Expert: Joe McSorley - 4/10/2004

Question
Dear McSorley

I'm doing a personal research project on intelligence, genius and peak performance.

I was wondering if, as an expert, you would be so kind as to impart some of your knowledge unto me. Any advice from your field of expertise which correlates with the above topic would be welcome, no matter what it is.

Especially would interest me what the Buddha and other renown/capable Buddhist teachers have to say on the above topics.

I would be very grateful for any feedback.

Thanks in advance and best wishes,

Brian.

PS. Do you have any books/materials which you could recommend?

PPS. If there was a question which would allow you to provide as large an answer as possible, what would it be?


Answer
  I cannot speak for other people, including the Buddha or other Buddhist teachers, you need to ask them the question to get their answer.  I don't know how you are defining genius and peak performance so it's a little difficult to give you a direct answer.  From the Buddhist perspective the human conscious is primarily flawed and thus, not operating as clear as it can.  We are caught in the process of self-awareness meaning that we are caught in a dichotomy of thought between subject and object and don't ‘see things as they are' but only see them in this self-reflective process.  So instead of seeing things directly we are always hampered by this process of reflective consciousness.  In a sense this removes us from what we are doing and puts us a step back.  If we break through this process then we move and think in the moment.  This would be peak performance in all ways.  All thoughts and actions flow freely unencumbered by normal self-reflection and cognition.  This is the ultimate goal of Buddhism.  This would also be considered the genius of Buddhism; to see immediately, purely and clearly.
  There are no books that I am aware of on this topic in Buddhism so I can't recommend any.  I don't understand your second post script.  My immediate reaction to it is to say ‘why?', but that is very vague.
 Take care,
          Joe