"We talk about blind faith in religion, but actual blind faith exists in our everyday world. What do we really trust? We trust our senses, our perceptions, our culture, our thoughts ― completely, one-pointedly, and blindly. We trust these more than we trust religion.
"The idea of having blind faith in religion is totally a myth. The real blind faith exists in our worldly existence. We trust anything that is within the range of experiences of our mind, whether they are perceptual or conceptual." ~Ponlop Rinpoche (source)
There's a knack for thinking outside the box of culture. I don't know if it can be taught, but I know most of us don't possess it.
ReplyDeleteWe tend to be largely unaware of our culture as assumptions. We just assume, say, that the best way to travel in a town is by private car, or that entertainers naturally have legions of fans. Because we aren't even aware of those things as assumptions, it is very difficult for us to think beyond them.