Ways of Liberation — Alan Watts

I recall a childhood memory of coming across a shop in London near the British Museum with a sign that read 'philosophical instruments'. As a young boy, I was curious about what philosophical instruments could be. Upon looking through the window, I saw various scientific instruments such as chronometers, slide rules, and scales.

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In the past, science was referred to as natural philosophy. According to Aristotle, philosophy begins with wonder and is an expression of curiosity and an attempt to understand the world through intellect. Thinking, in the precise sense, refers to the manipulation of symbols to represent real-world events. However, in the academic world, philosophy has become restricted to mathematical logic and linguistics, with a focus on being scientific. Questions about the nature of the universe and the destiny of man are often dismissed as metaphysical or meaningless. In the current state of academic philosophy is a profession rather than a true pursuit of knowledge.

Oriental philosophy, such as Hinduism and Buddhism, should not be considered as religions in the strict sense. I prefer to use the term 'religion' to refer to a bond or rule of life, particularly when someone joins a religious or monastic order and lives a life of obedience. Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are religions based on man's obedient response to a divine revelation. They consist of three elements: creed (divinely revealed map of the universe), code (divinely revealed law or exemplar), and cult (divinely revealed method of worship). In Christianity, the code is the following of Jesus through divine grace. Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism cannot be called religions in this sense as they lack the virtue of obedience and do not conceive the Godhead in a monarchical sense.

The Judeo-Christian tradition is based on a political model that compares the relationship between an ancient Near Eastern monarch and his subjects. This model involves the imposition of authority and will upon subjects through power. In the Anglican Church, the language used in addressing God reflects court flattery towards the monarch, such as referring to God as the King of kings and Lord of lords. The title 'King of Kings' as a title of God was borrowed from the Persian emperors. The concept of God as a monarch creates an ontological difference between God and all other creatures. This poses a challenge for the citizens of the United States who believe in a republic as the best form of government, as it conflicts with the idea of a monarchy governing the universe. This conflict often leads to disagreements in society regarding obedience to law and order.

There are three models of the universe discussed: the theological model where God is the skillful maker of the world, the dramatic model where God is the actor playing all parts, and the Chinese model where the world is an organism without a boss. In Hindu thought, every individual is a mask of the Godhead. The Chinese model argues that the stomach is the chief organ, while the brain is the servant to help scrounge for food. The reason for the development of the stomach and other bodily functions is to eventually evolve a brain. Humans will live primarily for the concerns of the brain, such as art and science. Some argue that history is solely driven by economics and the needs of the stomach, but the brain and stomach are interconnected. An organism develops as a whole, not as separate parts, and this is similar to the Chinese concept of Tao, meaning the course of nature or the way. Tao does not rule over things but nourishes them. The Chinese expression for nature is self-self or zhiyan, referring to things that happen naturally without conscious planning.

However, there could be similarities between Eastern religions and Western culture, and that psychotherapy may be the closest resemblance. The objective of psychotherapy is to change one's state of consciousness, similar to the focus of Eastern disciplines. However, psychotherapy primarily addresses individual problems, while Eastern ways of life address universal problems related to the delusive sense of one's own existence. Awaken from this illusion and discover your true self.

Not knowing how we perform certain actions, such as opening and closing our hand, is an example of how thinking is a slow and linear process. There is more to our existence than our individual ego, and that the true self is connected to the universe. Disciplines like philosophy and Buddhism can be seen as ways of liberation from the illusions of Maya, without the need for belief or specific rituals.