“Secrets of the Masters” – Seeking vs Finding

“….When someone is seeking it happens quite easily that he only sees the thing he is seeking; that he is unable to find anything;

Shihan Pascetta - Okinawa 1987

unable to absorb anything because he is only thinking of the thing he is seeking, because he has a goal, because he is obsessed with his goal.

Seeking means: to have a goal; but finding means: to be free, to be receptive, to have no goal.”

-Siddhartha

In the above quote the famous philosopher, Siddartha, contrasts “seeking” with “finding” and seems to imply that in some manner the previous cancels the latter.

In my own life I have been inspired to make it a quest to “seek the truth”. Following the logic of Siddhartha, however, would this not draw the conclusion that I will be unable to find any truth, simply because I am focused on reaching that as a goal?

I am curious to hear the perspectives of others on this topic. What is your interpretation of his statement here? How would you apply them to your own “quests” and to mine?

SHIHAN PASCETTA

Copyright © 2010  R.V. PASCETTA, All rights reserved

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One Comment

  • Sandro says:

    Cercare un qualcosa,la verità o qualsiasi altra cosa possa illuminarci,non è mai cosa semplice.La ricerca è uno degli obiettivi dell'essere umano……cercare però non deve distogliere l'attenzione da tutto ciò che ci circonda….tutto ciò che ci circonda può essere utile al nostro"cercare"………di conseguenza "trovare"non può essere il fine ultimo…..ma l'incipit al nostro cercare……(mio umile pensiero)…….Osssss Shihan