Circular logic: Reality is What we Take to be True

This is from the popular book, The Quantum and the Lotus* I'm taken by the earnest depth of the statement, and it's circular logic:

Reality is what we take to be true. What we take to be true is what we believe. What we believe is based upon our perceptions. What we perceive depends upon what we look for. What we look for depends on what we think. What we think depends on what we perceive. What we perceive determines what we believe. What we believe determines what we take to be true. What we take to be true is our reality.

Do you believe this? Or is reality something else entirely? What?

*( Matthieu Ricard (Author), Trinh Xuan Thuan (Author)

Tags: Reality, buddhism, science

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Permalink Reply by Shirley Merritt on June 9, 2011 at 6:32pm

The essence of this teaching in Buddha's words:

GATE GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE BODHI SVAHA

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Permalink Reply by Dan Tamblyn on June 12, 2011 at 5:23pm

OR PUT ANOTHER WAY: Is what we see true? Or is it true because we see it?

I haven't read this book, but I certainly want to. This is a brilliant little excerpt, words that really go me thinking. It begins and ends with a loop to "Reality is what we take to be true" mirroring to some extent, the wheel of samsara or suffering. This isn't about suffering, but it reflects the same dependencies and endless cycle.

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Permalink Reply by Dan Tamblyn on June 15, 2011 at 7:06pm

That is so zen. Yes, I believe it, when I ponder it intellectually. In the "real world" outside of my meditation mat, we forget all this, though. We just merrily pursue our illusions, believing what we see to be reality. I must print this out for my desk.

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Permalink Reply by Mary Morse on June 17, 2011 at 9:51am

I've never heard this concept put better. Yes, I believe this. This gets to the heart of mind and of emptiness.

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Permalink Reply by Ron Lam on June 21, 2011 at 12:47pm

Very Chan Buddhist. Actually, very Buddhist, period. This is very eloquently put.

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Permalink Reply by Ron Lam on June 21, 2011 at 12:48pm

Oh, I meant to add, yes I believe this. All rises from emptiness, and our perception of what we believe to be true is what we call our "reality" but it's an illusion.

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Permalink Reply by Will Byrd on June 29, 2011 at 10:51am

Profoundly true. Which in itself is a contradiction.

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Permalink Reply by Mary Y Byrd on July 7, 2011 at 5:04pm

Emptiness is always a hard concept to follow. The biggest misconception is that it's means nothingness or is associated with nihilism, which it's not. This is a good way of presenting the very big topic of perception and perception of reality. Thank you for posting