Why humans are stuck in duality?

[SarathW]

Buddha also advises us not to be disturbed by ten worldly conditions.
Can I apply the middle to these two?
How?

Ten Worldly Conditions to Share with Others
​
Gain (profit) and Loss
Success and Failure
Praise and Blame
Pleasure and Pain
Health and Sickness

https://www.anengagedlife.org/tenworldlyconditions

[justindesilva]

Release from Samsara = Nibbāna

So Nibbana is another extreme?

The dualities mentioned above are not extremes.

What Buddha mentioned "extremes" here is of Sassataditthi and Ucchedaditthi (in term of View); then kāmesu kāmasukhallikānuyogo and attakilamathānuyogo (in term of practice).

As I have read Nagarjuna says that ignorance is taking conceptuality as real . We can acknowledge the truth of this ideology by studying and analysing phena sutta .
Taking rupa as atma and atma as rupa are both ignorance . All objects reaching our physical with sight, sound , taste, smell, touch or five senses transcends as feelings vedana, ssngna (signal), sankara (consructive thoughts), vingna (seen and identified)as shown by a magician , where as sangna or signal is a mirage. This transcendig of said rupa are impermanence . This is how concepts become unreal where concepts are again our identified objects of apo, tejo , vayo , patavi .

[Ontheway]

So Nibbana is another extreme?

The dualities mentioned above are not extremes.

What Buddha mentioned "extremes" here is of Sassataditthi and Ucchedaditthi (in term of View); then kāmesu kāmasukhallikānuyogo and attakilamathānuyogo (in term of practice).

As I have read Nagarjuna says that ignorance is taking conceptuality as real . We can acknowledge the truth of this ideology by studying and analysing phena sutta .
Taking rupa as atma and atma as rupa are both ignorance . All objects reaching our physical with sight, sound , taste, smell, touch or five senses transcends as feelings vedana, ssngna (signal), sankara (consructive thoughts), vingna (seen and identified)as shown by a magician , where as sangna or signal is a mirage. This transcendig of said rupa are impermanence . This is how concepts become unreal where concepts are again our identified objects of apo, tejo , vayo , patavi .

Nagarjuna was a Mahayana sectarian. And this is a Theravada website.

nagarjuna-e1463752409161-295x300.jpg (28.28 KiB) Viewed 335 times

I prefer how our great Master, the Lord Buddha defined the word "Avijja":

Vibhaṅgasutta (SN12.2)

Katamā ca, bhikkhave, avijjā? Yaṁ kho, bhikkhave, dukkhe aññāṇaṁ, dukkhasamudaye aññāṇaṁ, dukkhanirodhe aññāṇaṁ, dukkhanirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya aññāṇaṁ. Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, avijjā.

“And what, bhikkhus, is ignorance? Not knowing suffering, not knowing the origin of suffering, not knowing the cessation of suffering, not knowing the way leading to the cessation of suffering. This is called ignorance."

[Radix]

Why humans are stuck in duality?

I think it's primarily about control.
I would't call it "stuck" in duality, but, rather, preferring duality. To think in black and white terms, to set the number of options and to define them: these are expressions of the will to control. If anything, humans want control. And how better to achieve a sense of it than by defining the bare minimum (ie. 2) of options that get to be regarded as "the only 2 realistic ones".

Perhaps this is due to the human tendency to clinging to views.
Clinging to views could be a protection mechanism.

Actually, there should be a clear doctrinal answer to this, in reference to dependent coarising.

[SarathW]

I think it's primarily about control.
I would't call it "stuck" in duality, but, rather, preferring duality. To think in black and white terms, to set the number of options and to define them: these are expressions of the will to control. If anything, humans want control. And how better to achieve a sense of it than by defining the bare minimum (ie. 2) of options that get to be regarded as "the only 2 realistic ones".

Perhaps this is due to the human tendency to clinging to views.
Clinging to views could be a protection mechanism.

Actually, there should be a clear doctrinal answer to this, in reference to dependent coarising.

Perhaps the identity view.
for instance:
- If I were born to a Buddhist family I clinging to the Buddhist ideas
- If I were born as a white man I will be clinging to the color of white etc.

[santa100]

...If I were born as a white man I will be clinging to the color of white etc.

We could all use some words of wisdom from 2nd Lt. Drew "Smokey" Salem in "Red Tails"

phpBB .

[justindesilva]

I think it's primarily about control.
I would't call it "stuck" in duality, but, rather, preferring duality. To think in black and white terms, to set the number of options and to define them: these are expressions of the will to control. If anything, humans want control. And how better to achieve a sense of it than by defining the bare minimum (ie. 2) of options that get to be regarded as "the only 2 realistic ones".

Perhaps this is due to the human tendency to clinging to views.
Clinging to views could be a protection mechanism.

Actually, there should be a clear doctrinal answer to this, in reference to dependent coarising.

Pl. read my answers on 4th june describing
describing phena sutra which has a bearing on
Anatta lakkana sutta . Sankara mentioned in phena sutra describes vaci and citta sankara as a banana tree trunk that had no core in it .
Deep thinking and understanding is nevessary to get a reflection on duality from this sutra.
One may avoid reference to Nagarjuna in my answer , if considered to be a mahayana view .

[pegembara]

“And what, bhikkhus, is ignorance? Not knowing suffering, not knowing the origin of suffering, not knowing the cessation of suffering, not knowing the way leading to the cessation of suffering. This is called ignorance."

Ignorance is not knowing that sense experience are burning aka suffering, not knowing the origin of sense experience, and not knowing the cessation of sense experience aka release from existence.

The Fire Sermon

"Monks, the All is aflame. What All is aflame? The eye is aflame. Forms are aflame. Consciousness at the eye is aflame. Contact at the eye is aflame. And whatever there is that arises in dependence on contact at the eye — experienced as pleasure, pain or neither-pleasure-nor-pain — that too is aflame. Aflame with what? Aflame with the fire of passion, the fire of aversion, the fire of delusion. Aflame, I tell you, with birth, aging & death, with sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses, & despairs.

"The ear is aflame. Sounds are aflame...

"The nose is aflame. Aromas are aflame...

"The tongue is aflame. Flavors are aflame...

"The body is aflame. Tactile sensations are aflame...

"The intellect is aflame. Ideas are aflame. Consciousness at the intellect is aflame. Contact at the intellect is aflame. And whatever there is that arises in dependence on contact at the intellect — experienced as pleasure, pain or neither-pleasure-nor-pain — that too is aflame. Aflame with what? Aflame with the fire of passion, the fire of aversion, the fire of delusion. Aflame, I say, with birth, aging & death, with sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses, & despairs.

"He grows disenchanted with the intellect, disenchanted with ideas, disenchanted with consciousness at the intellect, disenchanted with contact at the intellect. And whatever there is that arises in dependence on contact at the intellect, experienced as pleasure, pain or neither-pleasure-nor-pain: He grows disenchanted with that too. Disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion, he is fully released. With full release, there is the knowledge, 'Fully released.' He discerns that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.'"

Phena Sutta

"Now suppose that a magician or magician's apprentice were to display a magic trick at a major intersection, and a man with good eyesight were to see it, observe it, & appropriately examine it. To him — seeing it, observing it, & appropriately examining it — it would appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance would there be in a magic trick? In the same way, a monk sees, observes, & appropriately examines any consciousness that is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near. To him — seeing it, observing it, & appropriately examining it — it would appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance would there be in consciousness?

"Seeing thus, the well-instructed disciple of the noble ones grows disenchanted with form, disenchanted with feeling, disenchanted with perception, disenchanted with fabrications, disenchanted with consciousness. Disenchanted, he grows dispassionate. Through dispassion, he's released. With release there's the knowledge, 'Released.' He discerns that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.'"

[Radix]

Perhaps this is due to the human tendency to clinging to views.
Clinging to views could be a protection mechanism.

As long as one is not enlightened, one needs views, ie. clings to them.

[Bundokji]

Perhaps this is due to the human tendency to clinging to views.
Clinging to views could be a protection mechanism.
Sort of a group mentality.

Or it could be that our main function in the Buddhist universe is to be a breeding ground for other realms.

[justindesilva]

Perhaps this is due to the human tendency to clinging to views.
Clinging to views could be a protection mechanism.
Sort of a group mentality.

Or it could be that our main function in the Buddhist universe is to be a breeding ground for other realms.

Humans and animistic beings on this earth are designed to recycle the organic and inorganic elements usually found as on biosphere . This is why all animals and humans eat , drink and excrete . All chemicals as nitrogen , carbon, oxygen undergo changes and recycled where we are biologically designed to activate these changes with apo, thejo, vayo patavi as main types of energies . We as humans participate sensing these in a limited manner restricted to see conceptualised objects as water, earth , fire and gasses . For eg. our eyes, ears , nose and mouth sense conceptualised objects which we take for real . One with wisdom and through arya ashtanga marga can see and live
understanding such difference of reality and illusion .
Lord budda explained this in a manner to guide the humans properly. Vingnana once perfected is the instrument to guide beings . Paticca samuppada explains the two extremes of reality and duality .

[Ontheway]

Justindesliva wrote

Vingnana once perfected is the instrument to guide beings .

Viññāṇa aka consciousness can be perfected?

You mean eye consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciousness, tongue consciousness, body consciousness and mind consciousness can be perfected? So previously these consciousnesses are not perfected?

Is perfection applied on Viññāṇa?

[justindesilva]

Justindesliva wrote

Vingnana once perfected is the instrument to guide beings .

Viññāṇa aka consciousness can be perfected?

You mean eye consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciousness, tongue consciousness, body consciousness and mind consciousness can be perfected? So previously these consciousnesses are not perfected?

Is perfection applied on Viññāṇa?

Vingnana is a phenomenon that is not permanent or is anitya . With perfection one can expect it to be extinct or to find the state of nirvana . As vingnana is based on kamma ending kamma will end vingnana as expressed
with Kammakkayo nibbanam .
Thus suffering too will end .
I believe this explains ending of vingnssna,
though one may questions whether.ending is perfecting .
May I add that dasa paramita is perfection of
Vingnana .

[Ontheway]

Justindesliva wrote

Vingnana once perfected is the instrument to guide beings .

Viññāṇa aka consciousness can be perfected?

You mean eye consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciousness, tongue consciousness, body consciousness and mind consciousness can be perfected? So previously these consciousnesses are not perfected?

Is perfection applied on Viññāṇa?

Vingnana is a phenomenon that is not permanent or is anitya . With perfection one can expect it to be extinct or to find the state of nirvana . As vingnana is based on kamma ending kamma will end vingnana as expressed
with Kammakkayo nibbanam .
Thus suffering too will end .
I believe this explains ending of vingnssna,
though one may questions whether.ending is perfecting .
May I add that dasa paramita is perfection of
Vingnana .

Dasa paramita don't have "Vingnana".

The Dasa Paramita: Dana, Sila, Nekkhamma, Pañña, Viriya, Khanti, Sacca, Aditthana, Metta and Upekkha.



What is this Vingnana anyway? Is this even Pali?

[justindesilva]

Justindesliva wrote



Viññāṇa aka consciousness can be perfected?

You mean eye consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciousness, tongue consciousness, body consciousness and mind consciousness can be perfected? So previously these consciousnesses are not perfected?

Is perfection applied on Viññāṇa?

Vingnana is a phenomenon that is not permanent or is anitya . With perfection one can expect it to be extinct or to find the state of nirvana . As vingnana is based on kamma ending kamma will end vingnana as expressed
with Kammakkayo nibbanam .
Thus suffering too will end .
I believe this explains ending of vingnssna,
though one may questions whether.ending is perfecting .
May I add that dasa paramita is perfection of
Vingnana .

Dasa paramita don't have "Vingnana".

The Dasa Paramita: Dana, Sila, Nekkhamma, Pañña, Viriya, Khanti, Sacca, Aditthana, Metta and Upekkha.



What is this Vingnana anyway? Is this even Pali?

Vingnana or vijnana as it may be written does appear in wikipedia as meaning mind, conscousness , or life force and written with a difference of spelling in pali or sanskrit .
I mostly read about it in sinhala books translated from pali to sinhala . Often sinhala words such as these are directly written from pali , It has been identified that pali has had no alphabet .