[MD] What is SOM?

[Platt Holden]

Hi Marsha:

Thanks for referring this article: 

> http://buddhism.kalachakranet.org/resources/mountemptiness.html

First, it was a pleasure to read writing that was easily understood -- 
clear, concise and to the point. Second, the article illustrated the 
observation Pirsig made about reality being dependent on what glasses we 
have on: 

"Phaedrus remembered reading about an experiment with special glasses that 
made users see everything upside down and backward. Soon their minds 
adjusted and they began to see the world "normally" again. After a few 
weeks, when the glasses were removed, the subjects again saw everything 
upside down and had to relearn the vision they had taken for granted 
before.

"The same is true of subjects and objects. The culture in which we live 
hands us a set of intellectual glasses to interpret experience with, and 
the concept of the primacy of subjects and objects is built right into 
these glasses. If someone sees things through a somewhat different set of 
glasses or, God help him, takes his glasses off, the natural tendency of 
those who still have their glasses on is to regard his statements as 
somewhat weird, if not actually crazy." (Lila, 8)

There are Buddhist glasses, MOQ glasses, SOM glasses and Physics
glasses to name a few. Thus, Mt. Everest, used in the article to illustrate 
different points of view, can be many things to many people. The amazing 
thing is that we seem to have the ability to switch from one pair of 
glasses to another at will, although some seem to be able to go from one to 
another more readily than others. To go without any glasses at all -- well, 
I guess that's what drugs are for. 

Thanks again.
Platt




 







> 
> There are so many ideas within the MOQ that align with 
> Buddhism.  Patterns of value are obviously empty of inherent 
> existence, and so some of these Buddhists explanations have been an 
> aid to my understanding of the MOQ.  And some of the MOQ explanations 
> have been an aid to my understanding of Buddhism.  Maybe this essay 
> will be helpful to some of you.  I thought it was tremendous.
> 
> Marsha
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> .
> 
> Shoot for the moon.  Even if you miss, you'll land among the
> stars.........
> .
> . 
> 
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