שלום
.नमस्ते.สมาธ.Pax.سلام.Peace.SatNam.صلح.Kwey.Amani.ειρήνη.Pace.Paz.Paix.Fred.Frieden.Vrede.Siochana.мир.امن.和平.平和.평화.Aloha. .
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Holy Scriptures Study, Week 36
Becha’alothecha; 118.10.4
Torah
B’midbar 8:1 – 12:16
“Adonai spoke to (Moshe)
and said to him: Speak to Aaron and tell
him: When you light the menorah,
position the seven lamps and place them to illuminate the front of the
menorah.” (v1-2).
“Adonai spoke to (Moshe),
and said:
“Remove the Levites from
among the Israelites and make them ritually clean. To make them acceptable to Me, you must
sprinkle them with water of purification, and have them shave their entire
bodies with a razor, and wash their clothes and their bodies to make themselves
ritually clean.” (v5-7).
The ordination offering
for the Levis is described.
“All the first-borns of
the Israelites are Mine, man and beast alike.
I sanctified them for Myself on the day that I killed all the
first-borns in Egypt. Now I have chosen
the Levites in place of all the first-born sons of the Israelites.” (v17-18).
The Levis are ordained.
“Adonai spoke to (Moshe)
and said:
“These are the rules for
the Levites: They must begin serving in
the Tabernacle at the age of twenty-five, and become a part of the workforce in
the service of the Meeting Tent.
“When they are fifty years
old they must retire from the active workforce.
After retirement they can assist the priests in the Meeting Tent, but
they must not officiate in the divine service.
This is how you shall designate the responsibilities.” (v23-26).
“Adonai spoke to (Moshe)
in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the second year of the Exodus from Egypt, in the
first month, saying: Tell the Israelites
to prepare the Passover offering at the proper time.” (v1-2).
Israelis observe Pesach; some are defiled through contact with the
dead; Adonai includes such people within
the command to observe Pesach.
“Any foreigner who lives
among you may also prepare Adonai’s Passover offering and present it according
to the regulations and laws of the Passover offering. The same law shall apply to you and the
foreigner in your midst.” (v14).
“On the day that the
Tabernacle was erected, a cloud covered the Tabernacle and the Meeting Tent.
“Then, in the evening, a
glow like a fire covered the Tabernacle, and remained there until morning.
“From then on it was a
regular occurrence. A cloud covered the
Tabernacle by day, and a fiery glow covered it by night.
“Whenever the cloud rose
up above the Meeting Tent, the Israelites would set out on the march, and they
would camp wherever the cloud settled.”
(v15-17).
“They placed their trust
in Adonai and moved at Adonai’s command.
The Israelites obeyed Adonai’s commands as delivered through (Moshe).” (v23).
“Adonai spoke to (Moshe),
saying:
“Make two silver bugles. Hammer them out of silver, and blow the
bugles to assemble the community and to break camp.” (v1-2).
Different commands are
given for blowing the bugle: assembling
the tribes; assembling leaders; moving the camp; engaging within war; and during festivals.
“In the second year of the
Exodus, on the twentieth of the second month, the cloud lifted from the
Tabernacle.
“So the Israelites resumed
their journey, departing from the Wilderness of Sinai, until the cloud stopped
in the Wilderness of Paran. This was the
first time that Adonai told (Moshe) to order the Israelites to move
forward. The tribes under the marching
banner of (Yudah) set out first, led by Nachshon son of Aminadav.” (v11-14).
The leaders of the tribes
are described.
“(Moshe) said to his
father-in-law, Hovev son of Reuel the Midianite, ‘We are now on our way to the
land that Adonai promised to give us.
Come with us and share the benefit of all the (benevolent) things that
Adonai has promised Israel.’
“Hovev replied, ‘No, I
would rather not go. I wish to return to
my land and my birthplace.’
“(Moshe) said, ‘Please do
not leave us. You can be our guide,
because you know the (beneficial) camping places in the desert. If you come with us, we will share with you
water (benefit) Adonai grants us.’”
“The Israelites began to
complain. When Adonai heard them,
(Adonai) became angry, and a fire from Adonai blaxed out and destroyed those at
the edge of the camp.
“The people begged (Moshe)
to save them, so (Moshe) prayed to Adonai and the fire died down.” (v1-2).
“Now the foreign rabble
among the Israelites became homesick and had a strong yearning for the food of
Egypt. The Israelites again began to
complain, saying, ‘We are hungry for meat.
We remember the delicious fish and the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions,
and garlic that we ate in Egypt. But now
our appetites are gone, and day after day all we get is manna for breakfast,
lunch, and supper.” (v4-6).
“The manna was shiny
yellow in color and looked like coriander seed.
The people just gathered it up from the ground and ground it or crushed
it into flour and cooked it in a pan or baked it into flat cakes. It tasted like a pancake fried in oil. At night, manna would fall on the camp like
dew.” (v7-9).
“(Moshe) heard the people
and their families complaining near the entrances of their tents. Adonai became very angry, and (Moshe) was
also upset.
“(Moshe) asked Adonai,
‘Why are You testing me so strongly, and why are You treating me like
this? Why did You place so heavy a
burden upon me? The Israelites are not
my children. I did not give birth to
them. You made them a promise, and You
told me that I would have to nurse them in my bosom, just as a nurse carries a
new-born baby, until we conquer the land that You promised their ancestors.” (v10-12).
“Adonai said to (Moshe),
‘Gather seventy of Israel’s elders and leaders.
Bring them to the Meeting Tent, and I will met you there.
“I will come down and
speak to you there. I will take some of
the spirit that is in you and put it in them.
Then you will not have to bear the responsibility all by yourself.” (v16-17).
“By the way, tell the
people to be prepared, because tomorrow they will have meat to eat. Say to them, ‘You have been whining in
Adonai’s ears, saying, ‘Who will give us some meat to eat? Life in Egypt was much better for us.’ Now Adonai is going to send you meat, and you
will have to eat it. You will eat it not
just for one day, not just for two days, not just for five days, not just for
ten days, and not just for twenty days.
“You will eat meat until
it is coming out of your nose and you are sick of it.’
“I will do this because
you have lost faith in Adonai, because even though (Adonai) is right here among
you, you continually ask, ‘Why did we ever leave Egypt?’’.” (v18-20).
Power is conferred upon
Israeli leaders.
“Two of the seventy
elders, Eldad and Medad, remained in the camp, and the spirit also rested on
them. Although they were among the
seventy elders, they had not gone to the Meeting Tent, yet the spirit rested on
them and they prophesied in the camp.
“A young man ran to tell
(Moshe), ‘Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!’
“(Yoshua) son of Nun, the
assistant of (Moshe), protested, ‘My (leader) (Moshe), make them stop!’
“(Moshe) replied, ‘Are you
jealous for my sake? I wish that all of
Adonai’s people were holy enough to have the gift of prophecy! Let Adonai grant (Adonai’s) spirit to
everyone who deserves it.’” (v26-29)
The quail arrive; and a plague arrives.
“Miriam and Aaron began to
criticize (Moshe) because he had married a Cushite woman, a dark-skinned woman.
“They complained, ‘Adonai
speaks only to (Moshe). Why doesn’t
(Adonai) speak to us? But Adonai heard
it.
“Adonai said, ‘Listen
carefully to My words. With anyone else
who experiences divine prophecy, I make Myself known to him in a vision, and
speak to him in a dream. But with My
trusted servant, (Moshe), I speak to him face-to-face, and not in riddles. You have no reason to criticize My servant
(Moshe).’” (v6-8).
Miriam is cursed with leprosy
and forced to remain outside the camp, until she is clean.
--
Within the opening of
Beha’alotecha, Adonai commands Moshe to give Aaron a command; however, within previous instances, Adonai
speaks directly to Aaron and/or Aaron with Moshe; what are the implications involved with how
commands are conferred upon Aaron?
What happens to the
aggregate of phenomena when a portion within that phenomena is designated as
“holier,” or “better”? Do such
designations establish susceptibilities for the “justification” of
subordination of either side? How does
the designation of the Levis and Kohanim influence the manner in which Israelis
proclaim distinction from the rest of humanity?
And yet, amidst the respective relationships and responsibilities that we
each experience, is complete egalitarianism possible? How do the different teachings of the
Bhagavad Gita (regarding equanimity, as well as caste observances) compare with
this? How do Jesus’s different teachings
regarding “loving our enemy,” and his cursing of the scribes and Pharisees,
compare with this? What is an
appropriate balance in adhering to our familial and community bonds, yet also
recognising the intrinsic Divinity that also exists within each being?
Whilst the notion of the
“first-born son” may be understandable, why is there a continual emphasis of
this principle exactly whilst it continues to be abrogated?
Why is the Levi “starting
age” at 25 years, and the Israeli soldiers “starting age” a few years younger?
What significance exists within
all the reasons for sounding the trumpets:
meeting, moving camp, war, and festivals? How does measure with the respective
traditions of the drum and additional instruments?
Within Chapter 10, there
is the description of the camp moving on the twentieth day of the second
month; does this mean that all the
activity, from about Parashah Vayikra up to this point, occurs within the span
of 50 days? If so, what can be appropriately
learned from the productivity rate of Israelis, during this period; and how does this inform and influence
subsequent levels of productivity, through contemporary circumstances? What are appropriate levels of productivity?
What is the nature of the
relationship between Moshe and his far-in-law?
How does this affect his relationship with the rest of Israelis? Is there any intentionality within the fact
that, soon after Moshe is described as consulting with his far-in-law, Moshe is
commanded (also upon solicitation) to share his power with additional (70)
Israeli leaders? If so, what is the
nature of this experience of authority and the sharing of responsibilities? What is to be appropriately understood from
Moshe’s having the “last words”?
What esoteric significance
can be gleaned from Hovev’s interest to return to the land of his birth, and
Moshe and Israelis continuing unto the Promised Land? How can this be appropriately understand
within an experience of “Universality”?
Particularly from this
Parashah (amidst the complainer and Miriam’s criticisms), how are foreigners
perceived by Israelis during the conveyance of the Torah; and how are foreigners intended to be
perpetually perceived by Israelis?
There is the notion that
during some periods of human history, the righteousness of certain
civilisations seems to exceed that of Israelis;
yet, eventually, it often seems that new authority emerges within such
civilisations, decaying the nature of righteousness whereby it is significantly
lesser to that of Israelis; is there any
legitimacy within this observation? What
may be attributable to the “rise and fall” of the righteousness within
civilisations? How does the
righteousness of Israelis compare to these high and low periods; and what lessons can be appropriately drawn
from this apparent, comparative consistency?
What legitimacy exists
within the notion that all food and nutrition exist as manna (of different
sizes and flavours) within this Universe of the Wilderness? How do the rumblings of Israelis (within this
Parashah) compare with the temporal pursuit to accumulate material wealth and
delicacies?
Can the description of
“Adonai becoming very angry” be communicated within a general Karmic manner
regarding the nature of the increased hostility (within the Universe) that is
caused by any individual’s previous transgressions? From what source is derived the tendency to
personify Adonai? What benefit does this
provide, and what detriments does this provide, as well?
How does the anecdote of
Eldad and Medad compare with Jesus’s teaching regarding, “He who is not against
us is with us”? How does this compare
with respective, similar teachings within additional traditions?
Is there any legitimacy
within the notion of all lies simply existing as an illusion for those who
maintain such?
--
Bhagavad Gita
Chapters 17 - 18
“O Krishna, what is the
state of those who disregard the scriptures but still worship with faith? Do they act from sattva, rajas, or
tamas?” (v1).
“Every creature is born
with faith of some kind, either sattvic, rajasic, or tamasic. Listen, and I will describe each to you.
“Our faith conforms to our
nature, Arjuna. Human nature is made of
faith. Indeed, a person is his faith.
“Those who are sattvic
worship the forms of God; those who are
rajasic worship power and wealth. Those
who are tamasic worship spirits and ghosts.
“Some invent harsh
penances. Motivated by hypocrisy and
egotism,
“they torture their
innocent bodies and (Me) (Who) dwells within.
Blinded by their strength and passion, they act and think like
demons.” (v2-6).
“The three kinds of faith
express themselves in the habits of those who hold them: in the food they like, the work they do, the
disciplines they practice, the gifts they give.
Listen, and I will describe their different ways.” (v7)
Differences are described
for food preferences and sacrifices.
“To offer service to the
(deities), to the (benevolent), to the wise, and to your spiritual
teacher; purity, honesty, continence,
and nonviolence: these are the
disciplines of the body.
“To offer soothing words,
to speak (Truly), kindly, and helpfully, and to study the scriptures: these are the disciplines of speech.
“Calmness, gentleness,
silence, self-restraint, and purity:
these are the disciplines of the mind.”
(v14-16).
Differences are described
for providing service and giving.
“Om Tat Sat: these three words represent Brahman, from
which come priests and scriptures and sacrifice.” (v23).
“To be steadfast in
self-sacrifice, self-discipline, and giving is sat. To act in accordance with these three is sat
as well.” (v27).
“O Krishna, destroyer of
evil, please explain to me sannyasa and tyaga and how one kind of renunciation
differs from another.” (v1).
“To refrain from selfish
acts is one kind of renunciation, called sannyasa; to renounce the fruit of action is another,
called tyaga.
“Among the wise, some say
that all action should be renounced as evil.
Others say that certain kinds of action—self-sacrifice, giving, and
self-discipline—should be continued.
“Listen, Arjuna, and I
will explain three kinds of tyaga and (My) conclusions concerning them.
“Self sacrifice, giving,
and self-discipline should not be renounced, for they purify the thoughtful.
“Yet even these, Arjuna,
should be performed without desire for selfish rewards. This is essential.” (v2-6).
Difference regarding
renunciation are described.
“As long as one has a
body, one cannot renounce action altogether.
True renunciation is giving up all desire for personal reward.
“Those who are attached to
personal reward will reap the consequences of their actions: some pleasant, some unpleasant, some
mixed. But those who renounce every
desire for personal reward go beyond the reach of karma.” (v11-12).
“Listen, Arjuna, and I
will explain the five elements necessary for the accomplishment of every
action, as taught by the wisdom of Sankhya.
“The body, the means, the
ego, the performance of the act, and the divine will:
“these are the five
factors in all actions, right or wrong, in thought, word, or deed.
“Those who do not
understand this think of themselves as separate agents. With their crude intellects they fail to see
the (Truth).
“The person who is free
from ego, who has attained purity of heart, though he slays these people, he
does not slay and is not bound by his actions.”
(v13-17).
“Knowledge, the thing to
be known, and the knower: these three
promote action. The means, the act
itself, and the doer: these three are
the totality of action.
“Knowledge, action, and
the doer can be described according to the gunas. Listen, and I will explain their distinctions
to you.” (v18-19).
“Sattvic knowledge sees
the one indestructible Being in all beings, the unity underlying the
multiplicity of creation.
“Rajasic knowledge sees
all things and creatures as separate and distinct.
“Tamasic knowledge,
lacking any sense of perspective, sees one small part and mistakes it for the
whole.” (v20-22).
Distinctions are described
regarding work, workers, understanding, will, and happiness.
“No creature, whether born
on earth or among the (deities) in heaven, is free from the conditioning of the
three gunas.
“The different
responsibilities found in the social order—distinguishing brahmin, Kshatriya,
vaishya, and shudra—have their roots in this conditioning.” (v40-41).
“The responsibilities to
which a brahmin is born, based on his nature, are self-control, tranquillity,
purity of heart, patience, humility, learning, austerity, wisdom, and faith.
“The qualities of a
Kshatriya, based on his nature, are courage, strength, fortitude, dexterity,
generosity, leadership, and the firm resolve never to retreat from battle.
“The occupations suitable
for a vaishya are agriculture, dairying, and trade. The proper work of a shudra is service.” (v42-44).
“It is better to perform
one’s own duties imperfectly than to master the duties of another. By fulfilling the obligations he is born
with, a person never comes to grief.
“No one should abandon
duties because he sees defects in them.
Every action, every activity, is surround by defects as a fire is
surrounded by smoke.” (v47-48).
“Unerring in his
discrimination, sovereign of his senses and passions, free from the clamor of
likes and dislikes,
“he leads a simple,
self-reliant life based on meditation, controlling his speech, body, and mind.
“Free from self-will,
aggressiveness, arrogance, anger, and the lust to possess people or things, he
is at peace with himself and others and enters into the unitive state.
“United with Brahman, ever
joyful, beyond the reach of desire and sorrow, he has equal regard for every
living creature and attains supreme devotion to (Me).” (v51-54).
“Make every act an
offering to (Me); regard (Me) as your
only protector. Relying on interior
discipline, meditate on (Me) always.
“Remembering (Me), you
shall overcome all difficulties through (My) grace. But if you will not heed (Me) in your
self-will, nothing will avail you.
“If you, egotistically
say, ‘I will not fight this battle,’ your resolve will be useless; your own nature will drive you into it.
“Your own karma, born of
your own nature, will drive you to do even that which you do not wish to do,
because of your delusion.” (v57-60).
--
Does the description of
the existence of demons intrinsically exhibit a limitation of equanimity, and
thos perhaps exist as a tamasic characteristic (the very likes of which such a
description is admonishing)? Is there
any legitimacy within the notion that all communication of criticisms are acts
of projection (of one’s own characteristics and transgressions)?
Is there any legitimacy
within the notion that each being possesses a portion of each characteristic
whilst existing within this life? Amidst
a spiritual aspirant’s continuing existence within this temporal realm, and the
necessary consumption of material resources therein, might this qualify as a
“rajasic” characteristic? Or is it
possible to acquire material resources within a sattvic manner? If so, and amidst a perspective of
equanimity, is there any fundamental distinction between rajas and sattva, if
both facilitate the same actions? Also,
amidst the limited knowledge of each being, does the proclamation of
maintaining omniscience necessarily exist as a delusion, and thus tamasic; and without the maintenance of omniscience,
is any other proclamation of knowledge intrinsically limited, and thus only a
microcosm, and thus tamasic?
Is the rajasic tendency of
perceiving beings and phenomena as separate a means of facilitating the
accumulation of such?
How can one excel within
another person’s duty when such duties are proclaimed as being predicated upon
the intrinsic, inevitable nature of such duty?
How do they caste distinctions compare with those fond amongst
Israelis? Understanding the pragmatism
within caste duties (particularly facilitating the conference of trade
occupations amongst children), understanding the pragmatic benefits that exist
within duties that directly facilitate the maintenance of “cleanliness” and
ability to practise religious rituals (and thus maintaining certain influence
within society), and understanding the manner in which these characteristics
are influential within, and perpetuated by, the arrangement of marriages: how might humanity transcend beyond the
confines of “uncleanliness,” with each accepting a certain propensity for
experiencing such uncleanliness in order to maintain certain egalitarianism
within society? What does a person lose
by doing such; and what does a person
gain? What does society lose/gain? Is the righteousness of society determined by
the most righteous person within that society, or is the righteousness of a
society determined by the prevalent righteousness amongst all of its members
(the mode or mean or median righteousness of that society)?
What legitimacy exists
within the notion that everyone is a dalit before it drops?
Amidst the description of
a shudra performing service, as an occupation, how does this exist within the
context of the Bhagavad Gita’s teachings regarding the service provided by a
spiritual aspirant?
Amidst the “fire, smoke”
parable, is there the suggestion that “defects” are intrinsically caused by
duty?
--
Digha Nikaya
Patika Suttanta: Chapter 2
“Thereupon, Bhaggava, a
certain councillor of the Licchavis rose from his seat and addressed the
meeting: Well then, gentlemen, wait a
while till I go and see whether I am able to bring the naked ascetic, Patika’s
son, to this assembly. Then that
councillor went to the Tinduka Pollards, the Wanderers’ Park, found Patika’s
son and summoned him to attend, even as the first messenger had done, ending
with these words: Come forth, friend
Patika’s son. If you come we will make
you the victor, and cause the Samana Gotama to lose.” (v1).
“And Patika’s son,
Bhaggava, responded as before, even when the councillor rallied him as the
first messenger had done.” (v2).
The councillor returns to
the assembly; the Buddha makes a
repeated proclamation.
Jaliya goes to check on
Patika’s son, with the same effect.
Jaliya described Patika as
a jackal trying to imitate a lion/tiger.
“Now when Jaliya,
Wooden-Bowl’s pupil, recognized the ascetic’s discomfiture, he spake to him
thus: Long ago, friend Patika’s son,
this idea occurred to the lion, king of the beasts: What if I were to make my lair near a certain
jungle, so that in the evening I could issue from my lair, and stretch myself
and survey the landscape, and thrice roar a lion’s roar, and go forth towards
the cattle pastures. I could slay the
pick of the herd of beasts, feast on a continual diet of tender flesh, and get
me back to that same lair. Then the
lion, friend, chose his lair, and did according to his desire.
“Now, friend Patika’s son,
there was an old jackal who had continually thriven on the remains of that
lion’s food, and was stout and strong, and it occurred to him: Who am I, and who is Lion, king of the
beasts? What if I were to choose my lair
near a certain jungle, so that in the evening I could issue from my lair, and
stretch myself and survey the landscape, and thrice roar a lions’ roar, and go
forth towards the cattle pastures? I
could slay the pick of the herd of beasts, feast on a continual diet of tender
flesh, and get me back to that same lair.
Now, friend, that old jackal chose his lair and did according to his
desire. And coming forth in the evening
and stretching himself, and surveying the landscape, he thought: ‘Thrice will I roar a lion’s roar, and
thereat he roared a jackal’s howl, a vulpine howl. Would you compare a vile jackal’s howl with a
lion’s roar? Even so, you, friend
Patika’s son, living among the explouts of the Wellfarer, feeding on food left
over after the Wellfarer has been served, fancy you can reach up to those who
are Tathagatas, Arahants, Buddhas Supreme!
Why, what have wretched Patika’s sons in common with Tathagatas,
Arahants, Buddhas Supreme?” (v5-7).
The Buddha teaches the
assembly the Doctrine.
“Thereupon, Bhaggava, I
taught, and incited, and aroused, and gladdened that company with religious
discourse. And when I had so done, and
had set them at liberty from the great bondage, had drawn forth eighty-four thousand
creatures from the great abyss, I entered on jhana by the mothd of flame, rose
into the air to the height of seven palms trees, projected a flame the height
of another seven palm trees, so that is blazed and glowed; and the I reappeared in the Great Wood, and
the Gabled Hall.” (v13).
“The ultimate beginning of
things, I know, Bhaggava, and I know not only that, but more than that, but
more than that. And while I know that, I
do not pervert it. And as one not
perverting it, I even of myself have understood that Peace, the which
(Realising), a Tathagata can fall into no error.” (v14).
The Buddha describes
(Realms) with celestial beings existing therein.
The Buddha describes
different theories regarding the origin of existence: through debauchment through pleasure; sensual lusts; debauchment of mind; chance
--
What is the Buddha’s
intent and purpose in the manner that he responds to the challenges of Patika’s
son? Is there any manner in which the
Buddha may be increasingly kinder to Patika’s son? Given the temerity of the Buddha, is there
any legitimacy in this being perceived as a form of “psychological violence”?
Can any equivalent of the
“Wanderers’ Park” be found within industrialised society?
What legitimacy exists
within the premise of the contemporary film, “The Truman Show,” considering all
beings, life, phenomena being an illusion that is scripted by Karma?
--
Gospels
Mark 1 – 3
“The beginning of the
gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
“As it is written in
Isaiah the prophet,
“‘Behold, I send (My)
messenger before thy face,
“ ‘who shall prepare thy
way;
“ ‘the voice of onw crying
in the wilderness:
“ ‘Prepare the way of the
Lord,
“ ‘make (Deus’s) paths
straight--’” (v1-3).
“John the baptizer
appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the
forgiveness of sins.” (v4).
“In those days Jesus cam
from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water,
immediately he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon him like a
dove; and a voice came from heaven, ‘Thou
art (My) beloved Son; with thee I am
well pleased.’” (v9-11).
“The Spirit immediately
drove him out into the wilderness. And
he was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to him.” (v12-13).
Jesus summons his
disciples.
Jesus teaches during
Shabbat; Jesus heals an unclean man.
Jesus heals Peter’s
mor-in-law.
“And in the morning, a
great while before day, he rose and went out to a lonely place, and there he
prayed. And Simon and those who were
with him pursued him, and they found him and said to him, ‘Every one is
searching for you.’ And he said to them,
‘Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also; for that is why I came out.’ And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching
in their synagogues and casting out demons.”
(v35-39).
Jesus heals a leper.
“But he went out and began
to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer
openly enter a town, but was out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.” (v45).
“And when he returned to
Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that
there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bring to him a paralytic
carried by four men. And when they could
not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and when they had made an opening, they let
down the pallet on which the paralytic lay.
And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic: ‘My son, your sins are forgiven.’” (v1-5).
The scribes criticise Jesus’s
blasphemous communications.
Jesus eats within Levi,
son of Alphaeus.
“And as he sat at table in
his house, many tax collectors and sinners were sitting with Jesus and his
disciples; for there were many who
followed him. And the scribes of the
Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors,
said to his disciples, ‘Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, ‘Those
who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but
sinners.’” (v15-17).
John’s disciples ask Jesus
why he abstains from fasting.
Jesus and his disciples
pick grain during Shabbat.
“And he said to them, ‘The
Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath; so the Son of man is (leader) even of the Sabbath.” (v27).
Jesus heals a man during
Shabbat.
Jesus heals many
additional people.
“And he went up on the
mountain, and called to him those whom he desired; and they came to him. And he appointed twelve, to be with him, and
to be sent out to preach and have authority to cast out demons: Simon whom he surnamed Peter; James the son of Zebedee and John the brother
of James, whom he surname Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder; Andrew, and Philip, and Batholomew, and
Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus, and Simon the
Canaanaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.” (v13-19).
Jesus is accused of being
possessed.
“And he called them to
him, and said to them in parables, ‘How can Satan cast our Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that
kingdom cannot stand.’” (v23-24).
“Truly, I say to you, all
sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they
utter; but whoever blasphemies against
the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin’” (v28-29).
“And his mother and his
brothers came; and standing outside they
sent to him and called him. And a crowd
was sitting about him; and they said to
him, ‘Your mother and your brothers are outside, asking for you.’ And he replied, ‘Who are my mother and my
brothers?’ And looking around on those
who sat about him, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother,
and sister, and mother.’” (v31-35).
--
There is a film that
depicts 2 brothers competing against each other by racing into the open ocean
and seeing who can stay ahead of the other until the other quits; the elder brother always wins the
competition, until one evening, the younger brother pulls ahead of the elder
brother, and the elder brother wonders how that happens; years later, the younger brother explains
that he is able to defeat his elder brother because the younger brother, during
that point, swims into the ocean without the intention of returning; how might this narrative be applicable to the
example of Jesus, and Jesus’s progression beyond this temporal Realm? Is this an appropriate lifestyle to
maintain; what is a desirable balance
between competitiveness and connexion?
How does, “And he said to
them,” compare with, “Thus have I heard;”
compare with, “And Adonai spoke to Moshe;” and compare with, “We…;” compare with, “Arjuna,…”?
What is exactly intended
within Jesus’s proclamation of being leader on Shabbat; what does this mean? What is Jesus’s attempting, and/or
effectively, undermining through such proclamation? How does the historic and contemporary
Christian practise of Sunday worship factor within this?
At the close of Chapter 3,
there is the reference to Jesus’s mor and brothers; does Jesus actually have biological brothers
whom Mary conceived through intercourse with Joseph, or are these brother
similarly “Divinely” inspired? Amidst
the notion of procreation between Mary and Joseph, how does this affect the
belief within, and the characteristic of, Mary being “pure” and “untouched”?
--
Koran
Sura 44: Al Dukhan:
The Drought
Sura 45: Al Jathiyah:
The Kneeling
Sura 46: Al Ahqaf:
The Sandhills
“Beneficent God!
“By the Book that makes
manifest!
“We revealed it on a
blessed night—(Truly) We are ever warning.
“Therein is made clear
every affair full of wisdom—
“A command from Us—(Truly)
We are ever sending messengers—
“A mercy from thy Lord—(Truly)
(Allah) is the Hearing, the Knowing.
“The Lord of the heavens
of the earth and what is between them, if you would be sure.” (v1-7)
Al Yom Qayimah is
described.
There is reference to
Paraoh.
“Surely the tree of Zaqqum
“is the food of the
sinful,
“Like molten brass; it seethes in their bellies
“like boiling water.
“Seize him, then drag him
into the midst of hell;
“Then pour on his head of
the torment of boiling water—
“Taste—thou art forsooth
the mighty, the honourable!
“Surely this is what you
doubted.
“Those who keep their duty
are indeed in a secure place—
“In gardens and springs,
“Wearing find an thick
silk, facing one another—
“Thus shall it be. And We shall join them to pure, beautiful
ones.
“They call therein for
every fruit in security—
“They taste not therein
death, except the first death; and
(Allah) will save them from the chastisement of hell—
“A grace from thy
Lord. This is the great achievement.
“So We have made it easy
in thy tongue that they may mind.
“Wait then; surely they too are waiting.” (v43-59).
“Beneficent God!
“The revelation of the
Book is from Allah, the Mighty, the Wise.
“Surely in the heavens and
the earth are signs for believers.
“And in your creation and
in the animals (Allah) spreads abroad are signs for a people who are sure;
“And in the variation of
the night and the day and in the sustenance which Allah sends down from the
heaven, then gives life thereby to the earth after its death, and in the
changing of the winds, are signs for a people who understand.
“These are the messages of
Allah, which We recite to thee with (Truth).
In what announcement will they then believe after (Allah) and (Allah’s)
signs?” (v1-6).
There is the description of
transgressors.
“Allah is (Allah) Who made
subservient to you the sea that the ships may glide therein by (Allah’s)
command, and that you may (search for) (Allah’s) grace, and that you may give
thanks.
“And (Allah) has made
subservient to you whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth,
all, from (Allah). Surely there are
signs in this for a people who reflect.”
(v12-13).
“Tell those who believe to
forgive those who fear not the days of Allah that (Allah) may reward a people
for what they earn.
“Whoever does
(benevolence) it is for himself, and whoever does evil, it is against
himself; then to your Lord you will be
brought back.” (v14-15).
“Or do those who do evil
deeds think that We shall make them as those who believe and do (benevolence)—there
life and their death being equal? Evil
is what they judge!
“And they say: There is naught but our life of the
world; we die and we live and nothing
destroys us but time, and they have no knowledge of that; they only conjecture.” (v24).
“So praise be to Allah,
the Lord of the heavens, and the Lord of the earth, the Lord of the worlds!
“And to (Allah) belongs
greatness in the heavens and the earth;
and (Allah) is the Mighty, the Wise.”
(v36-37)
“Beneficent God!
“The revelation of the
Book is from Allah, the Mighty, the Wise.
“We created not the
heavens and the earth and all between them save with (Truth) and for an appointed
term. And those who disbeliever turn
away from that whereof they are warned.
There are teachings
regarding maintaining belief within the One God.” (v1-3).
“Say: I am not the first of the messengers, and I
know not what will be done with me or with you.
I follow naught but that which is revealed to me, and I am but a plan
warner.” (v9).
“Surely those who say, Our
Lord is Allah, then continue on the right way, on them is no fear, nor shall
they grieve.” (v13).
“And We have enjoined on
man the doing of (benevolence) to his parents.
His mother bears him with trouble and she brings him forth in pain. And the bearing of him and the weaning of him
is thirty months. Till, when he attains
his maturity and reaches forty years, he says:
My Lord, grant me that I may give thanks for Thy favour, which Thou has
bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may do (benevolence) which pleases
Thee; and be (benevolent to me in
respect of my offspring. Truly I turn to
Thee, and (Truly) I am of those who submit.
“These are they from whom
We accept the best of what they do and pass by their evil deeds—among the
owners of the Garden. A promise of
(Truth), which they were promised.”
(v15-16).
“And for all are degrees
according to what they do, and that (Allah) may pay them for their deeds and they
will not be wronged.” (v19).
“O our people, accept the
Inviter to Allah and believe in (Allah).
(Allah) will forgive you some of your sins and protect you from a
painful chastisement.” (v31).
“So have patience, as men
of resolution, the messengers, had patience, and (search) not to hasten on for
them their doom. On the day when they
see that which they are promised, it will be as if they had not tarried save an
hour of the day. Thine is to
deliver. Shall then any be destroyed
save the transgressing people?
--
Understanding the manner
in which each Sura is temporally revealed, what is a common characteristic, and
the esoteric significance, within the manner in which each Sura opens? How might the Koran be appropriately
understood within distinct “segments;”
and what is the intentionality within the achronological listing of the
Suras? And how does such “human
influence” affect the Divine revelation, authenticity, and purity of the Koran?
What is to be understood
amidst the confluence of the explicit preference for the Arab language (and
presumably coinciding Arabic culture and ethnic identity); with the prospect of conquering additional
nations and welcoming people from additional languages, cultures, and
ethnicities into the Umma; and with the
protocol for all believers to be equal, irregardless of linguistic, cultural,
and/or ethnic differences?
Within the opening of Sura
Al Jathiyah, there is a poetic description of Creation, and the miracles that exist
therein; amidst the consideration of
there existing an infinite number of miracles within every heartbeat; as well as the consideration that becoming
enveloped within witnessing and considering such miracles tends to severely
challenge an individual’s satisfaction of pragmatic requirements; what is an appropriate balance for
recognising these miracles, and yet continuing to proficiently, and
prosperously, living within this temporal Realm?
Amidst the notion of Islam
meaning, “submission,” and frequently teaches the precepts of humility, why is
there repeated emphasis regarding all creation being subservient to
humanity? How does one appropriately let
go of the exorbitant material riches within this temporal Realm, whilst
continuing to yearn for such for the experience within Paradise, after
life? How do both of these
considerations compare with similar teachings within Judaism, and additional
religious traditions?
Verse 14 seems to have a
significant teaching for the forgiveness towards “unbelievers;” how should this be appropriate understood?
How does Verse 15 account for
transgressions committed against people who are perceived as genuinely
benevolent? And why do people typically
abstain from posing such questions towards, or regarding, people who are
unusually materially affluent (ignoring the considerable amount of suffering
that such individuals similarly inevitably, and intrinsically experience)? What legitimacy exists within the notion of
the experience of transgressions and suffering being actually a blessing and a
gift; to share with additional people
who experience similar transgressions and suffering?
What is the confluence
between equanimity and Karma, and how does Verse 21 exist within this
consideration?
How might the perspective
communicated within Verse 24 (regarding the perception of “time”) be further
explained? How does this verse compare
with the similar teaching within the Bhagavad Gita? What legitimacy exists within the notion that
“time” exists simply as an illusion;
albeit a pragmatic illusion?
--
Blessings upon the
Prophets and Ancestors:
May Peace and Blessings of
the Highest Authority we respectively recognise, known by many names, including
God, El Shaddai, Elohim, Adonai, Hashem, Brahman, Nirvana, Dharma, Karma, Tao,
Gud, Dieu, Dios, Deus Dominus, Jah, Jehovah, Allah, Ahura Mazda, Infinity,
Logic, Wakan Tanka, Ultimate Reality, and additionally, be upon the Rishis,
Moshe, the Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, Baha’u’llah, Guru Nanak, Zarathustra,
Avraham, Yitzak, Yaakov, Confucius, Lao Tzu, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, our
Ancestors (Known and Unknown), and the Indigenous of Tainoterranea, Asia,
Europe, Mediterranea, and Africa, and the Universe. ૐ. אמן .
שלום.नमस्ते.สมาธ.Pax.سلام.Peace.SatNam.صلح.Kwey.Amani.ειρήνη.Pace.Paz.Paix.Fred.Frieden.Vrede.Siochana.мир.امن.和平.平和.평화.Aloha.
ૐ.
אמן .
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