Re: Of course, it could just be that I'm not enlightened
Sundeep Dougal (holden@giasdl01.vsnl.net.in)
Fri, 15 Oct 1999 04:20:39 +0530
Of course.
I couldn't agree with you more on this, though I guess a case could
well be made that he may just have been trying to spoof or parody the
Zen killers or beatniks or hippies or (since I forget who Buddy is
fulminating against) whoever it was that he meant to mock by laying it
all on thick. At least through Zooey, there's plenty of, let's say,
counterpointing. There's a passage where Zooey talks about
contemplating the navel or something like that, and eventually an
expression of beatific calm suffuses his face, which had me convinced
the first time I read it. But then he may well be posturing as the
smart-aleck, Mr. Common Sense devoid of Enlightenment.
And of course there are those who think that Teddy is the epitome of
East-West Enlightened Evolved Beingness. And some who think that
of JDS. But is _JDS_ posturing as the Enlightened One? Or his
_characters_ are?
Outside of his fiction, going by available bio detail, of course it
could be that he is merely delusional, no?
On balance, posturing as someone prone to adopt a magisterial tone in
such matters, even in this sleep deprived state, I'd say Sato would be
immensely pleased by your post and he would have no hesitation in
exclaiming that of course you are _not_ not enlightened. Which, as
some of the Jap philo adherents here might point out, does not
necessarily mean that you are enlightened either.
"Mu" they would say, with their lips moving silently.
I however end by saying: of course not, not worrying too much about
double negatives and other such. You are positively enlightened.
Sonny