Buddhism
Truth vs. Opinion
from 
JoeUser Forums
JoeUser Forums
Some more from the Buddha…
There is a difference between what I think is right and what you think is right…. Am I right? That is why people have predicaments, and that is why the world is at war…. It’s because people’s perceptions on what they believe is true hinders the beliefs on what others think is true.
To quote Ayya Khema, “…But viewpoints and opinions are set ways of looking at things, preconceived notions about the world. We can’t very well operate without them, but it is essential that we have an inner conviction that they are only viewpoints and not absolute truths. Then we can accept other people’s opinion and don’t have to take a final stand…”
Truth is defined by perception. How I see something is not how you see something, therefore,… we tend to argue about it or we don’t get along.
But, if each of us would try to comprehend each other’s “truths” to understand where the other is coming from, you can see the foundation for their truth but still believe in yours. To put that in a nutshell, if you can see someone else’s perspective, then we should all be able to get along because we both understand where the other is coming from.
Differences are what cause arguments… so we have to reach around those differences to acquire the reasoning for someone else’s perspective. We are made differently so each of us are unique and our own person… but that is going to lead to fighting and arguments because it is the basic human nature to think you are right over someone else.
Perceptions do not have to be right… They are just perceptions, and just as prone to misinterpretation as our sense contacts. The world within and the world without are not what they appear to be. Keep in mind that viewpoints are only viewpoints and that on an absolute level the whole world, including ourselves, is not what it appears to be.
I accuse myself of doing this, that is why I am writing this article. I just need to understand other people’s reasoning, even if they don’t try to understand mine.
Some more wise words from the Buddha…
Sam
There is a difference between what I think is right and what you think is right…. Am I right? That is why people have predicaments, and that is why the world is at war…. It’s because people’s perceptions on what they believe is true hinders the beliefs on what others think is true.
To quote Ayya Khema, “…But viewpoints and opinions are set ways of looking at things, preconceived notions about the world. We can’t very well operate without them, but it is essential that we have an inner conviction that they are only viewpoints and not absolute truths. Then we can accept other people’s opinion and don’t have to take a final stand…”
Truth is defined by perception. How I see something is not how you see something, therefore,… we tend to argue about it or we don’t get along.
But, if each of us would try to comprehend each other’s “truths” to understand where the other is coming from, you can see the foundation for their truth but still believe in yours. To put that in a nutshell, if you can see someone else’s perspective, then we should all be able to get along because we both understand where the other is coming from.
Differences are what cause arguments… so we have to reach around those differences to acquire the reasoning for someone else’s perspective. We are made differently so each of us are unique and our own person… but that is going to lead to fighting and arguments because it is the basic human nature to think you are right over someone else.
Perceptions do not have to be right… They are just perceptions, and just as prone to misinterpretation as our sense contacts. The world within and the world without are not what they appear to be. Keep in mind that viewpoints are only viewpoints and that on an absolute level the whole world, including ourselves, is not what it appears to be.
I accuse myself of doing this, that is why I am writing this article. I just need to understand other people’s reasoning, even if they don’t try to understand mine.
Some more wise words from the Buddha…
Sam