שלום.नमस्ते.สมาธ.Pax.سلام.Peace.SatNam.صلح.Kwey.Amani.Barış.ειρήνη.Pace.Paz.Paix.Fred.Frieden.Vrede.Siochana.мир.امن.和平.平和.평화.Aloha.
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Holy Scriptures Study, Week 44 Devarim; 118.11.29
Torah
Devarim
1:1 – 3:22
“These are the words that
(Moshe) spoke to the Israelites when they were camped on the east bank of the
(Yordan) River, in the wilderness, in the (Yordan) Valley, near Suf, close to
the cities of Paran, Tolfel, Lavan, Hatzeroth, and Di-zahav. It was an eleven-day journey from Horeb to
Kadesh Barnea by way of Mount Seir.
(Moshe) spoke to the Israelites in the fortieth year, on the first of
the eleventh month, and told them everything that Adonai had commanded
him.” (v1-3).
“Adonai spoke to us at
Horeb, saying, ‘You have remained too long at this mountain. Turn around and head toward the Amorite
country and all the neighboring territories in the (Yordan) Valley, the
lowlands, the Negev, the seashore, the Canaanite territory, and Lebanon, all
the way to the Euphrates River.” (v6-7).
“Then I sais to you, ‘You
are a burden, and I cannot lead you all by myself. Adonai has multiplied your numbers, and now
you are as many as the stars in the sky.
May Adonai increase your numbers a thousand times and bless you, as
(Adonai) has promised.
“But I cannot carry the
burden and responsibility and settle your disputes all by myself. Choose men from among your tribes who are
wise and understanding, and I will appoint them as your leaders.’” (v9-13).
“So I chose wise and
experienced men from every tribe and appointed them to lead you as captains of
thousands, captains of hundreds, captains of fifties, captains of tens, as
leaders for your tribes.
“I then instructed your
judges, saying, ‘Listen carefully and patiently to every problem that your
brethren bring you, and judge fairly between each man and his brother, even
when a foreigner is involved. Do not
favour any person when making a decision.
Pay attention to great and small alike, and do not be influenced by
anyone, since you are judging in place of Adonai. If a case is too complicated, bring it to me,
and I will judge it.’” (v15-17).
“As Adonai instructed us,
we then left Horeb and made our way all through that terrifying wilderness that
you saw, and then we arrived in the hill country of the Amorites. And finally we arrived in Kadesh
Barnea.’” (v19).
Moshe sends the scouts,
and the scouts return with an unfavourable report.
Adonai curses adult
Israelis with 40 years of wandering the wilderness, because of lack of Faith.
“Adonai was also angry at
me because of you, and (Adonai) said, ‘You will not enter the Promised
Land. (Yoshua) son of Nun, who stands at
your side, will be the one to enter, and he will lead the Israelites into the
Promised Land.’” (v37-38).
Some Israelis march
towards the Amorites and are annihilated.
“As Adonai had directed
me, we then turned around and headed into the wilderness toward the Sea of
Reeds. We wandered in the hills of Seir
for a long time.” (v1).
“Adonai said to me, ‘You
have wandered around these hills long enough.
Turn around and march north.”
(v2-3).
“Give the people the
following instructions: Soon you will be
passing by the borders of your relatives, the descendants of Esau, who live in
Seir. They are afraid of you. Be very careful and do not start a fight with
them. I will not give you even one thin
slice of their land, for I have given Mount Seir to Esau as an inheritance.
“You must pay for the food
you eat and the water you drink” (v4-6).
“Adonai has blessed you
every step of your forty-year journey through the wilderness. Adonai was with you, and you lacked for
nothing.” (v7)
Israelis travel to Moab.
“Adonai warned me, ‘Do not
attack Moab, and do not start a war with them, because I will not give you
their land as an inheritance, since I have already given Ar to Lot’s
descendants as their heritage.” (v9).
“Now get moving and cross
the Brook of Zered! So you crossed the
Brook of Zered. From the time that we
left Kadesh Barnea until we crossed the Brook of Zered, thirty-eight years had
passed, in which time, as Adonai had decreed, this generation of warriors
died.” (v13-14).
“Soon you will pass
through Ar, which is Moabite territory.
And you will be coming close to the Ammonites. Do not attack or start a war with them. I will not allow you to occupy the land of
the Ammonites, for I have given the land as a heritage to the descendants of
Lot.” (v18-19).
“Now get up and cross the
Brook of Amon. Attack! I will help you defeat Sichon, the Amorite
king of Heshbon, and I will give you his land.
Begin the advance! Attack
him!” (v24-25).
“I sent ambassadors from
the Wilderness of Kedemoth to Sichon, king of Heshbon, with a message of peace,
saying, ‘Allow us to pass through your land.
We will travel only along the main highway, and we will not turn to the
right or to the left. Sell us food to
eat, and water to drink for a price in silver.
We only want your permission to pass though, just as we passed by the
territory of Esau in Seir and Moab in Ar.
We wish only to cross the (Yordan) River into the land that Adonai is
giving us.’” (v26-29).
“Sichon mobilized his
troops and advanced to oppose us in battle at Yahatz. Adonai helped us, and we killed him and his
sons and defeated his army. Then we
captured all his cities, and destroyed everyone, including the men, women, and
children, and left no survivors. All
that we took as plunder were the animals and the (treasures) in the cities we
captured.” (v32-35).
“Adonai helped us defeat
Og, king of the Bashan, and his army, and we left no survivors.” (v3).
“We destroyed the cities
of Bashan just as we had done to those of Sichon, king of Heshbon, and killed
every man, woman, and child. But for
ourselves, we kept all the animals and plundered the cities.” (v6-7).
“I gave the (Reuvenis) and
Gaddites all the captured territory between Aroer on the Arnon River and the
southern half of the Mount Gilead area, including all the cities.
“I gave to half of the
tribe of Manasseh the rest of the Gilead and all of Bashan, which had been Og’s
kingdom. This included the entire Argov
region and the entire Bashan, which was known as the land of the Rephaim.” (v13).
“At that time I instructed
you, saying, ‘Adonai has given you this land as your heritage. Every able-bodied man among you must join
your fellow Israelites as a striking force.
I am aware that you have much cattle.
Your wives, children, and cattle can remain in the cities I have given
you.” (v18-19).
“Only when your brothers
finally occupy the land that Adonai is giving them across the (Yordan) River
will each man be able to return to his inheritance that I have given you.” (v20).
“I instructed (Yoshua),
saying, ‘With you own eyes you have seen all that Adonai has done to these two
kings. Adonai will do the same to all
the kingdoms in the land on the other side of the (Yordan) River. Do not be afraid of them, because Adonai will
be fighting for you.’” (v21-22).
--
What
intentionality/purposefulness may exist within the discrepancies between the
initial description of events and Moshe’s retelling of the events described in
Parashah Devarim?
Is there a succinct and
unanimous schedule and sequence of events progressing from the emergence from
Egypt to the entrance into Eretz Israel?
If so, what is that sequence and schedule; and if otherwise, what are some of the
descriptions, and how do these differ?
What are the implications
involved within someone judging “on behalf of Adonai”? What adverse or positive effect does this
have upon the belief that each individual has a direct connexion with God?
Does Adonai punish Moshe
because of the lack of Faith from Israelis, or because of the tapping of the
rock with the staff (to produce water);
what may be the reason for this ambiguity/difference?
Doe Moshe maintain some
resentment towards Israelis? If so, is
it appropriate; if otherwise, should
he? Might Moshe’s resentment originate
from his own personal dissonance with the prospect of being a Prophet, and the
challenges therein? Does he simply “take
it out on” Israelites, particularly as a way of justifying himself?
How does, “Adonai has
blessed you every step,” compare with the previously described complaints of
hunger and thirst by Israelis?
What contemporary lessons
of humility and thriftiness may be derived from the description of “lacking for
nothing”?
Why does Moshe send
ambassadors after receiving the command from Adonai to attack?
Amidst the notion of the
Israeli camp paying for the water that it drinks, there is the
consideration: what is the difference of
valuation between the water that is provided from a dug well, and the water
provided from a flowing river? Is there
any appropriate means of valuating any of these such phenomenon, including
Sunlight, air, dirt, evaporation, and additionally?
How do the 613 mitzvot of
righteousness compare with Moshe’s description of killing all the women an
children of Heshbon?
Amidst the notion of the
613 mitzvot within the Torah, how many “episodes” exist within the Torah: descriptions of interaction between people
and/or with Adonai? What are the direct
and implicit lessons and teachings that are gleaned from these episodes, and
how do these lessons and teachings compare with the 613 mitzvot?
What does, “Adonai will be
fighting for you,” actually mean? How
does this compare with Sri Krishna’s teachings to Arjuna? And how does this compare to Jesus’s
description of having the opportunity of receiveing legions of angels from
Deus, but pursuing Peace when being captured?
How does this compare with similar teachings within the Koran, within
Buddhism, and within additional traditions?
--
Bhagavad
Gita
Chapters
15 – 16
“Sages speak of the
immutable ashvattha tree, with its taproot above and its branches below. On this tree grow the scriptures; seeing their source, one knows their essence.
“Nourished by the gunas,
the limbs of this tree spread above and below.
Sense objects grow on the limbs as buds;
the roots hanging down bind us to action in this world.
“The (True) form of this
tree—its essence, beginning, and end—is not perceived on this earth. Cut down this strong-rooted tree with the
sharp axe of detachment;
“then find the path which
does not come back again. (Search for)
That, the First Cause, from which the universe came long ago.” (v1-4).
“Not deluded by pride,
free from selfish attachment and selfish desire, beyond the duality of pleasure
and pain, ever aware of the Self, the wise go forward to that eternal
goal.” (v5)
“An eternal part of (Me)
enters into the world, assuming the powers of action and perception and a mind
made of prakriti.
“When the divine Self
enters and leaves a body, (It) takes these along as the wind carries a scent
from place to place.
“Using the mind, ears,
eyes, nose, and the senses of taste and touch, the Self enjoys sense
objects.” (v7-9).
“Those who strive
resolutely on the path of yoga see the Self within. The thoughtless, who strive imperfectly, do
not.” (v11).
“With a drop of (My)
energy I enter the earth and support all creatures. Through the moon, the vessel of life-giving
fluid, I nourish all plants.
“I enter breathing
creatures and dwell within as the life-giving breath. I am the fire in the stomach which digests
all food.” (v13-14).
“Entering into every
heart, I give the power to remember and understand; it is I again who take that power away. All the scriptures lead to (Me); I am their author and their wisdom.” (v15).
“In this world there are
two orders of being: the perishable,
separate creature and the changeless spirit.
“But beyond these there is
another, the supreme Self, the eternal Lord, who enters into the entire cosmos
and supports it from within.
“I am that supreme Self,
praised by the scriptures as beyond the changing and the changeless.
“Those who see in (Me)
that supreme Self see (Truly). They have
found the source of all wisdom, Arjuna, and they worship (Me) with all their
heart.” (v16-19).
“Be fearless and
pure; never waver in your determination
or your dedication to the spiritual life.
Give freely. Be self-controlled,
sincere, (Truthful), loving, and full of the desire to serve. Realize the (Truth) of the scriptures; learn to be detached and to take joy in
renunciation.
“Do not get angry or harm
any living creature, but be compassionate and gentle; show (benevolent) will to all.
“Cultivate vigor,
patience, will, purity; avoid malice and
pride. Then, Arjuna, you will achieve
your divine destiny.” (v1-3).
Other qualities, Arjuna,
make a person more and more inhuman:
hypocrisy, arrogance, conceit, anger, cruelty, ignorance.
“The divine qualities lead
to freedom; the demonic, to
bondage. But do not grieve, Arjuna, you
were born with divine attributes.”
(v4-5).
“Some people have divine
tendencies, others demonic. I have
described the divine at length, Arjuna;
now listen while I describe the demonic.” (v6).
“The demonic do things
they should avoid and avoid the things they should do. They have no sense of uprightness, purity, or
(Truth).” (v7).
“ ‘There is no God,’ they
say, ‘no (Truth), no spiritual law, no moral order. The basis of life is sex; what else can it be?’
“Holding such distorted
views, possessing scant discrimination, they become enemies of the world
causing suffering and destruction.”
(v8-9).
“Hypocritical, proud, and
arrogant, living in delusion and clinging to deluded ideas, insatiable in their
desires, they pursue their unclean ends.
“Although burdened with
fears that end only with death, they still maintain with complete assurance,
‘Gratification of lust is the highest that life can offer’
“Bound on all sides by
scheming and anxiety, driven by anger and greed, they amass by any means they
can a hoard of money for the satisfaction of their cravings.” (v10-12).
“Self-important,
obstinate, swept away by the pride of wealth, they ostentatiously perform
sacrifices without any regard for their purpose.
“Egotistical, violent,
arrogant, lustful, angry, envious of everyone, they abuse (My) presence within
their own bodies and in the bodies of others.”
(v17-18).
“There are three gates to
this self-destructive hell: lust, anger,
and greed. Renounce these three.
“Those who escape from
these three gates of darkness, Arjuna, (search for) what is best and attain
life’s supreme goal.” (v22).
“Therefore let the
scriptures be your guide in what to do and what not to do. Understand their teachings; then act in accordance with them.” (v24).
--
What is the nature of the
description and the metaphysics of the ashvattha tree? How does this compare with the Etz Hayim (the
Tree of Life) and the Tree of Knowledge, from the Torah?
Is Sri Krishna
communicating as a conduit of Brahman?
What is the nature of the intrinsic inaccuracy of all language and
words, as a means of attempting to communicate as (or even describe) the
Ultimate Reality of Brahman (and perhaps any phenomena within this temporal
Realm, as well)?
How is the notion of
people with demonic and divine tendencies balanced within the teaching
regarding having an equal eye of equanimity towards all beings? How may this binary of divine and demonic be
evidence and compared within the notion of the “ger” within the Torah, with the
Pharisees and strangers of the Gospels, with the “kafir” within Islam, and
within the critic and “unawakened” ones within Buddhism? What are the respective approaches that each
tradition has towards interacting with people that have such a different
characteristic (between the divine and the demonic)?
--
Digha
Nikaya
Atanatiya
Suttanta
“Thus have I heard:--
“The Exalted One was once
staying near Rajagaha on Vulture’s Peak.
“Now the Four Kings,
having set a guard, a screen, a patrol over the four quarters with a great army
of Yakkhas, of Gandhabbas, of Kumbhandas, went to Vulture’s Peak when night was
far spent, lighting up the whole mountain with their effulgent beauty. And there they saluted the Exalted One and
sat down at one side. And of the
attendant fairies some saluted only and sat down at one side, some exchanged
greetings and compliments of politeness and courtesy, and took their seats on
one side; some saluted him with clasped
hands, then sat down on one side; some
called out their name and family, then sat down on one side; some sat down in silence.
“Then King Vessavana so
seated spake thus to the Exalted One:
“ ‘(Leader)! There are eminent fairies who do not believe
in the Exalted One, and there are eminent fairies who do. There are also fairies of middle and of
inferior rank who do not believe in him, and there are fairies of middle and of
inferior rank who do. But for the most
part, (leader), fairies do not believe in the Exalted One. Why is this?
“ ‘The Exalted One teaches
a code of abstaining from the taking of life, from theft, inchastity, lying and
intemperance. But for the most part,
(leader), fairies do not abstain from any one of these things. To them such a code is distasteful and
disagreeable.
“ ‘Surely, (leader), there
are disciples of the Exalted One who haunt the lonely and remote recesses of
the forest, where noise, where sound there hardly is, where breezes from the
pastures blow, hidden from men, suitable for meditation. There do eminent fairies dwell, who have no faith
in the word of the Exalted One. That
they may find faith, may the Exalted One learn that Atanata ward-rune whereby
both brethren and sister of the (Sangha), and laymen and laywomen may dwell at
ease guarded, protected and scathed?’
“The Exalted One by his
silence gave consent.” (v1-2).
King Vessavana recites the
ward-rune.
The ward-rune pays homage
to wise sentient beings.
The ward-rune recognises
the East: the Sea, and the location of
the rising of the Sun.
The ward-rune describes
the worship of the inhabitants of the East towards the Buddha.
The ward-rune describes
the malicious, murderous inhabitants of the South.
The ward-rune describes
the worship of the inhabitants of the South towards the Buddha.
The South is
described: the Sea, and the location of
the departing of the Sun.
The ward-rune describes
the worship of the inhabitants of the West towards the Buddha.
The North is described as
the beauteous mountainous region where righteous ascetics live.
The ward-rune describes
the worship of the inhabitants of the North towards the Buddha.
The ward rune is provided
for the Sangha to recite and become protected from the attack of a Yakkha.
“This, dear Sir, is the
ward rune, whereby both brethren and sisters of the (Sangha), and laymen and
laywomen may dwell at ease, guarded, protected and unscathed.” (v8).
“Now if any Yakkha
whatever, or Gandhabba, Kumbhanda or Naga should approach a brother or sister
of the (Sangha), or a lay-disciple, walking, standing, sitting or lying, with
malevolent intent, then should the molested one incite and cry aloud and shout
to those Yakkhas, the Great Yakkhas, their generals and commanders,
saying: ‘This Yakkha is seizing me, is
assailing me, is hurting, injuring, harming me, and will not let me go!’”
The sentient beings depart
from the Buddha.
--
Amidst the description of
the eminent sentient beings that either believe or disbelieve within the
Buddha, there emergence the consideration:
presuming each respective Prophet is the temporal “epitome” of that
Prophet’s Dharma, why do there exist contemporary critics and “neigh-sayers”
within the contemporary communities of each Prophet? If the Prophet, by the Prophet’s own self, is
unable to convince 100% of the Prophet’s contemporaries, does that reveal
something about the Prophet, something about the contemporaries, something
about the capacity of religious doctrine to “awaken” the entire audience,
and/or something else? Do the
“neigh-sayers” actually serve a beneficial purpose for “contextualising” the
respective Prophet’s teachings, and perhaps providing the necessary “friction”
through which to demonstrate the benevolence within the Prophet’s
teachings? Is the criticism of the
“neigh-sayers” simply a façade through which to convince, and build the resolve
of, the student of the Dharma?
Are there any geo-ethnic
factors involved within the distinct characterisations utilised to describe the
people respectively towards the East, South,
--
Gospels
Luke 8
- 10
“Soon afterward he went on
through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the (benevolent) news of
the (Sovereignty) of God. And the twelve
were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and
infirmities; Mary, called Magdalene,
from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s
steward, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their
means.” (v1-3).
Jesus tells the parable of
the sower of seeds.
Jesus’s disciples ask for
Jesus to decipher the parable.
“To you it has been given
to know the secrets of the (Sovereignty) of God; but for others they are in parables, so that
seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’” (v10).
“No one after lighting a
lamp covers it with a vessel, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand,
that those who enter may see the light.
For nothing is hid that shall not be made manifest, nor anything secret
that shall not be known and come to light.
Take heed then how you hear; for
to him who has will more be given and from him who has not, even what he thinks
that he has will be taken away.”
(v16-18).
“And they went and woke
him, saying, ‘Master, Master, we are perishing!’ And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the
raging waves; and they ceased, and there
was a calm.” (v24).
“Then they arrived at the
country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. And as he stepped out on land, there met him
a man from the city who had demons; for
a long time he had worn no clothes, and he lived not in a house but among the
tombs.” (v26-27).
Jesus heals the Legion.
“When the herdsmen saw
what had happened, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country. Then people went out to see what had
happened, and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had
gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told them how he
who had been possessed with demons was healed.
Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked
him to depart from them; for they were
seized with great fear; so he got into
the boat and returned.” (v34-37).
“The man from whom the
demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but he sent him away, saying, ‘Return to your
home, and declare how much God has done for you.’ And he went away, proclaiming throughout the
whole city how much Jesus had done for him.”
(v38-39).
“And there came a man
named Jairus, who was a ruler of the (Synagogue); and falling at Jesus’ feet he besought him to
come to his house; for he had an only
afaughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.” (v41-42).
“As he went, the people
pressed round him. And a woman who had
had a flow of blood for twelve years and could not be healed by any one, came
up behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment; and immediately her flow of blood
ceased.” (v42-44).
Jesus heals Jairus’s
daughter.
“And he called the twelve
together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure
diseases, and he sent them out to preach the (Sovereignty) of God and to
heal. And he said to them, ‘Take nothing
for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. And whatever house you enter, stay there, and
from there depart. And wherever they do
not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as
a testimony against them.’ And they
departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing
everywhere” (v1-6).
Herod questions who Jesus
is.
Jesus feeds the crowd of
5,000 men with 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread.
Jesus asks his disciple
who people say he is; his disciples
provide responses; Jesus asks who his
disciples think he is; his disciples
proclaim him as the Christ.
“And he said to all, ‘If
any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily
and follow me. For whoever would save
his life will lose it; and whoever loses
his life for my sake, he will save it.
For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or
forfeits himself?’” (v23-25).
“Now about eight days after
these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the
mountain to pray.” (v28).
Jesus and his disciples
are visited by Deus, Moshe, and Eliyahu.
Jesus heals the boy whom
his disciples are unable to heal.
“And an argument arose
among them as to which of them was the greatest. But when Jesus perceived the thought of their
hearts, he took a child and put him by his side, and said to them, ‘Whoever
reveives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives
(Deus) (Who) sent me; for he who is
least among you all is the one who is great.’”
(v46-48).
“John answered, ‘Master,
we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he
does not follow with us.’ But Jesus said
to him, ‘Do not forbid him; for he that
is not against you is for you.’”
(v49-50).
Jesus is denied
accommodations by the Samaritans.
“As they were going along
the road, a man said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and
birds of the air have nests; but the Son
of man has nowhere to lay his head.’”
(v57-58).
“After this the (Leader)
appointed seventy others, and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every
town and place where he himself was about to come. And he said to them, ‘The harvest is
plentiful, but the laborers are few;
pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into
(Deus’s) harvest.” (v1-2).
“Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst
of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no
sandals; and salute no one on the
road. Whatever house you enter, first
say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ And if a
son of peace is there, your peace shall rest upon him; but if not, it shall return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and
drinking what they provide, for the labourer deserves his wages; do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and they receive
you, eat what is set before you; heal
the sick in it and say to them, ‘The (Sovereignty) of God has come near to
you.’ But whenever you enter a town and
they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your
town that clings to our feet, we wipe off against you; nevertheless know this, that the (Sovereignty
of God has come near.’” (v3-11).
Jesus’s disciples return
and celebrate the successes of healing.
“And behold, a lawyer
stood up to put him to the test, saying, ‘Teacher, what shall I do to inherit
eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is
written in the law? How do you read?’ And he answered, ‘You shall love the Lord
your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your
strength, and with all your mind; and
your neighbour as yourself.’ And he said
to him, ‘You have answered right; do
this and you will live.’” (v25-28).
“But he, desiring to
justify himself, said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’” (v30).
Jesus tells the parable of
the “Benevolent Samaritan.”
Jesus visits with Martha
and Mary.
--
With Joanna being
described as the wife of Chuza, what are the implications of a married woman
being a follower of Jesus (compared to the additional women who are presumably
unmarried: Mary Magdalene, Mary, Martha,
and additionally)? Does such a woman
abandon her husband and lead the life of an ascetic; does her husband go with her; and what happens when the wife is a mor and
has young children? What is the nature
of the community that surround the travelling asceticism that Jesus practises?
Why is it necessary for
the meaning of a parable to be hidden from others (secretive)? Amidst the notion of the secretive nature
being required for people to put forth the effort to learn the parable, what
legitimacy exists within the notion of a secret simply being an illusion, and
that the proclaimed possession of secret knowledge perhaps being a challenge to
determine how the disciple share the knowledge with others? How does the notion of the secret knowledge
of such righteousness (and love) compare with the rather simple, yet extremely
difficult, practise of actually acting with such righteousness and love; is there a “secret” to decipher the
difficulty and make it easy?
What is the nature within
the distinction between Jesus’s instructions, “Tell what God has done for you,”
and the Gospel’s narration, “He told what Jesus had done.”? Is this a distinction through the writing of
the Gospels or is this the actual exclamation that the man makes? In either respect, is this an intentional
distinction (with, or without significance), or is this simply an unintentional
distinction? Is this another means of
equating Jesus with God? Is this what
Jesus initially intends when providing the instruction?
What is the nature of the
involvement of those who provide boarding and materials to Jesus and his
disciples? How easy is it for Jesus and
his disciples to find such people; what
is the general extent of the provisions that are made? And what are the risks that people assume
when providing such support to Jesus?
Is there any
connexion/intentionality between the 70 apostles that Jesus designates and the
70 tribal elders that are designated to share some of Moshe’s authority?
How do these 3 teachings
that Jesus shares compare and contrast with each other: “Love thy neighbour as thyself,” “Love thy
enemy,” and, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”? How do these 3 renderings of the Golden Rule
compare with additional, similar teachings within additional traditions?
--
Koran
Sura 70: Al Ma’arij
The Ways of Ascent
Sura
71: Nuh
Noah
Sura 72: Al Jinn
The Jinn
Sura
73: Al Muzzammil The Covering Himself up
“A questioner asks about
the chastisement to befall
“The disbelievers—there is
none to avert it—
“From Allah, Lord of the
ways of Ascent.
“To (Allah) ascend the
angels and the Spirit in a day the measure of which is fifty thousand years.
“So be patient with a
(benevolent) patience.
“Surely they see it far
off,
“And We see it nigh.” (v1-7).
“Surely man is created
impatient—
“Fretful when evil
afflicts him,
“And niggardly when
(benevolence) befalls him—
“Except those who pray,
“Who are constant at their
prayer,
“And in whose wealth there
is a known right
“For the beggar and the
destitute,
“And those who accept the
(Truth) of the day of Judgment:
“And those who are fearful
of the chastisement of their Lord—
“Surely the chastisement
of their Lord is a thing not to be felt secure from—
“And those who restrain
their sexual passions,
“Except in the presence of
their mates or those whom their right hands possess—for such surely are not to
be blamed,” (v19-30).
“And those who are
faithful to their trusts and their covenant,
“And those who are upright
in their testimonies,
“And those who keep a
guard on their prayer.
“These are in Gardens,
honoured.” (v32-35).
“But nay! I swear by the Lord of the Eastern lands and
the Western lands! That We are certainly
Powerful
“To bring in their place
(others) better than them, and We shall not be overcome.
“So leave them to plunge
in vain talk and to sport, until they come face to face with that day of theirs
which they are promised—” (v40-42).
“Surely We sent (Noach) to
his people, saying: ‘Warn thy people
before there come to them a painful chastisement.
“He said: O my people, surely I am a plain warner to
you:
“That you should serve
Allah and keep your duty to (Allah) and obey me—
“(Allah) will forgive you
some of your sins and grant you respite to an appointed term. Surely the term of Allah, when it comes, is
not postponted. Did you but know!” (v1-4).
“he said: My Lord, I have called my people night and
day;
“But my call has only made
them flee the more.” (v5-6).
“And whenever I call to
them that Thou mayest forgive tem, they thrust their fingers in their ears and
cover themselves with their garments, and persist and are big with pride.
“Then surely I have called
to them aloud,
“Then spoken to them in
public and spoken to them in private,
“So I have said: Ask
forgiveness of your Lord; surely (Allah)
is ever Forgiving:
(Allah) will send down
upon you rain, pouring in abundance,
“And help you with wealth
and sons, and make for you gardens, and make for you rivers.” (v7-12).
“Say: It has been revealed to me that a party of
the jinn listened, so they said: Surely
we have hear a wonderful Quran.
“Guiding to the right
way—so we believe in it. And we shall
not set up anyone with our Lord.
“And (Allah)—exalted be
the majesty of our Lord!—has not taken a consort, nor a son.
“And the foolish among us
used to forge extravagant lies against Allah:
“And we thought that men
and jinn did not utter a lie against Allah:
“And persons from among
men used to (search for) refuge with persons from among the jinn, so they
increased them in evil doing:
“And they thought, as you
think, that Allah would not raise anyone:
“And we sought to reach
heaven, but we found it filled with strong guards and flames:
“And we used to sit in
some of the sitting-places thereof to steal a hearing. But he who tries to listen now finds a flame
lying in wait for him:
“And we know not whether
evil is meant for those on earth or whether their Lord means to direct them
aright.
“And some of us are
(benevolent) and others of us are below that—we are sects following different
ways:
“And we know that we
cannot escape Allah in the earth, nor can we escape (Allah) by flight:
“And when we heard the
guidance, we believed in it. So whoever
believes in his Lord, he fears neither loss nor injustice:
“And some of us are those
who submit, and some of us are deviators.
So whoever submits, these aim at the right way.
“And as to deviators, they
are fuel of hell:
“And if they keep to the
right way, We would certainly give them to drink of abundant water,
“So that We may try them
thereby. And whoever turns away from the
reminder of his Lord, (Allah) will make him enter into an afflicting
chastisement:” (v1-17).
“And the mosques are
Allah’s, so call not upon anyone with Allah:
“And when the Servant of
Allah stood up praying to (Allah), they well-nigh crowded him to death.” (v18-19).
“Say: I only call upon my Lord, and associate
naught with (Allah).
“Say: I control not evil nor (benevolence) for you.
“Say: None can protect me against Allah, nor can I
find any refuge besides (Allah).
“Mine is naught but to
deliver the command of Allah and (Allah’s) messages, And whoever disobeys Allah and (Allah’s)
Messenger, surely for him is the Fire of hell, to abide therein for ages.
“Till when they see that
which they are promised, they will know who is weaker in helpers and less in
numbers.
“Say: I know not whether that which you are
promised is nigh or if my Lord will appoint for it a distant term.
“The Knower of the unseen,
so (Allah) makes (Allah’s) secrets known to none,
Except a messenger whom
(Allah) chooses. For surely (Allah)
makes a guard to go before him and after him,
“That (Allah) may know
that they have (Truly) delivered the messages of their Lord; and (Allahhttps://plus.google.com/u/0/me)
encompasses what is with them, and (Allah) keeps account of all things.” (v20-28).
“O thou covering thyself
up!
“Rise to pray by night
except a little,
“Half of it, or lessen it
a little,
“Or add to it, and recite
the Qur’an in a leisurely manner.
“Surely We shall charge
thee with a weighty word.
“The rising by night is
surely the firmest way to tread and most effective in speech.
“Truly thou hast by day
prolonged occupation.
“And remember the name of
thy Lord and devote thyself to (Allah) with compete devotion.
“The Lord of the East and
the West—there is not (Deity) but (Allah)—so take (Allah) for Protector.
“And bear patiently what
they say and forsake them with a becoming withdrawal.
“And leave Me and the
deniers, possessors of plenty, and respite them a little.” (v1-11).
“Thy Lord knows indeed
that thou passest in prayer nearly two-thirds of the night, and sometimes half
of it, and sometimes a third of it, as do a party of those with thee. And Allah measures the night and the
day. (Allah) knows that all of you are
not able to do it, so (Allah) has turned to you mercifully; so read of the Quran that which is easy for
you. (Allah) know that there are sick
among you, and others who travel in the land (searching f) of Allah’s bounty,
and others who fight in Allah’s way. So
read as much of it as is easy for you, and keep up prayer and pay the poor rate
and offer to Allah a (benevolent) gift.
And whatever of (benevolence) you send on beforehand for yourselves, you
will din it with Allah—that is best and greatest in reward. And ask forgiveness
of Allah. Surely Allah is Forgiving,
Merciful.” (v20).
--
Why is the ransoming of
slaves described as a “righteous” and “favourable” act, rather than as an
obligatory act?
What is the nature of the
arrangement of female servants whom one’s “right hand possesses”? What is the required duration that a woman
must be another man’s servant before he is able to have sexual intercourse with
her; and how does this differ from
prostitution? What are the rules concerning
the selling, “renting,” or temporary “exchanging” of female servants? What are the rules pertaining to coveting
another woman, and the female servant of another man? How does this compare with additional
traditions, particularly within Judaism (and within Judaism, how is economic
trade, itself, facilitated [whether it is for another man’s female servant or
for produce], without some form of covetousness towards that which a merchant
is offering?)?
Within Verse 36, there is
reference to both the East and the West;
whilst many references to the West (including Judaism and Christianity)
are made throughout the Koran, there seem to be very few explicit references to
Eastern civilisations (such as Hinduism, Buddhism, China, and
additionally); is this reference
specifically to such civilisations? Is
there any intentionality and/or significance within this, as well? Is there any validity within the observance
of the similarity between the prose construct of the Koran with that of the
Upanishads, compared with that of the Torah and the Christian New Testament?
What are some of the
dynamics that may be extrapolated from Noach’s description of his approach to
his contemporaries? How does this
compare with Jesus’s teachings regarding the ministries of his disciples? How does this compare with the establishment
of the tribes of Israel? How does this
compare with the methodology of the Buddha?
And how does this compare with the teachings of Sri Krishna?
How do the 99 Beautiful
Names of Allah compare with the 613 mitzvot;
what additional, respective, comparatively large numbers of note can be
found within additional traditions? How
do the respective mechanics, metaphysics, and additional characteristics of
these numerals compare and contrast with each other?
Sura Al Jinn seems to
provide a rather candid and genuine insight of Islam; what does this reveal about the nature of the
Jinn? Is Verse 16 communicated from the
voice of the Jinn of from the voice of the Angel Jibril?
The commands within Sura
Al Muzzammil, regarding the performance of Salat and the study of the Koran,
seem to be rather “laissez-faire;” how
are these teachings to be appropriately understood within the original context
of the Koran? And how are these
teachings to be appropriately understood amidst the development of traditions
regarding these practises and observances?
--
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.Barış.ειρήνη.Pace.Paz.Paix.Fred.Frieden.Vrede.Siochana.мир.امن.和平.平和.평화.Aloha.
.
.
.
ૐ.
אמן .
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