2. Truth Is Absolute Religious scriptures From the bosom of the sacred Word He brought forth the world. On high, below, He abides in His own laws. Atharva Veda 4.1.3 (Hinduism)
There is no changing the words of God; that is the mighty triumph. Qur’an 10.64
Righteousness and justice are the foundations of thy throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before thee. Psalm 89.14
Truth is victorious, never untruth. Truth is the way; truth is the goal of life, Reached by sages who are free from self-will. Mundaka Upanishad 3.1.6 (Hinduism)
By Divine Law are all forms manifested; Inexpressible is the Law. By Divine Law are beings created; By Law are some exalted. By Divine Law are beings marked with nobility or ignominy; By the Law are they visited with bliss or bale. On some by His Law falls grace; Others by His Law are whirled around in cycles of births and deaths. All by the Law are governed, None is exempt. Says Nanak, Should man realize the power of the Law, He would certainly disclaim his ego. Japuji 2, M.1, p. 1 (Sikhism)
Absolute truth is indestructible. Being indestructible, it is eternal. Being eternal, it is self-existent. Being self-existent, it is infinite. Being infinite, it is vast and deep. Being vast and deep, it is transcendental and intelligent. It is because it is vast and deep that it contains all existence. It is because it is transcendental and intelligent that it embraces all existence. It is because it is infinite and eternal that it perfects all existence. Doctrine of the Mean 26 (Confucianism) What is meant by an eternally-abiding reality? The ancient road of reality has been here all the time, like gold, silver, or pearl preserved in the mine. The Dharmadhatu (Absolute Truth) abides forever, whether the Tathagata appears in the world or not. As the Tathagata eternally abides, so does the Reason of all things. Reality forever abides, reality keeps its order, like the roads in an ancient city. For instance, a man who is walking in a forest and discovering an ancient city with its orderly streets may enter into the city, and having entered into it, he may have a rest, conduct himself like a citizen, and enjoy all the pleasures accruing therefrom. What do you think? Did this man make the road along which he enters into the city, and the various things in the city? [No.] Just so, what has been realized by myself and the other Tathagatas is this Reality, this eternally-abiding reality, the self-regulating reality, the Suchness of things, the Realness of things, the truth itself. Lankavatara Sutra 61 (Buddhism) Teachings of Sun Myung Moon Since God is an eternal, unchanging and unique Being, the love, ideals, peace and happiness that He desires must be likewise. (74:161, December 7, 1974) God is absolute. Even after the Fall, God continues to relate to what He has made according to the laws and principles He established. (52:87, December 22, 1971) The life of true love is living for the sake of others… [without] hopes of receiving something in return… as Jesus said, “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends,” and “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” This is the very Principle of Creation, which God Himself set up. God is the almighty Creator, yet He will not destroy what He created at a whim and start over again, for to do so he would have to negate His own Principle. (433-179~180, January 27, 2004) The components that make up the universe were not created blindly. This vast universe exists and moves by the relative relationships between subject and object partners, whose unceasing give and take following the track of the law enables the universe to continue in perpetuity. To continue in perpetuity, we, too, must follow the track of the law. If we do not, we will not continue but will perish. For our physical life to continue, we need to eat, digest normally, and have good circulation to distribute the nutrients throughout our body. Thus, a being can continue only when there is smooth give and take. (182:117, October 16, 1988) Ontology should clarify… the motivation, purpose, and laws of creation, and show that they govern the movement of all beings. The normative laws that govern human beings should be in unity with the laws of the universe—the way of Heaven. Just as the laws by which the sun, moon and stars were created—the way of Heaven—set up a system of vertical order, so also in the family there is a vertical order extending from grandparents to parents and children, and likewise a horizontal order formed by the siblings. The laws of Heaven and the values or norms of [family life] correspond. With a theoretical structure consistent with the natural sciences, and with a self-evident nature acceptable to the human conscience, ontology must attest to the historical validity of the proposition, “Those who betray Heaven will perish, and those who are faithful to Heaven will live.” On the basis of this ontology we can establish absolute values in the true sense. Establishing them—absolute truth, absolute goodness and absolute beauty—then understanding them and practicing them, we will bring about humanity’s spiritual revolution. Then the chaos in today’s world will gradually disappear. (122:303-04, November 25, 1982) |