Newsletter no. 7 | Friday 31st May | If the Truth is not right in front of you, where do you think you can find it.
Dear all,
Sceptics might say “How can you be so sure that the Innocent Perception is God/the Ultimate Truth? You are delusional!” Of course, there is no way to reassure people by using words alone, which I stopped trying to do long ago. It’s very much the same as explaining what green grass looks like to a blind person. All I’ve been doing is giving people the tool to experience their spiritual destination themselves to gain a proper understanding. This is the only way to do it.
The wisdom of the past said that if the Truth is not right in front of us, where do you think you can find it? Buddha and his enlightened followers also echo the same narrative that Nirvana is right under our noses. We can’t see it because it is hindered by a single strand of hair. Simply move the hair, and you’ll have sight of the magnificent mountain, meaning Nirvana, is revealed.
In this context, we get nowhere using big words like God, Nirvana, Tao, or even Truth. These words would send us into the land of the Matrix, where imagination runs wild. Everyone has their own version of God and Nirvana in their heads. This is where Innocent Perception is extremely useful for explaining the unexplainable.
During the meditation practice, I explain to students that innocent perception happens to every sight, sound, smell, taste, and texture, all of which make up our daily lives. Innocent Perception is the result of individuals’ ability to perceive all sensual objects as they truly are without uttering a word. Your mind must be void and silent without a trace of thought. Once you achieve that, it means Innocent Perception is always right in front of you. Then, replace Innocent Perception with the labels such as God, Nirvana or Truth, you will have the clarity. You will always have the same result right before you – perceive things as they are. The only trouble is that innocent perception cannot happen naturally without proper instructions from a ‘local guide’. Even though God stares into people’s faces, they don’t know.
However, this explanation certainly fits in with the wise saying: If the Truth is not right in front of you, where do you think you can find it? By using the term Innocent Perception plus guided wisdom and practice, you can engage in a very scientific process of testing and proving for yourself until you can master the skill of seeing things as they are. From then on, you will always see God and Nirvana right in front of you.
Best wishes,
Supawan
