Non-Dual: Treat good and evil equally?
Duality is not merely a metaphysical concept but a fundamental attribute of the reality we inhabit. Duality, or division into two, is the essence of the physical universe. Without division, the universe would not exist because there would be no left and right, no top and down, no hot and cold, and no nothing. As the division continues, it creates beauty and ugliness, good and evil, right and wrong, and so on.
To understand reality, let's start with non-dual awareness—a practice of letting go of judgment, not binding to notions of good and bad or right and wrong, and stripping away all the labels. This approach allows us to perceive the nature of things and see things as they are without being contaminated by our subjective opinions and biases.
However, two common misconceptions about non-dual awareness hinder our understanding of reality.
First, we might think of non-dual awareness as embodying love, compassion, holiness, or happiness and devoid of any negative aspects. While these “good” qualities are indeed desirable for a fulfilling life. Yet, "non-dual" means oneness: no division or separation, which implies there is no good and no bad.
If we believe spirituality or awakening is about achieving goodness, we are still operating from a dualistic standpoint. We end up chasing one end of the dualistic spectrum and projecting our desires instead of accepting reality as it is.
Before division, there is no separation, no time, no space, no duality, not two, no good or bad, but one - a state of pure being, oneness, emptiness, and void—a pure consciousness. Pure water is pure because it contains no impurities, not because it embodies goodness or purity. Anything, whether good, bad, pureness, or holiness, are impurities that contaminate the purity.
The nature of the self is pure, also referred to as "Buddha nature" or “nature of self” (自性) by Chan (Zen). However, the tricky part is that we do not live in pure consciousness but in a dualistic reality. Products of dualistic reality, our brains and bodies have with human characteristics and dualistic preferences: love and hate, beauty and ugliness, wealth and poverty, happiness and sadness, calmness and agitation. We might be aware of these dualistic qualities, yet we cannot escape this dualistic reality since we dwell in physical bodies. So, how do we avoid being bound by a dualistic view?
This leads to the second misconception: let go of dualistic judgment entirely, let go of good and bad or right and wrong, and total non-attachment, as Buddhism suggests. This Universe is an illusion, a dream state, where everything is illusory and delusion. However, while residing in this dream, we cannot deny the reality of the experiences within it. Agony, pain, illness, and death are real. We cannot dismiss the fact that some people are loving and kind while some are plainly evil.
Therefore, non-dual awareness is not about abandoning distinctions between beauty and ugliness or good and evil—that would be ignorance. It is naive to think that good is no different from evil. Non-dual awareness is not about abandoning judgment but about letting go of attachment. We prefer peace, love, kindness, happiness, beauty, and justice because they make the world a better place, yet we let go of any self-projected ideology or beliefs of goodness.
Ideologies of "goodness" turn into self-confining beliefs, often turn against those who do not conform, and become a form of doctrine. Doctrine is not limited to religious settings but any fixated or dogmatic view that restricts our perspective. As a result, we fail to see the full spectrum but a narrow band of light.
Non-dual is not about relinquishing the distinction between black and white or fragrance and terrible odors. But letting go of the strong attachment to a particular outcome, hence, brings you peace and freedom.
It is an especially tricky business. The dualistic nature of the world is unalterable. This world would not exist without division or duality. Imagine a movie with no good and bad, no dilemmas, no conflicts—would that be an interesting movie to watch?
Good is the absence of bad, and vice versa. Without evil, there is no contrast to accentuate the good. Good and bad are inseparable, like light and darkness; they are two sides of the same coin.
Perhaps you know how to love and be empathetic, know the “right” thing to do, and maybe want to foster peace, kindness, and happiness to make life more fulfilling. Yet, at the same time, you are not busy evangelizing self-defining “love” or “good” and forcing your way through and force-feeding others with your ideologies. Then, that is non-dual.