A parable:
Suppose—
Reality is like a huge gem, so large that no one can perceive more than a few small facets. [Some of those who perceive have left accounts of what they perceived; some of these accounts are called revelation (either by those who produced them, or those who came after). Some of these revelations claim to be a revealing by the very light itself; in some sense, they might be right.] The light that illuminates all the facets is generated by the gem itself. Some of the facets render the light into what for us is the visible spectrum; others into “colors” that we cannot see.
Some people perceive only the facets in which the light is rendered blue. Others perceive only the facets in which the light is rendered red. [For the illustration here, we can ignore detailed speculation about whatever the perceptual limitations may be that allows each to perceive just that color.] Since the “truth” cannot be both red and green at the same time, one exclusivist religion develops based on the truth-claim that ultimate reality (e.g., “god” ) is blue; another develops based on the truth-claim that ultimate reality is red.
Representatives of the two religions argue endlessly over “the truth”, with lots of accusations about why the others are so “blind” (i.e., the above-mentioned perceptual limitations). Very complex theologies develop for each colored view. Salvation (however each group may define that) depends upon the ability to perceive—or at least “believe”— the only one true color. Some claim that one must believe before one can perceive; but, in any event, only belief in the “one true color” counts.
Some also argue that the light must originate from outside the gem; others argue, from the inside. [A bit of a cheat, perhaps, for me to stipulate that in the first paragraph…]
Along comes the crazy Zennist (or Advaita Vedantist, or Taoist) who says: “Well, you know, originally the light is clear. Or, the light encompasses the entire spectrum, and is not itself just one or a few of the colors. So, in a sense you are all correct; in a sense you are all wrong. But what you are ultimately worshipping might be the limits of your own perceptions, the limits of your own ability to perceive and to understand. I, too, am limited. There are colors that I cannot see. Perhaps that is because we, too, are made of the same light that perceives other manifestations of that light; perhaps our perception is itself colored, a refraction caused by the nature of our consciousness in addition to the refractions around us. Perhaps our mind too is like a prism. I also notice that others seem to see colors that I cannot.
“But, if reality is in any way like my own mind, then I realize that reality manifests in many colors, and that the ground of those manifestations embraces all of them. (There also may be cases of delusion, where what we think we perceive we actually do not; but that’s another story.) That is what I mean by saying that, ultimately, the one light is clear.”
Some laugh at such nonsense. Others simply chase her away. Others try to burn her at the stake.
End of the parable, which is, after all, only a parable.
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Clear light refracted through a prism,
into an array of dancing hues:
then the arguments begin
on what are the only true colors…
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“Some say Allah, some say Ram.
Then they kill each other…”
—Kabir
Long Time Coming
28 Jun '10 15:56
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