Discover the Power of the Two Truths…

“Neither ‘God’ nor ‘Being’ nor any other word can define or explain the ineffable reality behind the word, so the only important question is whether the word is a help or a hindrance in enabling you to experience That toward which it points”

-Eckhart Tolle

This is a beautiful quote from The Power of Now… it is drawing an important distinction about  the Two Truths.

I’ve spoken briefly on the Two Truths before…  A Quick Look at the Two Truths…

So what are the two truths?

• Absolute Truth &
• relative truth

For the sake of clarity… let me start this post out with a powerful relative truth:

All language falls into the category of relative truth… so take all spoken and written truth… including this post… in proper perspective.

Ideally the Two Truths work hand in hand together.

They both assist you in your life endeavors.  Understanding and experiencing Absolute Truth brings you real Power when moving through the world of relative truths… and many relative truths, on the other hand, can help you to see/experience Absolute Truth.

What seems to happen more frequently… is one obscures the other…

Frequently misunderstanding this distinction can not only obscure Absolute Truth… it can also cause a lot of confusion and poor implementation of relative truth.

So what exactly is the distinction… and how do we use it to get where we’re going?

Experiencing Absolute Truth is incredible and indescribable.  It is the voyage back to oneness that all sincere spiritual paths aspire to.

Relative truth is everything else.  It might point at Absolute Truth, or it might just give you useful ways of being in the world.

“Always dress a little bit better than the job you are interviewing for” is a useful relative truth for people looking for a job… but it probably won’t help you experience Absolute Truth.

“The conscious mind can build bridges to the unconscious mind, and the unconscious mind can easily connect you with the higher conscious mind” is a useful relative truth (when properly explained) for experiencing Absolute Truth.

When Absolute Truth is experienced… it then has the added benefit of adding Power to all interactions in relative reality and with relative truths.

To further clarify the distinction… here are a list of comparative statements:

• At the level of Absolute Truth… we are all enlightened… we are all beautiful expressions of higher power.  This is sometimes expressed as the higher self, the True Self, Buddha Nature, entering the Kingdom of Heaven.  In Huna, this is called Aumakua.  At the level of relative truth… some of us are more enlightened than others… whether it is through deeper connection with that higher source… or more frequent contact with it.
• On the level of relative truth… there are paradoxes… this seems to contradict that.  On the level of Absolute Truth… all is one…  nothing could possibly contradict anything… because it is all the same thing.

Also, because there is no difference… distinctions cease to exist… borders melt… consciousness awakens…

• From an NLP/hypnosis perspective… the meta model, clarity, and specificity are all very useful at the level of relative truth… it is important to distinguish ‘this thing’ from that thing… to know exactly what we’re talking about, and what principles apply where.  Absolute Truth, though, might be described as the pinnacle of trance… the ultimate abstraction… that which contains everything and nothing, and is contained in everything and nothing.

If these words don’t make sense… when you can let go of the need to make sense… you will understand!

• Causality exists at the level of relative truth… karma exists at the level of relative truth.  Non locality is closer to the understanding of absolute truth… pure forgiveness exists at the level of Absolute Truth.
• There are progressive levels of understanding and realization in relative truth… as you study it, you will get better at your understanding, and you will gain deeper understanding of life in general.  Absolute Truth is one understanding… one realization… and though it trumps all others… it doesn’t devalue them… on the contrary, it offers you a chance to multiply their value many times over…

Understand the Challenges

One of the many challenges of this concept, is that many assume since relative truth is all relative… it is therefore all equal… this isn’t the case… it may be all equal in terms of relativity, but it is not all equal it terms of usefulness or effectiveness in the world of phenomenon.

If you don’t recognize this, I encourage you to play with two different relative truths:

1. “I’m a victim.  The world is the way it is, and there is not much I can do about it.”
2. “I am at cause in my life.  There may be other factors influencing it, but my attitude is the largest factor”

Play with these two beliefs, and see which one makes you happier.  They are both relative, but the results they give are not equal.

Avoid Slipping into Dogma

My good friend Tamo has very useful definition of Dogma on one of his blogs:

“Dogma, as I mean it in this context, refers to fixation on a relative truth as Absolute Truth or fixation that leads to attempting to apply a relative truth to a context in which it does not function.”

Bruce Lee really ‘got this’ on a martial level… no technique, method, or even principle was ultimate truth… the fighter who could let go of attachments could express True martial art in the moment with no concern for the constraints of ‘what can work in that situation’… or ‘what’s the best technique’.

Bruce Lee was a strong believer in ‘do what works’.  Dogma is problematic wherever it arises… but dogma in a self defense situation can get you killed!

Bruce Lee, a student of Krishnamurti, had seen beyond all the dualistic hype of different martial arts… through sincere study and constant practice… he had ‘transcended’ martial art.

You can see this when you watch Bruce Lee move… and it is also apparent when you read The Tao of Jeet Kune Do.

It is one of my long term goals to get this on the level of practice/play in my own martial path… I can intellectually understand it now… but doing it in practice is a bit more challenging…

I’ve used the metaphor of martial arts here… but again, dogma is problematic wherever it arises… and a clear understanding of the Two Truths can prevent this challenge from occurring.

How Do We Apply The Two Truths?

As I’ve said elsewhere… it is important to use what is useful, when and where it is useful.

Ultimately, you want to be able to see the illusion… and see beyond the illusion simultaneously:

It is also important to have the experience of Absolute Truth as much as possible.

If you haven’t experienced a moment of Absolute Truth in your own life yet, then remember the times you were closest.

• What were you doing?
• What was it like?
• What happens when you recall it vividly?

See if you can ‘feel’ your way back into it.  Only describe it verbally as much as it helps.

The easiest places in your life to experience Absolute Truth tend to be:

• During meditation
• During prayer
• During other spiritual practice
• Doing something at which you are highly skilled
• Doing something which you love to do

And many of these frequently cross over.

As you experience Absolute Truth… it becomes easier.  On some level, it begins to make more sense.  The moments of clarity can pop up anywhere.

The most rewarding game you can play:

Make your life an excellent environment for the experience of Absolute Truth!

The Two Truths has been a revolutionary breakthrough in my understanding of spiritual teaching and life in general.

I hope you will take this and use it to more deeply understand your mind, your actions, and your life.

keep smiling,

Ben

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Tagged as: Absolute Truth, dogma, Meditation, Relative Truth