[MD] Why are things called patterns?

[MarshaV]

On Mar 20, 2012, at 3:12 AM, Dan Glover <daneglover at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hello everyone
> 
> On Sun, Mar 18, 2012 at 1:24 PM, MarshaV <valkyr at att.net> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> "Dynamic Quality is defined constantly by everyone. Consciousness can be described is a process of defining Dynamic Quality. But once the definitions emerge, they are static patterns and no longer apply to Dynamic Quality. So one can say correctly that Dynamic Quality is both infinitely definable and undefinable because definition never exhausts it."
>>>>>    (Lila's Child)
>>>>> 
>>>>> "Moreover, Nagarjuna (1966, p.251) shares Pirsig’s perception that the indeterminate (or Dynamic) is the fundamental nature of the conditioned (or static)..."
>>>>>    (MoQ Textbook)
>>>>> 
>>>>> "Form is emptiness, emptiness is form.  Form is not other than emptiness; emptiness is not other than form."
>>>>>     (Heart Sutra)
>>>>> 
>>>>> Marsha:
>>>>> Static quality is not other than Dynamic Quality; Dynamic Quality is not other than static quality.
>>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Dan:
>>>>>>>> Seeing static patterns of quality as ever-changing
>>>>>>>> and impermanent seems to go against Robert Pirsig's notion that it is
>>>>>>>> best to find a balance between Dynamic Quality and static quality.
>>>> 
>>>> Marsha:
>>>> Dan, maybe this is RMP's notion of balance; to know sq/DQ as the same.
>>> 
>>> Dan:
>>> "But once the definitions emerge, they are static patterns and no
>>> longer apply to Dynamic Quality." [RMP]
>>> 
>>> So if static quality and Dynamic Quality are known as the same, why
>>> does Robert Pirsig say once definitions emerge they do not apply to
>>> Dynamic Quality? If they were known as the same, wouldn't the opposite
>>> be said to be true?
>>> 
>> 
>> Marsha:
>> I suppose humans have evolved to rely on static patterns for their survival.
>> 
>> Why does Orion predominate the starry night sky?
> 
> Dan:
> Do you think Orion is actually out there?  

No, it is like a mirage, but the pattern of Orion is the first thing that appears before my eyes, and stands out as an independent pattern from all the rest of the stars.  It makes me laugh, as it is such a perfect example of a static pattern, imho.  When my grandson was very young, I helped teach him to distinguish and name trees, branches, twigs, leaves during excursions into the backyard.  In other words I helped to program him to see conventional norms.  


>> Marsha:
>> Only RMP can explain with certainty what he meant.  But I agree with him that the definition no longer applies to DQ.
> 
> Dan:
> Ah!
> 
> Thank you,
> 
> Dan
> 

Thank you,


Marsha