internet entails, seem to lack the ability to be diplomatic and to ration perception. This leads to violence and aggression between groups due to differences in perception. The interior differences spill-out into the material world – and violence ensues. The stone passage in the temple prevents any unnecessary lateral movement of the body – but the individual should also limit the inner movement of the mind. Then it does not matter whether the body “moves” through the gap or not. Remember, Western sentiment does not operate in this temple. Even if the body “dies” – a mind free of the cycle of birth, life, and death – is a mind (and spiritual-being) free of all suffering. Losing the body in this context is viewed as a win-win for the liberated individual. A disembodied spiritual being is now free to roam in any dimension (and epoch of time) whilst being no longer limited to this plane of existence. What, then, is the issue? Well, it seems that a trapped-body results in a confused and frightened mind – which fastens the individual ever-tighter to the cycle of birth. life, and death. Once the Indian Fire Brigade extracts the compressed being from the birth-canal – an enhanced suffering unfolds!
Thanks
Adrian
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 