By Victor M Fontane
Thich Nhat Hanh often discussed the Buddhist concept of “two truths”: the ultimate truth and the conventional truth. This framework, rooted in Mahayana Buddhist philosophy, acknowledges two ways of understanding reality that help to navigate the complexities of life with wisdom and compassion:
1. Conventional Truth: This is the relative, everyday reality we experience, including roles, names, and distinctions—like self and others, right and wrong, or concepts of good and bad. In this view, we live in a world where distinctions help us navigate daily life and ethics, guiding us to act in a way that aligns with compassion and care for others.
2. Ultimate Truth: At this level, distinctions and labels fade, revealing interconnectedness and the emptiness of inherent self-nature. Thich Nhat Hanh often explained this truth through concepts like “interbeing,” where everything is interconnected, and no person or thing exists independently. Understanding ultimate truth can help release attachment and judgment, allowing us to see beyond dualities, even in situations where there’s conflict or division.
Thich Nhat Hanh taught that recognizing both truths helps us act with compassion while understanding that the distinctions we make are, at a deeper level, constructs. Balancing these truths can lead to more skillful responses to social issues, fostering an inner sense of peace even while addressing outer conflicts.
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