Daniel M. Ingram:
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Cons: really, really, really gets into peoples visions of perfection, competitiveness, taboos, projection, transference, and the like to a huge degree. The flack that flies from this is endless. The number of people who I personally know who won't even read my book as that word is on the cover is large.
Pros: is opens the debate up, it gets people's attention, it inspires some to really try for it on their own, it creates a lot of investigation and conversation about what this actually means here today in this body and time, and those have been hugely interesting to be a part of.
What do you think of it? How, from a pragmatic point of view, does it affect your world, your practice, your relationship to these things or anything else?
Thanks Daniel. Very glad you dived in to comment.
For me, I'm torn. I think I totally get the pros/cons tension you describe. And I can't decide what I'd have done if I was in your place.
On the one hand, I think it's a pity you chose to identify yourself as an Arahat. The reason is that from one viewpoint it provides no benefit but a lot of drawback. There's no benefit because -- and I know you'll agree with this -- just because you say you're an Arahat doesn't make it so. And it is maximally non-beneficial to those beginning on the path; the very ones who probably could benefit from knowing that attaining Arahat is possible. It's maximally non-beneficial to them precisely because they are least equipped to decide if your claim is genuine or not. I know -- I am such a beginner. And the "lot of drawback" is that it alienates a lot of people (unfairly perhaps, but still) who it would probably be beneficial -- in terms of spreading the word -- *not* to alienate. There's one ordained Burmese guy I know and who I respect greatly. But, being bound more by tradition than we are here on DhO, he has what is probably an unavoidable knee-jerk reaction against your claim. He may well be one of those people who "won't even read" your book, because of the cover. The thing is though, even though he is traditional, he talks *exactly* like you! It's the same message. I actually think he'd love your book if he read it. But he won't, and I think that's partly your "fault". You must have known that would be part of the effect, yet you went ahead and did it anyway! :-) Incidentally, Willoughby Britton is another who admits to being turned off your stuff to begin with. Granted for her it wasn't so much the word "arahat" but rather the front cover picture. But personally I think she's a cool gal to be associated with your efforts, and I think she *is* only by luck. It was the persistence of her student who got her to look past the surface and to see the underlying genuine stuff. Willoughby is why I started to get interested in your book. She's a skeptical scientist, and when she managed to get past the cover, that was good enough for me to have a look too. But there's no way to escape the fact that the cover -- including The Claim -- was an impediment. And one final drawback. By claiming to be an arahant you are relying on that being an acceptable claim to make. To be clear -- what I'm pointing out is that you lend validity to the act of claiming, not the fact of actually being one. The problem is, there are probably many more fakes out there than genuine articles, so on a purely tactical basis, it might have been better to let your knowledge and verificable achievements speak for themselves. To borrow from the Christian tradition, there are shades of Luke 18:19 at work.
HOWEVER, AND ON THE OTHER HAND:
I think it's good you chose to identify yourself as an Arahat, if Arahat-ship really is as achievable as you say it is. In fact, it may be that it was *essential* to make the claim in order to make the point that it as achievable. Prior to reading your book, I was probably like most people, and thought that Enlightenment was some metaphysical, cosmic-level event, probably only achievable after many lifetimes (whatever that means) and, bottom line, almost certainly not something I (whatever *that* means :-) ) could aspire to. Clearly I don't know that your claim is valid. But even so, it's ballsy. And when backed up by the material in the book itself, is certainly enough to pique my curiosity.
On balance, I reckon I'd probably have erred on the side of *not* claiming. I think I'd have run the arguments through and decided that I'd have got all the benefits (of getting people practicing and moving through attainments) without having to make the Arahant claim (and paying the price in what could be some valuable support).
That said, what do I know. *I* am *not* an Arahat[1] ;-)
P.S. One more thing. Claim or no claim, and light-emitting front cover or no, I doubt you have ever made much money from your book, or this site/movement. It is therefore a labor of love, and extensive one at that. For that, I -- and I know many others -- are extremely grateful. Thank you!
[1] That assumes of course that while it may be possible to not be an Arahat but think you are, it is not possible to be an Arahat but think you're not.