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 46 Eikev; 118.12.8
Torah
Devarim
7:12 – 11:25
“If you obey My rules and
observe the commandments, then Adonai will remember (Adonai’s) covenant which
(Adonai) made with your ancestors.
“(Adonai) will love
you. (Adonai) will bless you, (Adonai)
will make you numerous. (Adonai) will
bless you with many children, (Adonai) will increase the crops of your land,
your grain, your wine, your oil, the calves of your herds, and the lambs of
your flocks, in the land that (Adonai) promised your ancestors to give to you.” (v12-13)
“Show no mercy to the
nations that Adonai delivers into your hands.
Do not worship their idols, because that will be a deadly trap.” (v16)
“Little by little Adonai
will drive out these nations.
“Do not drive them out too
quickly; otherwise the wild animals will
(become) too numerous.” (v22).
“Remember how Adonai led
you these forty years in the wilderness.
(Adonai) sent hardships to test you, to determine what is in your
heart: whether you would keep (Adonai’s)
commandments or not.” (v2).
“Adonai is bringing you to
a fertile land with flowing streams and with springs gushing from valleys and
mountains. It is a land overflowing with
wheat, barley, grapes, figs, and pomegranates—a land of olive and honey-date
trees. It is a land of plentiful food,
where nothing is lacking, a land where iron stones are plentiful, and the
mountains are filled with copper.
“When you eat and are
satisfied, you must thank Adonai for the (benevolent) land (Adonai) has given
you.” (v7-10).
“Later, when you are
successful, take care not to say to yourself, ‘It was my own strength and my
power that made me successful.’” (v17).
“Today be aware that
Adonai is the One (Who) will cross ahead of you. (Adonai) is like a fierce fire, and as Adonai
has promised you, (Adonai) will weaken the nations before you and drive them out
and destroy them.” (v3)
“I want you to know that
you are a very stubborn nation, and it is not because of your righteousness
that Adonai is giving you this land to occupy.”
(v6).
“At that time I climbed
the mountain to get the tablets of the Ten Commandments, the covenant that
Adonai had made with you. For forty days
and forty nights I remained on the mountain without food or water.” (v9).
“I saw at once that you
had sinned against Adonai by making a golden calf and by so quickly abandoning
the path that Adonai had made for you.”
(v16).
Moshe provides additional
recollection of Israeli experiences within the wilderness.
“Adonai is the Supreme
Being. Adonai is powerful, great,
mighty, and awesome. Adonai’s decisions
are fair and (Adonai) cannot be bribed.
(Adonai) provides justice to orphans and widows, and takes care of
foreigners, and gives them food and clothing.
You too must show respect toward foreigners, because you were once
foreigners in the land of Egypt.”
(v17-19).
“If you observe My commandments,
which I am giving you today, and if you love Adonai with all your heart and
soul, then Adonai has promised to send the fall and spring rains at the proper
time so that you can harvest your grain, oil, and wine. (Adonai) will provide grass for your animals,
and you will eat and be satisfied.
“Take care, however, that
your hearts do not turn away and worship other idols.
“Then Adonai will be
angry, and (Adonai) will shut down the skies so that there will be no
rain. The land will not grow crops, and
you will soon disappear from the Promised Land that Adonai is giving you.
“Keep these words of mine
in your heart and in your soul. Wind
them as a reminder on your arm, and let them be a sign in the center of your
forehead. Teach them to your children,
and speak of them when you are at home, and when you travel on the road, and
when you lie down, and when you rise up.
Write them on parchments attached to the doorposts of your houses and
gates. If you do this, you and your
children will live long on the land that Adonai swore to give to your
ancestors, as long as the heavens are above the earth.” (v13-21).
--
Amidst the conveyance of
the blessing and the curse within the opening of Parashah Eikev, there is
reference to the blessing and the curse, with material prosperity promised when
Israelis are obedient to the mitzvot of Adonai;
a logical reaction to this blessing and curse may be, when observing a
person who is experiencing severe material deprivation, that such a person must
be experiencing the consequences of previously transgressing against the
mitzvot (or Will) of Adonai; however,
Israelis are also commanded to be compassionate and generous with impoverished
people; how is this apparent duality
reconciled? Is such compassion simply a
practise of condescending pity? Is all
material poverty, and are additional hardships, exactly the consequence of
previous transgressions? Can this
rationalisation be utilised to explain all suffering (even that of “innocent”
people)? How does this rationalisation
compare with additional concepts of “justice,” such as Karma? How does this presumed equation, of material
affluence and righteousness, balance with additional teachings (within Judaism,
Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism) that describe the transgressions
that coincide with the accumulation and maintenance of material affluence? Another teaching regarding suffering suggests
that the experience of suffering and challenges is comparable to an athlete training
within a sport: when the coach sees an
athlete skilfully completing the training regiment, the coach often adds
challenges to the athlete-in-training (additional weights, obstacles,
distances, repetitions, drills, and additionally) to increase the athlete’s
strength, endurance, skill level, endurance;
is there any legitimacy within the consideration that such suffering may
simply be considered as additional “training” for those who are increasingly
adept in life? What may be some of the
“riches” that exist within “poverty,” and some of the “poverty” that exists
within “riches”? When a person
experiences substantial suffering, what type of credibility does this provide
to that person (that material affluence is incapable of providing) to heal the
suffering of others?
What are the dynamics
within the command to abstain from attributing one’s own strength and power as
the cause of one’s own comfort? Whilst
this command attributes an individual’s existence to Adonai, and emphasises the
practise of humility in recognising the source of Creation and an individual’s
own existence and circumstance, and may also provide a certain experience of
“liberation” amidst the absence of absolute “responsibility” for an
individual’s actions and circumstances, is there any propensity within this
command towards unduly subjugating an individual to another individual(s): through an individual proclaiming closer
“proximity” towards, or “authority” from, Adonai, and thus attempting to
transfer a portion of another individual’s “submission” to Adonai into adherence
to what the “proximate” or “authoritative” individual dictates? What is the nature of an individual’s own ego
and free will amidst the mere concept of Omnipotence and the Will of Adonai? And what are the dynamics of an individual’s
will and ego amidst the perception of the respective wills and egos of
additional individuals? For all 1
individual knows, might each and every additional being within the Universe be
exactly an extension of, or a direct manifestation of, the Will of Adonai? What is the nature of intrinsic
interconnectivity between all beings throughout the Universe, beyond the
physical separation of bodies and perceived, respective “egos,” “wills,” and
additionally perceived individual “identities” and characteristics?
Amidst the description of
Adonai’s “Supreme Being” and the kindnesses of Adonai, what is the
intentionality within the command to “be like Adonai”? Does the description of Adonai provide
tangible guidance regarding how a person (and particularly presuming a man) is
supposed to behave? Amidst the belief
that Adonai exists beyond personification, and thus also exists beyond
emulation; might this establish a
certain futility within an individual’s spiritual aspirations and strivings
towards righteousness? Might the initially
described belief of Adonai existing as a comparatively “finite” (albeit
“Supreme”) Being, to be emulated, also establish a certain futility within an
individual’s spiritual aspirations and strivings towards righteousness (as it
de-emphasises the intrinsic, inevitable, and involuntary phenomenon of the
“Spirit” of Adonai already and perpetually existing within the
individual)? What is the nature of the
confluence of the individual “i,” and the “I” of Adonai; and what is the nature of the perceived distinction
between the 2? What is the nature of the
“we/We”?
--
Bhagavad
Gita
Chapters
1 – 2
“O Sanjaya, tell me what
happened at Kurukshetra, the field of (Dharma), where my family and the
Pandavas gathered to fight.” (v1).
“Having surveyed the
forces of the Pandavas arrayed for battle, prince Duryodhana approached his
teacher, Drona, and spoke.
“ ‘O my teacher, look at
this mighty army of the Pandavas, assembled by your own gifted disciple,
Yudhishtira.’” (v2-3).
The soldiers of the
Pandavas are described.
The soldiers of the Kurus
are described.
“Our army is unlimited and
commanded by Bhishma; theirs is small
and commanded by Bhima.” (v10).
“Then the powerful
Bhishma, the grandsire, oldest of all the Kurus, in order to cheer Duryodhana,
roared like a lion and blew his conch horn.”
(v12).
“Then Sri Krishna and
Arjuna, who were standing in a mighty chariot yoked with white horses, blew
their divine conchs.” (v14).
“…and the noise tore
through the heart of Duryodhana’s army.
Indeed, the sound was tumultuous, echoing throughout heaven and
earth.” (v19).
“Then, O Dhritarashtra,
(leader) of the earth, having seen your son’s forces set in their places and
the fighting about to begin, Arjuna spoke theses words to Sri Krishna:” (v20).
“O Krishna, drive my
chariot between the two armies.
“I want to see those who
desire to fight with me. With whom will
this battle be fought?” (v21-22).
“And Arjuna, standing
between the two armies, saw fathers and grandfathers, teachers, uncles, and
brothers, sons and grandsons, in-laws and friends.
“Seeing his kinsmen
established in opposition, Arjuna was overcome by sorrow. Despairing, he spoke these words:” (v26-27).
Arjuna explains his
sorrow.
“When a family declines,
ancient traditions are destroyed. With
them are lost the spiritual foundations for life, and the family loses its
sense of unity.
“Where there is no sense
of unity, the women of the family become corrupt; and with the corruption of its women, society
is plunged into chaos.
“Social chaos is hell for
the family and for those who have destroyed the family as well. It disrupts the process of spiritual
evolution begun by our ancestors.
“The timeless spiritual
foundations of family and society would be destroyed by these terrible deeds,
which violate the unity of life.
“It is said that those
whose family (Dharma) has been destroyed dwell in hell.
“This is a great sin! We are prepared to kill our own relations out
of greed for the pleasures of a kingdom.”
(v40-45).
“Overwhelmed by sorrow,
Arjuna spoke these words. And casting
away his bow and his arrows, he sat down in his chariot in the middle of the
battlefield.” (v47).
“These are the words that
Sri Krishna spoke to the despairing Arjuna, whose eyes were burning with tears
of pity and confusion.” (v1).
“This despair and weakness
in a time of crisis is mean and unworthy of you, Arjuna. How have you fallen into a state so far from
the path to liberation?
“It does not become you to
yield to this weakness. Arise with a
brave heart and destroy the enemy.”
(v2-3).
Arjuna pleads further.
“You speak sincerely, but
your sorrow has no cause. The wise
grieve neither for the living nor for the dead.
“There has never been a
time when you and I and the kings gathered here have not existed, nor will
there be a time when we will cease to exist.”
(v11-12).
“The impermanent has no
(Reality); (Reality) lies in the
eternal. Those who have seen the
boundary between these two have attained the end of all knowledge.” (v16).
“Realize that which
pervades the universe and is indestructible;
no power can affect this unchanging, imperishable (Reality).” (v17).
“The body is mortal, but
(Brahman) (Who) dwells in the body is immortal and immeasurable. Therefore, Arjuna, fight in this
battle.” (v18).
“You were never born; you will never die. You have never changed; you can never change. Unborn, eternal, immutable, immemorial, you
do not die when the body dies.
“Realizing that which is
indestructible, eternal, unborn, and unchanging, how can you slay or cause
another to slay?” (v21).
“The Self cannot be
pierced by weapons or burned by fire;
water cannot wet it, nor can the wind dry it.
“The Self cannot be
pierced or burned, made wet or dry. It
is everlasting and infinite, standing on the motionless foundations of
eternity.
“The Self is unmanifested,
beyond all thought, beyond all change.
Knowing this, you should not grive.”
(v23-25).
“You have heard the
intellectual explanation of Sankhya, Arjuna;
now listen to the principles of yoga.
By practicing these you can break through the bonds of (Karma).
“On this path effort never
goes to waste, and there is not failure.
Even a little effort toward spiritual awareness will protect you from
the greatest fear.” (v39-40).
“There are ignorant people
who speak flowery words and take delight in the letter of the law, saying that
there is nothing else.
“Their hearts are full of
selfish desires, Arjuna. Their idea of
heaven is their on enjoyment, and the aim of all their activities is pleasure
and power. The fruit of their actions is
continual rebirth.” (v42-43).
“You have the right to
work, but never to the fruit of work.
You should never engage in action for the sake of reward, nor should you
long for inaction.
“Perform work in this
world, Arjuna, as a man established within himself—without selfish attachments,
and alike in success and defeat. For
yoga is perfect evenness of mind.”
(v47-48).
“(Search for) refuge in
the attitude of detachment and you will amass the wealth of spiritual
awareness. Those who are motivated only
by desire for the fruits of action are miserable, for they are constantly
anxious about the results of what they do.
“When consciousness is
unified, however, all vain anxiety is left behind. There is no cause for worry, whether things
go well or ill. Therefore, devote
yourself to the disciplines of yoga, for yoga is skill in action.” (v49-50).
“When your mind has
overcome the confusion of duality, you will attain the state of holy
indifference to things you hear and things you have heard.” (v52).
“When you are unmoved by
the confusion of ideas and your mind is completely united in deep Samadhi, you
will attain the state of perfect yoga.”
(v53).
“They live in wisdom who
see themselves in all and all in them, who have renounced every selfish desire
and sense craving tormenting the heart.”
(v55).
“When you keep thinking
about sense objects, attachment comes.
Attachment breeds desire, the lust of possession that burns to anger.
“Anger clouds the
judgment; you can no longer learn from
past mistakes. Lost is the power to
choose between what is wise and what is unwise, and your life is utter waste.
“But when you move amidst
the world of sense, free from attachment and aversion alike,
“there comes the peace in
which all sorrows end, and you live in the wisdom of the Self.” (v62-65).
--
Is there any metaphysical,
esoteric, and/or spiritual significance that is to be appropriately gleaned
from the description of the competition of conchs between the Kurus and the
Pandavas (including the “lion roars” and “tearing through hearts”)?
Amidst seeing his uncles
and cousins prepared to fight against him on the battlefield, might Arjuna, in
some manner, also be considering the prospect of the eventual interactions
between his own progeny, even amidst his success upon the battlefield? Within the history of humanity, is there
validity within the proclamations that are wars are committed by cousins and
brothers against each other?
Does Arjuna begin
meditating within the middle of the battlefield? Is his conversation with Sri Krishna simply a
process of his spiritual meditation?
Might even the entire battlefield be conjured through his meditative
process (and/or, perhaps the meditative process of the student of the Bhagavad
Gita)?
Within Sri Krishna’s
immediate response, Sri Krishna commands Arjuna to fight the enemy (presuming
the army of Dhritarastra); yet, later,
Sri Krishna describes the actual enemy as Arjuna’s own selfishness; and from that, there are subsequent,
alternating commands and descriptions of who the enemy is and what tangible
actions Arjuna is supposed to manifest (violence and war or meditation and
giving); what is the actual progression
of these alternations, and what is the ultimate guidance to be appropriately
gleaned from the aggregate of these commands and descriptions? How does this compare with additional
teachings within Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam?
How is it possible to
speak directly through another person’s ego into the Atman within another
individual? What is the nature of such
communication, and the connexion amongst such beings? Are there any additional descriptions of
similar communication within the narratives of additional religious traditions?
--
Digha
Nikaya
Sangiti
Suttanta (Part 2: Chapters 5 – 7)
“There are Fivefold
Doctrines, friends, which have been perfectly declared by the Exalted One, who
knows, who sees, Arahant, Buddha supreme.
Herein should there be chanting by all in concord, not wrangling…for the
happiness of devas and men. Which are
they?” (v1)
“i. Five aggregates, to wit, of material
qualities, feeling, perception, volitional complexes, consciousness.” (v1).
“iv. Five ways of destiny, to wit, purgatory, the
animal kingdom, the (Realm) of the ‘departed’, mankind, the devas.” (v1).
“v. Five forms of meanness, to wit, in
hospitality, in monopolizing a ministering family, in gains acquired, in beauty
physical and moral, in monopolizing learnt (Truth).” (v1).
“vi. Five hindrances, to wit, sensuality,
ill-will, sloth and torpor, excitement and worry, doubt.” (v1).
“ix. Five branches of moral training, to wit,
abhorrence of murder, theft, inchastity, lying, and intemperance in
drink.” (v1).
“Five kinds of prosperity,
to wit, in kinsfolk, wealth, health,
virtue, and sound opinion. No being,
friends, because of any of the first
three kinds, is after death and dissolution reborn to a happy destiny in a
bright world. But this happens because
of success in virtue and in winning sound opinions.” (v1).
16: 5 Factors in spiritual wrestling are: confidence in the Tathagata; maintenance of strong health; honesty;
energy flow creating surrounding experience of benevolence amidst all
those around one’s self; and, insight regarding
the cessation of all phenomena.
“xxv. Five occasions of emancipation. Herein, friends, when the Master, or a
reverend fellow-disciple teaches the (Dharma) to a brother, according as the
teaching is given, the listener comes to know both the matter of the doctrine,
and the text of the doctrine. And
gladness springs up in him, and in him
gladdened zest springs up; his mind
enraptured, the faculties become serene;
with serenity comes happiness, and of him thus happy the heart is stayed
and firm.” (v1).
“i. Six fields of personal experience, to wit,
sight, sound, smell, taste, touch and mind.”
(v2).
25: 6 Occasions of Fraternal Living: 1.)
acting kindly; 2.) speaking kindly; 3.)
thinking kindly; 4.) sharing all provision of alms bowl; 5.)
maintaining integrity of ethics;
and 6.) transcending sorrow.
“xxii. Six ideas conducing to Nibbana, to wit, the
idea of impermanence, of ill in impermanence, of soullessness in ill, of
elimination of passionlessness, of cessation.”
(v2).
“i. Seven treasures, to wit, the treasure of
faith, of morals, of conscientiousness, of discretion, of learning, of self-denial,
of insight.” (v3).
“ii. Seven factors of enlightenment, to wit, the
factor of mindulfness, of study of doctrines, of energy, of zest, of serenity,
of concentration, of equanimity.” (v3).”
“vi. Seven qualities of the (benevolent), to wit,
knowledge of the Dhamma, of the meaning contained in its doctrines, knowledge
of self, knowledge how to be temperate,
how to choose and keep time, knowledge of groups of persons, and of
individuals.” (v3).
--
Within this the Sangiti
Suttanta, Sariputta communicates different doctrines of the Buddha according to
the distinction of the number of basic concepts/elements within each respective
doctrine; what is the nature of the
logical coherency, comprehensiveness (breadth), relevancy, and conciseness,
within these numerical considerations?
Are there any perceivable redundancies and/or omissions? How do the elements within one numeric
doctrine compare with the elements within another numeric doctrine addressing a
similar (or even the same) consideration/discipline? What benefits exist within communicating
these doctrines within a numerical construct (particularly in facilitating
recollection and concentration upon the most relevant elements within that
consideration)? What do you consider to
be some of the most relevant numeric doctrines that Sariputta describes within
our Sangiti Suttanta? How does the
aggregate of your selected numeric doctrines appear: does this provide a beneficial and
comprehensive explanation of the Buddha’s aggregate doctrine? Does this provide a beneficial and
comprehensive explanation of your personal beliefs? Is there any additional
consideration/doctrine that you have an interest in adding or omitting? How does the aggregate of the Sangiti
Suttanta compare with the respective, aggregate doctrines of Judaism, Hinduism,
Christianity, and Islam?
In providing the previous
question, I actually find myself nearly proselytising the Buddhist Faith
towards myself (in considering the proximity and distance that Buddhism
maintains with my personal system of belief and Faith that I share); the questions seem rather similar to those
that a proselytiser of a tradition may ask;
and that precipitates a progressing question: what is the nature of the power of
proselytising within the Buddhist tradition (to maintain such an influence
without having an ‘industrialised’ system of ‘spreading the Faith’? How does the paradigm of ‘leading by example’
factor within this consideration, and within the respective methodologies of
religious traditions that intentionally and directly proselytise? How do the proceeding
phenomena/characteristics compare amongst different religious traditions: intellectual vigour and logical processing of
cognitive dilemmas; ethical integrity,
particularly within a cohesive balance between theory and practise; comprehensive, temporal righteousness; comfort, soundness, revelation regarding the
understanding/explanation of the esoteric (trans-temporal, Heavenly)
experience; treatment towards “the
stranger;” inclusion of family relations
within the tradition; socioeconomic
balance; environmental harmony; tranquillity;
proficiency in communicating the Faith through actions, words, and
thought; and additionally?
Abstinence from “theft,”
and recognising “property” rights are strong principles shared by many
traditions, including particularly within Buddhism, Judaism, and Islam; however, the many civilisations of humanity
are historically predicated upon accumulating material affluence through war,
and distributing these materials within the respective domestic society; and indeed, there are religious precepts
(particularly within Judaism and Islam) that guide adherents concerning
engaging within such war and distributing the material gains received through
such war; and, it may be arguably
considered that even the alms from which the Buddha eats (and contemporarily,
from which all religious adherents, including myself, of any religion and
tradition, including Hinduism and Christianity, continue to benefit), are provided
(in some direct or indirect manner) through the woeful usurping and oppression
(rape, murder, theft) of others; how may
humanity and all beings throughout the Universe effectively progress towards a
system of cooperation without such transgression (or with extremely minimal
transgressions)? What does such a system
of cooperation look like; and what are
some basic, fundamental principles, behaviour, and circumstances that are
necessary in building such a system? Is
there any evidence of such principles, behaviour, and circumstances currently
existing? And if so, where, what, who
are these examples, and how can these examples be cultivated and augmented?
In beginning the “6’s,”
Sariputta describes the “5 senses,” and includes a rendering of what is regularly
referred to as the “6th” sense;
although, whereas Sariputta describes this as “mind” (and there may be an
expansive intentionality within this inclusion), the “6th” sense is
often perceived as an “intuitive,” “instinctive” understanding of otherwise
“intangible,” esoteric, spiritual phenomena;
and whilst the 6th sense pertains to such comparatively
“obscure,” immeasureable phenomena, the 6th sense tends to have some
form of temporal relevance regarding how an individual’s temporal existence
progresses after such an experience; yet
there is the consideration of a “7th sense” that goes beyond the “6th
sense;” the notion of the “7th
sense” is that of Ultimate Truth, much “further” than any perceivable
experience of the “6th sense;”
and that the experience of, proximity with, the “7th sense”
exists in a completely undifferentiated manner, whereby an individual
experiences an increased “ultimacy” of all phenomena that the distinction of
any temporal phenomenon is insignificant;
and whilst the experience of, proximity with, the 7th sense
“enhances” an individual’s understanding of temporal phenomena, and the
experience of “pleasure” within the temporal Realm (as well as the experience
of 6th sense), the experience of, proximity with, the 7th
sense also cause challenges within the temporal Realm and even “hindrances” within
the experience of the 6th sense;
is there any coherence and legitimacy within this assertion? How does this compare with the respective
Buddhist and Hindu teachings regarding equanimity? And what are appropriate practises of
compassion for such an individual to maintain whilst continuing to usurp from
the material Universe as a means of sustaining an individual’s own life,
contributing to the sustenance of the lives of others, and also procreating and
bringing/facilitating new life within this material Universe?
The 7’s appear to be
rather positive and affirmative, aggregately;
is this an accurate observance and, if so, what may be some explanations
regarding this?
How might religious
adherents of additional traditions (including Judaism, Hinduism, Christianity,
and Islam) perceive and respond to the numeric doctrines that Sariputta
explains? What may be some similarly
numeric doctrines within each of these religious traditions; and how might these respective religious
adherents perceive and respond to any of these numeric doctrines within any of
these religious traditions?
--
Gospels
Luke 13
- 16
“There were some present
at that very time who told him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled
with their sacrifices. And he answered
them, ‘Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other
Galileans, because they suffered thus? I
tell you, No; but unless you repent you
will all likewise perish.’” (v1-3).
Jesus tells the parable of
the fig tree that abstains from producing fruit, the owner who considers to cut
it down, and the steward who advocates putting manure around it.
Jesus heals a woman during
Shabbat.
Jesus describes entering
through the narrow door to Heaven.
Jesus heals a man with
dropsy during Shabbat.
Jesus teaches to sit
within the lowest seat of honour during a celebration.
“If any one comes to me
and odes not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers
and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come
after me, cannot be my disciple.”
(v26-27).
Jesus eats with tax
collectors and sinners, and is criticised.
“What man of you, having a
hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in
the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his
shoulders, rejoicing.” (v4-5).
Jesus tells the parable of
the prodigal son, the industrious son, and the understanding far (father).
“And he said to him, ‘Son,
you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for
this your brother was dead, and is alive;
he was lost, and is found.’”
(v31-32).
“He also said to the
disciples, ‘There was a rich man who had a steward, and charges were brought to
him that this man was wasting his (treasure).
And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your stewardship, for
you can no longer be steward.’” (v1-2).
Jesus tells the parable of
the shrewd steward who negotiates the debts of others for his master.
“He who is faithful in a
very little is faithful also in much;
and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful in the
unrighteous mammon, who will entrust to you the (True) riches? And if you have not been faithful in that
which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the
other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.’” (v10-13).
“You are those who justify
yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts; for what is exalted among men is an
abomination in the sight of God.” (v15).
Jesus tells the parable of
the rich man, who eats sumptuously, and Lazarus, who is with sores.
--
How might the “narrow
door” be translated into contemporary, temporal, “everyday” behaviour? What distinguishes a “narrow door” liver from
a “wide door” liver? How do the
respective “narrow doors” within additional religious traditions compare to
that taught by Jesus? Is there purpose
amidst the discrepancies: are there any
lessons that a “narrow door” can share with another “narrow door” from another
tradition? How does such “narrowness”
both hinder and contribute to such sharing?
When Jesus teaches to
assume the lower position of honour so as to abstain from being subsequently
insulted and diminished, and to instead be raised in honour and complemented,
does this, in some manner, appeal to the “baser” tendencies of individuals to
gain favour (honour) in the 1st place? How might this doctrine look amidst everyone
vying for the “lowest” seat?
Also, does giving to those
who are “unable” to give in return connote an instruction to establish a
certain amount of “ethical” leverage and subordination upon material
impoverished people? How does this teaching
compare with Jesus’s criticism towards lawyers and religious leaders who bound
religious adherents with rules and obligations in an attempt to maintain
temporal power and authority?
Jesus tells the parable of
the man whose initial invitation to a marriage feast is dishonoured by his
friends, and so he invites all people, including all the vagrants within the
area.
Within his doctrine and
example, Jesus teaches tremendous and radical lessons of compassion and
righteousness and love; yet Jesus also teaches
what may be perceived as nihilistic practises regarding his effective
renunciation of his biological family (and his instructions for his disciples
to similarly withdraw from familial relationships), his description of ultimate
friendship being martyrdom, as well as his effective teachings and examples of
celibacy, asceticism, and chastising authority;
does such radical compassion require a countering balance of nihilism,
or is such radical compassion possible without such nihilism? If radical compassion is possible without
nihilism, how might this be practised?
What are some temporal examples of such practises? How can humanity effective, readily, and
constantly perceive the experience of life (including temporal pursuits and
material sustenance) beyond a “0 sum gain”?
--
Koran
Sura 77: Al Mursalat:
Those Sent Forth
Sura 78: Al Naba:
The Announcement
Sura 79: Al Naziat:
Those Who Yearn
“By those sent forth to
spread (benevolence)!
“Then those driving off
the chaff!
“And those spreading
(benevolence), far and wide!
“Then those making a
distinction!
“Then those offering the
Reminder,
“To clear or to warn!
“Surely that which you are
promised will come to pass.
“So when the stars are
made to disappear,
“And when the heaven is
rent asunder,
“And when the mountains
are carried away as dust,
“And when the messengers
are made to reach their appointed time,
“To what day is the doom
fixed?
“To the day of Decision.
“And what will make thee
comprehend what the day of Decision is?”
(v1-14).
“Did We not create you
from ordinary water?
“Then We placed it in a
secure resting-place,
“Till an appointed term,
“So We determined—how well
are We at determining!” (v20-23)
“Of what do they ask one
another?
“Of the tremendous
announcement
“About which they differ.
“Nay, they will soon know;
“Nay, again, they will
soon know.
“Have We not made the
earth an expanse
“And the mountains as
pegs?
“And We have created you
in pairs,
“And made your sleep for
rest,
“And made the night a
covering,
“And made the day for (searching
for) livelihood.
“And We have made above
you seven strong bodies.
“And made a shining lamp,
“And We send down from the
clouds water pouring forth in abundance,
“That We may bring forth
thereby grain an herbs,
“And luxuriant gardens.
“Surely the day of
Decision is appointed—
“The day when the trumpet
is blown, so you come forth in hosts,
“And the heaven is opened
so it becomes as doors,
“And the mountains are
moved off, so they remain a semblance.”
(v1-20).
“By those yearning
vehemently!
“And those going forth
cheerfully!
“And those running
swiftly!
“And those that are
foremost going ahead!
“And those regulating the
Affair!
“The day when the quaking
one shall quake—
“The consequence will
follow it.
“Hearts that day will
palpitate,
“Their eyes downcast.” (v1-10).
The story of Moshe and
Paraoh are told.
“Are you the stronger in
creation or the heaven? (Allah) made it.
“(Allah) raised high its
height, and made it perfect,
“And (Allah) made dark its
night and brought out its light.
“And the earth, (Allah)
cast is after that.
“(Allah) brought forth
from it its water and its pasture.
“And the mountains,
(Allah) made them firm,
“A provision for you and
for your cattle.
“So when the great
Calamity comes;
“The day when man
remembers all that he strove for,
“And hell is made manifest
to him who sees.
“Then as for him who is
inordinate,
“And prefers the life of
this world,
“Hell is surely the abode.
“And as for him who fears
to stand before his Lord and restrains himself from low desires,
“The Garden is surely the
abode.
“They ask thee about the
Hour, When will that take place,
“About which thou
remindest?
“To thy Lord is the goal
of it.
“Thou art only a warner to
him who fears it.
“On the day when they see
it, it will be as if they had but tarried for an evening or a morning.” (v27-46).
--
Within a certain amount of
the contemporary conversations within our international community, there is the
discussion of current temporal experiences being similar to those described
within respective, and shared, teachings within a number of religious
traditions, including the expectation of an Apocalypse and similarly described
phenomena; yet, whilst the perception of
“global warming” may be substantially attributable to the biological dissonance
of emigration to climate that is naturally warmer than what manner people are
intergenerationally, culturally, and biologically accustomed, there is the
consideration of how certain human behaviour corresponds with such traditional
religious teachings; for example, how
does the phenomenon of city lights obscuring the Stars compare with the opening
described within Sura Al Mursalat? And
how does the practise of levelling mountains, to extract coal, also compare
within the opening within this Sura? How
does the practise of extracting stem cells from foeti, embryos, placentae,
women’s menstruation, and additionally (even the phenomenon of “snowflake
babies” being stored as fertilised embryos in laboratories), compare with the
teachings (within the Torah) regarding the curse of eating one’s own children? How does Jesus’s teachings (as well as those
within Judaism) regarding “hardness of heart” compare with the prevalence of
heart disease within industrialised society;
as well as “passing through the eye of the needle” and obesity within
industrialised society?
What is the nature and
legitimacy within the notion of the intrinsic nurturing quality of women and
mors, considering how the life of an individual begins within the womb of the
mor? How can this quality of nurturing
be increasingly valued, honoured, championed, respected, and cultivated, amidst
the competitiveness of industrial and post-industrial society, as well as
within the egocentric (and isolating) individualism within the intellect that
often coincides with such competitiveness?
Does the contemporary ideology of feminism simply imitate the
transgressions of masculine competitiveness, in denouncing the traditional,
biological, and natural qualities of femininity (including that of nurturing
children)? How can the historic and
continuing transgressions of men be appropriately remedied without women simply
imitating such transgressions? How can
men be encouraged to behave without such violent and transgressive competition,
and with increased alTruism, compassion, sharing, humility, piety, and
righteousness, without being perceived as being feminine, and whilst
respectively maintaining masculine identities and economic, political, social,
religious, and additional viability, to materially support families and maintain
proficient livelihoods within a post-industrialised society?
What is the inspiration
and the logical processing that goes into the determination of the sequences of
the Suras of the Koran; and how does
such determination of sequence (outside of chronological order) abstain from
delving into the criticised practises of “biddah” and creating human inventions
of the Divine?
The notion of a Muslim
living simply as a warning seems to have a very strong relevance within the
consideration of contemporary globalisation and pluralism? How does this notion of “simply being a
warner” compare with the respective teachings of the Buddha and Jesus, as well
as with the respective, contemporary (and perhaps rather distinct) practises of
the respective followers of the Buddha and Jesus; as well as with those of Moshe and
Hinduism? How can this principle of
“simply being a warner” (and perhaps, “carrying only 1 pair of shoes”) be
appropriately enhanced, emphasised, and cultivated within a contemporary,
conventional, and continual manner?
--
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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