More Than One Truth

So here are the facts that I know. Genpo has resigned as a Zen priest and from his position as head of the White Plum Sangha. He intends to continue teaching the Big Mind process but as a lay person. At the moment he is in his home in Maui. There is a long scheduled Big Mind intensive workshop over the weekend, which I assume is going on.

Kanzeon Zen Center and Big Mind, Inc are separating from each other. Taido Sensei has been made vice abbott and is returning to Salt Lake from Seattle to be in charge of Kanzeon. He is supposed to be here on Sunday.

But beyond these bare facts, things are muddied for me now. I have very little clarity at the moment. I have been talking to and hearing from all kinds of different people who have all kinds of different things to say about the situation.

I've heard a lot of stuff that I have to call gossip, although that doesn't mean there is no truth to what is said. I think there is a lot of truth in these stories from the past. I believe people who say "I was there when and I saw / knew ........" A lot of these stories I wish I had not heard. I have more evidence than I really need to show me the extent of our problems. I do not seek this gossip out, but I can't stop people from speaking up in public meetings.

I continue to hear high amounts of anger and sadness. I hear a lot of calls for forgiveness and several for tough love. I've heard a lot of call for introspection and looking inward to see our own parts in all this. I've heard a lot of calls for clean breaks, fresh starts, sweeping changes.

I do not know, fundamentally, what I think is the right thing to do except to keep showing up, keep listening, keep pondering. But there is one thing I agree with. Last night at a big sangha meeting a friend said something wise, "There is more than one truth." And really that is very Zen. Zen teaches me that what I need to do is to change my perspective, to look at things from different vantage points.... like hearing all the different voices at the sangha meeting. The same person is both beloved and has acted wickedly. Both change and forgiveness are probably needed. People are sad and angry at the same time.

And the other thing that Zen teaches me is the idea of impermanence. All of life is always impermanent. DUH. Everything changes. The only question is exactly how and to exactly what.