What does Buddhism say about polarities (opposites)?

Question

I asked this question on the Philosophy StackExchange, as some belief systems have deep belief that everything is on a spectrum of polarity/opposites:

• What philosophies don't say things boil down to polarities (opposites)?

What does Buddhism say about polarities/opposites? Does everything have an opposite? If so, how?

I have several examples in my linked question, of what I think cannot be polarities:

I have thought a little about this and it appears that there are not just polarities, but at least 3 classes of property values:

1. On-off values (not opposites, but a single property like "itchy" or "spikey", which can have "more" or "less" of an intensity. There is no opposite to itchy or spikey. At least the way I look at things. If you say "non-itchy" as an opposite, what does that even mean? Basically it boils down to "no value" or "some value", of one property.
2. Opposite values. These are your typical "polarities" like hot/cold, bright/dim, heavy/light, etc.. Each is a single property with a pair of values on a spectrum, ranging from one side to the other.
3. Multidimensional values. These are things like "color", which has at least red/blue/green (rgb, 3 values ranging from 0-255 on modern computers), or hue/saturation/lightness (hsl). I think most "properties" belong to this category TBH, but I can't think of many more. In coding, these are "data models" or "types with attributes".

Answer 1

Everything doesn’t have opposite polarity. For example Buddha says these 3 things about marks of existence:

1. All conditioned phenomena are impermanent.
2. All conditioned phenomena are suffering.
3. All phenomena are not self.

These Truths hold under all circumstances. Opposite polarity or opposite assertion manifests in most of the cases. In fact impermanence is because of the realisation of opposite polarity. For example - Everything which has a beginning must have an end. Where there is growth there must be decay. Impermanence means conditioned phenomena make things arise , change and vanish. Arise and Vanish are opposites. Change is also of opposite nature. All phenomena go through extreme dualities of existence. This is inbuilt as a reason for the 3 Truths I mentioned above. Nibbana or enlightenment is itself opposite of born , created and originated.

Opposites can be made in multidimensional way. For example : hot is opposite of cold but if add more and less to it then we can have more hot as opposite of less hot. You said itchy has no opposite but that’s not true. Itchiness makes you uncomfortable so comforting is the opposite of itchy.

This duality causes suffering. This is an absolute truth although joy is opposite of suffering but we ignore that because suffering is inevitable if there is becoming of any kind.

Edit: There are borderline valid cases as well. For example - This garbage is clean. I have faith that there is no faith. Weak justifies the strong. There is no beauty without ugliness. Etc

Answer 2

Perhaps, the closest to modern philosophy that one can describe about Buddhist thinking is pragmatism.

understands knowing the world as inseparable from agency within it

However, it is pragmatism that is driven by a goal; to achieve absolute well-being or happiness and conversely to eliminate all or any suffering. With regards to this goal, everything and anything that is related to this goal or support achieving this goal is explored. In fact, reality itself is a mean or tool, to be utilized for this goal. Thus, there is nothing special about reality from this perspective. This is unlike in philosophy where there is the concept of an absolute truth (behind reality), I believe Buddhism isn’t so engrossed in any truth. Rather, any truth that doesn’t help in the goal is happily discarded or put aside.

What does Buddhism say about polarities/opposites? Does everything have an opposite? If so, how?

I am afraid not much if on-off, opposites and multidimensional values does not help in achieving the abovementioned goal. Surprisingly, it is this insight that eventually helped formed the Middle Way in Buddhism as the Buddha realized that avoiding the extremes of sensual indulgence and ascetism as well as eternalism and nihilism is key to achieving the goal.

In the pursuit of this goal, the Buddha had to work with reality and its underlying characteristics (of anicca, anatta and dukkha). He made a discovery that the same natural law of cause and effect (karma) that govern reality (and caused its underlying characteristics) can be utilized to escape its crutches. The Buddha summarized and formulated his discoveries into a systematic approach which the world today knows as the Four Noble Truths.

Perhaps, it is with this understanding of the background and rationale behind the Buddha’s search for a supreme happiness (conversely an end to all sufferings) aka Nirvana that makes it hard at times to place Buddhism, purely, as a philosophy or religion.

Answer 3

In marriage relationships, polarities are unsuitable.

Householders, if both husband and wife wish to see one another not only in this present life but also in future lives, they should have the same faith, the same virtuous behavior, the same generosity, and the same wisdom.

AN 4.55

Answer 4

The Buddha taught the end of suffering. So let's see what might apply to your question. :

On-off values (not opposites, but a single property like "itchy" or "spikey", which can have "more" or "less" of an intensity.

While meditating, a fly lands on your nose. It itches. If you move, you will be scolded fiercely. That is suffering. What do you do? The Buddha says:

DN34:1.4.27: Renunciation is the escape from sensual pleasures. The formless is the escape from form. Cessation is the escape from whatever is created, conditioned, and dependently originated.

Opposite values. These are your typical "polarities" like hot/cold,

Yes. The Buddha taught the truth of suffering and not-suffering:

AN10.28:4.3: Becoming completely disillusioned, dispassionate, and freed regarding one thing, seeing its limits and fully comprehending its meaning, a mendicant makes an end of suffering in this very life.

Multidimensional values. These are things like "color", which has at least red/blue/green (rgb, 3 values ranging from 0-255 on modern computers),

Light comes in a spectrum between two extremes in ONE dimension of frequency: 0..infinity Hertz. A "color" is just a convention, a label, a "form" to be shared. "Red" doesn't exist to some color-blind people. Don't get stuck on colors. The Buddha said:

AN6.61:11.1: ‘The sage has known both ends,
AN6.61:11.2: and is not stuck in the middle.

Please read the suttas and make up your own mind after talking with many others and seeing for yourself.