Buddhism developed out of an argument that ‘Ignorance’ is the root cause of all of Life’s pain and problems. A convincing argument and one that has many advocates. However, what Buddhism fails to observe is that ‘Ignorance’ is a part of Life, to be partnered, not eradicated, because to eradicate ignorance is to eradicate Life itself. Herein lies the fundamental flaw in Buddhist Philosophy, and a flaw that is, in my view, rightly criticised as a discarding of Life itself.

My argument is that by understanding that we are all ignorant, paradoxically, we are emancipated from the symptoms that evolve from holding onto ignorant beliefs as we intimately meet them.

In my book: ‘Start Where You Are’ I put forward an application of Life Being Lived, as Human, within the ever changing, (both), Ignorant and Magnificent Human Race. By embracing our ignorance we allow our Human Biology to explore itself and evolve and change.

According to Cognitive Dissonance Theorists our very biological stability requires us to think ourselves to be right in our thoughts and deeds, in order for us to function at all. When we view ‘ignorance’ as something ‘shameful’, then ipso facto, we can never allow ourselves to think our thoughts and actions as ‘ignorant’. However, if we not only allow ourselves in real time to do this we are able to learn better solutions, rather than guard dangerous belief patterns we hold at any time. And dangerous belief patterns can and do come from Religion and Education just as easily as from Experiential Learning!

Buddhist philosophy, like any other ideology found in Religion and Politics, is dangerous when it takes itself as being ‘without ignorance’.

Freedom can exist within an ignorant human biology, but Freedom cannot exist within ideologies that have in-built certainties of righteousness.

Change is often considered to cause stress biologically. However, if “all is change”* , then an equilibrium of stability exists within all change that occurs. This change incorporates biological freedom from stress. Likewise, Freedom exists within changing ignorance where all views are considered ignorant by their necessary limits. A Better World lies in a World where ignorance is embraced not as an evil but as an acceptable vehicle of Life’s wondrous adventures.

Mena Baines 2009

* Heraclitus, Pre-Socratic Greek Philosopher