A Member the Avon Park Correctional Sangha sent me the following in a letter. He and I have been in ‘conversation’ of one sort of another for many years. We had mutually inquired into the thought—“If everything is impermanent, what knows that?”
Here is his last response. Although not face-to-face, I trust his “innerstanding” that has been cultivated by many years of practice.
Doshin
……….”I did learn something that has given me a new perspective on life. To the ‘inquiry’ I can always come up with contrasts and comparisons that seem to fit the question. Yet, there are so many in some ways that can be argued in gray areas as not absolute truths. So what is it that that is knowing ?
I believe after a year of of batting around in my subconscious I have a solution. A single solution to the inquiry. What is it that knows? “Not Knowing!!!” You can’t know everything–but you can “not know” everything. Why make a fruitless search to know when you can just be. If I know now–in the moment–it’s okay to not know the next moment. Like the breath. Focus on the current breath and not worry about the next one. I’m probably not explaining it correctly, but I’m okay not knowing the exact words. I just accepted as it is.”
Jeff M., Avon Park