Changing Truth

Truth is relative, a fact borne out by our individual perceptions of what we experience around us when compared against the same truths as experienced by others.

Tonight, in our Honen study group, conducted as usual in the social hall of the temple, we discussed the role of the Seven Patriarchs of the Jodo Shinshu tradition (Just for reference's sake, the seven patriarchs are Nagarjuna, Vasubandhu, Tan Luan, Tao Cho, Shan Tao, Genshin, and Honen). Led by Jerry B., as usual, it was a good discussion but a particular point really stood out for me.

We began to talk about the role of dharma transmission - an important concept for Zen Buddhists, but less so for Jodo Shinshu Buddhists - and the role of karma in the teachings of the patriarchs. Karma, of course, is the collection of causes, circumstances, and conditions that shape and give form to how we live our lives and the decisions and actions we undertake. The teachings of the patriarchs, each influenced by those who came before him, are the results of karma, as well.

In other words, were the causes and conditions not right to bring about the circumstances necessary for Nagarjuna, or Shantao, or Shinran to come to their conclusions, we might be living very different lives today. Our understanding of the Dharma, our religious lives, would be very different. That's what I mean when I say that truth is relative.

For many people, the idea that truth is not a static thing is frightening. Truth, they will tell you, is true precisely because it never changes. Truth is a fixed point from which all else radiates, and anything that deviates from that is false. However, in our deluded viewpoints of the world around us, we are unable to see truth and are, therefore, unable to state what is profoundly true and what is not.

Shinran said "When I ponder on the compassionate Vow of Amida, established through five kalpas of profound thought, it was for myself, Shinran, alone. Because I am a being burdened so heavily with karma, I feel even more deeply grateful to the Primal Vow which is made to decisively save me."

For Shinran, for the patriarchs, for you, for me, our perceived truth is a different truth and because it merely perception, it is not true at all. When Shinran said the Vow of Amida was for him alone, he meant Amida cut through the delusion with which Shinran surrounded himself to show him that which is Truth. The Dharma is the only truth; everything else we understand to be true in our lives is false. Shinran understood this, and he understood that Amida reached out to him under circumstances which were peculiar to him, to circumstances which were of his own making.

"...it was for myself, Shinran, alone."

Our attainment of shinjin is a unique experience, and while we come to the same truth, our attainment is a truly individual experience. Our particular circumstances shape and filter our experience of shinjin, meaning, once again, that truth is relative. But the truth to which that experience leads us is the same truth for all beings.