Alan Watts discusses the relevance of Eastern philosophy and the need to let go of preconceived notions of God. Topics include comparative religious studies, the absurdity of Christian imperialism, the difference between faith and belief, the political image of God in the West, Hindu mythology, self-discovery of supreme reality, and contemplative prayer. Watts emphasizes the importance of experience over theory or belief, and explores the concepts of maya, fixed notions of God, and Buddhist vows versus Western obedience.
01:01:38
AI Summary
Highlights
AI Chapters
Episode notes
auto_awesome
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
Letting go of preconceived notions of God in Western culture is crucial for a deeper understanding of faith and spirituality.
Embracing the sense of awe and wonder in existence can lead to a greater appreciation and respect for the world around us.
Deep dives
Swimming in a Floating World
Our world is like a floating rock in space, where all positions are relative and any point can be regarded as the center. The religious attitude of our time is not about clinging to rocks, but learning to swim. By trusting ourselves to the water, we can float. This is analogous to the situation of faith, where letting go brings a sense of floating.
The World as a Drama
In Hindu mythology, the world is not made, but acted. Behind every face, human, animal, or even mineral, there is the face of the central self, the Atman, which is the ultimate reality. The world is a big act, a stage play, where the Supreme Self takes on various forms. The nature of reality is seen as a game of hide and seek.
Existence is Weird
Upon exploring the universe, one can't help but feel astonishment and wonder at the strangeness of existence. Whether contemplating our place on an insignificant planet or marveling at our own neurological complexities, the sense of awe and the awareness that existence is quite weird persists. Embracing this feeling of wonder can help us appreciate and respect the world around us.
The Unity of Opposites
The Eastern philosophies emphasize the concept of the unity of opposites. It sees the world as interdependent, where distinctions and contradictions coexist as part of a greater whole. The notion of harmony between opposing tensions is central to Mahayana philosophy. It invites us to transcend fixed dualistic thinking and embrace a more holistic perspective.
Using wisdom from Eastern philosophies, Alan Watts explains why Westerners should let go of any preconceived notions of God.
This series is brought to you by the Alan Watts Organization and Ram Dass’ Love Serve Remember Foundation. Visit Alanwatts.org for full talks from Alan Watts.
This Alan Watts lecture features a discussion on:
Comparative studies on religion
The absurdity of Christian imperialism
Superiority and lack of faith
The difference between faith and belief
Blasphemy and those who claim to be God
The political image of God in the west
The ceramic model of the universe (material and form)
Hindu mythology and drama
Self-discovery of supreme reality
The meaning of Maya
Punitive reasons why people say that God is dead
Fixed notions of God as idolatry
Contemplative prayer and letting go of our ideas of God
Existence as relationship
Buddhist vows versus western obedience
Looking beyond the skin-encapsulated ego
“It must be understood that the crux of the Hindu and Buddhist disciplines is an experience, not a theory, not a belief.”– Alan Watts