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Sitaram · Site Admin Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Posts: 1079

These are excerpts from a longer post to be found at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sitaram/message/1501

There was a song in the 60's "I wish you love".... another line "and when
its hot, some lemonade, to cool you in some leafy glade"

Compassion and ethics or morality seem to be connected, and connected
with benevolence, Well-wishing, good will, which is a form of altruism,
seeing "other" as "self."

I suppose a simple minded definition of honesty is "to say what you do,
and do what you say."

The ability to change and modify and adapt and evolve seems to be a
very important aspect of many things. Nebula clouds evolve suns and
solar systems. Biological life evolves, adapts. Language and culture and
law and government evolve, change, adapt. That which is alive changes,
and that which changes is alive. THat which is frozen in a particular
century and unalterable (such as certain fundamentalist religions) is not
alive but dead and deadening.

Plucking a flower affects a distant star.

Most Westerners are apt to alienate themselves from nature. They think
man and nature have nothing in common except in some desirable
aspects, and that nature exists only to be utilized by man.

But to Eastern people nature is very close. This feeling for nature was
stirred when the Japenese Haiku poet, Basho , discovered an
inconspicuous, almost negligible plant blooming by the old dilapidated
hedge along the remote country road, so innocently, so unpretentiously,
not at all desiring to be notices by anybody. Yet when one looks at it, how
tender, how full of divine glory or splendor more glorious than Solomon's
Kingly attire it is! Its very humbleness, its unostentatious beauty, evokes
one's sincere admiration. The poet can read in every petal the deepest
mystery of life and being. Basho might not have been conscious of it
himself, but I am sure that in his heart at the time there were vibrations
of feeling somewhat akin to what Christians may call divine love, which
reaches the deepest depths of cosmic life.

Karma is like a Newton's third law, "for every action there is an equal and
opposite reaction"

In the Old Testament, in book of Judges or Joshua, it speaks of some
kings who were cruel, and cut off the thumbs of their enemy kings, but
then they were conquered themselves, and their conquerors cut off their
thumbs and forced them to crawl beneath the banquet tables and eat the
crumbs.

How do all the formative forces of the universe come then? By struggling,
competition, conflict. Suppose that all the particles of matter were held in
equilibrium, would there be then any process of creation?

We know from science that it is impossible. Disturb a sheet of water, and
there you find every particle of the water trying to become calm again,
one rushing against the other; and in the same way all the phenomena which we call the universe - all things therein - are struggling to get back to the state of perfect balance. - Vivekananda

Plato in his dialogue "Timaeus" throws "becoming" into the mix, as a
mediator between non-being and being.

Perhaps childhood is the focus of God's interest in creation. Perhaps adults
are an unfortunate but necessary by-product of that interest.

Is Ego or Selfishness the root cause of all evils?

Think about absolute peace. Is there desire in that state of absolute
peace. Every religion proclaims "peace" (even the most violent or
religions). There is an important verse in the Psalms "Seek peace, and
pursue it". Jeru-salem means "City of Peace". The name Solomon, is a
form of Shalom, which means peace. Jesus spoke of a "peace which
passes all understanding".

It is good that we have added peace to our equation.

"The meek shall inherit the earth" are the words of Jesus in the New
Testament. The ancient Chinese had a concept of "Wu-Wei", action
through non-action. I think there is also a verse in the Gita with speaks of
this. In the "Tao" of Lao-Tse, we read "He who knows does not say. He
who says does not know." All these notions touch on the same problem,
that desire itself is an impediment. It is the "self" which yearns for the
fruits of actions.

All religions' goal is the same, though the paths and means are different.
One human lifetime is far too short for attainment. This is why many
rebirths are necessary, embracing many religious and philosophical paths.

Can thought, which is material, a chemical process, a thing, which has
created all this structure, can that very thought solve all our problems?

One must very carefully, very diligently, find out what are the limitations
of thought. And can thought itself realize its limitation and therefore not
spill over into the realm which thought can never touch? Thought has
created the technological world, and thought has also created the division
between "you" and "me".

Thought has created the image of you and the "me", and these images
separate each one of us.

Thought can only function in duality, in opposites and therefore all
reaction is a divisive process, a separating process. And thought has
created divisions between human beings, nationalities, religious beliefs,
dogmas, political differences, opinions, conclusions, all that is the result of
thought.

Thought has created this whole structure of social behavior, which is
essentially based on tradition, which is mechanical. Thought has also
created the religious world, the Christian, the Buddhist, the Hindu, the
Muslim, with all the divisions, all the practices, all the innumerable gurus
that are springing up like mushrooms. And thought has created what it
considers is love. Is compassion the result of "love", the result of thought?
That is our problem, those are all our problems.

The Highest Dharma (or righteousness) is Ahimsa (non-violence). The
greatest miracle is to love and forgive ones enemy. Anger, vengeance,
retribution and torture are not divine but devilish and demonic.

Derrida, father of postmodernism, writes, "Forgiveness, if it ever happens
at all, happens in the faces of the unforgivable, such as Hiroshima or the
Nazi death camps"

The saint can see saintliness in even the worst sinner, but a sinner sees
sinfulness even in the holiest saint. When a pick-pocket meets a saint, all
he sees are pockets.

Once, in the Mahabharat, a question was posed to Duryodhana on what he
thinks about the people of the world. His reply was that the world was
rotten and that everyone in it was a Dushta (rogues). He doesn't find even
a single noble person. The same question was posed to Yudhishtira. His
reply was that it was a beautiful world with only Sajjanas (noble people) in
that. He does not find even a single Dushta. So, the moral is: How you
perceive the world reflects on what you are inside. Why can't people take
in only the good and leave the bad?

No one is perfect.

You see only what you chose to see, so you must thank yourself.

You want freedom the bitter fruits of desire, not from desire itself and this
is a very important thing to understand.

If you could strip desire of pain, of suffering, of struggle, of all the
anxieties and fears that go with it, so that only the pleasure remained,
would you then want to be free of desire ?

What is important is not to throttle desire , but to understand energy and
the utilization of energy in the right direction

The desire to become - to become a great man, a great saint, a great this
or that - has no end and therefore no fulfillment; its demand is ever for
the "more" and such desire brings agony, misery, wars---

Every desire is fraught with evil, whether the desire itself is for the good
or evil Sorrow is the shadow of desire.

That which is actuated by desire is the sole source of sorrow and becomes
insipid in an instant, It is sought after by the ignorant.

What did Martin Luther of the German Reformation say, in the 16th
century, as he nailed his 95 Thesis on the doors of the cathedral? 'Here I
stand, I can do no other'.

Sitaram says, "I, too, have nailed my thesis on the virtual doors of the
world's cathedral doors and say to the world: Here I stand, I can do no
other."

Everyone is driven by something and towards something. Some are
driven by silence and non-involvement.

Socrates had an overwhelming need to talk, and no visible source of
income. Yet the world would be slightly more impoverished today had he
kept silent. Talking a lot is not necessarily a bad thing. Fancy talk on
important subjects is called Dialogue. The process is called Dialectic.

Do not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness

Two good books to read are:

"If you meet the Buddha on the Road, Kill Him" by Sheldon Kopp

"When Everything you ever wanted isn't enough" - Rabbi Harold Kushner

What is our life? Is it the food we eat or the conversations we have or the
differential equations we solve? Or is there some deeper purpose, and ,if
there is, how do we touch this deeper level? All of us are looking for some
sign that life is not just a random series of days, telescoping into each
other.

Curiosity is never satisfied. It's satisfaction is a form of death. Desires are
never satisfied. Our greatest gift and our greatest curse is that we can
imagine a perfection greater than anything that could possibly exist.

Perhaps the most important single work of Carl Jung is a small
monograph of 100 pages entitled "On the Nature of the Psyche".

Basically, Jung is saying that there is a "psychoid" aspect of matter, which
strives towards, or evolves consciousness. Conversely, there is a
"material" aspect of consciousness or psyche, which is perhaps Freud's
"death instinct", a weariness of consciousness and a desire to return to
the inanimate.

Jung says "If the day comes that mankind fires a missile at Mars and
damages Mars, it will be accurate to say that it is the psychoid aspect of
matter which did the damage (since the big bang evolved the galaxies,
which evolved suns and planets, which evolved life, which evolved the
consciousness that invented and built and fired that missile."

Scriptures record only two negative actions of Jesus. He drives the money
changers out of the temple with an upraised arm (but does not strike
them).

He sees a fig tree which gives all the symptoms of being ripe with fruit
(green leaves, etc.) but finds that it has no fruit. So He says "Be thou
withered." (in Greek, Xerantheesete). It is the next day that the apostles
notice the tree dead and withered (notice, the destruction is not
immediate).

There is only one mention of Jesus ever writing anything. When Jesus tells
the accusers of the adulteress "let he who is without sin cast the first
stone", Jesus stoops down and begins to write with His finger in the sand.
One by one, people leave, until only the accused woman is left. We are
not told that the people who leave read what is written in the sand, or that
what is written causes them to leave. Some ancient theologians speculate
that the Theanthropos God-man, the Knower of Hearts, was writing things known only to each individual, which convicted them in their hearts, ... perhaps the names of their lovers...

A priest once asked a crusty old Irish cynic "What is your religion." He
replied, "My religion is the oldest religion in the world. I try to be a nice
guy."

Sitaram writes: One day, I decided to visit a reform Jewish Synagogue. I
arrived one hour early, so the janitor let me in. The place was empty so, I
go up to the front pew and I'm sitting there, looking at the sanctuary, the
torah scrolls (inside), When suddenly, in my mind, comes three very
strong loud thoughts, one right after another, almost like it wasn't my own
thoughts; you know, an inner monologue; a stream of consciousness.

The first thought : "A thought or memory in the mind of God... must
certainly have more , greater "reality" than any sensible , palpable ,
physical thing."

The second thought: "Who amongst us would ever be forgotten in "The
Mind of God" Then, the third thought, "You will be remembered after the
fashion which you have cast yourself by your own free-will actions... if
bitter angry wretches, you shall be remembered as a wretch; if humble,
grateful, patient, cheerful personality, then you shall be remembered as
cheerful; AND THEREIN LIES HEAVEN AND HELL."

What were those "three strong loud thoughts" which seemed to come from
nowhere? Who can say?

Hobbes on the first page of his book "Leviathan" writes, "If men were
ANGELS, there would be no need for Government."

When all self is OTHER we have sanctity, holiness. But when all other is
SELF, when all self is selfish and self-centered, we have sin, evil.

Someone wisely commented to me recently that the original meaning f
"sacrifice" is sacri + ficere ( in Latin, to MAKE HOLY). So when we offer up
and sacrifice our SELF on the sacrificial alter, then man becomes God,
and self disappears.

Aristotle wrote, "A friend is another 'I' (another self)."

"Love Thy Neighbor as Thyself, and Love thy God with all Thy Heart Mind
and Soul", upon this hangs all the Law.

But then the 51th (or in the Greek Septuagint, 50st) Psalm is the exact
summary of all this, in a way.

"Whole burnt offerings are not pleasing to Thee. A heart that is broken,
and humbled and contrite is a pleasing sacrifice unto the Lord (i.e. the
sacrifice of Self/Ego)."

What does the word salvation really mean, not to us today, but to the
original writers of the Bible, the Old Testament? Today we are led to
believe that its meaning is some sort of secret happening, a rite of
initiation possibly, or enlightenment, or a grace of forgiveness which we
have not earned.

For Jews in the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deut.), it
almost seemed to mean simply, peace from war, food (fruitfulness of
land), and reproduction (fertility, survival of offspring, and future
generations), and perhaps, at end of Penteteuch, a national identity
(promised land). Sheol or hell does not seem to necessarily be a place of
eternal punishment. Nor does anyone praise God, or do anything else,
after death. In Historical and prophetic books which come after torah, and
psalms, deliverance seems to be from the sinful nature which keeps one
from observing that law (mitzvahs) which will provide for all the above
mentioned (peace,food,progeny).

Only after the Babylonian Captivity of Jews (which put them in contact
with Zoroastrians who have a distinct notion of the GOOD God Ahura
Mazda, eternally pitted against the evil satan figure of Angra Mainu). And
this God-Satan conflict becomes very dramatic in Revelation (and also St.
Paul's Invisible warfare against wickedness in high places, angels of light
assuming the guise of false Christs, false teachers).

It is in those books which come after that Babylonian Captivity that we
begin to see the notion of ressurection such as Ezekiel's vision of the dead
bones rising and becoming all of Israel.

Finally, in New Testament, the clear cut concept of salvation as entering
heaven (the gate is narrow, the way difficult, few find it , in Luke).

In comparison to another term; being reborn, the idea is another vague
and secretive idea. It, like the term salvation, is taught in such a way as
to lead us to believe there is some elite club where only a few are
allowed, and that membership to that club is the highest goal in life

But, in eastern religions, Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Sikh, etc.. being born
again is ALSO necessary to "salvation" or moksha, but not simply ONCE
with water and spirit, but literally COUNTLESS times, literally reborn... and
the notion is that one is delivered FROM ONES OWN DESIRES... for as
long as there is some remnant of desire, the soul is attracted back to birth
in the world again and again, until those desires are fulfilled... and
Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) said , "We suffer PRECISELY because we
desire things we do not have (like sports cars or a beautiful spouse) and
we HAVE things we do not desire (like having cancer, or a prison
sentence).

Especially in Teravadin Buddhism, your GOOD BUDDHA nature is already
within you, and NO ONE but yourself can perfect yourself... there is no
outer GRACE or magic or rite or ritual, or even transfer of merit (as in
Mahayana buddhism)

In Buddhist and Hindu sects (not all denominations but many) there is no
evil satan figure. "Evil" is the suffering built into the karmic side effects of
thoughts and actions, like Newton's 3rd law, for every action, and equal
reaction (though to say OPPOSITE does not fit metaphor).... cast you
GOOD bread upon the waters,.... and it shall return to you (karmically)....
cast your EVIL bread upon the waters and THAT TO shall return to you
(though again to say SEVEN-FOLD might not fit the analogy in the case of
Karma).

So the argument of salvation is really about freeing mankind from this
force to open up the doors for a truly enlightened society. Faith is the way
we can overcome the lies, smear campaign and etc, and keep hope for
the future. Works are inspired by faith and just as necessary for the
successful attempt at freedom which we have not realized in 10,000
years.

Why is there a Universe, and why am I personally in that universe,
experiencing it, and my experiencing my sense of self?

Of the few things we can count on as our "birth right", certainly death is
one. We are certain that we shall die. Some are cheated of pleasures,
wealth, happiness, family, education, power, fame; but no one is ever
cheated out of death.

But what is the purpose of it all?

Is it all the doing of some petty God whose sole concern is that we believe
and worship in one particular language, in one particular fashion, even
though that God disdains to manifest even to the greatest prophet?

Is the whole purpose of this human life to die and spend eternity glutting
ourselves on physical pleasures and delights, rivers of wine and honey,
virgins, (if we were good enough to believe in that invisible angry God), or
to spend eternity agonizing in a ghoulish torture chamber?

Sometimes, questions themselves have greater worth and value than any
answer which might possibly be provided.

One person writes to me concerning suffering in the world, and how they
can help) You have asked,

"Why is there evil and suffering in world, and sickness for children?"

... and also...

"I have met many young people who have been abused in childhood, how
can I help them? What can I say?"

These are excellent questions.

Each of us must help ourselves. Only the SELF can help the self. In the
Gita, Krishna says "The self is both the greatest friend and the greatest
enemy." You have seen the truth of this I am sure with other young
children and teenagers. Everyone can tell them certain things and give
them advice. But it does no good until THEY THEMSELVES LEARN
something through direct experience and decide to take the advice. But at
THAT POINT, they are GIVING THE ADVICE TO THEMSELVES. That is why
MANY RE-BIRTHS are necessary, for soul to gain direct experience.
SALVATION by an outside power is not sufficient.

There is only guidance, there is no salvation, at least not in the "magic
wand" sense. And to be saved from WHAT? Consciousness always exists.
The mind always exists. Even religions which assume one birth, and then
the Judgement, and an eternity in the torment of hell or the pleasures of
paradise; even such religions admit that there is MIND and
CONSCIOUSNESS in those hells and heavens. Even the Prophet Isaiah
acknowledges the Mind of God, when he writes "As high as the heaven is
from the earth; so far are My ways from your ways, My mind (thoughts)
from your minds and thoughts."

You see, when you ask, "What can I say to them to comfort or help
them?", you are asking for WORDS to give them. But so many WORDS
have been given and revealed in the SCRIPTURES of the WORLDS
RELIGIONS. So if words could be sufficient, the right words would have
been revealed or given long ago. But it is the direct experience, through
suffering, that transforms the SOUL, through many rebirths, not hearing
words alone. In FACT, if mere WORDS were sufficient to save a soul, and
if SALVATION OF SOULS were the purpose of creation, then THE BIRTH OF
SO MANY BILLIONS into the world, born to ONE LIFE, and then the
JUDGEMENT, would be UNNECESSARY. For then, the proper WORDS would
have been given or revealed to our ANCESTORS, our forefathers such as
Abraham and Sarah. THEIR SOULS would have been saved by those
words, and their WOMBS would have been sealed up, unfertile and
barren. Once EXISTING souls have been saved, for all eternity, what point
or purpose is there to create MORE SOULS, in need of salvation, which
may possibly become DAMNED.

At each moment in time, each of us is exactly as we should be. We are
doing and experiencing what is NECESSARY for us to experience and
confront, based on past thoughts and actions of this life, or some previous
life. Otherwise, how could we understand one baby born to wealth and
health, and another baby to poverty and sickness. The Question of God's
unfairness arises only when we assume JUST ONE BIRTH.

Therefore, people like Mother Theresa, Gandhi, the Dalai Lama, Pope John
Paul, each of those holy people was doing what they were supposed to be
doing, experiencing, dealing with, at that point in time. But so also all the
drug dealers, and prostitutes, and even serial killers; they also were doing
and experiencing EXACTLY what what was necessary FOR THEM at that
point in time. In the Gita, Krishna says in so many words, "Even though
you TRY NOT TO FOLLOW YOUR DHARMA, and resist it, yet you will be
irresistibly drawn to follow it and actualize it."

If KNOWLEDGE OF SIN brings about a MOOD OF REPENTANCE AND
REGRET, well surely the SIN must have been necessary for one to know
what it means to be SORRY, or even to realize one's own imperfection. If
the Highest of Saints are the MARTYRS who have been SLAUGHTERED and
KILLED by UNBELIEVERS who persecute them; the MURDEROUS
UNBELIEVERS are certainly necessary to persecute and kill the Martyred
Saints. Even Jesus said of Judas Iscariot who betrayed him, "It is
NECESSARY that this happen, but woe unto him (Judas); better that he
had NEVER BEEN BORN."

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