Oneness
by Rev. Gyomay M. Kubose

The reality of nature, the reality of life is oneness. But we humans have such a strong egotistic nature. We are the ones who create dualism; we are the ones who talk about two sides: front and back, right and wrong, me and you. As soon as life is dichotomized, tension is created. But when life is harmonized, there are no quarrels, no complaints. Each takes his or her part and does the best. There is totality in oneness. A mother and child are one. A mother forgets danger and risks her life for the child. It is not sacrifice. They are two separate beings but they are one. A mother exhibits an immediate, direct action of oneness. It is a natural act - not a sense of duty, or “must,” or “ought.”
Oneness and individuality coexist. There is no question about the importance and uniqueness of each individual life. However, difference is no difference. The very difference is equality, is one. When colorless light is put through a prism it separates into different colors. This very light is all colors; all the colors are one light. Our life is like that: various manifestations, various individualities, but the core of life is one. When we become one, it is colorless no self, no ego. But our narrow, self-centeredness prevents us from seeing this oneness. When we learn to transcend this ego activity, we find that our ego as it is becomes the true self. This is enlightenment. Different lives become one life, transcending differences yet maintaining uniqueness. We harmoniously live one life. We say a hand has a front and back. But there is only one hand. Hand is hand. Dichotomizing and labeling are only concepts. We should not conceptualize and divide things into two. Reality is one. Our life is one.