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So called “Scientific
Research” is more a measure of someone’s political agenda than an accurate
measure of reality. This point is particularly directed towards clinical outcome
studies, now known by the buzz word, "evidence based treatment protocols". The following anecdote is a Zen view on the subject:
A conference was
organized on mysticism, the results of which were published in a book titled
Mystics and Scholars authored by Coward & Penelhum in 1973. The conference
was set up as a dialogue between practicing mystics and scholars of mysticism.
One of the questions the scholars kept posing to the mystics of the various
religions was:
“ Are you
all having the same experience?”
The response of the mystics was to remain silent.
After several rounds, a scholar said privately that a caucus of the mystics was
needed. This scholar proposed to the mystics of all religions that they should
agree to say that they were indeed having the same experience. Whereupon the Zen master bristled all over and
exclaimed:
“I do not
even have the same experience
from
one moment to the next!”
The caucus of mystics broke
up. The scholars continued to ask if the same experience was being had by all,
and the mystics continued to keep their silence.
(paraphrased from an article in
Humanistic Psychology circa 1990)
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