What is Intelligence?

[sword]

Yesterday I did some serious self-inquiry. I kept trying to concretely pin down the self. Every time I locked into the sensation of self, I asked: "but who is experience this sensation". Eventually it became evident that the "self" is just another perception, and that perception is all that there is. I also realized that thoughts are just another form of perception. They come from nowhere, go nowhere, and happen to no one. I got a glimpse of what would happen if I seriously continued a self-inquiry practice for an extended period. I would finally be free from the persistent chain of thoughts that I call the "self". I would no longer exist. I would see the world as it really is (without the false perception of a self). Is this what it means to cleanse the doors of perception?

The biggest shock from my small glimpse of unfiltered reality was that intelligence exists! I noticed that everything is a perception field, but I also noticed that the strings of perceptions and thoughts I experienced were continuous and made sense. How is consciousness/the universe inherently intelligent? And what is intelligence?

I would love to hear your thoughts!

[ground]

1 hour ago, sword said:

Yesterday I did some serious self-inquiry. I kept trying to concretely pin down the self. Every time I locked into the sensation of self, I asked: "but who is experience this sensation". Eventually it became evident that the "self" is just another perception, and that perception is all that there is. I also realized that thoughts are just another form of perception. They come from nowhere, go nowhere, and happen to no one.

So far so good.

1 hour ago, sword said:

I got a glimpse of what would happen if I seriously continued a self-inquiry practice for an extended period. I would finally be free from the persistent chain of thoughts that I call the "self". I would no longer exist. I would see the world as it really is (without the false perception of a self). Is this what it means to cleanse the doors of perception?

you are speculating: 'what would happen if ...', 'I would finally be free ...', 'I would no longer exist', 'I would see the world as ...'

 

1 hour ago, sword said:

The biggest shock from my small glimpse of unfiltered reality was that intelligence exists! I noticed that everything is a perception field, but I also noticed that the strings of perceptions and thoughts I experienced were continuous and made sense. How is consciousness/the universe inherently intelligent? And what is intelligence?

I would love to hear your thoughts!

I'd suggest you distinguish first hand direct perception from speculation and concepts you learned from others.

 

[sword]

20 minutes ago, ground said:

I'd suggest you distinguish first hand direct perception from speculation and concepts you learned from others

Thanks for the advice! I'm am still at the very early stages of self-inquiry. Distinguishing the two can be difficult because speculation and concepts occur as perceptions. But I think I know what you mean. My plan going forward is to question everything more deeply and see what holds up against raw perception.

Maybe Leo's hand exercise could help me.