Jesus' Immaculate Conception and Relationship with John--Part 4

[Guest guest]

Jesus' Immaculate Conception and Relationship with John the Baptist - Part 4

 

 

The metaphysical truth

about immaculate conception

 

(p.45) The conception and birth of Jesus has been the subject of considerable

controversy: Was he conceived in the natural or a preternatural way? Was he

truly born of immaculate conception? Myth, fact, faith? Man so engrosses himself

in trying to decipher the encrypted formulas of God's doings that he misses the

joy of appreciating the hand of God in the affairs of man. Must one comprehend

the full molecular biology of wheat to know the satisfaction of hunger in a loaf

of bread? Must one be an astronomer to receive the life-giving light and warmth

of the sun? The ultimate knowledge of every God-mystery is barred to no one who

makes himself ready to read the Book of Life, whenever and in whatever way the

Lord opens its pages to him.

 

God is the Great Cosmic Organizer. The most elite conclave of mortal minds could

not so thoroughly set forth universal laws that endure the assaults of time and

the presumptuous rejections of cultural change. Yet God is not rigid. He accords

freedom to man to induce kaleidoscopic variations by manipulation of known

laws--for good and ill--which in effect simply activate other laws which are

thereby newly " discovered. " He Himself delights in surprising His children with

a divine innovation now and again that confounds their common reason. In dismay

man backs away and scoffs at the implausibility, or reverently folds his hands

and concedes a miracle.

 

Even in nature, God plays with the staid methods. Some plants cannot grow and

reproduce without sexual cross-pollination from male stamen to the female

pistil; while other plants, such as the common geranium, can vigorously

proliferate themselves from a small stem cutting. The animal kingdom, likewise,

has evolved through sexual reproduction; yet a certain species of snail produces

its own kind quite independently of male-female union. In science laboratories,

frogs have been reproduced by stimulation of female ova without the introduction

of male sperm. [1]

 

(p.46) Creation is creation, the forming of something new. It is always

" immaculate " in the sense that it brings something into being by the creative

power of God, whether by His divine fiat or by man's employment of God's natural

laws. The first real immaculate conception, in its highest form, was when God

materialized Adam and Eve--the symbolic parents of all human beings. God did not

create original man and woman by sexual union. (Which came first, the tree or

the seed? The tree, of course, which was then endowed with the ability to

produce its own kind.) [break Quote]

 

[Note]:

 

" And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male

and female He created them. And God blessed them; and God said to them, " Be

fruitful and multiply and fill the earth... " " (Genesis 1:27-28a)

 

[Resume Quote]

 

Though the physical body of man was generally patterned after the physiological

and anatomical instrumentalities that had resulted from the long process of

evolution of animal species, human beings were created by God with a unique

endowment possessed by no lower forms: awakened spiritual centers of life and

consciousness in the spine and brain that gave them the ability to express fully

the divine consciousness and powers of the soul. By an act of special creation,

God thus created the bodies of Adam and Eve in the immaculate way of direct

materialization, and empowered these first beings similarly to reproduce their

own kind. We find in the Hindu scriptures, also, mention of the real immaculate

conception when the divinely endowed first beings could create offspring by mind

power. (p.47) Man and woman, expressing from their sexless souls a positive or

negative vibration, could produce other male or female beings, respectively, by

materialization even as God had created the Biblical Adam and Eve.

 

Sexual reproduction

in humans began

with the fall of Adam

and Eve

 

In the beginning, the sexual organs were not pronounced at all in the symbolic

Adam and Eve. God warned them not to eat of the fruit " in the midst of the

garden " (Genesis 3:3). That fruit was the sensual touch of sex in the middle of

the bodily garden. When Adam and Eve succumbed to temptation and ate of that

fruit--embraced each other in a lustful way--they were " driven out " of the Eden

of spiritual consciousness. In their " fall, " having descended to the low estate

of body identification, they lost their soul-awareness of the divine perceptions

and capacities in the subtle cerebrospinal centers--including the power to

create in the immaculate way. [2] Their sexual organs developed, as in the

lesser evolved forms of the animal kingdom. In the positive, more aggressive

human form the protruding male organ developed; and in the negative, more

passive body the recessive female organs developed. [3]

 

The divinity and power of creation that God gave to Adam and Eve before their

fall is still potentially present in every human soul, and will be brought back

again when the Eden of godliness is reentered. The 'rishis' of the ancient

higher ages in India had the power to create by mind. By will power anything can

be materialized in this world. In all cases, it is the Cosmic Vibration

(Prakriti, Holy Ghost) that informs all matter. This vibration can be

consciously wielded by the will power of Christlike beings who unite themselves

with the Directing Intelligence of God's will in the Holy Vibration. Or God

Himself, directly or through His hierarchy of angelic agents, may transmit this

power of the Holy Ghost to fulfill His purpose.

 

(p.48) When it is written in the Bible that God took a rib from Adam to fashion

Eve (Genesis 2:21-22), " rib " refers to vibration: The creation of man (the

positive or male manifestation of creative vibration) consisted of God's

consciousness with reason uppermost and feeling partially hidden; and with the

same vibratory power He then created woman (the negative or feminine

manifestation of the creative vibration) with feeling uppermost and reason less

dominant. From the predominance of these qualities, He fashioned differences in

their bodies that encased their sexless souls. God's plan--since creation

depends on interaction between positive and negative forces--is that the

God-given natures of man and woman would balance each other. When this vibration

is equalized in a human being, he or she begins to manifest his or her innate

divine soul-nature of perfect God-equilibrium.

 

Many saints have been born in the natural way, and some in the immaculate way.

The great ones who have attained liberation retain their individuality in

Spirit; and at God's behest to return to the world as saviors, they can take a

physical body either by immaculate conception or natural birth. (In higher world

ages, they may even do so by direct materialization--though that is not for the

eyes of unenlightened times.) The mode of birth does not matter, nor does it

necessarily indicate the degree of divinity.

 

Buddha and other

avatars also born

in the immaculate

way

 

Sexual creation has the selfish sexual instincts of the parents in it.

Therefore, some saints choose to be conceived in the immaculate way, the pure

system of conception. So it is a fact that Jesus was created by immaculate

conception. His mother Mary, she who " had found favor with God, " was filled with

the Holy Ghost Cosmic Vibration: " The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the

power of the Highest shall overshadow thee. " This sacred creative Vibration,

suffused with the reflection of God as the Christ Consciousness, entered the

ovum in Mary's womb, immaculately creating the germ cell of life into which

entered the soul of Jesus, the individualized Christ Consciousness. From this

pristine cell, according to the pattern inherent in the soul of Jesus, grew the

body in which Jesus the Christ was born. It is not a myth. Gautama Buddha (as

also other avatars) was born in the same way. His mother saw the Spirit enter

her body. As told in traditional Indian allegory in the 'Jataka' (ancient

Buddhist scripture):

 

" And lying down on the royal couch, she fell asleep and dreamed the following

dream:

 

(p.49) " The four guardian angels came and lifted her up, together with her

couch, and took her away to the Himalaya Mountains....After clothing her with

divine garments, they anointed her with perfumes and decked her with divine

flowers. Not far off was Silver Hill, and in it a golden mansion. There they

spread a divine couch with its head towards the east, and laid her down upon it.

 

" Now the Future Buddha had become a superb white elephant,[4] and was wandering

about at no great distance, on Gold Hill. Descending thence, he ascended Silver

Hill, and approaching from the north, he plucked a white lotus with his silvery

trunk, and trumpeting loudly, went into the golden mansion. And three times he

walked round his mother's couch, with his right side towards it, and striking

her on her right side, he seemed to enter her womb. Thus the conception took

place in the Midsummer Festival.

 

" On the next day the queen awoke, and told the dream to the king. And the king

caused sixty-four eminent Brahmins to be summoned....[and] told them the dream

and asked them what would come of it?

 

" 'Be not anxious, great king!' said the Brahmins; 'a child has planted itself in

the womb of your queen....You will have a son. And he, if he continue to live

the household life, will become a Universal Monarch; but if he leave the

household life and retire from the world, he will become a Buddha, and roll back

the clouds of sin and folly of this world.' " [5]

 

There is a cosmic metaphysical symbolism in the wondrous conception and birth of

Jesus. His incarnate Christ Consciousness came immaculately through the Virgin

Mary. Likewise, the universal Christ Intelligence was born or reflected in the

cosmic body of pure vibratory creation (Cosmic " Virgin Mary " ) through the

instrumentality of God the Father. The Holy Ghost Cosmic Vibration, 'Aum',

Maha-Prakriti, is analogous to the Cosmic Virgin Mary because it is thus the

mother of the immanent Universal Christ Intelligence, the Son of God, and of all

created objects.

 

The Second Coming of Christ (The Resurrection of the Christ Within You) Volume

I, Discourse 2, pg. 45-49

Paramahansa Yogananda

Printed in the United States of America 1434-J881

ISBN-13:978-0-87612-557-1

ISBN-10:0-87612-557-7

 

Notes

 

[1] The snail, 'Potamopyrgus antipodarum', is found in freshwater lakes in New

Zealand. The asexual reproduction of frogs by inserting nuclei from embryonic

cells into unfertilized eggs was first accomplished in 1951; however, the

experiment was carried on only until the newborn frogs had grown to the tadpole

stage.

 

'National Geographic News', September 26, 2002, reported: " A female white

spotted bamboo shark at the Belle Isle Aquarium in Detroit surprised zookeepers

in July by giving birth to two babies. Why the surprise? It was a virgin birth:

She hadn't been near a male for six years....The births have raised questions

among scientists as to whether sharks may be able to reproduce

parthenogenetically, a mode of reproduction in which the egg is not fertilized.

These so-called virgin births are common in invertebrates like snails, but are

unusual in higher vertebrates. 'Parthenogenesis has been documented in many

reptiles,' said Doug Sweet, curator of fishes at the Belle Isle Aquarium. 'There

are at least five or six species of snakes, and it's been known in salamanders,

lizards, and even a breed of turkeys.' " ('Publisher's Note')

 

[2] " Unto the woman [God] said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy

conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children... " (Genesis 3:16).

 

[3] The spiritual significance of the Adam and Eve story in Genesis is explained

in more detail in Discourse 7.

 

[4] Symbolizing pure divine wisdom and royalty. In the Bhagavad Gita, the Lord

says: " Among stallions, know Me to be the nectar-born Uchchaihshravas; among

elephants, Indra's white elephant, Airavata; and among men, the emperor " ('God

Talks With Arjuna: The Bhagavad Gita X:27'). The elephant is a symbol of wisdom.

Significantly, Airavata is referred to as the guardian or supporter " of the east

quarter " (in man's body, the " east " or center of wisdom in the forehead). The

word 'Indra' [ " king of the gods " ] implies one who is a conqueror of the senses

('indriya'). Wisdom is the vehicle of the yogi who has conquered his senses. God

is indeed prominently manifested in the colossal wisdom of the sense conqueror.

 

[5] The Harvard Classics, Volume 45, Part 3: 'Buddhist Writings', trans. Henry

Clarke Warren (New York: Collier, 1909).

 

 

 

, " Violet " <violetubb wrote:

>

> Jesus' Immaculate Conception and Relationship with John the Baptist - Part 3

>

>

> (p.43) And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city

of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph,

of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in

unto her, and said, " Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee:

blessed art thou among women. "

>

> And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind

what manner of salutation this should be.

>

> And the angel said unto her, " Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with

God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and

shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the

Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there

shall be no end. "

>

> Then said Mary unto the angel, " How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? "

>

> And the angel answered and said unto her, " The Holy Ghost shall come upon

thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that

holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And,

behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and

this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing

shall be impossible. "

>

> And Mary said, " Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to

thy word. " And the angel departed from her.

>

> And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into

a city of Juda; and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.

And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe

leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake

out with a loud voice, and said, " Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is

the fruit of thy womb. (p.44) And whence is this to me, that the mother of my

Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded

in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. "

>

> ...And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.

>

> --Luke 1:26-44,56

>

>

> Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was

espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the

Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make

her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.

>

> But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared

unto him in a dream, saying, " Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto

thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And

she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall

save his people from their sins. "

>

> Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord

by the prophet, saying, " Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring

forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, " [1] which being interpreted

is, " God with us. "

>

> --Matthew 1:18-23

>

> The Second Coming of Christ (The Resurrection of the Christ Within > You)

Volume I, Discourse 2, pg. 43-44

> Paramahansa Yogananda

> Printed in the United States of America 1434-J881

> ISBN-13:978-0-87612-557-1

> ISBN-10:0-87612-557-7

>

> Notes:

>

> [1] The prophecy is in Isaiah 7:14.

>