At the base of our views are our perceptions .... In Chinese, the upper part of the character for perception is "mark," "sign," or "appearance," and the lower part is "mind" or "spirit." Perceptions always have a "mark," and in many cases that mark is illusory. The Buddha advised us not to be fooled by what we perceive. He told Subhuti, "Where there is perception, there is deception." The Buddha also taught on many occasions that most of our perceptions are erroneous, and that most of our suffering comes from wrong perceptions. We have to ask ourselves again and again, "Am I sure?" Until we see clearly, our wrong perceptions will prevent us from having Right View.
*Thich Nhat Hanh. The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, and Liberation.
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Tradition presents us with a view. A tradition of anything - family, ethnic, racial, gender, sexual, political, religious, spiritual - offers us a way to perceive. The fact that the tradition has been around for a long time makes it more appealing to many people, but not necessarily true. Right View means living with our eyes open - i.e., intellect and heart - we need both.
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When the rabbi led in worship each evening the temple cat would get in the way and distract the worshippers. So the rabbi ordered that the cat be tied during the worship.
After the rabbi died the cat continued to be tied during evening worship. And when the cat expired, another cat was brought to the temple so that it could be duly tied during evening worship.
Centuries later learned treatises were written by the rabbi's scholarly disciples on the liturgical significance of tying up a cat while worship is performed.
*Anthony De Mello. The Song of the Bird. "The Guru's Cat." Adapted.
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We need to avoid two extremes concerning tradition. First, being anti-tradition is unwise. Some people act like tradition is all bad. Rather, tradition flows into our present. We participate in the wisdom and guidance of those of the past. They live through traditions. We stand on their shoulders. To respect tradition is to respect those men and women and our ancestors.
Second, unreasonable adherence to tradition is inadvisable. This mindlessness can appear in carrying over into the present tradition what was valid and helpful in another time but is no longer. An example is when people quote revered scriptures without respecting their historical and cultural context. A second is maintaining values regarding sexual orientation or gender orientation based on prescientific beliefs.
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There are absolutes and many non-absolutes. Also, some teachings and practices have an underlying validity, while the exact application is no longer essential. For example, Christians would do well to grasp this fact: Nowhere does the Bible teach adherence to the Bible always literally or to be applied the same in all contexts and times. Such a teaching is itself non-biblical, and we have no record of Jesus teaching this, yet many who claim to be biblical practice this.
We might not study the metaphysics or theology of tying up a cat during worship, but religion can appear inapplicable due to being shrouded in so many wrong views. A brain evolved within us for a reason. Let us use it. Let us be receptive to fresh ways to let tradition flow into the needs of now, transform itself in the process, and prepare for the needs of now and later.
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One wrong view is treating tradition as a solid, stable thing located in time, while it is not located in time and space and is not stable. In Buddhist terms, Right View is only Right View now; any view is impermanent. Impermanence allows transformation. The view is no longer the same from one moment to the next. If we are clinging to a view of the past, resisting changing how we understand something, it is not Right View. That is ignorance.
Tradition is as we choose it now. Tradition is alive and open to change, even as we and all things change. Tradition needs to breathe. If we do not let it breathe, it becomes a deathly affair for us - we cease to breathe.
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Thich Nhat Hanh gives us an important question: "Am I sure?" If we are not sure, that is okay. To say so means we are being honest. We need not feel weak, unfaithful, or ignorant because we do not know for sure while others are saying they are sure. Instead, "I don't know" can signify honesty. The more we know, in fact, the more we come to know how much we do not know and can not know. We grow accustomed to doubt, and we make peace with confusion.
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*(C) Brian K. Wilcox, 2024. Permission is given to use photographs and writings with credit given to the copyright owner.
*Brian's book is An Ache for Union: Poems on Oneness with God through Love. The book is a collection of poems Brian wrote based on wisdom traditions, predominantly Christian, Buddhist, and Sufi, with extensive notes on the poetry's teachings and imagery.
