- The first stage of enlightenment involves the end of doubt regarding the path and the goal.
- This is a risk: if nirvana is true, then great. But if not, one would confidently head in a potentially suboptimal direction.
- Therefore, a ulysses pact should be established to
- Prove the validity of the realization
- Initiate a contingency in case the proof is insufficient.
- Restore doubt
- Carry out the contingency against one’s wishes
Content/Subprojects/Operation Ulysses/index.md
- If one were to claim the existing or inevitable complete ending of unhappiness via the extinguishment of desire, then they ought to bind themselves such that the truth may be verified by external, premeditated means that may no longer be held to be relevant by them after their attainment.
- Note that a false attainment need not only be one that is mistaken. Rather, one might truly attain nibbana, but in this case nibbana turns out to be a false reality i.e. nibbana turns out to just be a neurological adaptation.
- For instance, an ariya would be freed from the second fetter of doubt, so they would have no personal incentive to verify their attainment via external means. But in the case that their attainment turns out to be false, that lack of doubt would would be their downfall.
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Basanos addresses verification of attainment, while Phoenix develops a contingency if it proves insufficient. These questions arise alongside Unbound’s pursuit of permanent freedom from distress.
The epistemic significance of attainment remains an open question; these musings do not establish a settled position.