From: Sam Norton (elizaphanian@kohath.wanadoo.co.uk)
Date: Tue Oct 19 2004 - 19:16:18 BST
Hi Chuck,
I think you need to re-read Chapter 30 of Lila, not least for Pirsig's comment about 'karma
dumping'. But specifically,
> I've sat through thousands of masses and heard armies of Catholic zombies
> respond dutifully in mechanical cadence over and over. Even as a child, I
> saw through the a whole charade as empty, meaningless posturing.
>
> This is how religion at the Social Level is attempting to dominate
> individuals at the Intellectual level which is the real immoral act and a
> true sin. Calling the Apostle's creed a Zen Koan is just a lie; Sam, you
> are the sinner!
"The explanation for this contradiction is the belief that you do not free yourself from static
patterns by fighting them with other contrary static patterns. That is sometimes called 'bad karma
chasing its tail'. You free yourself from static patterns by putting them back to sleep. That is,
you master them with such proficiency that they become an unconscious part of your nature. You get
so used to them you completely forget them and they are gone. There in the center of the most
monotonous boredom of static ritualistic patterns the Dynamic freedom is found". (RMP, ch 30 of
Lila)
So what for you is 'empty, meaningless posturing' etc, is for Pirsig where 'Dynamic freedom is
found', in ritual and repetition, as mystics and contemplatives have discovered down the ages.
BTW A few of us have gone several rounds on the question of ritual and religion as Pirsig uses it in
the MoQ; you might like to have a look at the archives to see what has already been said.
Regards
Sam
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