The Holy Grail

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SOME years ago while in America, I chanced upon an old university friend. Yeoh is a remarkable person in that he was forever searching. He started as a history student in Malaysia in the late 60s, went on to do law at the Inns of Court in London and then economics in Sussex University. He continued his study in Psychology in San Francisco, then I lost track of him. When I finally caught up with him in Los Angeles in 1987, he was a minister in one of the progressive churches.

Knowing his penchant of looking for what he considered the ultimate true path (I believe that his perambulating through the academic fields was a reflection of his search for philosophical certainty, sort of his personal quest for the Holy Grail), I asked him had he indeed found his personal Holy Grail. He came from a Buddhist family but his religious quest saw him dabble with most of the major religions of the world.

“Now that you have become a Christian Minister, does that mean that you have found the ultimate true path?” “No and yes,” said he cryptically. “What do you mean?” said I, nonplussed. “I don’t believe I can ever find the ONE true path because there is no single one path.” “Huh?”

“Let me illustrate with an analogy. When a single white light hits a prism it will be broken up into its constituent spectral colours, the full range of the rainbow. If we look at it from the other direction, it means all the colours of the rainbow coalesce through the prism to form the one white light. Perhaps this white light is the one true path to God, Yahweh, ‘Allah’, Brahman or whatever name people of different culture called the omnipotent, omnipresent, omnibenevolent Supreme Being. The different colours are just the cultural expression of that path.

“I have spent my whole life searching for what I believe to be the truth. I had the opportunity and some would say, the luxury, to search. The fact is that for most people, the belief they adopt is determined by the accident of their birth – into which race and culture they are born into – and their personal history. In other words, which colour of the rainbow they are born into. I’ve come to realise that it does not matter which band of the rainbow I am in because every colour ultimately leads to the one white light.”

This reminded me of a story told by a Buddhist monk, Ajahn Brahm. It is about an old man from a small village who came to a big city to join his son. Being from a rustic and rather sheltered place, he was forever amazed by all the new things he encountered in the city.

One day he heard a terrible screeching noise coming from the neighbour’s house. He went to have a look and found a young boy attempting to play a music instrument.  “What is that?” asked the old man. “Oh, that’s my son learning to play the violin,” replied the neighbour. So the old man came to the conclusion that the violin was a horrible sounding instrument.

A few days later, he heard a most beautiful sound emanating from a nearby house. He was drawn by the sweet music and following his ears he found a lady playing the self-same instrument – the violin. He was amazed how a same instrument was capable of producing such a beautiful sound. Then he was told that the young lady had been practising diligently and had became proficient in the true art of the instrument. The young lady had understood and internalised the value and virtue of the violin.

Some days later as he was travelling in the city and chanced on a big building, and from thence he heard the most sublime sound he could ever imagine. It was even more beautiful that the music of the single violin. He entered the building and found a host of people playing many different musical instruments and producing such incredibly divine music. It was a full orchestra! Each one of the musicians had trained, practised and absorbed the full lesson of their respective instruments.

What a wonderful phenomenon it was as each of the instruments, played to their truest form, combined and complemented each other to produce a fantastic auditory experience. The strings, the woodwinds, the brass, the percussion and the keyboards instruments are all important elements of a full orchestra. Played to their truest form these different instruments together can produce a sublimely beautiful symphony.

The world is diverse: diverse in race and culture. It may be diverse but it needs not be divisive. Perhaps it is this diversity that gives glory to His name (whatever name one may choose to call Him).

Let me end with the words of my friend Yeoh.

“The important thing is for me to practise to the fullest the  doctrine and best teachings of my faith and not be concerned about the correctness of other people’s beliefs. It is this realisation that enlightened me to the truth. In that sense I have found my Holy Grail.”