Importance of the View of the Union of the Two Truths free from all extremes & middle
-- an adapted skillful means --.
We need to use it, but should never grasp it.
Three Videos: The Two Truths -- Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfggifbFL-w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fliCTFqHrTc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-RDTtkPNoI
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[SUMMARY / INTERPRETATION:]
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Buddhism is using a multitude of adapted skillful means, like words / concepts / dualities / practices, in order to ultimately reach an inconceivable non-dualistic non-conceptual VIEW of the true nature & dynamic of Reality as it is -- that is the liberating truth.
Ex. We are using dualistic concepts ... in order to transcend all concepts / conditioning / karma.
And 'transcend' does not mean to reject.
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The PATH consists of acting / perceiving / knowing / practicing / teaching conventionally / relatively / inter-subjectively [T1], without acting in absolute terms -- because everything is empty of inherent existence [T2], but still not completely non-existent / non-functional / meaningless / useless [T1].
It is acting without apprehending / differentiating / opposing anything in absolute terms, just conventionally / relatively / inter-subjectively.
It is acting while being more and more aware of, more and more in accord with, the Union of the Two Truths about all dharmas involved.
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The VIEW is presented as the Union of the Two Truths [U2T]:
Union of dependent origination / causality / relativity / functionality / appearances / karma and emptiness of inherent existence [U2T];
or Union of the Ground / Reality as it is and its manifestations [UGM].
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One important point is that those two truths are not really different / separate / two / in opposition; but are more like inseparable / interdependent / co-defined / co-relative / co-emergent / co-evolving / co-ceasing or co-transcended / in harmony <==> thus both empty of inherent existence; both merely labeled / imputed / imagined by the mind; both simple tools / counterpoints / antidotes.
Reality as it is is indescribable / inconceivable, even beyond these two truths, and beyond the concept of their 'Union';
but still we need to use concepts like the Union of the Two Truths to point to it while being on the path -- without grasping them.
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So emptiness [T2] does not contradict valid conventional truths / causality / methods / karma / goals [T1].
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So even the two truths and their 'Union' are conventional truths and empty of inherent existence; NOT the inconceivable ultimate truth.
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And the goal is NOT to reject / negate / abandon / eliminate / stop / not-do conventional truths / tools / adapted skillful means / words / concepts / opposites / dualities ... but to be able to use those tools while being more and more aware of their true nature & dynamic as it is [U2T / U3S / Uopp / U2T-2T / UGM]. This way we remain unattached to them, free from them. That is nirvana here & now.
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Topics: deconstruction, falsifiability, valid and invalid relative truths, and the British Buddhists at Oxford, …
[𝙌𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙧: In all Madhyamaka Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta teachings, we talk about ‘the True nature & dynamic of Reality’ as being an inconceivable unique all-pervasive timeless limitless unborn unconditioned unchanging unceasing pristine 𝙂𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 / Basis / Source / Buddha-nature / Genuine-emptiness / Pure-Mind / Unconditioned-Knowing / Primordial-𝘼𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 / Pristine-𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙘𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 / 𝘽𝙧𝙖𝙝𝙢𝙖𝙣 / Atman / Self / Pure Being / Suchness / 𝙐𝙣𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙏𝙬𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙨 [U2T / U2T-3S / U2T-opp / U2T-2T], etc.
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𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙨𝙥 / 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 — 𝙣𝙤 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 '𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙚-𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨'.
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Why? Because the true nature & dynamic of the Ground / Awareness / Brahman / U2T … is also like
a Union of being e̲m̲p̲t̲y̲ ̲o̲f̲ ̲i̲n̲h̲e̲r̲e̲n̲t̲ ̲e̲x̲i̲s̲t̲e̲n̲c̲e̲ [T2-Ground] <==>
because of being conventionally d̲e̲p̲e̲n̲d̲e̲n̲t̲l̲y̲ ̲c̲o̲-̲a̲r̲i̲s̲e̲n̲ ̲(̲i̲n̲t̲e̲r̲d̲e̲p̲e̲n̲d̲e̲n̲t̲)̲ ̲r̲e̲l̲a̲t̲i̲v̲e̲l̲y̲ ̲f̲u̲n̲c̲t̲i̲o̲n̲a̲l̲ ever-changing impermanent appearance / tool / adapted skillful means / antidote / counterpoint [T1-Ground],
m̲e̲r̲e̲l̲y̲ ̲l̲a̲b̲e̲l̲e̲d̲ ̲/̲ ̲i̲m̲p̲u̲t̲e̲d̲ ̲/̲ ̲i̲m̲a̲g̲i̲n̲e̲d̲ ̲b̲y̲ ̲t̲h̲e̲ ̲m̲i̲n̲d̲ in dependence of its past experience / conditioning / karma [U3S-Ground].
And vice versa; one aspect / truth implies / proves / enables / supports / is in harmony with the other aspect / truth [U2T-Ground].
The Ground / Awareness / Brahman / U2T … is also l̲i̲k̲e̲ ̲s̲p̲a̲c̲e̲,̲ ̲i̲l̲l̲u̲s̲i̲o̲n̲s̲, reflections, mirages, dreams, echos, rainbows, magical tricks: ‘There, but not there.’ [U2T-Ground]
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The Ground / Awareness / Brahman / U2T … is also
not really arisen / caused / e̲x̲i̲s̲t̲e̲n̲t̲ / changing /ceasing,
not completely non-arisen / non-caused / n̲o̲n̲-̲e̲x̲i̲s̲t̲e̲n̲t̲ / non-changing / non-ceasing,
not both together, not neither;
not purely s̲u̲b̲j̲e̲c̲t̲i̲v̲e̲ / mind, not purely o̲b̲j̲e̲c̲t̲i̲v̲e̲ / phenomena,
not purely r̲e̲l̲a̲t̲i̲o̲n̲a̲l̲ / process / action / karma, not a combination of them, not none of them;
not equal / p̲u̲r̲e̲ / perfect / divine / complete / free / enlightened,
not unequal / i̲m̲p̲u̲r̲e̲ / imperfect / ordinary / incomplete / bounded / unenlightened,
not both together, not neither;
not p̲e̲r̲m̲a̲n̲e̲n̲t̲ / continuous / eternal, not i̲m̲p̲e̲r̲m̲a̲n̲e̲n̲t̲ / discontinuous / annihilated,
not both together, not neither;
not ‘this’, not ‘non-this’, not both together, not neither – for whatever ‘this’ is [Tetralemma-Ground].
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Meaning the true nature & dynamic of the Ground / Awareness / Brahman / U2T … is
indescribable / inconceivable for our flawed conditioned dualistic conceptual mind(s);
it is beyond all opposites / dualities;
beyond all extremes & middle, beyond all dualistic conceptual proliferations,
beyond all defining limitations, beyond all conditioning / karma (individual, collective, cosmic);
beyond all description / conceptualisation, differentiation / discrimination,
causality / production / laws, form / matter-energy, space & time.
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𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙂𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 / 𝘼𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 / 𝘽𝙧𝙖𝙝𝙢𝙖𝙣 / 𝙐2𝙏
is NOT really one, all-pervasive, timeless, limitless, eternal, unborn, unconditioned, unchanging, unceasing, pristine.
Because it is even beyond all of these dualistic concepts: it is not ‘this’, not ‘non-this’ …
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𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙂𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 / 𝘼𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 / 𝘽𝙧𝙖𝙝𝙢𝙖𝙣 / 𝙐2𝙏 is inseparable / interdependent / co-defined / co-relative / co-dependent / co-emergent / co-evolving / co-ceasing / co-transcended with its 𝙈𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙛𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 / 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨.
That is the Union of the relative and absolute; the Union of the illusory and real;
𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙐𝙣𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙏𝙬𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙨 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙂𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙛𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨,
𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 [𝗨𝗚𝗠 / 𝗨𝟮𝗧-𝗚𝗠].
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So, please, do not get stuck at the level of “𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙂𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 / 𝘼𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 / 𝘽𝙧𝙖𝙝𝙢𝙖𝙣 / 𝙐2𝙏.”
It is not the real true nature & dynamic of Reality as it is;
it is merely a concept-pointer to the inconceivable.
And a better concept-pointer is
𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙐𝙣𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙂𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 / 𝘼𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 / 𝘽𝙧𝙖𝙝𝙢𝙖𝙣 / 𝙐2𝙏 … 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙛𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 [𝙐𝙂𝙈 / 𝙐2𝙏-𝙂𝙈].
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There is no 𝙂𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 / 𝘼𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 / 𝘽𝙧𝙖𝙝𝙢𝙖𝙣 / 𝙐2𝙏 without any 𝙈𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙛𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 / 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨; and vice versa. One cannot exist without the other, or prior to the other, or finally without the other.
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So we can use these concept-pointers – like an inconceivable unique all-pervasive timeless limitless unborn unconditioned unchanging unceasing pristine 𝙂𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 / Basis / Source / Buddha-nature / Genuine-emptiness / Pure-Mind / Unconditioned-Knowing / Primordial-𝘼𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 / Pristine-𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙘𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 / 𝘽𝙧𝙖𝙝𝙢𝙖𝙣 / Atman / Self / Pure Being / Suchness / 𝙐𝙣𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙏𝙬𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙨 [U2T / U2T-3S / U2T-opp / U2T-2T] – conventionally / relatively / inter-subjectively, but never in absolute terms; using them without apprehending / differentiating / opposing anything in absolute terms; using them without falling into one extremes or middle: Extremes like eternalism, nihilism, dualism / pluralism, monism / oneness, subjectivism / idealism, objectivism / materialism, relationism, processism, etc.
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