Relative & Absolute Truth

In times of challenge and uncertainty, it is natural for the mind to want to desire some form of absolute truth. And yet, this often only contributes further to divisiveness and fighting. As we open our minds and let go of attachment to opinions, it shifts how we stand in relation to ourselves and all that we experience. To come to a greater place of unity, we need to learn to allow room for complexity, space for sometimes conflicting and contradictory perspectives. This track consists of 20 minutes of talk, and 20 minutes of meditation.

Transcript

For today's class,

I would like to speak about the concepts of relative and absolute truth.

Because we live in times of uncertainty,

Chaos,

And change,

And in such times it can be easy to have a lot of fear and anxiety come up.

And one of the fairly typical responses to experiencing such fear and anxiety is to crave some form of absolute truth.

And while that's natural,

If we're not careful,

The mind will tend to believe that relative truths are actually absolute and universal.

And in the end,

That creates greater division and separation.

And it seems like there's a lot of that happening right now,

So it seems perhaps a worthwhile time to discuss it.

I'll start with a quote from Suzuki Roshi,

Who is an amazing Zen master,

Who founded the San Francisco Zen Center,

And wrote a number of books,

But one of his most well-known is Zen Mind,

Beginner's Mind.

The true purpose of Zen is to see things as they are,

To observe things as they are,

And to let everything go as it goes.

Emotionally,

We have many problems,

But these problems are not actual problems.

They are something created by our self-centered ideas or views.

When we realize the everlasting truth of everything changes and find our composure in it,

We find ourselves in nirvana.

So this everlasting truth that everything changes is the fundamental truth of impermanence.

That in the manifest world in which we find ourselves,

Everything is interdependent,

Nothing exists in isolation,

And everything continually changes.

And so if we try to find some form of absolute truth or absolute grounding in the manifest world,

In the world out there,

So to speak,

We will always be disappointed and we'll always have more and more problems because we can't base our sense of absolute in something that continually changes and is impermanent.

And so to find that absolute,

Which our soul longs for,

We have to look within and we have to start to shift our view to understand and accommodate the relative truths,

And that everything we perceive is a form of relative truth once it becomes filtered through the mind and becomes conceptual.

Because all conception is based in dualistic forms of thought.

It's how we create distinctions and differentiations in the world around us,

And it's useful.

It has its purpose.

But if we start to confuse the relative with the absolute,

We end up creating more problems in our experience.

So this distinction between the relative and absolute is very closely related to conceptual and non-conceptual forms of knowing.

And I've spoken on this before,

That the conceptual is always based in duality,

And it's how the mind interfaces between the dualistic reality of self and other,

And the underlying reality of oneness that we are all a part of.

And so that's the mind's purpose,

Is to be that filter,

And it does so by having conceptions and translating the direct experience into a mental conception that we can then work with.

This is different than the non-conceptual forms of knowing,

Which is considered direct perception,

Or seeing things as they are.

It's as we move towards this direct perception of non-conceptual forms of knowing that we experience the oneness that is always present,

And that we are all a part of and manifestations of.

And it's only through finding these forms of direct perception that we find the absolute truth that we are seeking.

I often use the metaphor of the waves in the ocean,

And this is closely related to that.

In that metaphor,

The waves are the forms of relative truth,

The myriad forms of manifest reality that we see and experience and interact with in the sense of self and other,

While the absolute truth is the fact that all the individual waves are still part of the ocean,

That they arise from the ocean and they crash back into the ocean,

And they are never not part of the ocean,

Even though they seem to be distinct individuated entities.

I was reading something by Hazrat and I at Khan recently,

And I don't have the direct quote on hand,

But he spoke about this,

And how we end up deluding ourselves because we perceive the myriad forms and we mistake them for the absolute,

And that the mind is our greatest challenge because as long as we are trying to change things around us and we're battling with the world and with our circumstances,

We are never free.

It's only once we turn that battle within and we battle and challenge the mind and challenge ourselves to shift our perspective and our perception that we start to move towards a place of freedom.

As I said at the beginning with the quote,

Suzuki Roshi wrote a book called Zen Mind,

Beginner's Mind,

And the beautiful thing about this idea of beginner's mind is that when we have a beginner's mind,

We have let go of all preconceived judgments and opinions and notions.

We become more like children because when we interact with or observe very small children,

They're at a stage of development where they're prejudgmental.

You know they just interact with the world as it is and everything is a wonder,

And they don't have these concepts of good and bad and right and wrong.

That's something that we learn as children and as we grow up,

And if we're not careful,

We become more and more entrenched in these ideas of good and bad and right and wrong and our opinions of how things should be.

Now I'm not saying that we shouldn't teach children good and bad and right and wrong.

You know there's a place for that.

It helps with creating more of a stable societal structure and there are lessons that we need to learn from concepts of good and bad and right and wrong.

But as we grow and mature and our consciousness matures,

Hopefully we can start to move away from a place of judgment and more towards a place of discernment,

Of understanding that while there are things that are not necessarily useful for an individual's development or that may create more suffering,

That it doesn't inherently translate to an absolute of wrong or bad.

And that likewise,

That which might be good for one person or one group of people or a certain time or culture,

Are not necessarily absolutely good all the time across the spectrum.

Because we are all individuals that are growing and we all have had different experiences in the past and we all have different paths to walk for what we need to learn.

And so as we open our minds and start to let go of opinions,

It can shift how we stand in relationship to ourselves and all that we experience.

And I think it was,

Was it Mark Twain or there was an author who once wrote that most people are imprisoned by their opinions.

And it's because we start to believe that our opinions are absolute truths instead of understanding that they're relative.

In order to shift this perspective,

We need to become a little less self-centered and less selfish.

To learn to see things not only from our point of view,

But also from the other's point of view,

Who we disagree with.

And to realize that their opinion may still have validity.

It doesn't necessarily mean that we have to agree with them.

But in doing so,

We make room for complexity.

For the fact that we are all different and that we may not necessarily be right.

If we wish to come to a place of greater unity,

We have to allow room for such complexity.

For understanding that all truths in the manifest world and in our thoughts and conceptions are always relative.

The only absolute truth is the emptiness from which we come from and from and to which we will return.

And that is the source of everything in existence.

You know,

I hear a lot of talk about people wanting greater unity.

And yet if we think that there's one way that we're all supposed to be,

Or that the country needs to be,

Or the world needs to be,

That will always inherently create more divisiveness.

Because it's not possible for there to be one conceptual reality that is the best or right for everyone all the time.

The only way to create a greater form of unity is to allow for different opinions,

Different thoughts,

Different ideas,

Different desires,

And to allow space for that complexity.

When we do so,

We start to see the interconnectedness of everything.

And we start to speak and act in more harmonious ways with those with whom we interact.

Ultimately,

Nobody likes to be judged as wrong.

And most of us,

If we feel judged,

Will become more defensive and will dig deeper into our relative truth.

When people feel accepted and met where they are,

They actually start to soften,

And they cling less to their relative truth.

And so part of wisdom is realizing that the relative truth is variable.

And as we move towards that direct perception,

And we start to work with ourselves as we are,

And others as they are,

And the world as it is,

It begins to bring out that ultimate truth that we are all one.

So I'll share another quote,

This one from Roshi Joan Halifax.

Relative wisdom is seeing and understanding the interconnectedness of all beings and things,

The truth of impermanence,

The causes of suffering,

The way to freedom from suffering,

And living the imperative to free others from suffering.

Ultimate wisdom is based on our direct experience of letting go of how we view so-called reality.

Any description we contrive about reality separates us from the direct experience of things as they are.

And so these conceptions that we create about our experience and about the world actually separate us from directly experiencing the reality as it is.

And the more we cling to our own little relative truth,

It prevents us from learning and growing.

You know,

There's a story that a friend of mine likes to share from when she was in grade school,

And I think she was in second or third grade,

And they're sitting there in class with the teacher,

And the principal bursts in and opens the door,

And he says,

You are all ignorant.

And everybody's kind of shocked,

And some of the kids kind of start whimpering,

And he says,

Do you know why?

Because being ignorant means that you don't know something,

And we are all ignorant because there is all,

There is something that each of us do not know.

We are not omniscient.

And while,

You know,

His delivery is debatable,

As it may have created trauma for some of the kids in that class,

That was something that has always stuck with my friend,

And I really like that story for the reminder that we are all ignorant.

We all don't know something.

And when we believe we know the truth,

That our perspective is correct,

We actually become more ignorant because we prevent ourselves from learning and taking in other perspectives.

And no matter how much we learn,

And no matter how much we open,

We will always all be ignorant.

It's part of the nature of being human.

But we can become more wise through allowing that we may not know the truth,

That we may not be correct,

That others' perspectives or opinions that we may not agree with may have validity.

Maybe not for us,

Maybe not for a lot of people,

But maybe it has validity for them,

And maybe for other people.

And it's challenging,

Especially when we live in such uncertain times and there's a lot of fear present.

There is a strong desire to want there to be one right way.

And yet,

When we cling to that,

It creates more division and it prevents our own growth.

And so while it can be scary,

One of the greatest things we can do is allow for the unknown and allow for other perspectives to be heard,

Even though we might not like them or agree with them.

And that is how dialogue starts and how divisions can start to be mended,

Where we can create a level of plurality,

Of dialogue and discussion,

And allowing space for differences,

And allowing those differences,

Instead of dividing us,

To unite us,

To realize that we are part of a greater whole that is complex and contradictory.

And in allowing for complexity,

We actually allow for greater unity.

Part of what allows us to find the space to allow complexity and differing views is the practice of meditation,

Of taking the time to sit and observe our mind,

Our thoughts,

And seeing where these perspectives,

Opinions,

Judgments,

Relative truths,

Arise from.

We start to see that many of the opinions and judgments that we have come from past traumas,

From a desire of the mind to have certainty.

It comes from fear of the unknown,

Of wanting to have a greater degree of control or agency.

It doesn't change overnight.

Many of our patterns of belief develop over time,

Months,

Years,

Decades,

Part of our upbringing,

Part of the experiences we've had throughout our lives,

And we start to self-identify with them.

So at first,

Loosening around opinions and judgments can be challenging because it's softening aspects of our self-identity.

But it's only through softening those aspects of self- identity that we can find that absolute truth that we carry within,

Because it is those conceptions of self-identity that separate us from experiencing the true nature of who we are.

So if you will,

Please find a comfortable posture for meditation.

You can be seated or lying down.

However you are positioned,

Check to make sure that your body is supported and that you are able to let go of any unnecessary tension or holding or guarding.

Begin to observe the natural movement of the breath.

It could be short or long,

Shallow or deep,

Choppy or smooth.

Simply observe the breath without judgment,

Without wanting it to be different,

Allowing it to be as it is.

Begin gently scanning the body with your awareness,

Letting go of any unnecessary tension.

Now bring your awareness to focus in the space of the lower abdomen,

Observing any sensations that might arise in this area.

You can envision a sphere of golden light resting in the center of the lower abdomen,

Two to three inches below the umbilicus,

Halfway between the front of the abdomen and the spine.

Imagine that this sphere of golden light has a gravitational pull to it.

And that is drawing the awareness from around you and throughout your entire body to itself.

Pulling from all directions simultaneously,

Concentrating the awareness in the lower abdomen.

If there are areas of lingering tension in the body,

Allow them to soften.

Allow the awareness to flow from these areas to the center of the lower abdomen.

If thoughts come in,

Let them go.

Return your intention to the lower abdomen.

Now bring your awareness to focus in the space of the lower abdomen.

Now move deeper into the sphere of golden light.

Prepare to become aware of the stillness that lies at the center of the sphere.

The awareness and the stillness.

Now move deeper into the sphere of golden light.

Feel the stillness.

That lies beneath all sensation.

Allow the stillness to pervade your entire body.

Notice.

Notice how this stillness lies beneath all emotion.

Notice how this stillness lies beneath all sensation.

Notice.

Notice how the stillness lies beneath all thought,

All fluctuations of the mind.

Notice.

Notice.

Notice how the stillness pervades the space around you.

It is continuous.

No inside,

No outside.

No inside.

Experience its uninterrupted continuity.

See no inside.

See no outside.

.

Now,

Bring the awareness back to focus in the lower dantian,

The center of the lower abdomen.

Feel the golden sphere of light,

With its gravitational pull,

Drawing all awareness back to itself.

.

Become aware of the felt sense of the body as a whole.

Feel the stability beneath you,

Supporting you and holding you up.

Become aware of the air around you,

In which you are immersed,

Like a fish in water.

And when you are ready,

Maintain a connection to the stillness within and without.

As you gently and slowly begin to open your eyes,

Allowing the world to flow through you,

Without separation.

There's a Sufi story about Nasruddin.

They often use these as teaching stories to help shift perspective on what is true.

So I'm going to share one of these.

One day,

Nasruddin was sitting at court.

The king was complaining that his subjects were untruthful.

Majesty,

Said Nasruddin,

There is truth and truth.

People must practice real truth before they can use relative truth.

They always try the other way around.

The result is that they take liberties with their man-made truth,

Because they know instinctively that it is only an invention.

The king thought that this was too complicated.

A thing must be true or false.

I will make people tell the truth.

And by this practice,

They will establish the habit of being truthful.

When the city gates were open the next morning,

A gallows had been erected in front of them,

Presided over by the captain of the royal guard.

A herald announced,

Whoever would enter the city must first answer the truth to a question which will be put to him by the captain of the guard.

Nasruddin,

Who had been waiting outside,

Stepped up first.

The captain spoke,

Where are you going?

Tell the truth.

The alternative is death by hanging.

I am going,

Said Nasruddin,

To be hanged on those gallows.

I don't believe you.

Very well then,

If I have told a lie,

Hang me.

But that would make it the truth.

Exactly,

Said Nasruddin,

Your truth.

We cannot come to an experience of the absolute truth until we really understand and let go of attachment to the relative truths of existence.

As long as we believe there is the possibility of one absolute truth in the relative world,

We will only create greater division.

We cannot come to an experience of unity until we make space for the complexity of allowing views and truths that are contradictory to our own.

I would encourage everyone,

When you find yourself faced with a perspective that is different from your own,

To try to make space for it,

To allow it,

And to maybe try to see things from that point of view.

In this way,

We can not only come to a greater place of unity,

But we can start to see the beauty that is inherent in such complexity.

Thank you all for joining me today.

Reviews

So helpful and insightful. I’m in a women’s group and we’re experiencing tensions and disharmony and this helps me see we’re struggling with the desire for one right way instead of allowing our differences to unite us. Thank you 🙏🏼 for this incredible talk and meditation Thomas!! So grateful.

Your meditations make everything so much easier to understand.
Thank you!! 🙏🏼 💖

The Soul already knows Truth, it’s for us to BE and live in Truth, this is our Life Purpose...

Thank you for your teaching...
Blessings to you
Love and Light always
Sue

Timely. Meaningful. Thank you!!! Please keep these coming!!!!