Righteous Mountain: Holy Scriptures Study, Week 51 Nitzavim; 119.1.11

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. . . .

Shalom (Hebrew). Namaste (Sanskrit). Samadhi (Thai/Pali). Pax (Latin). Salaam (Arabic). Peace (English). Sat Nam (Punjabi). Solh (Persian). Kwey (Lakotah). Amani (Swahili). Barish (Turkish). Erieni (Greek). Pache (Italiano). Paz (Espanol). Paix (Francais). Fred (Scandinavian). Frieden (Deutsch). Siochana (Irish). Mir (Russian). Amin (Urdu). Heping (Mandarin). Heiwa (Japanese). Pyeonghwa (Korean). Aloha (Hawai’ian). Peace (Common Symbol). Peace (Common Sign). Peace (General American Sign Language). Peace (American Braille).

Holy Scriptures Study, Week 51 Nitzavim; 119.1.11

Torah

Devarim 29:9 – 30:20

“Today your leaders, your tribal chiefs, your elders, your judges, every Israelite man, your children, your wives, and the foreigner in your camp, even your woodcutters and water drawers—you are all standing before Adonai.

“Today you are about to be brought into the covenant with Adonai, sealed with the promise that (Adonai) is making to you today.” (v9-11).

“(Adonai) is confirming that you are (Adonai’s) nation, and that (Adonai) will be your God, just as (Adonai) promised you, and as (Adonai) swore to your ancestors, (Avraham), (Yitzak), and (Yaakov).

“I am not making this covenant with you alone. I am making this covenant with everyone who is standing here with us today before Adonai and with all the future generations of Israel.” (v12-13).

“You remember that we lived in Egypt, and that we journeyed through the territories of enemy nations. You saw their stupid idols made of wood and stone, gold and silver. Surely no man, woman, family, or tribe is unfaithful to Adonai by worshipping the idols of those other nations. Make certain that none of you are poisoned by their ideas.

“When such a traitor hears the warning of this terrible oath, he may say to himself, ‘I am safe if I do my own thing.’ This attitude will lead to his downfall and ruination.

“Adonai demands exclusive worship and will not forgive such a person. Adonai’s anger will be directed like angry flames against that person. All the terrible curses written in this book will bury him, and Adonai will erase his name from under the heavens. Adonai will separate him from all the Israelite tribes, and he will suffer all the dread curses of the covenant that are recorded in this teaching scroll.” (v15-20).

“Then future generations of your descendants, and foreigners from far away, will see the punishment against the land, and the diseases with which Adonai has struck it, and they will say, ‘Sulphur and salt have burned the soil. The soil is burned dry and has become a desert of salt, and not even grass can grow on it, just like the destruction of Sodom, Gomorrah, Adma, and Zevoyim, the cities that Adonai destroyed when (Adonai) became angry.’ Nations will ask, ‘Why did Adonai punish this land? Why was (Adonai) so angry?’

“They will be told, ‘It is because they abandoned the covenant that Adonai made with their ancestors when (Adonai) freed them from slavery in Egypt.’” (v21-24).

“There are many secrets that Adonai has not told us. However, the rules and laws that have been revealed are meant for us and our children forever. They must be forever obeyed.” (v28).

“The time will come when you will experience the blessing and the curses that I have set before you. You will be scattered among many nations and then you will (Realise) that (Adonai) is punishing you. Then you will return to Adonai, and you will obey (Adonai), and do everything that I am commanding you today. Then you and your children will repent with all your heart and with all your soul.

“Adonai will have mercy and rescue your remnants. Adonai will once again bring you back from among the nations where (Adonai) scattered you. Even though you are living at the ends of the earth, Adonai will gather you up from there and will bring you back.” (v1-4).

“Then Adonai will bring you to the land that belonged to your ancestors, and now you will possess it once more. Adonai will do (benevolence) for you, and (Adonai) will make you even more successful than your ancestors. Adonai will cleanse your minds and hearts, and the minds and hearts of your descendants, so that you will love Adonai with all your heart and soul, so that Israel will once again flourish.” (v5-6).

“Adonai will turn all these curses against your enemies and against those who pursue you.

“But you must return and obey Adonai, and observe all (Adonai’s) commandments which I am giving you today.” (v7-8).

“These commandments that I am giving you today are not impossible to obey. These laws are not far away in heaven, so that you might say, ‘These rules are far away in heaven; bring them down to us so that we can hear them and obey them.’ They are not far away across the ocean so that one can say, ‘Who can sail across the ocean and bring them to us so that we can hear them and obey them?’ No! The commandments are very close to you. They are on your lips and in your heart, so that you can easily obey them.” (v11-14).

“Look! Today I have set before you a free choice: Choose between life and (benevolence) on one side, and death and evil on the other side.

“I have commanded you today to love Adonai, to walk in (Adonai’s) footsteps and observe (Adonai’s) commandments, decrees, and laws. If you do this you will live and be successful, and Adonai will bless you in the land that you are about to occupy.

“But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you decide to bow down and worship idols, then I warn you: If you do this you will be completely destroyed. You will not live a long and prosperous life in the land you are crossing the (Yordan) to occupy.

“As witnesses I call heaven and earth. I have given you the choice of life or death, blessing or curse. Choose life, so that you and your descendants will live.” (v15-19)

“You must make the choice to love Adonai, and to obey (Adonai), and to commit yourself to (Adonai), for (Adonai) is your life and the length of your days. Then you will be able to live peacefully in the land that Adonai swore to give to (Avraham), (Yitzak), and (Yaakov).” (v20).

Within each religious tradition, there seems to be a fundamental temporal contradiction that challenges the integrity of each religion’s pragmatic doctrine: how does Judaism overcome the contradiction of the “ger” (the stranger); how does Islam overcome the command to follow the Sunna of Muhammad (PBUH), without actually making the same claims of Prophesy as Muhammad (PBUH); how does Christianity overcome the command to love as Jesus does without searching to be killed or expecting someone else to be killed; how does Buddhism overcome the implicit teaching of “Becoming” that the Buddha is effectively the manifestation of 1’s own cognition; and how does Hinduism overcome the tamasic (microcosmic) tendency of the varnas? Without challenging the profound, esoteric wisdom and the benevolent pragmatic guidance that respectively and commonly exists within Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, and additional religious traditions, how do the teachings and practises of any religion manifest the Universal consciousness of each individual without simultaneously becoming susceptible to the apparent, intrinsic contradictions (and subsequent hypocrisies) that exist within this temporal life? Is there any validity within the notion that the only fundamental distinction between beings is the respective nature of our energy, and that humans simply tend to congregate with those who share a similar set of hypocrisies, and effectively judge and condemn those whose hypocrisies are considerably different? What is the appropriate level of love, altruism, forgiveness, and self-interest that we are each to maintain?

Is there any significance within the fact that Moshe seems to exclude single Israeli women from his address within the opening of Nitzavim?

How does Moshe’s command to abstain from “doing 1’s own thing,” compare and contrast with the example of Avraham, as well as with the expected emergence of Moshiach? How does 1 genuinely follow the example of Avraham, Jesus, the Buddha, the Rishis, and/or Muhammad (May Be Peace With Each Prophet), without “transcending” the subsequent doctrines of the respective Prophet, and similarly establishing 1’s own Prophetic example? What propensity (and, indeed, what responsibility) does each individual have in doing so? And, does each individual already do so, in 1 way or another?

Bhagavad Gita

Chapters 11 – 12

“Out of compassion (You) have taught me the supreme mystery of the Self. Through your words my delusion is gone.

“You have explained the origin and end of every creature, O lotus-eyed one, and told me of (Your) own supreme, limitless existence.

“Just as (You) have described (Your) infinite glory, O Lord, now I long to see it. I want to see (You) as the supreme ruler of creation.

“O Lord, master of yoga, if (You) think me strong enough to behold it, show me (Your) immortal Self.” (v1-4).

“Behold, Arjuna, a million (Divine) forms, with an infinite variety of color and shape.

“Behold the (deities) of the natural world, and many more wonders never revealed before.

“Behold the entire cosmos turning within (My) body, and the other things you desire to see.

“But these things cannot be seen with your physical eyes; therefore I give you spiritual vision to perceive (My) majestic power.” (v5-8).

“Having spoken these words, Krishna, the master of yoga, revealed to Arjuna (Brahman’s) most exalted, Lordly, form.

“(Brahman) appeared with an infinite number of faces, ornamented by heavenly (gems), displaying unending miracles and the countless weapons of (Adonai’s) power.

“Clothed in celestial garments and covered with garlands, sweet-smelling with heavenly fragrances, (Brahman) showed (Brahman’s Self) as the infinite Lord, the source of all wonders, Whose face is everywhere.

“If a thousand suns were to rise in the heavens, at the same time, the blaze of their light would resemble the splendour of that supreme spirit.

“There, with the body of the God of (deities), Arjuna saw all the manifold forms of the universe united as one.” (v9-14).

“O Lord, I see within (Your) body all the (deities) and every kind of living creature. I see Brahma, the Creator, seated on a lotus; I see the ancient sages and the celestial serpents.

“I see infinite mouths and arms, stomachs and eyes, and (You) are embodied in every form. I see (You) everywhere, without beginning, middle, or end. You are the Lord of all creation, and the cosmos is (Your) body.

“You wear a crown and carry a mace and discus; (Your) radiance is blinding and immeasurable. I see (You), (Who) are so difficult to behold, shining like a fiery sun blazing in every direction.

“You are the supreme, changeless Reality, the one thing to be known. You are the refuge of all creation; the immortal spirit, the eternal guardian of eternal Dharma.

“You are without beginning, middle, or end; (You) touch everything with (Your) infinite power. The sun and moon are (Your) eyes, and (Your) mouth is fire; (Your) radiance warms the cosmos.” (15-19).

“I see all the sons of Dhritarashtra: I see Bhishma, Drona, and Karna; I see our warriors and all the king who are here to fight.

“All are rushing into (Your) awful jaws; I see some of them crushed by (Your) teeth.

“As rivers flow into the ocean, all the warriors of this world are passing into (Your) fiery jaws;

“all creatures rush to their destruction like moths into a flame.” (v26-30).

“Tell me who (You) are, O Lord of terrible form. I bow before (You); have mercy! I want to know who (You) are, (You) who existed before all creation. Your nature and workings confound me.” (v31).

“I am time, the destroyer of all; I have come to consume the world. Even without your participation, all the warriors gathered here will die.

“Therefore arise, Arjuna; conquer your enemies and enjoy the glory of sovereignty. I have already slain all these warriors; you will only be (My) instrument.” (v32-33).

“Having heard these words, Arjuna trembled in fear. With joined palms he bowed before Krishna and addressed (Brahman) stammering.” (v35).

“O Krishna, it is right that the world delights and rejoices in (Your) praise, that all the saints and sages bow down to (You) and all evil flees before (You) to the far corners of the universe.” (v36).

“You are the first among the (deities), the timeless spirit, the resting place of all beings. You are the knower and the thing which is known. You are the final home; with (Your) infinite form (You) pervade the cosmos.” (v38).

“Sometimes, because (We) were friends, I rashly said, ‘O Krishna!’ ‘Say, friend!’—casual, careless remarks.

“Whatever I may have said lightly, whether (We) were playing or resting, alone or in company, sitting together or eating, if it was disrespectful, forgive me for it, O Krishna. I did not know the greatness of (Your) nature, unchanging and imperishable.

“You are the (Creator) of the universe, of the animate and the inanimate, (You) are the object of all worship, the greatest guru. There is none to equal (You) in the three worlds. Who can match (Your) power?

“O gracious Lord, I prostrate myself before (You) and ask for (Your) blessing. As a father forgives his son, or a friend a friend, or a lover his beloved, so should (You) forgive me.

“I rejoice in seeing (You) as (You) have never been seen before, yet I am filled with fear by this vision of (You) as the abode of the universe. Please let me see (You) again as the shining God of (deities).

“Though (You) are the embodiment of all creation, let me see (You) again not with a thousand arms but with four, carrying the mace and discus and wearing a crown.” (v41-46).

“Arjuna, through (My) grace you have been united with (Me) and received this vision of (My) radiant, universal form, without beginning or end, which no one else has ever seen.

“Not by knowledge of the Vedas, nor sacrifice, nor charity, nor rituals, nor even by severe asceticism has any other mortal seen what you have seen, O heroic Arjuna.

“Do not be troubled; do not fear (My) terrible form. Let your heart be satisfied and your fears dispelled in looking at (Me) as I was before.” (v47-49).

“Having spoken these words, the Lord once again assumed the gentle form of Krishna and consoled his devotee, who had been so afraid.” (v50).

“Of those steadfast devotees who love (You) and those who (search for) (You) as the eternal formless Reality, who are the more established in yoga?” (v1).

“Those who set their hearts on (Me) and worship (Me) with unfailing devotion and faith are more established in yoga.” (v2).

“As for those who (search for) the transcendental Reality, without name, without form, contemplating the Unmanifested, beyond the reach of thought and of feeling,

“with their senses subdued and mind serene and striving for the (benefit) of all beings, they too will verily come unto (Me).” (v3-4).

“Yet hazardous and slow is the path to the Unrevealed, difficult for physical man to tread.

“But they for whom I am the supreme goal, who do all work renouncing self for (Me) and meditate on (Me) with single-hearted devotion,

“these I will swiftly rescue from the fragment’s cycle of birth and death, for their consciousness has entered into (Me).” (v5-7).

“Still your mind in (Me), still your intellect in (Me), and without doubt you will be united with (Me) forever.

“If you cannot still your mind in (Me), learn to do so through the regular practice of meditation.

“If you lack the will for such self-discipline, engage yourself in (My) work, for selfless service can lead you at last to complete fulfilment.

“If you are unable to do even this, surrender yourself to (Me), disciplining yourself and renouncing the results of all your actions.” (v8-11).

“Better indeed is knowledge than mechanical practice. Better than knowledge is meditation. But better still is surrender of attachment to results, because there follows immediate peace.” (v12).

“That one I love who is incapable of ill will, who is friendly and compassionate. Living beyond the reach of I and mine and of pleasure and pain,

“patient, contented, self-controlled, firm in faith, with all his heart and all his mind given to (Me)—with such a one I am in love.

“Not agitating the world or by it agitated, he stands above the sway of elation, competition, and fear: he is (My) beloved.

“He is detached, pure, efficient, impartial, never anxious, selfless in all his undertakings; he is my devotee, very dear to (Me).” (v13-16).

“He is detached, pure, efficient, impartial, never anxious, selfless in all his undertakings; he is (My) devotee, very dear to (Me).

“He is dear to (Me) who runs not after the pleasant or away from the painful, grieves not, lusts not, but lets things come and go as they happen.

“That devotee who looks upon friend and foe with equal regard, who is not buoyed up by praise nor cast down by blame, alike in heat and cold, pleasure and pain, free from selfish attachments,

“the same in honor and dishonour, quiet, ever full, in harmony everywhere, firm in faith—such a one is dear to (Me).” (v17-19).

“Those who meditate upon this immortal (Dharma) as I have declared (It), full of faith and (searching for) (Me) as life’s supreme goal, are (Truly) (My) devotees, and (My) love for them is very great.” (v20).

Amidst the passage where Sri Krishna states: “Behold the (deities) of the natural world,” how might this be understood, within an “Avrahamic context,” as simply seeing the deities as an illusion (seeing the deities as the deities “Really” (actually) are)? Might this also similarly apply (within a “Vedic,” samsaric [maya] sense), to all phenomena throughout the Universe?

What is the nature of the social dynamic that Arjuna is explaining and invoking within verses 41 – 46?

Amidst the understanding that within Hinduism, there is belief in only 1 Ultimate Reality, Brahman, what are the implications of the different “denominations” within Hinduism that worship different manifestations (deities, celestial beings, avatars) of Brahman? What is the nature of the difference between different “Hindu denominations”? Are there unanimous or distinct Theological and pragmatic doctrines, narratives, and additional teachings? What are the distinctions and similarities regarding Theology and practise? How is social cohesion maintained amidst the distinctions? How does this compare and contrast with the different denominations respectively existing within Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam?

What is the rhetorical and esoteric nature of Sri Krishna (through the English translation) utilising the term, “I and mine” in a comparatively “vain” manner, describing the selfish pursuits of individuals?

Dhammapada

Chapters 6 – 10

“Look upon the man who tells thee thy faults as if he told thee of a hidden treasure, the wise man who shows thee the dangers of life. Follow that man: he who follows him will see (benevolence) and not evil.

“Let him admonish and let him instruct, and let him restrain what is wrong. He will be loved by those who are (benevolent) and hated by those who are not.” (v1-2).

“He who drinks of the waters of Truth, he rests in joy with mind serene. The wise find their delight in the Dhamma, in the Truth revealed by the great.

“Those who make channels for water control the waters; makers of arrows make the arrows straight; carpenters control their timber; and the wise control their own minds.

“Even as a great rock is not shaken by the wind, the wise man is not shaken by praise or by blame.” (v80-81).

“(Benevolent) men, at all times, surrender in (Truth) all attachments. The holy spend not idle words on things of desire. When pleasure or pain comes to them, the wise feel above pleasure and pain.” (v83).

“For he whose mind is well trained in the ways that lead to light, who surrenders the bondage of attachments and finds joy in his freedom from bondage, who free from the darkness of passions, shines in a radiance of light, even in this mortal life he enjoys the immortal Nirvana.” (v89).

“The traveller has reached the end of the journey! In the freedom of the Infinite he is free from all sorrows, the fetters that bound him are thrown away, and the burning fever of life is no more.” (v90).

“Those who have high thoughts are ever striving: they are not happy to remain in the same place. Like swans that leave their lake and rise into the air, they leave their home for a higher home.” (v91).

“Who can trace the path of those who know the right food of life and, rejecting over-abundance, soar in the sky of liberation, the (Infinite) Void without beginning? Their course is as hard to follow as that of the birds in the air.” (v92).

“He is calm like the earth that endures; he is steady like a column that is firm; he is pure like a lake that is clear; he is free from Samsara, the ever-returning life-in-death.” (v95).

“In the light of his vision he has found his freedom: his thoughts are peace, his words are peace and his work is peace.” (v96).

“And he who is free from credulous beliefs since he has seen the eternal Nirvana, who has thrown off the bondage of the lower life and, far beyond temptations, has surrendered all his desires, he is indeed great amongst men.” (v97).

“Wherever holy men dwell, that is indeed a place of joy—be it in the village, or in a forest, or in a valley or on the hills.” (v98).

“Better than a thousand useless words is one single word that gives peace.” (v100)

“If a man should conquer in battle a thousand and a thousand more, and another man should conquer himself, his would be the greater victory, because the greatest of victories is the victory over oneself; and neither the (deities) in heaven above nor the demons down below can turn into defeat the victory of such a man.” (v103-105).

“And whosoever honours in reverence those who are old in virtue and holiness, he indeed conquers four treasures: long life, and health, and power and joy.” (v109).

“Better than a hundred years lived in vice, without contemplation, is one single day of life lived in virtue and in deep contemplation.” (v110).

“Make haste and do what is (benevolent); keep your mind away from evil. If a man is slow in doing (benevolence), his mind finds pleasure in evil.” (v116).

“If a man does something wrong, let him not do it again and again. Let him not find pleasure in his sin. Painful is the accumulation of wrongdoings.” (v117).

“If a man does something (benevolent), let him do it again and again. Let him find joy in his (benevolent) work. Joyful is the accumulation of (benevolent) work.” (v118).

“A man may find pleasure in evil as long as his evil has not given fruit; but when the fruit of evil comes then that man finds evil indeed.

“A man may find pain in doing (benevolence) as long as his (benevolence) has not given fruit; but when the fruit of (benevolence) comes then that man finds (benevolence) indeed.” (v119-120).

“Hold not a sin of little worth, thinking ‘this is little to me.’ The falling of drops of water will in time fill a water-jar. Even so the foolish man becomes full of evil, although he gather it little by little.

“Hold not a deed of little worth, thinking ‘this is little to me.’ The falling of drops of water will in time fill a water-jar. Even so the wise man becomes full of (benevolence), although he gather it little by little.” (v121-122).

“All beings tremble before danger, all fear death. When a man considers this, he does not kill or cause to kill.” (v129).

“He who for the sake of happiness hurts others who also want happiness, shall not hereafter find happiness.” (v131).

“If you can be in silent quietness like a broken gong that is silent, you have reached the peace of Nirvana and your anger is peace.” (v134).

“Neither nakedness, nor entangled hair, nor uncleanliness, nor fasting, nor sleeping on the ground, nor covering the body with ashes, nor ever-squatting, can purify a man who is not pure from doubts and desires.

“But although a man may wear fine clothing, if he lives peacefully; and is (benevolent), self-possessed, has faith and is pure; and if he does not hurt any living being, he is a holy Brahmin, a hermit of seclusion, a monk called Bhikkhu.” (v141-142).

How does the prose of the Dhammapada compare with the metaphors within Jesus’s parables, as well as with similar literary devices within the respective traditions of Judaism, Islam, and Hinduism?

How do the Dhammapada’s teachings regarding detachment compare and contrast within similar teachings (regarding the nature of temporal phenomena and Nirvana [unity with the Ultimate Reality]) respectively within Judaism, Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam?

How does the teaching within Verse 91, regarding being insatiable with higher thought, compare and contrast with additional teachings regarding the principle of equanimity and comparative indifference?

What may be further consideration regarding a wise person avoiding the “over-abundance” of the “right food of life”? How does such a teaching compare with the practise of egalitarianism; and how does this compare with similar teachings provided by Jesus, as well as within the traditions of Islam, Judaism, and Hinduism?

Within every tradition that facilitates social interaction within a community, there is tremendous benefit that the community experiences through such cooperation; yet, the cooperation within that community identity necessarily establishes a binary of those who are perceived as existing outside that community, and thus a different manner of interacting with those who are perceived as outside the community; and thus, there emerges a contradiction within the very principles that facilitate the cooperation within the community; whilst adults, parents, and elders may be substantially entrenched within such contradiction, so as to effectively ignore and/or deny it, children are increasingly drawn towards Truth and honesty and addressing such contradictions; and many children experience difficulty in receiving a community’s teachings of cooperation that abstain from addressing such contradictions; and thus, many children search beyond the traditions of the community to find the Truth and honesty in any manner that it may be communicated (often within the respective traditions of other communities); so the consideration becomes: how may a community Truthfully and honestly impart its teachings of cooperation amongst its children, addressing the contradictions amidst “identifying the other,” whilst maintaining the integrity of such cooperation? What are the limits in extending a community (in a genuine and pragmatic manner) to include the entire Universe? Is it possible to have multiple, distinct communities that simultaneously exist within a larger community, whilst members of each community genuinely and simultaneously maintain a proficient identity within both the respective smaller community, as well as the whole community? Is that the way the Universe already exists? How can we improve the relations between our respective smaller communities?

Gospels

John 5 – 7

“After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to (Yerushalayim) by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Hebrew called Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. In these lay a multitude of invalids, blind, lame, paralyzed. One man was there, who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew that he had been lying there a long time, he said to him, ‘Do you want to be healed?’ The sick man answered him, ‘Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is troubled, and while I am going another steps down before me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Rise, take up your pallet, and walk.’ And at once the man was healed, and he took up his pallet and walked.

“Now that day was (Shabbat). So the Jews said to the man who was cured, ‘It is (Shabbat), it is not lawful for you to carry your pallet.’ But he answered them, ‘The man who healed me said to me, ‘Take up your pallet, and walk.’” (v1-11).

The leaders challenge Jesus.

“But Jesus answered them, ‘My (Creator) is working still, and I am working.” (v17).

“This is why the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke (Shabbat) but also called God his own Father, making himself equal with God.” (v18).

Jesus proclaims his relationship with Deus.

“I can do nothing on my own authority; as I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I (search not for) my own will but the will of (Deus) (Who) sent me. If I bear witness to myself, my testimony is not (True); there is another who bears witness to me, and I know that the testimony which he bears to me is (True).”

“You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the (Truth). Not that the testimony which I receive is from man; but I say this that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But the testimony which I have is greater than that of John; for the works which the (Creator) has granted me to accomplish, these very works which I am doing, bear witness that (Deus) has sent me. And the (Creator) (Who) sent me has (by Deus) borne witness to me.” (v33-37).

“You search the scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness to me; yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. I do not receive glory from men. But I know that you have not the love of God within you. I have come in my (Creator’s) name, and you do not receive me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. How can you believe, who receive glory from one another and do not (search for) the glory that comes from the only God?” (v39-44).

“After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a multitude followed him, because they saw the signs which he did on those who were diseased.” (v1-2).

“Jesus went up on the mountain, and there sat down with his disciples. Now the (Pesach), the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a multitude was coming to him, Jesus said to Philip, ‘How are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?’ This he said to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.” (v3-6).

“One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, ‘There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish: but what are they among so many?’ Jesus said, ‘Make the people sit down.’ Now there was much grass in the place; so the men sat down, in number about five thousand. Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted.” (v8-11).

“Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.” (v15).

“When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea rose because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three of four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat. They were frightened, but he said to them, ‘It is I; do not be afraid.’ Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.” (v16-21).

The crowd searches for Jesus.

“When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Truly, (Truly), I say to you, you (search for) me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you; for on him has God the (Creator) set (Deus’s) seal.’” (v25-27).

“Then they said to him, ‘What must we do, to be doing the works of God?’ Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom (Deus) has sent.’ So they said to him, ‘Then what sign do you do, that we may see, and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’’ Jesus then said to them, ‘Truly, (Truly), I say to you, it was not (Moshe) who gave you the bread from heaven; my (Creator) gives you the (True) bread from heave. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world.’ They said to him, ‘(Leader), give us this bread always.’

“Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; he who come to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.’” (v28-35).

“For this is the will of my (Creator), that every one who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” (v40).

“The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, ‘I am the bread which came down from heaven.’” (v41).

Jesus further proclaims the necessity of eating from him.

“The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’” (v52).

“So Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, (Truly), I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you;” (v53).

“Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, ‘This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?’” (v60).

“After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him. Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you also wish to go away?’ Simon Peter answered him, ‘(Leader), to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; and we have believed, and come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.’” (v66-69).

“After this Jesus went about in Galilee; he would not go about in (Yudea), because the Jews sought to kill him. Now the Jews’ feast of Tabernacles was at hand. So his brothers said to him, ‘Leave here and go to (Yudea), that your disciples may see the works you are doing. For no man works in secret if he (searches) to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.’ For even his brothers did not believe in him. Jesus said to them, ‘My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify of it that its works are evil. Go to the feast yourselves; I am not going up this feast for my time has not yet fully come. So saying, he remained in Galilee.” (v1-9).

“But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private.” (v10).

“About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. The Jews marvelled at it, saying, ‘How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?’ So Jesus answered them, ‘My teaching is not mine, but (Deus’s) (Who) sent me; if any man’s will is to do (Deus’s) will, he shall know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. He who speaks on his own authority (searches for) his own glory; but he who (searches for) the glory of (Deus) (Who) sent him is (True), and in him there is no falsehood.” (v14-18).

“Some of the people of (Yerushalayim) therefore said, ‘Is not this the man whom they (search) to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him” (v25-26).

The people inquire about Jesus being Moshiach.

“The Pharisees heard the crowd thus muttering about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to arrest him. Jesus then said, ‘I shall be with you a little longer, and then I go to (Deus) (Who) sent me; you will (search for) me and you will not find me; where I am you cannot come.’” (v32-34).

“Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, ‘Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?’ They replied, ‘Are you from Galilee too? Search and you will see that no prophet is to rise from Galilee.’” (v50-52).

Does the man’s healing 1^st rely upon him taking his pallet? Considering this event occurs during Shabbat, is this an act of Faith and/or an act of rebellion? What is the Truth that exists within healing, and what is the Truth that exists beyond healing? What is the tangible point of symbiosis between Faith and act? And how does “free will” figure within this (amidst the notion of omnipotence)?

May it be considered that Deus sends every being into life; and thus, that every being is charged with a mission by Deus to complete within this life? How does this compare with respective teachings from Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam, regarding this notion of derivation and purpose?

In the passage of Verses 39 – 44, can Jesus be speaking as any being within the Universe?

The manner in which the Gospel according to John is written (particularly how Jews are specifically referred to in the 3^rd person, “the Jews”) suggests that the author of the Gospel according to John (or at least the Revised Standard Version English translation) is other than Jewish or Israeli; is there accuracy within this consideration?

What is the tendency of people to hoard sustenance from others, and then to subsequently offer such sustenance to others as charity and kindness? What is an appropriate genuine, balanced, and alTruistic economic system that appropriately tends to the individual and the other?

How does Jesus’s teaching to, as the “work of God,” simply proclaim Faith within Jesus (from Verse 29) compare with Jesus’s additional teachings regarding loving others and benevolence and righteousness as the “works of God”?

Koran

Sura 111: Al-Lahab: The Flame

“Abu Lahab’s hands will perish and he will perish.

“His wealth and that which he earns will not avail him.

“He will burn in fire giving rise to flames—

“And his wife—the bearer of slander;

“Upon her neck a halter of twisted rope!” (v1-5).

Does Sura Al Lahab reference a specific contemporary of Muhammad (PBUH); and what is the purpose of including this Sura amidst the conclusion of the Koran, and amidst the increasingly “lighter” teachings within the surrounding Suras?

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 .

ૐ. אמן .

Righteous Mountain

Friday, September 21, 2012

Holy Scriptures Study, Week 51 Nitzavim; 119.1.11

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