truth and method

Prospective apprentice Why are the teachings of Buddhism are regarded as ‘method’?

Lamas That is something which is generally not understood. People from other religious backgrounds tend to think in terms of religion being about truth. If one approaches Buddhism as ‘truth’ one will have a problem with Buddhism – because Buddhism isn’t ‘truth’ as truth is understood in Judæism, Christianity, or Islam. Buddhism is method – and methods differ within Buddhism – and across the spectrum of the nine yanas. The only ‘truth’ in Buddhism is emptiness. Truth cannot differ. Emptiness also cannot differ. If truth is plural, if there are different truths, then truth is ‘form’ – and if truth is ‘form’ then truth must change – because all ‘form’ changes and becomes emptiness. So ‘truths’, as compassionate method, arise and dissolve in emptiness. If one is geared into looking at everything as ‘method’, then there are never problems between different religious methods. But when one is approaching Buddhism from the point of view of ‘truth’, then there is always a problem with the fact that there are differences.