Within And Without

The Maurai elder statesman and philosopher, Carelo Keajimu, thinks that, in the post-Maurai age, most people will seek enlightenment from sages who will look within. He thinks that this will happen because it is the impression - but only the impression - brought back by his time traveling friend, Jack Havig.

In thirty-first-century North America, pilgrims visit Sancisco because there the guru Duago Samito had his revelation. However:

"Nobody believed in miracles."
-Poul Anderson, There Will Be Time (New York, 1973), XIII, p. 145.

Thus, this is not a supernatural revelation but an insight that anyone might have - and might have anywhere although some settings might be more conducive. If, looking down into the Bay, you:

"...let yourself become one with heaven and earth and water, you could hope for insight." (ibid.)

This is oneness with what is without. In zazen, we face not the Bay but a wall so that we can "sit with" whatever comes up within. But this enables us, longer term, to resolve problems with inner causes in memories and motivations. We turn from the wall back to the world, from the within to the without.

On a later visit to the thirty first century, Havig learns more but, since I am switching off the computer for this evening, that will wait till tomorrow.