Alan Watts (alanwatts.org) via What do you desire?; A. Larson, Dhr. Seven, Wisdom Quarterly
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The Buddhist Secret
Over time as fewer people realized enlightenment, Mahayana (Maya-yana?) came up with newer and more creative ways to trick oneself into realization, with the paradoxes of Zen, and stories of not trying, skillful means (upayas) and methods (yanas). Alan Watts explains them in the context of what this latter day form of Buddhism, which takes itself back by patriarchs to 200 years after the passing of the now little regarded historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, the "Sage of the Shakyas [Saka/Scythians]" Shakyamuni.
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What Mahayana set up in place of what the historical Buddha taught was falling back on Brahminical teaching based on the Vedas that today are generally referred to as Hinduism when in fact Buddhism, like Jainism, began as a revolutionary, anti-establishment wandering ascetic (shramana vs. brahmana) movement school. Buddhism in Japan, famous for Zen which it imported from China, came upon the conception of jah-riki vs. tah-riki: If self cannot become enlightened, then it must be done by other (likened to the Protestant Christian concept of "grace" over "works").
"We don't think our way into right action, but we can act our way into right thinking" is a good recovery-based summary of two of the factors of the Noble Eightfold Path. Support the WDYD channel to promote the great work of Alan Watts at patreon.com/whatdoyoudesire.
- Part 1: How Can You be Enlightened?
- Part 2: You are the Whole Cosmos
- Part 3: Why the World Depends on You
- Part 4: Be Comfortable Under Any Circumstances
- Part 5:
The Buddhist Secret (this video) Part 6: Waking Up from the Illusion
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