LAUGHING AT THE COSMIC JOKE

Alan Watts in the 1960s explained zen for the rational western mind. These days many new thinkers believe : that because "I" does not exist - then there's nothing much for us to do except sit quietly and do nothing - and have a chuckle at the cosmic joke - (There is nothing to do, nowhere to go, and no-one to go anywhere ... so all seeking is futile).

I believe the cosmic joke is a very good one for our enquiring intellects to understand (and have a good laugh about). and i laughed lots with Watts.

But then we come back to earth with a bang - because "this" (whatever it is) still feels like a little lost isolated individual.

The ways of misunderstanding the truth are many

Watts didnt mean that language is inadaquet to express deeper things ... or simply the answer is to stop thinking and simply let it all happen ... if you do that, then im pretty sure, you will be reduced to an egoistic noun - you will become your static pre-existing idea of who you are ... there will be no spontaneity.

We agree; if there is no "I", then its no use asking "who am I?" ... but something is happening ... something is still going on ... so, what is happening? ...

Watts suggests simply using the language in an inteligent way - a better way to ask would be "what is this" or "who hears" "who thinks" ... or "what is happening?" or "what is happening here?" these are valid questions ...

Watts saw that there is still something which can and will feel pain and who hears and thinks etc. ... the search isnt over ... it just took another direction.

So it seems to me that these days, many thinkers are following in Watts footsteps and thats good; - but they have done very little "sitting quietly doing nothing"

i believe once we got used to sitting around doing nothing again ... our senses would still function, our brain would still think, maybe slowly, ... but i dont want it to be empty except maybe just a few special moments - zombies and idiots have empty heads ... animal are very sensitive ...

When we sit doing nothing i believe one part of what happens is automatically the senses turn on - and one enters a state which every dog and cat learns in primary school and knows as the yoga of creative dozing.

I Am a Noun
The Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are
Laughing at the Cosmic Joke
Death