more on this theme     |     more from this thinker     |     more from this text


Single Idea 8232

[filed under theme 15. Nature of Minds / A. Nature of Mind / 4. Other Minds / a. Other minds ]

Full Idea

Feel the consciousness of each person as your own consciousness. So, leaving aside concern for self, become each being.

Gist of Idea

Neglect your self, and feel the consciousness of each other being

Source

Anon (Cent) (Centring [c.500 BCE], 83)

Book Ref

'Zen Flesh, Zen Bones', ed/tr. Reps,Paul [Penguin 1971], p.160


A Reaction

Good. The western scepticism about other minds puts up a barrier to this sort of thought. The best of Zen is when it encourages the use of imagination to explore what is real. But imagination struggles to distinguish what is true.