Everyday Buddhism 71 - Why Nonsense Makes the Most Sense

Rev. Gyomay Kubose, my teacher's father, wrote about "purposeless purpose." He said: "Too much intelligence or too much efficiency can create trouble. So, we must learn non-intelligence, which is super intelligence." Does that sound nonsensical?

Our sangha is studying The Diamond Sutra now and it is filled with reasoning (or non reasoning?) like that. It is the the superpower of the Dharma because the wisdom it contains is transcendent. You can't "get there" from here, by what is normally considered intelligence. You can only get there by learning "non-intelligence", as Rev. Gyomay teaches.

My overall word of advice for enjoying being a student of the Dharma is to relax and not try to "figure it out." One of the main points of practicing with the Prajnaparamita sutras is to NOT try and understand it. That is what these sutras are teaching: It's NOT understanding. It's NOT about concepts. It's about living.

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Red Pine's translation and commentary of The Diamond Sutra

And books from Rev. Koyo Kubose and Rev. Gyomay Kubose:

Bright Dawn: Discovering Your Everyday Spirituality

Everyday Suchness: Buddhist Essays on Everyday Living

The Center Within