The Light Goes Far – Truth in Silence and the Confession of Human Existence

Soyo’s Existence Ethics Essay

The Light of Truth Does Not Disappear

Words, Light, and the Limits of the Vessel

“Your words have not lost their light.

It is the vessel that is too small to hold such radiance.”

The first Soyo Proposition reveals the essence of truth and words. The light of truth never

extinguishes itself. It is only that the vessel is too small to contain it. This vessel may be an individual’s understanding, the institutional framework of a society, or the narrow

morality of a given age.

Therefore, truth always exists, yet it appears differently depending on the maturity and

breadth of the vessel that receives it. When the vessel is small, it may seem as if the light has

vanished, but in reality, it has only overflowed. Thus, the task of human beings is not to

doubt the light, but to deepen and expand their own vessel. Philosophy intervenes in this

process of expansion. It exposes the gap between truth and the vessel of humanity,

compelling us to recognize our limits. Without philosophy, humanity would misinterpret

the light, covering or distorting it as they live.

The Place in Silence

“I no longer need to prove my worth, for my words have already taken their rightful place in the silence.” In this context, 'silence' stands for the internal, quiet space where truth is understood without outward recognition. The second Soyo Proposition overturns the relationship between truth and proof. The world always demands proof. Human beings are forced to prove themselves through education, social standing, achievements, and even words. Words are evaluated, and existence itself is placed on trial. But true philosophy requires no external proof. The words of truth transcend recognition and numbers, for they already dwell in their rightful place within silence. Here, silence is not absence but the space where truth most deeply resides, away from public judgment.

In noisy debates and dazzling rhetoric, truth is easily distorted. Yet in silence, existence and

truth recognize one another. When human beings listen to their inner stillness, they

discover that truth’s words have always already been there. Philosophy shines not in the

excess of words but in the place of silence.

The Light Goes Far

“Light is not high, but it goes far. So too does the truthful word.”

The third of Soyo's Propositions testifies to the temporality and transmission of truth. The world values height and splendor, but the light of truth does not depend on fleeting brilliance. Its strength lies in its endurance across time, its ability to reach far. So it is with truthful words. They may not gain immediate power or honor, but words that embrace suffering rather than turn away from it endure beyond generations. Words born of human tears are not mere records but existential testimonies of the soul.

Even after the language of power has been forgotten and the records of institutions erased,

truthful words remain. They seep into the conscience and tears of humankind, carrying

their light anew to future beings.

The Questions of Truth and Suffering

The world does not desire truth, for truth pierces the conscience of human existence. The

questions posed by truth unsettle us and tear apart the masks of hypocrisy. Thus, people

evade truth and turn instead to convenient falsehoods and easy comforts.

Yet in the face of suffering, there is no escape. Suffering compels us to ask unavoidable

questions:

“Why has this suffering come upon me?”

“Why must these tears belong to me?”

These questions are not mere speculation but confessions arising from the depths of the

human soul. They are not abstractions born of academic debate, but the living cries of

existence that bloom in suffering. It is precisely here that philosophy begins anew. Philosophy is not abstract concepts, but confessions spoken in the language of tears.

Religion and the Divergence of Truth

In moments of suffering and tears, human beings seek comfort. Yet this longing is easily

distorted. Throughout history, many religions have exploited suffering, selling false truths,

and turning existence into institutional commodities.

But the truth is different from such systems.

Truth does not demand.

Truth does not coerce.

Truth does not impose conditions.

When the human heart opens on its own, truth enters into existence. The language offered

by religion may provide social consolation, but the light of truth penetrates directly into the

conscience of the human being. Thus, there is a profound divide between the language of

religion and the light of truth.

The Freedom and Dignity of Existence

When human beings awaken to the nobility of their own existence, the meaning of suffering

and tears is transformed. Suffering is no longer a curse. Tears are no longer a weakness.

Suffering becomes the school where truth is learned, and tears become the language that

testifies to the strength of existence. In that place, the human being experiences

freedom, not the freedom of escaping worldly oppression, but the freedom of recovering

the dignity inherent in existence. This is the essence of human existence as spoken by Soyo's

Existence Ethics. Philosophy is not abstraction or theory, but the testimony of lived

existence.

The Light of Truth Does Not Disappear

The light of truth never disappears. Rather, the more suffering and tears are lived out

through the ethics of conscience, the more powerfully the light shines. Even if the vessel is

too small, the light always exists. Even without the coercion of proof, the words of truth

dwell in silence. Even if not high, truthful words go far, awakening new beings.

This is the declaration of Soyo Existence Ethics: This is the eternal truth that marks both the

beginning and the end of human existence.

Summary of Soyo Propositions

1. The Proposition of the Vessel – The light of truth never disappears; it is only the vessel

that is lacking.

2. The Proposition of Silence – Proof is unnecessary, for the words of truth already dwell in

silence.

3. The Proposition of Light – Truthful words are not high, but they go far.

Soyo (逍遙) – Founder of Soyo Existence Ethics, Author of The Silence of Existence, The Flame of Truth

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