Seeing clearly, acting gracefully. Todtmoos, 2016

James Low

Retreat, 3-5 June 2016

Todtmoos, Germany

Translator: Robert Jaroslawski

German and English

This can also be watched on video.

Seeing clearly, acting gracefully.

“Buddhist texts suggest that we function under the power of obscuration, veils within us due to which, although our eyes are dulled and opaque, we believe that we see clearly. Two main types of obscuration are described, those of knowledge and of emotions. It can be difficult to imagine that knowledge can be obscuring, after all we spend our youth acquiring knowledge. Yet much of what we take to be knowledge is actually belief. When we look at the wars and conflicts that surround us we might ask, how can it be that different people with very different views can each be convinced that they are right?

We will examine some of our own assumptions and see how easily we confuse belief with fact. Identifying how easily we get lost protects us against hubris and opens the way to truly seeing clearly, the basis of wisdom and compassion.”

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