Looking vs. Seeing: The Heart of the Matter
- Looking:
- Superficial: Looking is often superficial, based on surface appearances and habitual patterns.
- Judgmental: Looking is often colored by our biases, prejudices, and preconceived notions.
- Conceptual: Looking is primarily based on intellectual understanding, categorizing things according to our existing mental frameworks.
- Dualistic: Looking tends to reinforce dualistic thinking, separating “self” from “other,” “good” from “bad.”
- Reactive: Looking can trigger automatic reactions based on past experiences and ingrained habits.
- Mind (Citta): You might look at your mind (citta) and see only the chaos, and only the negative aspects of your thoughts and patterns (kilesas).
- Example: Looking at a flower, you might think “Oh, it’s a rose, and it’s red. I like roses, but red is not my favorite color.” You are looking at a concept, and seeing it based on your existing preferences and understanding.
- Seeing:
- Deeply Present: Seeing is about being fully present in the moment, with an open and receptive mind (citta).
- Non-Judgmental: Seeing involves observing things without judgment or evaluation. It’s about seeing what is, rather than what we think it should be.
- Experiential: Seeing is based on direct experience, rather than intellectual concepts. It’s about feeling (vedana), sensing, and experiencing the reality of the moment.
- Interconnected: Seeing reveals the interconnectedness of all things, the way in which everything arises due to a complex web of causes and conditions.
- Transformative: Seeing has the power to transform our understanding and liberate us from suffering (dukkha).
- Mind (Citta): You might see your mind (citta) as an aspect of reality, that holds both positive and negative aspects (kilesas), and to develop both compassion (karuna) and wisdom (pañña) when looking at your thoughts and patterns.
- Example: Seeing a flower, you simply experience it as it is: the delicate petals, the vibrant colors, the subtle scent, the way it sways in the breeze. You are not categorizing it, you are simply there.
In Simple Terms:
“Looking” is like glancing at a map. You see the symbols, but you don’t truly understand the territory. “Seeing” is like walking the land itself, experiencing the terrain, the weather, the sounds, and the smells. It’s a deeper, more embodied, and transformative experience.
By learning to see with the eye of Dharma, we move beyond superficial observations to a deeper understanding of the true nature of reality, which brings clarity and freedom to our lives. In these chapters, learning to see the world and our minds (citta) with non-judgemental awareness that allows for a deeper and more compassionate (karuna) experience of the world is the key aspect.