SUSPENDING JUDGEMENT – SCEPTICAL ENQUIRY
In his book, What the Buddha Taught, Walpola Rahula writes:
In mindful meditation there ‘is no attitude of criticising or judging, [no] right or wrong, or good or bad. It is simply observing, watching, examining. You are not a judge, but a scientist. When you observe [the] mind, and see its true nature clearly, you become dispassionate with regard to its emotions, sentiments and states. Thus, you become detached and free, so that you may see things as they are.’
In observing one’s own mind dispassionately, the meditator is practicing non-attachment to judgments and beliefs – suspending judgment. In Buddhism there are many reasons why suspending judgment is considered to be important. Here are two:
First of all, Anicca – that is, impermanence. If everything is in flux, in process, then judgments must always be being revised to keep pace with a changing world. Therefore, it is important to be non-dogmatic and non-absolutist – being open to changing one’s mind and being always ready to listen to, and take account of, alternative opinions. When we are truly mindful of impermanence and change, we are less likely to believe in, and hang on to, fixed, unchanging judgments.
A second reason for suspending judgment is Pratityasamutpada – that is, conditionality or interdependence. If everything is interwoven with, and dependent on, everything else, then we would require knowledge of every side of an argument, and all aspects of an issue or subject, to arrive at a definitive judgement. But, as we can’t be aware of all aspects, or all the conditions that give rise to a phenomenon, (and because they are always changing) then it is best to suspend judgment. Also, judgments themselves are relative: ‘good’ only makes sense in relation to ‘bad’; ‘right’ to ‘wrong’; ‘pleasant’ to ‘nasty’; ‘like’ to ‘dislike’.
Gotama Buddha seems to have been very careful not to make dogmatic assertions, and to question and show to be invalid, dogmatic assertions made by others. He kept an open dispassionate enquiring mind – encouraging us to avoid making dogmatic assertions. Holding on to notions that, ‘this, or that, is the absolute truth’; or, ‘I am right and you are wrong’ – is about closing the mind, fixing things, terminating enquiry – the opposite of dispassionate enquiry.
Of course, there are times when we need to determine whether we consider something to be right or wrong, good or bad, helpful or harmful. At these moments, we need to be direct and clear in our decisions and opinions. But it is important always to keep in mind that our judgments are provisional and conditional – always open to revision in the light of changing circumstances. What we might consider to be right or wrong at one time in one place, may not be correct at another time in another place. Always these are matters of opinion, determined by our ethical values and our perspective on a particular situation. This is why we should try to keep an open, ‘don’t know’ mind, for as long as possible. Always looking to take a buzzard’s eye view, seeing the bigger picture – trying always to understand and be compassionate – rather than being dogmatic and closing ourselves to changes of opinion.
In the light of what I have been suggesting, it is important that we recognise the dangers of attachment even to ideas of non-attachment, or to the idea that suspension of judgment will produce enlightenment and equanimity. Dogen points out that to practice mindful meditation in order to achieve peace of mind or enlightenment is itself evidence of a dogmatic attachment to an idea or a belief – a ‘gaining idea’ – an approach that will often hinder rather than aid our aspirations for freedom and awakening. Hence, Dogen’s advice to sit just to sit, to be mindful just to be mindful – in this way practice is awakening.
By suspending judgment and belief – by not taking up dogmatic positions in arguments – we can develop an attitude of continuing enquiry and openness to all possibilities – free to change our mind as the world changes around us. The equanimity that is said to accompany this open-ended enquiry is characterised by a suppleness and openness of mind. Tolerance and even-handed acknowledgement of diversity and difference seem to be consequences of this mindful suspension of judgment – a striking alternative to the closed intolerance that arises when we maintain dogmatic attachment to particular beliefs and values.
When I find myself being drawn into arguments, or disagreements, I try to keep in mind these two sayings:
Hold lightly to your beliefs, for someone, somewhere, thinks the opposite
and
Always aim to be mindful, balanced, open and kind
– needless to say, there are many occasions when I forget my own good advice – but such is life.
Bibliography
Kim, Hee-Jin. 1987. Dōgen Kigen: Mystical Realist, Tucson: University of Arizona Press.
Rahula, Walpola. 1974. What the Buddha Taught. New York: Grove Press.