Jay Garfield: Moral Phenomenology, Illusion, and Primordial Non-Duality

Wherein Jay and I discuss Buddhist ethics as moral phenomenology, the pernicious illusion of selfhood, illusionism as a theory of consciousness, primordial perceptual non-duality, and much more!
Reading Jay's translation of and commentary on Nagarjuna's Mūlamadhyamakakārikā (Root Verses on the Middle Way) was a turning point in my life. So, years later, it's a special privilege and joy to have had the chance to interview him on those subjects dearest to my heart.
You can find Jay at: jaygarfield.org/
I wholeheartedly recommend the books mentioned:
Buddhist Ethics: A Philosophical Exploration: www.amazon.com/Buddhist-Ethic...
Engaging Buddhism: Why It Matters to Philosophy
www.amazon.com/Engaging-Buddh...
Losing Ourselves: Learning to Live without a Self, available for preorder (releases May 24):
www.amazon.com/Losing-Ourselv...
The ultimate falls out when you investigate the conventional
And see how the conventional arises from the ultimate!
The two truths are inseparable, transcend thought, natural and glorious.
With a view free of fabrication, chant the six-beat mantra.
Cut off the mind's obsession with appearance.
Let the whole structure of deluded appearance crumble away.
The nonduality of mind and appearance is an infinite expanse.
Realizing that single essence, chant the six-beat mantra.
- The Essential Jewel of Holy Practice, by Patrul Rinpoche, translated by Jay Garfield and Emily W. McRae:
www.amazon.com/Essential-Jewe...
I mentor meditation in Shinzen Young's Unified Mindfulness system. If that or any of my ambling thoughts in long-form are of interest to you, check out my website:
www.wystantbs.com/
My twitter:
/ wystantbs
Thanks for watching and listening!
May you be happy!
May all beings everywhere be free from all suffering!

[@MrNomark]

Fabulous interview. Many explanations of critical aspects of Buddha Dharma that are helpful. Thank you.

[@tomisaacson2762]

"It's mediation all the way down." Beautifully stated. I love listening to Jay Garfield.

[@iloverumi]

great interview. thank you.

[@wystantbs488]

You're welcome!🙂

[@drsr4560]

Yeah, nice job w/the interviewing. Great discussion

[@nazgulnarsil1336]

With regard to the point about the asymmetry of self regard leading to distorted moral perceptions, it seems to me that there's a simple ordering claim to be made: one can, in this mode, perceive the relevant symmetries first (moral reasoning is often predicated on such) and then figure out how it applies to oneself (after all, you both need to figure out how to actually instantiate the beneficial action, but you are also included in the list of beneficiaries). If instead one mixes up these steps, one is less likely to correctly perceive the symmetry in the first place. Very similar to the Veil of Ignorance, but phenomenological rather than analytic/conceptual.

[@christopherhamilton3621]

Great confluence of Evan Thompson’s work & Buddhist perceptual thought. Thanks!

[@drsr4560]

Notes to self (or person, as it were) or anyone else: 50”-53”-ish: although the virtuous life is often associated w/the Buddhist path, it is also about living a “virtuoso life,” wherein cultivating expertise tends to foster flow-states that can transcend the usual subject v. object distinctions. He quotes or paraphrases Dogen, who said that the way to study self is to forget about self.

[@soezone208]

I love Jay. His talks are wholesome. He is the best scholar, especially in Mūlamadhyama and Madhyamaka. While scholar like Robert A.F. Thurman is extremely sectarian and a pain to listen to.

[@mxrkxo]

Wow thats super interesting

[@danielpincus221]

Hold the Buddhist bell! He says, “This is who I am.“ Is there really a Jay Garfield?