Even the theoretical ‘truth’
that there are no truths
is a ‘truth’ if it is true,
that invalidates itself.– Nowanden (Part 1)
Will one who ‘renounced’ the Triple Gem to embrace another faith still be ‘haunted’ by personally incurred karmic debts from the past? As the Buddha sees it, karma is a natural law that does not apply to any particular religion’s adherents only. It is always impartially operating upon all, whether one believes in it or not. For example, the law of gravity is also always working, even for those who do not understand or think about it at all. Buddhism happens to explain the karmic laws of nature most fully via the Buddha’s complete enlightenment. The Triple Gem stands for eternal truths too, that do not simply become non-existent or irrelevant when forsaken.
With the same example, one cannot just effectively ‘renounce’ gravity’s workings. If what occurs to one is arbitrary, dependent only upon what one believes, this implies the ‘truths’ in the new faith embraced should be equally fickle too, since they can also simply be abandoned to be ‘nullified’ later. Everyone should be able to (re)shape their personal belief systems as they go along, that create separate and conflicting ‘realities’, free from any universal truths. However, upon careful observation of the long arc of individual and collective history, across lifetimes too, the intricate workings of karma can be discerned. Even if not called ‘karma’, various faiths do teach, though differently, some form of moral cause and effect.
It is with deeper learning, contemplation and observation that each should decide which system espouses principles that are the most sound, that can stand the test of time and scrutiny. No ‘tricky’ questions on the sensibility or sensitivity of the so-called truths taught should be avoided if one wishes to have true instead of blind faith. For more fruitful learning, such active enquiry is crucial, as effective learning is not merely about accepting the preached as fact, but also with asking about that preached to check for its ‘FACTfulness’. In FACT, the Buddha highly encouraged this. If lasting TRUTHS are not subscribed to properly, one will TRUTHfully be affected –for (after)life.
Since there are truths,
that stand for reality,
truly wise ones
will truly realise them.– Nowanden (Part 2)
