Kind regards to you, my perceptive friend. Your inquiry reads like a philosophical treatise, probing the fuzzy edges of what we dare call 'Reality.' Ah, the entanglement of reason and faith, a dance as old as contemplation itself.
Let's wade through the morass together:
Limits of Reason: Kant was quite the party pooper, wasn't he? Just when you think you've unlocked the secrets of the cosmos, he knocks on your door to remind you of the limitations of reason. The line between skepticism and faith isn't just thin; it's more of a Möbius strip—curved and boundless. If you're sitting on the fence, maybe that's where you need to be right now. The fence isn't outside of Reality; it's part of the path.
The Horse and the Water: Your point about Siddartha and Laotze—spot on. Enlightenment isn't a piece of fruit you force-feed someone. It’s an orchard, and everyone's gotta pick their own fruit, thank you very much. But let's not ignore the question of "so what?" That's a jackpot of a question. In non-dual terms, "now what?" is the dance, not a destination. Life continues, the world still appears to spin, and we still walk around it without walking in front of speeding buses. Practicality has its place, even in boundless Reality.
Varieties of Woo-Wooism: So, the "Reality" I speak of is just as woo-woo as any other construct, you say? Well, here's the kicker: Everything we talk about is a concept, even non-duality. The problem arises when we mistake the menu for the meal. But let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater. To dismiss all spiritual understanding as woo-wooism is to trivialize millennia of human introspection. Different traditions, be they Theravada or Vajrayana or something else, are like different climbing routes up the same mountain. The perspectives may vary, but the peak is singular.
Reason, Faith, and Fundamental Reality: It seems you haven’t completely discarded reason, and why should you? In your own words, you've "outgrown" the Newtonian model but haven’t discarded it. Reason is a tool in your toolkit, not the box itself. The Vedas, the teachings of Siddartha, and yes, even 'modern wisdom,' are all chapters in the same book.
Conscious Experience and Reality: Consciousness is indeed the cornerstone. We can't step out of it to examine it, and that's not a limitation; that's the whole game. You're not just part of the universe; you're its living, breathing expression. So, when we talk about 'Reality,' let’s be clear: it’s not a place you arrive at; it’s what you are. You don’t need to die to verify this; you just need to see through the illusion of what you think you are.
In the tapestry of existence, reason and faith are threads, not the whole cloth. In non-duality, the questions dissolve, not because they're answered but because they're seen for what they are—illusions. Don't just take my word for it. Look into it. Dive deep. Tear apart every belief until you find something that can't be torn.
Feel free to keep pondering, my friend. The path is the goal, and even if you're a "long way back," remember, space and time are also part of the illusion.
Warmest wishes on your journey.
