"When the student is ready, the Master appears."
Truth is something you can only recognize in hindsight. You can never be conscious of what you are presently learning, only the things from the past that you have already learned.
Looking back, I can see that I wasn't ready, but I started anyway. And I do not regret the decision, it was the best option at the time. But when I look back at what I have learned, all I have is a collection of facts, not Truth.
Perhaps sometime between then and now the Master has appeared, and is teaching me right now without my awareness. Or perhaps I am still unready.
I guess that all I can say is that I want to know. Even if it is painful, even if it is frightening, even if I can't understand right now; I still want to know.
Only time will tell if I'm on the correct path. The only way to know for sure is to arrive at the destination. It's just frustrating to not be able to see where I am or where I'm going.
I suppose my next lesson should be about Trust. But that's not my decision to make. All I can do is try my best, and let the rest take care of itself.
11 comments:
You learn from your mistakes, right? In my opinion, walking in the darkness is out of faith, and also smart and necessary.
One thing that I've learned in the past year is that I make my own way in this world, for good or for bad. But if I'm not happy with where I've walked, I can always walk some more. I don't think I will ever know if I am or was on the correct path. I might one day feel like I am, but it's impossible to know the unknown.
Time will not tell if you are on the right path. You will tell (to the best of your abilities, at least). And if you don't feel like you are, have the faith and keep on walking.
And maybe I'll bump into you again. That would be nice =).
The only way to know if you're on the right path is to reach the destination. That's what I meant by time. If, sometime in the future, I get where I'm trying to go, then I'm currently on the right path.
That's not to imply that an incorrect path has no value, only that it doesn't lead where I thought it would.
And wouldn't it be better, to stretch the metaphor even more, to hire a guide with a flashlight than to rely on faith?
See, I don't think you ever reach the destination. I think you always are walking. The only destination, in my mind, is death because there is no more walking.
Therefore I think that you are constantly trying to figure out what the "right path" is and don't stop tyring to find it ever.
I would perceive a guide with a flashlight as someone who's been there before. An elder. A scholar. An expert. Those types. Perhaps books, journals, etc. School even! Anything that can help us find that right path on our walk.
I liked your post by the way. I didn't mention it in my first comment.
So if the destination is unreachable, are you saying that there is no such thing as Truth, or rather, than it is impossible to know Truth?
Your position is very Zen-like by the way.
You're too vague for me - what truth have you learned.
Hmmm...
I would say truth is possible, assuming there is life after death and we can look at our previous life in its finality.
Like you opened with "Truth is something you can only recognize in hindsight." So I guess if you are talking about life's journey and the path you've walked, there is no way to realize the truth until it's over.
Huh, that sucks.
Adam - I haven't learned Truth yet, that's the problem. Plenty of facts, but no Truth. And the vagueness is deliberate...
Mike - The "path" I'm talking about is the road to Truth, not necessarily the "road of life." I do see a difference. Why can we only see Truth when we die? If I'm ninety and on my deathbed, are the last few days really going to provide a different view?
Probably not, but can you guarantee, with absolute certainty, that in those last few days that nothing will change your view on what the truth is?
I struggle seeing the difference between the "road of life" and the "path" to truth. Is the path something we take as individuals, and the road of life something traveled by all living beings?
The "path to Truth" has a specific destination. The "road of life," in my mind at least, is simply a metaphor for the series of events that take place within a lifetime, or the general direction of that lifetime. No destination in particualr. (Unless you say that death is a destination)
The "path to Truth" is something I have undertaken on the "road of life."
And I can't guarantee anything with absolute certainty, not even my own existence. That's the problem...
Okay, so I had the gist of it. You are trying to find the path to truth while on the road of life. Check. And I guess I do feel the road of life ends with death...as does the path to truth, which is why that is the best time to see the truth.
Unfortunately, and this is my opinion, it is impossible to see truth while living, which is why we walk the path and road of life out of faith. We have faith in the actions we chose we'll lead us correctly and we will discover the Truth in the end.
Haha, I think that's as close as I am ever going to get to some resemblence of a conclusion =).
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