Cave Man

[Dover]

Imagine prisoners who have been chained since their childhood deep inside a cave: not only are their arms and legs unmovable because of chains; their heads are chained in one direction as well so that their gaze is fixed on a wall.

Behind the prisoners is an enormous fire, and between the fire and the prisoners is a raised walkway, along which puppets of various animals, plants, and other things are moved along. The puppets cast shadows on the wall, and the prisoners watch these shadows. Behind this cave there is a well-used road, and upon this road people are walking and talking and generally making noise. The prisoners, then, believe that these noises are coming directly from the shadows they are watching pass by on the cave wall.

The prisoners engage in what appears to us to be a game : naming the shapes as they come by. This, however, is the only reality that they know, even though they are seeing merely shadows of objects. They are thus conditioned to judge the quality of one another by their skill in quickly naming the shapes and dislike those who play poorly.

Suppose a prisoner's chains break, and he is able to get up and walk about (a process which takes some time, as he has never done it before). Eventually he will be compelled to explore; he walks up and out of the cave, whereby he is instantly blinded by the sun. He turns then to the shadows on the floor, in the lakes, slowly working his way out of his deluded mind, and he is eventually able to glimpse the sun. In time, he would learn to see it as the object that provides the seasons and the courses of the year, presides over all things in the visible region, and is in some way the cause of all these things that he has seen.

Once enlightened, so to speak, the freed prisoner would not want to return to the cave to free his fellow prisoners, but would be compelled to do so. Another problem lies in the other prisoners not wanting to be freed: descending back into the cave would require that the freed prisoner's eyes adjust again, and for a time, he would be one of the ones identifying shapes on the wall. His eyes would be swamped by the darkness, and would take time to become acclimated. He might stumble, Plato asserts and the prisoners would conclude that his experience had ruined him. He would not be able to identify the shapes on the wall as well as the other prisoners, making it seem as if his being taken to the surface completely ruined his eyesight. (The Republic bk. VII, 516b-c; trans. Paul Shorey)...cont'd

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegory_of_the_cave

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Plato
Book VII of The Republic
The Allegory of the Cave

http://www.meditationsight.com/Documents/Cave.htm

[I Have A Dream]

1. I really need to start reading more classics.

I have the books, but I just never get around to it. :(

This really made me think, Dover. It reminded me a bit of The Matrix.

The first image is very powerful.

Thank you!

[windoe]

2. To me this speaks about

resisting inner sight, resisting instinct and inner knowing... and clinging desperately to the physical world.

[LaurenG]

3. Thanks Dover

"the freed prisoner would not want to return to the cave to free his fellow prisoners, but would be compelled to do so. Another problem lies in the other prisoners not wanting to be freed: descending back into the cave would require that the freed prisoner's eyes adjust again, and for a time, he would be one of the ones identifying shapes on the wall. His eyes would be swamped by the darkness, and would take time to become acclimated".

this speaks of reincarnation and spiritual evolution, not wanting to return but compelled to...

[Dover]

4. Hmmm...hadn't thought of the 'reincarnation' angle. That's interesting.

I've always interpreted that part of the allegory as describing what happens once one achieves enlightenment (in their lifetime).
The feelings compelling one to 'return' to the denser and dark reality of materialism to help others learn of what lies behind the veil is the result of shedding the ego and being bathed in divine light, experiencing the depths of love and connection to ALL.

Many who have had a near death experience are also often reluctant to return.

[LaurenG]

5. That's (sort of) what I meant. "Fallen Angels" always come back to help

compelled to bring others out this time. Fallen angels are not what they appear to be. There is always a reason to fall and go back again until the last are all freed.

[Dover]

6. Yeah, it sounds like just semantics difference, perhaps.

I was just trying to make the distinction between a 'living' experience and rebirth, vs. one that occurs after physical death (reincarnation). I've always thought of angels as already being on the other side (nonphysical).

[LaurenG]

7. There is a train of thought that ascension is an experience that is sometimes thought of as

becoming the angels of our higher selves and that once we "make it" the "bodhisattva" leads the way in order to bring light to show the way out, though we all decide which path to pursue. Those on the the path to earth service would come again to bring others "enlightenment." Entering again into the cave, hoping not to forget what we're here for. Just my first thought when reading that. :7

[Dover]

8. Thanks for explaining. I was not familiar with that train of thought...n/t