Ignoble Truths (#5)

Buddhist’s teachings speak of Four Noble Truths. In brief, they are: life is suffering; suffering is caused by desire or hunger and thirst for things that show ignorance of one’s true nature; suffering (craving) can be ended; and there is an eightfold path to end the cravings that cause suffering. [By now someone is asking, “Why is she telling us about Buddhism during Lent?] Even more briefly, the eight ways to end cravings are using: right perspective, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. If you’ve paid attention to sermons or written reflections during Lent, you’re likely to recognize the parallels between these “rights” and the call for prayer, almsgiving, self-sacrifice, moderation, fasting, and repentance. I fear that one reason Christianity in general and Lenten practice in particular get such bad names (and little attention) is that we tend to phrase our truths in negative ways. “Thou shall not” is a good example. When we focus on Christ’s great commandment though, we can see the positive side of things, the way forward in our thinking and behaving: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27). This quote also appears in Matthew, and Jesus speaks the words in response to a question about the greatest commandment in the law. In Luke, however, the truth is spoken by “an expert in the law.” The man asked, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus turned the question back to him and asked, “What is written in the Law? The man quoted Deuteronomy 6:5 or 10:12 and Leviticus 19: 18. The questioner knew what was right, but was trying to trick Jesus. Their conversation continues with a discussion of who qualifies as a neighbor and the parable of the Good Samaritan, which is another example of right perspective, right action, and right effort. So, one of our ignoble truths is that we frequently know right from wrong because we learned it at home or our houses of worship and we still question rather than acting on righteous wisdom.