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"Detachment"
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"Also, I'm not sure how the 'pixelation' thing relates to physiology - what's the similarity to, e.g., the idea of neurons firing in the brain? In discussing that divide I'm reminded of the distinction between Kenneth's claim, on the one hand, to not believe in or value the 'woo-woo' stuff, but on the other, to affirm astral projection..."
The pixelation effect is a direct experience, via paying close attention, of the deconstruction the process of perception. It's been demonstrated, both by direct experience as described by meditators and by neuroscientists, that the human brain does not process sight objects as continuous phenomena - what we normally think we are seeing as the pixelated/snapshot version is smoothed over by the mediation of the brain. This is dependent origination in action and it can, and does, lead to insights and awakening.
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"It would be better to express it as "absence of attachment."
Yes!
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"But seriously, I get what Chris means about seeing things deconstruct themselves-- and I'm prone to that sort of thing, too. And it seems logical that Ona doesn't; because she's more of a 'constructionist' who's good at visionary practice, which is completely beyond me."
Yes, this is very astute, Kate. My early practice in vipassana was all about deconstructing my experience, down to minute levels, and it created openings and realizations that have stayed with me 'til now. I have since turned to other practices but I can turn that way of seeing on and off at will, still. Most others who never practice that kind of thing don't relate to it at all. In fact, they often think those of us who do are whacky. There are a lot of ways into and out of the hall of mirrors, I think.
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On the other hand, macro-orientation to practice in my experience leads more to an experience of vivid ordinariness with all the full accoutrement of possible mental, emotional and physical arisings-- with the caveat that in the light of macro-insight, all of these arisings are clearly seen through, transparent, open, and do not constitue a solid separate self (even when they arise as the appearence of such a self-- it's still transparent). So for me, this macro-orientation leads to continuing to experience all kinds of mental-emotional events yet they lose their charge, their ability to push rumination, speach and behavior. They just float, when being seen this way.
Now, this is interesting to me because i think the traditionally pixelated approaches (tend to) emphasise a progressive transformation into a radically different way of being, in which certain mental-emotional patterns simply no longer arise once facilty with relaxing/releasing their precursors arise. The arhats watching buddha's death and going "hey, compunded things are impermanent, why you gettin all bent out of shape?" Meanwhile, macro-oriented traditions like vajrayana and zen tend to emphasise outcomes that are *incredibly* --even archetypally-- human, ordinary, emotionally vital and prone to humorous errancy yet pervaded by that dream-like openness. Think Drukpa Kinley or Marpa or some of those old Zen guys and gals. Wild!
Then again, I could come up with lots of examples of dzogchen or zen teachers talking about detachment and lack of emotional reactivity as the goal and probably with a little digging find some examples of macro-practioners in Theravada who embrace human emotions. So what the heck do I know? Well-- just how things have played out for me in my own practice (and continue to do so), fwiw .
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(That view being what is revealed in the macro approach vis a vis every phenomenon being translucent and open). Reminds me I have really been struck lately with the concrete practical truth of the dzogchen saying that the Path emerges from the Fruition, and not the other way around.
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Derek wrote: Yes. I'm thinking that "detachment" is the wrong word. It's a shorthand that's too easily misinterpreted as a "thing" to be acquired or an attitude to be adopted. It would be better to express it as "absence of attachment."
I am pretty sure that I heard John Peacock translate it in exactly the same way. I don't have the reference, but it is somewhere in his multi-part podcast on dependent origination.
-- tomo
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