Is the drive for 'understanding' another tricky maze that keeps us busy?

[Preetom]

I've been thinking about this..

Reality/Truth is non-conceptual but yet we try to rationalize, explain and understand things in our life on our own terms. Ultimately, it goes nowhere; an answer to a question seems to bring up 10 more questions. It seems this drive for understanding is an unending maze that we aren't even aware of.

Exactly like how we chase wealth, relationships after relationships, pleasure etc. on endless loop pretty much all our lives; ignoring the fact that this strategy clearly isn't flying (wakey wakey ); yet virtually no one is stopping. How is the drive for understanding any different than this? Sure it's a more refined form of drive than pursuing gross things in life. But the mechanism seems to be the same.

The only way this maze can perpetuate if the inmates of the maze forget that they are into a maze and actually going nowhere; preventing them from self-exploding and thus enable them to continue the chase.

Have you ever thought or seen anyone thinking ''Okay, clearly I've failed on all levels possible in my life. I give up. Completely. No matter which direction I take, I end up in the same place. I give up''

Edited December 16, 2018 by Preetom

[Joseph Maynor]

Just like you can hide out in a forest in life, you can hide out in theory in life too. 

[Leo Gura]

@Preetom No, it's not the same. Understanding is what leads to deep wisdom and Truth.

Don't confuse understanding with theory or book smarts. Understanding is its own thing. It allows you to escape Maya and navigate Maya masterfully.

Understanding is the key to everything.

[Preetom]

7 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

@Preetom No, it's not the same. Understanding is what leads to deep wisdom and Truth.

Don't confuse understanding with theory or book smarts. Understanding is its own thing. It allows you to escape Maya and navigate Maya masterfully.

Understanding is the key to everything.

Is it possible to transmit and communicate that level of Understanding as it is?

[Zigzag Idiot]

I've been going by the formula that my understanding  comes from combining 'work on knowledge' and 'work on being'.

i have to acquire knowledge and then try to apply it to my being. 

My understanding is my Individuality.

[Jack River]

Wisdom is born of truth, intelligence is born of wisdom. 

This holistic understanding is not limited to intellectual/conceptual accumulation. It’s an understanding that can bring all incoherent fragments of mind to form a coherent whole.

To see all assumed distinct aspects of contents of self/reality as being one single unit of Time in movement. In this awareness/ATTENTION is simple. Eminently practical. 

[Preetom]

1 minute ago, Jack River said:

Wisdom is born of truth, intelligence is born of wisdom. 

This holistic understanding is not limited to intellectual/conceptual accumulation. It’s an understanding that can bring all incoherent fragments of mind to form a coherent whole.

To see all assumed distinct aspects of contents of self/reality as being one single unit of Time in movement. In this awareness/ATTENTION is simple. Eminently practical. 

Beautiful  

[Jack River]

1 minute ago, Preetom said:

Beautiful  

You’re beautiful my man?

Edited December 16, 2018 by Jack River

[Arthur]

@Preetom I agree with you on this one. 

Although, I think we should separate the theoretical talk and study of spirituality with understanding. I think Leo is right, understanding itself is precious and will definitely transform your life. 

However, you can never get what something is by reading, debating, theorizing, studying and speculating. Those activities are actually harmful in your pursuits of Truth. When you hear of something new, the mind immediately associates it with something you already know. Consequently, when you think you know something, you will not be receptive to the actual understanding (state of not knowing).

The actual understanding comes from your own deductions and experiences with practices. In fact, if we are talking about Enlightenment, you need no theory at all. Just from your present empirical perception, you should be able to discover who you are. Like it was done 1000 years ago, and done today, by Buddhist and Zen masters. 

I feel like there is too much emphasis on theory. In reality, you never understand something until your mind works it out itself. You have to get it yourself, like any math problem, logical deduction or any knowledge in general. 

Even the practices are not necessarily moving you towards understanding the Truth. Ultimately it's not up to you, it either comes to you or not. Only after you got a certain insight yourself, then you look back and think "Ah, that thing I read actually meant this...".

[purerogue]

You are right to degree, but  there is nothing bad in questioning things, anyone can fall into delusion and say , you will not understand that my delusion is right until you fall into it, that is where observation  comes in and your own experience , knowledge.

[Joseph Maynor]

There’s also a difference between theory and planning.  An architect’s detailed plans are nothing like some abstract metaphysical musings.  Thinking of planning as a theoretical activity is no good for the practice of careful planning.  

Edited December 16, 2018 by Joseph Maynor