Psychology Quote by Karl Brunnholzl

““If the mere nonexistence of attention and mental engagement is taken to be "nonattention" and "mental nonengagement," it is to be analyzed in what way these two [attention and mental engagement] are nonexistent. [Some utter] nonexistence is not suitable as a cause [for anything], so how could [plain] signlessness and [mere] nonexistence of mental engagement become the state of nonconceptuality? If just this [nonexistence of attention and mental engagement] were sufficient to be [true] nonconceptuality, this state of nonconceptuality could be entered even through fainting, since it is [a state] without attention and mental engagement. Without perfect discrimination, there are no other means in any other way to bring about nonattention and mental nonengagement. And if there is [nothing but] nonattention and mental nonengagement, without perfect discrimination, how could one engage in the lack of nature of all phenomena? Of course, the only way that phenomena actually are is that they are empty of nature. However, without discrimination and [just] through the [lack of attention and mental engagement], one will not realize this emptiness. Without the realization of emptiness, the obscurations will not be relinquished. Otherwise, everybody would always be self-liberated…””

— Karl Brunnholzl