In reading the works of Plato, I couldn't help but notice the certainly unintentional (as they came much earlier) allusions to suffering into truth. As the man comes out of the cave, into the blinding light, it is clearly painful as he sees the truth. He must begin by seeing things such as shadows and only eventually works up to looking directly at the sun (the truth). "And, if he compelled him to look at the lights itself, would his eyes hurt and would he flee, turning away to those things that he is able to make out and hold them to be really clearer than what is being shown?"
Later it is said that, "education is not what the professions of certain men assert it to be. THey presumably assert that they put into th esoul knowledge that isn't in it, as though they were putting sight into blind eyes."
Clearly, suffering into truth is painful. It is putting sight into blind eyes. Once one receives the truth, certainly they may be set free, but it can also be very painful and jarring. The cave is truly a metaphor for education, that once one comes into true knowledge, it begins as painful and he can only look at the shadows, then reflections, then finally the sun itself. Obviously the sun represents truth. Here we see that suffering into truth is as coming out of the cave. Once one is out, it is certainly painful, but eventually that pain subsides enough so that they may see the good, that they may see the truth.
YES! Suffering into truth is definitely in the parable of the cave! The man will even go through suffering as he tries to tell his fellow prisoners in the cave about this new found truth. Once you know truth you have to share it, so the eyes of others can be open as well. But, suffering occurs when the people you are trying to tell about this truth don't believe you, or are content staying where they are. The revelation of truth can cause great suffering; however, the truth will set you free!
ReplyDelete