From: David Buchanan (DBuchanan@ClassicalRadio.org)
Date: Wed May 12 2004 - 03:52:03 BST
How about if we think about the levels by taking a look backward? The idea
of levels in Pirsig's thinking goes back to ZAMM, at least. I suspect its
part of the "oldest idea known to man". In any case, the quote below we can
almost see what the MOQ levels looked like before they were born. In the
distinctions between physical, mental and value quietness we can see the
biological, the social/intellectual and the Dynamic...
"This inner peace of mind occurs on three levels of understanding. Physical
quietness seems the easiest to achieve, although there are levels and levels
of this too, as attested by the ability of Hindu mystics to live buried
alive for many days. Mental quietness, in which one has no wandering
thoughts at all, seems more difficult, but can be achieved. But value
quietness, in which one has no wandering desires at all but simply performs
the acts of his life without desire, that seems the hardest." ZAMM 265
I found a similar notion in The Guidebook to ZAMM. Below, Ron DiSanto is
commenting on the classroom exchange that promted the young Phaedrus to
leave India. When he'd asked his professor if the bombings at Nagasaki and
Hiroshima were just an ILLUSION too, the teacher said only "yes". The
structure of the MOQ was the furthest thing from DiSanto's mind when he made
these comments. In fact, they hadn't yet been born (Or rather published)
yet. Here he is explaining why it was apportiate for the young student from
the West to be shaken by the his techer's apparent indifference to such
slaughter. Still we see the idea of levels expressed in it...
..."I think it important to point out that he might have answered
differently without doing injustice to the tradition. He might have said,
for example, that there are levels of truth and reality. ...we who live on
the
lower level the level of empirical consciousness, must regard as real and
take very seriously events like Hiroshima, even though we believe that such
events disappear on the highest level. We are where we are, and we shouldn't
pretend to be where we aren't. When we say the things of the world are
mayic, illusory, we are speaking of what is true from a standpoint of the
highest level."
What's my point? I suspect reality itself is ranked and ordered somehow and
its not just us imposing our hierarchies. The idea seems too old, too
pervasive, too useful and too well backed by evidence for us to do anything
but believe it. If the universe were not so well ordered and ever striving
for more exquisite forms of quality, how could it have produced Kate
Beckinsale?
Thanks.
dmb
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