In the famous Chinese yin-yang symbol, a dark circle appears in the light area, and a light circle appears in the dark area. The opposites support and penetrate each other – they cannot exist without each other.
And so, the opposites are not really ‘opposites’ at all – they do not really ‘oppose’ each other but complement and sustain each other. They are in a kind of mysterious and intimate relationship, recognising each other in each other and resting in that recognition.
You cannot be in relationship with an ‘Absolute other’, with something or someone totally separate from yourself and containing none of yourself – there can be no such thing. To see an ‘other’, to be in any kind of relationship at all with them, means to actually see yourself in them, to recognise that familiar light spot or dark spot and know it intimately as yourself. This is the origin of compassion.
The point is not to deny or try to get rid of the dance of apparent opposites (to try and oppose opposites – how funny!) but to recognise that all opposites are only beautiful metaphors pointing to that which is prior to all opposites – Life itself.