dharmadiaries:
From Wikipedia:
❝Alan Wilson Watts (January 6, 1915 – November 16, 1973) was a British philosopher, writer, speaker, who held both a master’s degree in theology and a doctorate of divinity. Famous for his research on comparative religion, he was best known as an interpreter and popularizer of Eastern philosophy for a Western audience.
He wrote more than 25 books and numerous articles on subjects such as personal identity, the true nature of reality, higher consciousness, meaning of life, concepts and images of God and the non-material pursuit of happiness. In his books he relates his experience to scientific knowledge and to the teachings of Eastern and Western religion and philosophy.❞
Some critics accuse Watts of being a “hippie” or, in various ways, of misinterpreting or misconstruing the Buddhist teachings. While these claims are debatable, one obvious human “flaw” of Alan Watts was that he was a heavy drinker. Nonetheless, his lectures do provide some insightful messages. This audio clip is no exception.
While not a direct transcript, I have taken some (albeit crudely written) notes on this lecture. They are as follows:
Buddha:Socrates
- What appear to be teachings are opening statements of dialogue
- Diaphanous & impermanent
- Ultimate is more of an experience, though you are the experience
- You want freedom from Sāmsara
- You always want something other than what is
- You are made to fall apart, and if you cease to fall apart, you cease to be alive
- What do you want?
- Who/What are you? Is that so?
- Who am I?
- Onion
- Presents many masks that are peeled off
- No pit in center, just a pile of skins; Where am I?
- Onion was in me; I was the space in which the onion was contained
- Bite spectacles
- What am I biting? (Yogic)
- What is biting? (Yogic)
- Illusion is so elaborate and well-done
- Things look the same; Upon deeper examination, they look different
- Through the element of differentiation, we feel we will lose ourselves
❝When I die, there will only exist what is other than me.❞
- Weird smell
- Neither good nor bad
- Unclassifiable
- Spooks you
- Way in which one goes insane
- The difference between the principle of strangeness and the principle of familiar is the other
