Expert: Judy - 12/17/2009

Question
I am trapped in what I understand to be dualism because I cannot help but separate and distinguish myself from the injurious actions of others that I read about in the news. Is this to be transcended by simply accepting it as "it is what it is" as in "I am what I am"? Or am I completely misunderstanding dualism?

Answer
Brady,

Let me see if I understand your question or what you would like to know!

I am not sure what you understood about dualism and its relationship with Buddhism, but I can say that dualism is not interpreted the same way as all people understand in a general sense.  Usually we say dualism as good vs evil, good vs bad, Yin vs yang in Taoism, evil vs kindness, and etc..  On the other hand, in Buddhism, dualism is just pretty much about non-physical vs physical, which are not involved with judegements as in good vs bad are.  Also dualism can mean different consciousness.  

Basically, in Buddhism, "general" dualism is not emphasized, unlike in most of religions.  Who to judge the bad and the evil is very subjective.  We can easily judge anything we THINK we are or others are, can't we? In this sense, the "general" dualism itself is bias already and not realistic.  That's why you cannot find any messages or writings in any Buddhist books, sutras, etc about how bad an evil is against Buddha.  What we understood about the "general" dualism does not exist in Buddhism, to sum it up.

For the non-physical and the physical of dualism in Buddhism, it is basically the difference between the mind and the brain.  The non-physical and the physical are always working together; they are the same coin with both sides.  The brain affects mind; so does the mind do the brain.  For example, when we meditate, our mind is clearer, and our brain wave is different from the hussle bussle time.

Brady, I am not quite understand what you said about "separate and distinguish yourself from the injurious actions of others in the news," and its relation to transcendence by accepting as it is.  Could you further explain it to me, so I can understand what you are trying to ask me the question about.

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Thanks