Our constant discontent is for the most part rooted in the impulse of
self-preservation. This passes into a kind of selfishness, and makes a
duty out of the maxim that we should always fix our minds upon what we
lack, so that we may endeavour to procure it. Thus it is that we are
always intent on finding out what we want, and on thinking of it; but
that maxim allows us to overlook undisturbed the things which we already
possess; and so, as soon as we have obtained anything, we give it much
less attention than before. We seldom think of what we have, but always
of what we lack.
This maxim of egoism, which has, indeed, its
advantages in procuring the means to the end in view, itself
concurrently destroys the ultimate end, namely, contentment; like the
bear in the fable that throws a stone at the hermit to kill the fly on
his nose. We ought to wait until need and privation announce themselves,
instead of looking for them. Minds that are naturally content do this,
while hypochondrists do the reverse.
Schopenhauer
Translated by T. Bailey Saunders
Existence - system of null-functions activated into partial non-nullity by ignorance.
The Void, of which it cannot be said that it is or is not, nor that it has consciousness or has none, while it denies absoluteness to any experiential value (alike to being and to consciousness) cannot be identified. And that is the doctrine of not-self (anatta) as I see it in one aspect at present. This voidness cannot be “is-ed” and so introduced into the worldly scheme, except as the denial of absoluteness of all particular values. It has no more effect on ordinary life than the theory of relativity. But just as that theory completely alters calculation of enormous speeds, so, as I see it, this void-element completely alters calculations of extraordinary situations, of death (as killing, suicide or the partner of old age). N.T
Friday, January 17, 2014
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.