Merle and Bill, Total comic book BS..... Jesus, a "fully enlightened teacher" ? What does that even mean to you two? Obviously nothing other than a warm fuzzy ego feeling you can use to put some concept to bed without thinking about it any more....
Edgar On Jun 14, 2013, at 4:15 AM, Merle Lester wrote: > > > 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 > > > > > > >
