Truths are constructions in which we believe

Many people go through life in possession of what they call ‘truths’. They are not truths, only constructions in which they believe. If they hear a contrasting version, they will generally hear it with the ears and not their mind. It will got ignored, forgotten, or repeated as something not to be taken seriously. They might call it a falsehood. Every now and then, for reasons that remain mysterious, we hear a conflicting construction to our own (or others) orthodox view and we are jarred. We see that the new account might also be true as is our old one. We do not know which one to believe and are plunged into a conflict. We feel despairing, and think incessantly about Truth. In these situations it is impossible to carry on with our old belief because we now know that it may not be true. At these times we use reason to assimilate the new idea, although reason is secondary to the mysterious inculcation of the new idea. Eventually, the conflict passes. The new truth may replace the old truth entirely or it may be a synthesis of the two. Sometimes people have not the reasoning power to synthesise, so simply swap an old belief for the new. The old truth will henceforward be viewed to contain falsehood. Each conflict that results in synthesis will bring them closer to Zen, but further from Zen. Sometimes people do not synthesise or swap, but choose to stick with their own belief after the conflict. Their old belief is tested and made stronger by this, and the new one revealed as falsehood. All this takes them closer to Zen, or further away.