Seeing with the I’s of Wisdom: Impermanence & Interdependence
To gain a clearer understanding of the world of absolute truths, it's helpful to understand two fundamental concepts - impermanence and interdependence. These concepts serve as two lenses to perceive and comprehend the ultimate nature of reality.
Impermanence
Impermanence teaches us that everything is in constant flux. No phenomena, whether material or mental, stay the same. Everything arises, changes, and passes away. This concept can be a powerful antidote to our tendencies towards attachment and aversion, which are often sources of suffering (and rob us of our inner peace.)
Interdependence
Interdependence, suggests that all phenomena are interconnected and mutually dependent. Nothing exists in isolation; everything arises in dependence on causes and conditions.
Let's consider a car as an example:
Relative truth: On the surface, a car seems to be a distinct, independent entity. You can describe its color, its model, its top speed. You can drive it from one place to another. In the relative sense, it's a car—a tool for transportation.
Absolute truth: Look closer and you see that the car is not a static, unchanging entity. It's subject to decay and deterioration. With time, its parts wear out, its color fades, its performance deteriorates. Even on a microscopic level, the material constituents of the car are in constant flux. This is the lens of impermanence.
Interdependence: Furthermore, the car is not an independent entity either. It's a collection of numerous parts—engine, wheels, chassis, seats, etc. Each part is dependent on the others for the car to function. Remove one part and the 'car-ness' starts to lose its meaning. The car also depends on external conditions like fuel, roads, laws, and drivers. It’s part of a vast network of causes and conditions, from the industry that produced it, to the environment that provided its raw materials, to the socio-economic systems that make its use possible. This is the lens of interdependence.
Thus, from the perspective of absolute truth, the car is not a single, independent, unchanging entity—it's a dynamic, interconnected process.
Applying these understandings to our life can lead to greater inner peace. Recognizing impermanence can help us to let go of our attachments and accept the inevitability of change. Understanding interdependence can help us to see ourselves as part of a larger whole, fostering a sense of connection, empathy, and compassion.
This understanding dissolves the illusion of a separate self and reduces ego-clinging, one of the main sources of suffering. It's through these lenses we can start to see the world more as it is, rather than how we think or want it to be.
Key Takeaways
Understand Impermanence: Everything in life, whether material or mental, is in a state of constant flux. Understanding impermanence can serve as an antidote to our tendencies toward attachment and aversion, helping to alleviate suffering and foster inner peace.
Embrace Interdependence: All phenomena are interconnected and mutually dependent. Recognizing the interdependence of all things can help us see ourselves as part of a larger whole, fostering a sense of connection, empathy, and compassion.
Applying Impermanence and Interdependence in Life: Using the example of a car, the lesson teaches us how to apply these principles in our daily lives. The car, though appearing as a singular, independent entity in relative truth, is in fact a dynamic process that is continuously changing and is dependent on many other factors, seen through the lens of absolute truth.
Letting Go of Attachments: Recognizing impermanence helps us let go of attachments, as we come to understand the inevitability of change. This acceptance can lead to greater inner peace as we no longer resist the natural flow of life.
Dissolving the Ego: Understanding interdependence helps to dissolve the illusion of a separate self and reduces ego-clinging, one of the main sources of suffering. It helps us see that we are not isolated entities but part of an interconnected web of life.
Seeing the World as It Is: Through the lenses of impermanence and interdependence, we can start to see the world more as it is, rather than how we think or want it to be. This shift in perception aligns us more closely with absolute truth and helps us navigate life more peacefully and wisely.