The Ultimate Function of Philosophy
The Ultimate Function of Philosophy: Liberation from Attachment to Phenomena
Philosophy’s ultimate function is to liberate the mind from its attachments to transient phenomena, thereby revealing the unfiltered nature of reality. This liberation is unburdened by the endless web of concepts that typically cloud perception. In essence, philosophy serves as a tool for deconstructing the illusions imposed by habitual thought, enabling a direct encounter with what truly is.
Attachment, Detachment, and Ultimate Reality
Attachment to phenomena - whether material objects, ideas, or sensory experiences - creates a fundamental barrier between consciousness and the essence of existence. Eastern philosophical traditions, such as Advaita Vedanta and Buddhism, assert that such attachments are the root cause of suffering, as they bind the mind to ephemeral appearances. By freeing oneself from these bonds, one realizes the ultimate state of consciousness is characterized by emptiness or satva, a state where the mind is not cluttered by concepts and dualities.
In contrast, Western philosophy frequently engages in an endless process of conceptual elaboration. This method, often manifesting as an ever-expanding web of ideas and theories, can inadvertently lead to a kind of intellectual attachment. Instead of freeing the mind, the proliferation of concepts may reinforce the very mental constraints that philosophy aims to dissolve. While this tradition has led to significant advancements in science and ethics, it sometimes creates a cycle of thought that prevents the individual from experiencing the profound simplicity of pure, unmediated consciousness.
The Problem of Causation and the Mind-Made World
The root of this suffering is that our entire personal world is entirely mind-made: subjective, fragmentary, temporary, and enclosed within the mind, hanging precariously on the thread of memory. As long as the mind operates, the law of causation remains valid, and with it, the persistence of suffering. Where there is name and form, there is fundamental falsehood, creating an insurmountable impediment to freedom. Because the world is time-bound - appearing but never truly being - it is momentary and lacks ultimate reality. Whatever is perceived through the senses cannot, by its very nature, grant us freedom.
This is why the function of true philosophy, as defined by Buddha Sakyamuni, is singular: it is concerned only with 'suffering and the ending of suffering.' He knew that the identification of the self with its fleeting projections is what proves most fatal to liberation.
The Practical Mechanics of Liberation
The conclusive understanding of holistic health, as presented in the book Sacred Holistic Health, provides the unique mechanical solution to this philosophical problem. This approach demonstrates that the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of our being are interconnected, mirroring the philosophical quest for detachment.
This contrasts sharply with Western attempts at liberation. For instance, Jean-Paul Sartre said, "liberation is found on the far side of despair," yet offered no practical mechanics. Buddha Sakyamuni, on the other hand, established the clear mechanics: generating the Middle Path through satvic food.
The essence of success lies not in abstract philosophy but in the direct physical experience of generating balance through pure satvic foods. The true path requires one to feel the harmony coursing through the body, allowing the natural flow of satva to render the transient mind inoperable. Satva knows its direction and needs no guidance; everything is already perfect, and there is no need to take any effortful action.
Self-Realization and Effortless Action
The path to freedom involves recognizing that one can know oneself only with one's own eye of knowledge, and not with another’s. One must know one's self with one’s own eye of wisdom. While books and teachings can point the way, once this initial knowledge has been internalized, one must forget all that has been learned. What ultimately prevails is that which cannot be described - that which is beyond words.
The process is neither difficult nor protracted; earnestness is the only condition of success. Through this sincerity, the grip of tamas and rajas will gradually lessen, and the clear light of satva will emerge spontaneously.
The resulting state is the Buddha mind, which is entirely centered in the Now, unburdened by past or future. The Buddha does not live by memory; the world is seen simply as a momentary appearance in consciousness. The Buddha appears to hear and see and talk and act, but to the Buddha, it just happens. The body-mind machine looks after its functions, leaving the consciousness utterly unconcerned. This is because satva is the only absolute reality which has no beginning and no end. When this state of harmony is realized, satva reveals its absolute nature, which is silence. There is nothing beyond silence; the task of life is completed.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the purpose of philosophy is not merely to generate knowledge but to free the mind from the constraints of attachment. It aims to dissolve the bonds of conceptual proliferation so that one can encounter the world in its pure, unadulterated form - a state of pure awareness that transcends all dualities. This timeless insight bridges the spiritual and the physical, recognizing that the true nature of reality is found not in the accumulation of ideas, but in the effortless liberation of consciousness itself, made possible by the mechanical purity of the satvic life.
You can read more in the book Sacred Holistic Health.
The Ultimate Function of Philosophy: Liberation from Attachment to Phenomena
Philosophy’s ultimate function is to liberate the mind from its attachments to transient phenomena, thereby revealing the unfiltered nature of reality. This liberation is unburdened by the endless web of concepts that typically cloud perception. In essence, philosophy serves as a tool for deconstructing the illusions imposed by habitual thought, enabling a direct encounter with what truly is.
Attachment, Detachment, and Ultimate Reality
Attachment to phenomena - whether material objects, ideas, or sensory experiences - creates a fundamental barrier between consciousness and the essence of existence. Eastern philosophical traditions, such as Advaita Vedanta and Buddhism, assert that such attachments are the root cause of suffering, as they bind the mind to ephemeral appearances. By freeing oneself from these bonds, one realizes the ultimate state of consciousness is characterized by emptiness or satva, a state where the mind is not cluttered by concepts and dualities.
In contrast, Western philosophy frequently engages in an endless process of conceptual elaboration. This method, often manifesting as an ever-expanding web of ideas and theories, can inadvertently lead to a kind of intellectual attachment. Instead of freeing the mind, the proliferation of concepts may reinforce the very mental constraints that philosophy aims to dissolve. While this tradition has led to significant advancements in science and ethics, it sometimes creates a cycle of thought that prevents the individual from experiencing the profound simplicity of pure, unmediated consciousness.
The Problem of Causation and the Mind-Made World
The root of this suffering is that our entire personal world is entirely mind-made: subjective, fragmentary, temporary, and enclosed within the mind, hanging precariously on the thread of memory. As long as the mind operates, the law of causation remains valid, and with it, the persistence of suffering. Where there is name and form, there is fundamental falsehood, creating an insurmountable impediment to freedom. Because the world is time-bound - appearing but never truly being - it is momentary and lacks ultimate reality. Whatever is perceived through the senses cannot, by its very nature, grant us freedom.
This is why the function of true philosophy, as defined by Buddha Sakyamuni, is singular: it is concerned only with 'suffering and the ending of suffering.' He knew that the identification of the self with its fleeting projections is what proves most fatal to liberation.
The Practical Mechanics of Liberation
The conclusive understanding of holistic health, as presented in the book Sacred Holistic Health, provides the unique mechanical solution to this philosophical problem. This approach demonstrates that the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of our being are interconnected, mirroring the philosophical quest for detachment.
This contrasts sharply with Western attempts at liberation. For instance, Jean-Paul Sartre said, "liberation is found on the far side of despair," yet offered no practical mechanics. Buddha Sakyamuni, on the other hand, established the clear mechanics: generating the Middle Path through satvic food.
The essence of success lies not in abstract philosophy but in the direct physical experience of generating balance through pure satvic foods. The true path requires one to feel the harmony coursing through the body, allowing the natural flow of satva to render the transient mind inoperable. Satva knows its direction and needs no guidance; everything is already perfect, and there is no need to take any effortful action.
Self-Realization and Effortless Action
The path to freedom involves recognizing that one can know oneself only with one's own eye of knowledge, and not with another’s. One must know one's self with one’s own eye of wisdom. While books and teachings can point the way, once this initial knowledge has been internalized, one must forget all that has been learned. What ultimately prevails is that which cannot be described - that which is beyond words.
The process is neither difficult nor protracted; earnestness is the only condition of success. Through this sincerity, the grip of tamas and rajas will gradually lessen, and the clear light of satva will emerge spontaneously.
The resulting state is the Buddha mind, which is entirely centered in the Now, unburdened by past or future. The Buddha does not live by memory; the world is seen simply as a momentary appearance in consciousness. The Buddha appears to hear and see and talk and act, but to the Buddha, it just happens. The body-mind machine looks after its functions, leaving the consciousness utterly unconcerned. This is because satva is the only absolute reality which has no beginning and no end. When this state of harmony is realized, satva reveals its absolute nature, which is silence. There is nothing beyond silence; the task of life is completed.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the purpose of philosophy is not merely to generate knowledge but to free the mind from the constraints of attachment. It aims to dissolve the bonds of conceptual proliferation so that one can encounter the world in its pure, unadulterated form - a state of pure awareness that transcends all dualities. This timeless insight bridges the spiritual and the physical, recognizing that the true nature of reality is found not in the accumulation of ideas, but in the effortless liberation of consciousness itself, made possible by the mechanical purity of the satvic life.
You can read more in the book Sacred Holistic Health.
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