The Truth, the Reality, is constant; it is only one’s perception of it which may vary until one arrives at it.

Note – Below  are the opening paragraphs of Chapter 1 of The Milk Is White:

“The Truth, with reference to the purpose of human life on Earth, is like a pyramidal mountain. As we seek the truth we climb this mountain on all sides, on varying paths, with each path suiting our individual needs and this is not an easy trek because we are wearing lead soled boots and heavy clothing acquired in the past that we will gradually shed as we ascend. This trek is like one we would encounter in a tropical jungle which is full of clinging vines, protruding roots, is sometimes slippery underfoot, and has gullies and cliffs we can fall down, as well as beautiful birds, flowers and scenery. Often we have to hack our way through obstacles, toil up and down slopes and may suffer cuts, sprains, bruises and broken bones. At times we may have to stop to rest or we may feel like giving up.

 Along the way there are many springs for us to quench our thirst for knowledge and all are from the same source within the mountain. As we climb we experience the Truth from our peculiar standpoint at the time. However, since there can be only one ultimate truth, when we reach the top we all come to the same pinnacle of knowledge and state of being.”

The Buddhist monk is detached from worldly life by living in a monastery and, when outside the monastery, walking with bowed head whilst focusing on walking, or doing other simple things whilst always focusing on the now. The lay person, to achieve such detachment from what is going on around them in the microcosm and the macrocosm, has to rely upon acquiring the awareness that the microcosm and the macrocosm are merely creations of the mind - virtual reality – and that it is the mentivity, or attitude, individual and collective, that counts.

This awareness brings the further awareness that “It is the thought that counts”. In other words it is the attitude of one that counts; the attitude of each moul and, therefore, the collective human psyche which, being the cause, is also the solution.

The human creations of the state of the economy and of the state of the environment are minor details compared to the state of the mentality or attitude of humans.