yes bill..me too i agree..merle Suresh,
As you probably know I believe Jesus was a fully enlightened teacher. I think he just taught and spoke using the language of Judaism - much the way Buddha used the language of Hinduism. Two book I liked are: THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ZEN which is a collection of writings by various authors including Alan Watts, and focused on the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas (which is not in the official Bible). http://www.amazon.com/The-Gospel-According-Zen-Beyond/dp/0451627156 I also like THE MUSTARD SEED by Bagran Sri Rashneeh (AKA Osho) which also focused on the Gospel of Thomas. http://www.amazon.com/Mustard-Seed-Bhagwan-Shree-Rajneesh/dp/B000NXJ71M ...Bill! --- In [email protected], SURESH JAGADEESAN <varamtha@...> wrote: > > Jesus and Advaita:- > > HERE IS A COPY OF A MAIL RECEIVED FROM A FRIEND AND COMMENTS ARE WELCOME > > Bible and christian quotes in the light of Advaita:- > > Here an attempt is being made to interpret the parables of Jesus, in > the light of the knowledge contained in the innumerable scriptures of > our ancient land of Bharat. When interpreted thus, all sectarian ideas > imposed on the teachings of Christ, such as rejecting all alternative > paths, other than Christianity as false, will disappear. The illogical > tenets imposed by the Church such as making it mandatory for the whole > world to accept the person Jesus as their saviour, in order to be > saved from the eternal suffering in hell, finds no place in the real > teachings of Christ. > > Christ's teachings are primarily concerned about the ultimate reality > of the universe being one's real Self or consciousness. > He necessitates the withdrawal of one's senses from the sense objects > and relations of the world, so as to come into the eternal blissful > state of being one with the Self, which he calls "Entering the Kingdom > of Heaven". > > Hindu Rishis have declared, "Ekam Sat, Viprah Bahuta Vadanti" which > means "Truth is ONE; the learned people call it by different names". > This is a statement made by the Rishis who have attained self realisation. > The Rishi declares without an iota of doubt that Truth is one. > They say this because they have fully realised it themselves. > There is no scope for doubt. > They say it with absolute conviction. > They have seen the Truth themselves. > Therefore they say, wherever the learned men are, they speak about > this same Truth. > Because there is no second Truth about which anyone can speak. > Therefore the Rishi say, even though the learned men may use different > names, they all speak about the same Truth. > So whether you call it the `Kingdom of God', or you call it > JeevanMukthi they all refer to the liberated state of the soul. > > The teachings of Jesus are very much in accordance with the Advaita > Vedanta philosophy contained in Vedic texts. > Jesus does not speak about a Kingdom of God, which shall be > established in a future time. > In fact the Kingdom of God transcends time itself and one shall enter > it by living in the present moment, by connecting to one's inner Self. > Jesus says that in order to realise the Father one must detach oneself > from this objective manifested world which is impermanent, and > meditate on the Self. > > Jesus is a spiritual master who has to be seen as a Self realised > soul, a person who has attained the ultimate Goal prescribed in our > scriptures. > > The Text of the Gospel of Thomas > > These are the secret sayings that the living Jesus spoke. > > This opening words of this text, gives a very important clue. > It says that the sayings are secret. > If we study the teachings of Jesus, he himself says that Truth cannot > be hidden and that it will reveal itself. > There is nothing secret about the teachings of Christ, in the sense > that it shouldn't be imparted to other people. > > If someone wants to experience sweetness merely hearing the word sweet > is not enough. > He must eat sugar himself so as to experience sweetness. > > And he said, "Whoever discovers the interpretation of these sayings > will not taste death." > > Jesus said, "Those who seek should not stop seeking until they find. > 2When they find, they will be disturbed. 3When they are disturbed, > they will marvel, 4and will rule over all." > > This verse throws light on the knowledge of Jesus Christ about the > ultimate reality behind the universe. > These are the words of a real master, who has discovered the Truth himself. > The words come from a man of absolute conviction, who does not have to > think twice about what He is saying. > Jesus instructs his followers that they should not stop seeking the > Truth, until they find it. > He says this because the path to self realisation is narrow and full of > thorns. > > The Isavasya Upanishad says that Truth is hidden by a golden vessel. > The golden vessel is this objective world, which is a powerful > distraction for the seeker. > The seeker is likely to be distracted by this golden vessel that he > fails to see the Truth covered by it. > Jesus knows this fact very well. Man is being misguided by his senses > towards the sense objects, which are just the imagination of the mind. > > The world is not real. It is the creation of your mind. > If you have to know the ultimate reality, you must seek within > yourself; because there lays the source of this manifested universe. > It is from your consciousness that the world emerges. > But your mind is conditioned to think of this world as real. > It is so much attached to this world, which is its own creation that > it finds it very difficult to withdraw itself from the world and take > refuge in your self. > > Therefore Jesus says, you should not stop seeking until you find your > Self, because it is very likely that u get distracted in the middle. > Withdraw the senses, still your mind, and then you will find it. > When the mental noise stops your inner Being reveals itself. > You find the ultimate reality behind the universe. > > You will not find the Truth or God, if you seek it in this manifested world. > Science may attempt to find an ultimate answer about the origin of the > universe. > It may do the most expensive of all researches. > But so long as it searches outside they will never find it; because > the source lies within. It is our own consciousness. > > Jesus goes on to say that `When they find they will be disturbed'. > When we realise that the world which we were so much attached to was > nothing more than our own imagination, we will be shaken. > When we come into contact with reality for the first time we will get a shock. > The Truth which becomes revealed to us on enquiry is the most magnificent one. > > This marvellous blissful state is nearer to us than anything else, > because it is our own self. We shall be marvelled by this realisation. > This state of being whole, complete, perfect is what all the Beings > aspire to become. > Yet they don't know the means of attaining this. Every being on earth > wants to become complete. For that they run after materials objects, > with the hope that it makes them complete. On attainment of it they > experience peace. But they don't realise that this peace did not come > from outside. It is inherent in their Being. On fulfilling the desire, > by the possession of external objects, the mind retires to its source, > where it experiences joy and happiness. We are unnecessarily > projecting our happiness into external objects and then we run after > those objects. On fulfilling a desire the mind settles down, thereby > our inherent peace will again become revealed. > > Jesus says, `When they are disturbed, they will marvel and will rule > over all'. When the seeker discovers the inner peace, he shall marvel, > because he now has the most precious possession in life. Everything > else will fade in front of its glory. When the inner Self is > discovered everything else ceases to exist for him, just as how the > mirage in a desert ceases to exist as a reality in one's mind, on > realising that it is an illusion. For the ignorant the mirage is real, > but for the wise, it is just an illusion. Similarly when one realises > the truth, that the world is just a movement in our own consciousness > and that it does not have an existence of its own, one shall rule over > all, because he is no more a slave to the world. He knows that he is > the creator, sustainer and destroyer of the universe. > > read more... > http://paritrana.blog.co.in/category/religion/jesus/ > > "I [Jesus] am in God, and you are in Me, and I am in you." > John 14:12 > > For me it's a dualistic way to explain the unexplainable non-dual > state which is the nature of God. It's the most available way of > description of reality that Jesus could give to the Jewish people > which were in a totally dual state of consciousness. > > Bible and christian quotes in the light of Advaita > > I AM THAT I AM > > The Kingdom of God is within you. > > Bible and christian quotes in the light of Advaita > > Quote > "If you had known Me (Jesus), you also would have known My Father, and > from this hour you do know Him and you have seen Him." > John 14:7 > > Jesus confirms that which Advaita teaches. Guru (Jesus) is the full > manifestation of God (Brahman) as Atman in Him. > > Re: Bible and christian quotes in the light of Advaita > > These are of the most profound expressions in Bible and at all. Some > people argue that the correct translation of "within" is "among" or > "in the midst of" but oldest Bible sources tanslate it as "within". > > I am that I am is the Name of the Lord that He Himself gave to the world. > > Quote > God said to Moses, "I AM WHO (THAT) I AM. This is what you are to say > to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you'." Exodus 3:14 > > Quote > Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would > come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your > careful observation, nor will people say, `Here it is,' or `There it > is,' because the kingdom of God is withinb you." > Luke 17:20,21 > > > -- > Thanks and best regards > J.Suresh > New No.3, Old No.7, > Chamiers road - 1st Lane, > Alwarpet, > Chennai - 600018 > Ph: 044 42030947 > Mobile: 91 9884071738 >
