Chapter 17 - The Two Truths

Question 1

enumerate:

Two Truths

Answer 1

1. relative (worldly) truth
2. absolute truth

Question 2

explain:

Relative Truth

or worldly truth

6

Answer 2

• through which we enter door of practice
• recognising happiness and suffering, we get closer to increased happiness
• door of knowledge: Dharma talk, book etc
• looking deeply into relative truth, we penetrate the absolute truth
• important not to let relative truth imprison us, preventing us from touching absolute truth
• inter-embraces absolute truth

Question 3

explain:

Absolute Truth

5

Answer 3

• when concepts and ideas yield to actual experience
• action becomes non-action, practice becomes non-practice
• liberation can come from ability to go from world of signs to world of true nature
• we need the relative world of the wave, but we also need to touch the absolute truth of the water, the ground of our being, to have relative peace and joy
• inter-embraces relative truth

Question 4

enumerate:

Five Remembrances

Answer 4

1. I am of the nature to grow old; there is no way to escape growing old
2. have ill health; having ill health
3. to die; death
4. All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of the nature to change; there is no way to escape being separated from them
5. My actions are my only true belongings; I cannot escape the consequences of my actions; my actions are the ground on which I stand

Question 5

How can we use the Five Remembrances?

2

Answer 5

• make friends with our fears, of old age, sickness, abandonment and dying
• bell of mindfulness to appreciate present wonders of life

the Buddha here uses tool of Relative Truth

Question 6

enumerate:

2 Kinds of Joy

Answer 6

1. relative joy
2. absolute joy

Question 7

In the story of the two hens, they do not know they are about to be slaughtered commenting on the tastiness of the rice over the corn. What two ideas does this illustrate?

2

Answer 7

• Relative joy: The rice is much tastier than the corn”
• Absolute joy: not being slaughtered at that moment

Question 8

enumerate:

4 Notions to Remove for Freedom and Happiness

Answer 8

1. self
2. person
3. living being
4. life span

Question 9

explain:

self

1st notion to remove

2

Answer 9

• made only of non-self elements
• to protect humans we must protect non-human elements

Question 10

explain:

person

2nd notion to remove

Answer 10

• no absolute truth of young/old

Question 11

explain:

living being

3rd notion to remove

3

Answer 11

• beings are made of non-living-being elements
• so called inanimate things alive also
• notions of living and inanimate need removing to touch reality

Question 12

explain:

life span

4th notion to remove

3

Answer 12

• we have never been born and we will never die
• wave is born and dies yet to water this doesn’t apply
• our fear can suddenly vanish with this insight

wrong view: we exist from day of birth to day of death

Question 13

What is the insight that helps us reconcile the Two Truths?

Answer 13

• Interbeing

Question 14

Why are the Four Noble Truths not the Buddha’s deepest teaching?

Answer 14

• Because the Buddha presented them as relative truth to help us enter through the door of practice

Question 15

Do we need to die in order to enter Nirvana?

Answer 15

• No
• We can just dwell deeply in the present moment, right now

Question 16

Why might the Buddha smile instead of answer a question with words?

2

Answer 16

• Because when we have a concept, we then cling to the question
• A real thing is quite different to a concept of it

Question 17

describe:

Diamond Sutra

6

Answer 17

• teaching of Buddha and of Deep Ecology, most ancient text about respecting all forms of life on Earth
• to protect humans we have to protect non-human elements
• to see ourselves in things we thought were outside ourselves in order to dissolve false boundaries
• to protect ourselves we have to protect everything that is not ourselves
• humans can survive only with the survival of other species
• four signs of DS: self / person / living being / life span

Question 18

dialectics of the Diamond Sutra

Answer 18

• A is not A, that is why it is truly A
  ex: A = human; A = flower

Question 19

Avatamsaka Sutra

2

Answer 19

• all dharmas (phenomena) enter one dharma
• and one dharma enters all dharmas

Question 20

Why can’t we say suffering is objective?

2

Answer 20

• depends largely on perceptions
  ex: cold air, source of joy if dressed warmly

Question 21

physiological formations

Answer 21

• parts of the body
  ex: liver, finger

Question 22

What is the “contradiction” between the Buddha’s Five Noble Truths and Avalokiteshvara’s Heart Sutra?

3

Answer 22

• 4NT: truth, cause, cessation, path away from suffering (relative truth)
• Heart Sutra: no suffering, no cause, no cessation, no path (absolute truth)
• Avalokiteshvara meant that suffering is made entirely of non-suffering elements

Question 23

How are suffering and Nirvana the same substances?

Answer 23

• if you throw dust away, there is no nirvana

Question 24

Why might we constantly live in fear and suffering?

Answer 24

• because of the notions we carry, not touching the ultimate dimension

Question 25

What’s meditation for?

Answer 25

* to help us remove concepts

Question 26

Should we practise the 4NT in the dimension of relative truth or absolute truth? ## Footnote 3

Answer 26

* both * relative truth keeps us in historical dimension of reality, but we get some relief practising 4NT * deeper level of practice is to live every day touching both truths ## Footnote * Relative: Buddha passed away * Absolute: we can take his hand in walking meditation every day

Question 27

Whycan't we live in London/Paris etc or with a person and know them perfectly? ## Footnote 3

Answer 27

* we hold concepts * *same is true of knowing yourself* * look deeply to touch their true nature and to overcome concepts of reality and reality itself

Question 28

What can happen when we ride skilfully on the waves of birth and death?

Answer 28

* we become free of birth and death

Question 29

Near the time of his death, the Buddha spoke a gatha beginning with the line “All conditioned things are impermanent.” Was he speaking in terms of relative truth or absolute truth? ## Footnote 3

Answer 29

* Both * (relative) All conditioned things are impermanent They are phenomena, subject to birth and death * (absolute) When birth and death no longer are The complete silencing is joy | silencing = Nirvana

Question 30

Why is suffering a Noble Truth? ## Footnote 2

Answer 30

* because the way out depends on how we look at it * truth of the path is one with truth of suffering ## Footnote "Every second I am on the path that leads out of suffering, suffering is there to guide me"

Question 31

# explain: Relative Joy

Answer 31

* needs to be experienced so we know what to do when faced with absolute joy

Question 32

# explain: Absolute Joy ## Footnote 3

Answer 32

* acknowledging existence of suffering and understand the causes ex: headache * no need to get caught in theories ex: suffering is an illusion * we have to transcend suffering and joy by just paying attention to what is actually going on and touch true nature of suffering, joy etc