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What do people mean when they say they're searching for 'ultimate truth' ..In regards to what???
I'm not quite sure about your three divisions of the 'principle in effect', but time will tell.
Hi Florian, please allow me to expound further on the above subject. Samsāra literally means ‘continuous flow’- referring to a repeating cycle of birth, life, death and re-birth. When samsāra arises, dukkha would arise concurrently. And the meaning of dukkha or suffering would be to ‘bear with’ or ‘contemptible emptiness’ in the Buddhist context. The cure to suffering is to ‘let go’ which is the antonym to ‘bear with’. Therefore, when one has stopped submitting oneself to the conditional circumstances, one would be freed, be liberated and be neutralised – that means achieving enlightenment – a state of nibbana.
To understand further on the existence of the two truths, let us analyse into a place called the nature. Nature is originally referred to essential qualities or innate disposition; related to the intrinsic characteristics that plants, animals, and other features of the world develop of their own accord. These essential qualities of the nature can be divided into two categories i.e. inherence and dependence. Both of these qualities as observed by the mind would exist concurrently in a harmonious orientation. Therefore, it is imperative for one to understand that the nature is sufficiently universal and infinite in its original disposition and is governed by the universal laws. In other words, there are two aspects of the nature - the dependence and the inherence. These two aspects would exist concurrently and can be illustrated in a mathematical equation as below: -
Facet 1 = dependent arising. = the existence of mind - that conjures up perceptions, conceptions, labels, names, descriptions, shapes, values, languages, etc. = the existence of rising and falling phenomena. = the existence of beginning and ending processes. = all subjects and objects are created i.e. inherent existence is devoid. = the emptiness could be realised in various stages.
Facet 2 = inherent existence. = the absence of mind to conjure up perceptions, conceptions, labels, names, descriptions, shapes, values, languages, etc. = the absence of beginning and ending processes. = the absence of conditional phenomena. = nothing has ever been created or changed. = the Buddha nature.
Zero (0) = intermediation = absence = emptiness but not nothingness. = a mathematical value intermediate between positive and negative values. = the absence of any or all units under consideration.
...(-2+2) + ... + (-133+133) ... = values of fluxes that are dependent arising.
... + (-2+2) + (-54+54) + ... = this arises, that arises.
... + (0) + ... = this ceases, that ceases = the stage of enlightenment. = all dependent arising are completely blown-off or extinguished. = a stage of perfect intermediation = a stage of absence = a complete realisation of emptiness.
(....) = the Law of Karma = the universal law of balancing.
-2+2 or -133+133 = the Law of Attraction.
From the above mathematical equation, one could summarise the conclusion as below: -
1. Nature is a system of constant with a factor of intermediation or absence. It means that nature would orientate towards a state of balance, intermediation or absence at all times.
2. When things run off-balance or when one stirs up in the nature - be it in volitional or non-volitional sense, the law of nature would take its course to balance it in one way or another across time and plane of existence.
3. Anything that inherently exists would not involve change and created objects cannot inherently exist since that would involve change.
4. The dependent nature is similar to the inherent nature.
So how could one identify the ultimate truth in the nature? Rightfully, one could mention that the nature is ultimately universal and encompassed with both the inherent and the dependent qualities. Our enlightened mind is capable of perceiving this reality of nature and Buddhism is all about transformation from an ignorant state of mind into a realised state of mind.
When one stays on with seeing the conventional truth only, one would remain in samsāra. This is because the conventional truth involves with the mind to conjure up the circumstances of duality and multiplicity. The mind which is also known as the consciousness in individuality is the main culprit for the continuous arising of ignorance, suffering, birth, life, death and re-birth in the dependent nature – the characteristics of samsāra.
On the other hand, when one stays on with seeing both the conventional truth and the ultimate truth, one has the choice of remaining either in samsāra or nibbana. This is what the term ‘bodhisattva’ is all about. A bodhisattva being is an enlightened being who has preferred to forgo temporarily the advancement into the state of nibbana out of his/her vast compassion for the rest of the ignorant beings within the cosmos.
Finally, when one stays on with seeing the ultimate truth only, one would remain in nibbana. An arahant is a being who has advanced into the fourth stage of enlightenment that is also known as the stage of cessation with remainder. The ultimate liberation or cessation without remainder can only be achieved without sustaining a living body i.e. the passing into parinibbana (a state of complete neutralisation state of affairs).
I hope the above article clears and please feel free to share your opinions here.
In the original story the person asking the questionner is a novice, and the answerer is a master. This may make a difference to the cartoon. A joke like this has a profound meaning, but you can't push the metaphor too far.
Quite so. It was Nagarjuna who explained the philosophical ramifications of the Buddhas teachings. But to dismiss Taoism and advaita is to dismiss nondualism, and thus to dismiss Buddhism.
No, it's not. You can accept the teachings of Buddhism without ever having heard of Vedanta or Taoism. People do it all the time.
Comments
To understand further on the existence of the two truths, let us analyse into a place called the nature. Nature is originally referred to essential qualities or innate disposition; related to the intrinsic characteristics that plants, animals, and other features of the world develop of their own accord. These essential qualities of the nature can be divided into two categories i.e. inherence and dependence. Both of these qualities as observed by the mind would exist concurrently in a harmonious orientation. Therefore, it is imperative for one to understand that the nature is sufficiently universal and infinite in its original disposition and is governed by the universal laws. In other words, there are two aspects of the nature - the dependence and the inherence. These two aspects would exist concurrently and can be illustrated in a mathematical equation as below: -
Two Facets of the Nature
Facet 1 --> ...(-2+2) + (-16+16) + (-832+832) + (-133+133) + (0) + (-54+54) + ...., etc. = 0 <-- Facet 2</b>
References: -
Facet 1
= dependent arising.
= the existence of mind - that conjures up perceptions, conceptions, labels, names, descriptions, shapes, values, languages, etc.
= the existence of rising and falling phenomena.
= the existence of beginning and ending processes.
= all subjects and objects are created i.e. inherent existence is devoid.
= the emptiness could be realised in various stages.
Facet 2
= inherent existence.
= the absence of mind to conjure up perceptions, conceptions, labels, names, descriptions, shapes, values, languages, etc.
= the absence of beginning and ending processes.
= the absence of conditional phenomena.
= nothing has ever been created or changed.
= the Buddha nature.
Zero (0) = intermediation = absence = emptiness but not nothingness.
= a mathematical value intermediate between positive and negative values.
= the absence of any or all units under consideration.
...(-2+2) + ... + (-133+133) ... = values of fluxes that are dependent arising.
... + (-2+2) + (-54+54) + ... = this arises, that arises.
... + (0) + ... = this ceases, that ceases = the stage of enlightenment.
= all dependent arising are completely blown-off or extinguished.
= a stage of perfect intermediation = a stage of absence = a complete realisation of emptiness.
(....) = the Law of Karma = the universal law of balancing.
-2+2 or -133+133 = the Law of Attraction.
From the above mathematical equation, one could summarise the conclusion as below: -
1. Nature is a system of constant with a factor of intermediation or absence. It means that nature would orientate towards a state of balance, intermediation or absence at all times.
2. When things run off-balance or when one stirs up in the nature - be it in volitional or non-volitional sense, the law of nature would take its course to balance it in one way or another across time and plane of existence.
3. Anything that inherently exists would not involve change and created objects cannot inherently exist since that would involve change.
4. The dependent nature is similar to the inherent nature.
So how could one identify the ultimate truth in the nature? Rightfully, one could mention that the nature is ultimately universal and encompassed with both the inherent and the dependent qualities. Our enlightened mind is capable of perceiving this reality of nature and Buddhism is all about transformation from an ignorant state of mind into a realised state of mind.
When one stays on with seeing the conventional truth only, one would remain in samsāra. This is because the conventional truth involves with the mind to conjure up the circumstances of duality and multiplicity. The mind which is also known as the consciousness in individuality is the main culprit for the continuous arising of ignorance, suffering, birth, life, death and re-birth in the dependent nature – the characteristics of samsāra.
On the other hand, when one stays on with seeing both the conventional truth and the ultimate truth, one has the choice of remaining either in samsāra or nibbana. This is what the term ‘bodhisattva’ is all about. A bodhisattva being is an enlightened being who has preferred to forgo temporarily the advancement into the state of nibbana out of his/her vast compassion for the rest of the ignorant beings within the cosmos.
Finally, when one stays on with seeing the ultimate truth only, one would remain in nibbana. An arahant is a being who has advanced into the fourth stage of enlightenment that is also known as the stage of cessation with remainder. The ultimate liberation or cessation without remainder can only be achieved without sustaining a living body i.e. the passing into parinibbana (a state of complete neutralisation state of affairs).
I hope the above article clears and please feel free to share your opinions here.