Truth and the Deception of Perception | Anekantavada
"The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the center of all true art and science." Albert Einstein
In my last post, I introduced the concept of the Ineffable and how the action of defining reduces phenomena to mere objects of appearance, separating them from their true essence as part of a whole. So, how exactly does this cause harm to humans? After all, symbols sets are highly responsible for our ability to have become such an interdependent species. So, it appears there is a kind of collective value in our ability to simplify and identify perceptions in a shareable format. This way, we are capable of working together to map out an image of what we could only see a fragment of, individually. However, the split between knowledge and perspective carries with it the danger of one getting lost in 'the world of appearances," a dangerous side-effect of attaching to perception, a primary source of suffering according to many Eastern thinkers.
When it comes to discerning appearance from truth without a tangible means of comprehending the Ineffable, the path is illuminated by wisdom. Philosophy means "love of wisdom," and offers means for evaluating what is true, right, and lasting. In general, philosophical arguments are based on the study of fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language and are categorized into various schools of thought (or in my professor's words: a bunch of people thinkin' real hard about cool stuff).
Schools of thought are expressed branches of thinking which have been growing through humanity ever since we first figured out the means of discussing them. Due to variation in the realities, problems, and situations of humans around the world, there exists many different structures of thought which grew out of confronting their specific circumstances. For example, the Eastern and Western parts of the globe, in particular, have given rise to uniquely characterized philosophical perspectives.
The greatest difference in these branches of thought is how they describe the relationship between knowledge and perspective. Eastern philosophy focuses on general knowledge, suggesting that reality is non-linear, eternal and recurring. They suggest that finding truth and meaning requires one to rid themselves of their false perceptions and concept of "me." In contrast, Western philosophy aims at specific knowledge using linear, logical, and rational means, with a more individualistic and perceptive approach, assigning responsibility to the self to fulfill the duty of service to others. In short, the West claims that responsibility is our purpose while the East believes that purpose is our responsibility.
The purpose of this blog is to explore various branches of thought and share what they may each have to offer through their unique perspectives. By looking toward the source of perception rather than perception itself, we can better understand the Ineffable foundation from which all expression blooms. When looking in the mirror, you are not the appearance of your reflection, you are the thing that's experiencing the appearance.
In Jainism, an ancient Indian religion, the doctrine of Anekāntavāda, or "many-sidedness" confronts the issues that arise due to our differences in perspective. It states that the ultimate truth is very complex and extends beyond our expressive ability: "No single viewpoint can be the only truth." Instead, the full truth must be revealed out of the coordination of many different viewpoints. This concept is illustrated through a famous Jain story:
Five blind men approach an elephant. Each of them touches one part of it and attempts to describe what the creature must look like. The guy touching the trunk says, "It must be as thick as a tree!" The guy at the tail replies, "Actually, it's probably more like a rope." The guy touching the belly claims that it's a wall, and the guy at the leg argues that it's a pillar. The guy touching the ear says, "You're all fools, clearly it's a fan." A nearby wise, old man enters and explains that they were all right, but only partially. Only with all their perspectives together could they describe the whole elephant.
The point I'm ultimately trying to make with all this talk about cognition and perspective is that whenever consciousness interacts with the external world, perception acts as a fundamental barrier that prevents phenomena from exposing their Ineffable nature. However, the boundless space of the internal presents an opportunity for consciousness to experience the Ineffable by walking the path illuminated by wisdom. So when it comes to philosophy, the goal is not to attempt to define truth but rather to outline it; to reveal how you can follow all branches back to the same tree.
