Guest guest Posted September 19, 1999 Report Share Posted September 19, 1999 I am relatively new to this list but have had a long association, although somewhat intermittent one, with the Ramakrishna Order. I have always been in sympathy with the efforts to harmonize the spirituality of Christianity and Hinduism as there are indeed parallels. I also very much admired the work of my spiritual Guru Swami Prabhavananda and his own commentary on the Sermon on the Mount that is still available. >Jesus did not come to destroy the existing religion. He came to clean the >ancient religion off the dross that had collected over it in due course of >time. This happens to all religions. Buddha came to clean Hinduism. Sankara >came. Sri Ramakrishna came. As time passes by, the essential religion is >pushed to the side, and empty rituals and dogma take their place. These >prophets come to put the genuine and essential part of religion back to its >deserving place. They never replace old customs; they refine them and infuse >new life into them. You argue that Jesus came not to " destroy " the existing religion and " They never replace old customs " - but I think this argument does not hold. If the Gospels are carefully read you will see that Jesus associated with lepers, menstruating women, tax collectors, Roman soldiers, Samaritans ... all people who were forbidden to be touched by the practising Jew of His time. Also, the disciples " worked " on the Sabbath by gathering wheat in a field... Jesus healed on the Sabbath, a direct violation of the Codes that Jews lived under at the time...For all of the above and more, Jesus was executed and condemned by the Sanhedrin. The Levitical Code was attacked directly by Jesus in more ways than I can mention in this short post. It is true that the Avatar incarnates when the need is greatest as the verse in the Bhagavad Gita stresses. But it is also true I believe that the older, encrusted shell of the Sanatana Dharma must be removed so that the original, pure light can once again be made manifest and radiate in the hearts of men! This " removal " can be very traumatic to those who are " blind " and whose " ears can no longer hear. " Jesus in Kashmir? Aside from the above, I wanted to add how impressed I was with reading Swami Abhedananda's " Journey into Kashmir and Tibet " - even though this is a very old book, to me Abhedananda's credentials are to be admired... the character of the man and his clear spiritual nature, make this a fantastic document. There has been I feel some confirmation of the Notovich story as he mentioned scrolls that were supposed to be in Pali describing a life of the Christ in the Hemis Monastery. Scholars for years have scoffed at the whole story, saying that Pali scrolls in a Tibetan monastery would be impossible since Tibetans only used Tibetan and Sanskrit! I have found recent evidence that Pali was indeed used in Kashmir! John Clifford Holt refers in his introduction to the Anagatavamsa Desana on p. 2 to the " Hinayana Buddhist Kashmiri communities. " The Hinayana use Pali. The Hemis monastery would be close to Kashmir. Moreover it is my understanding that Hinayana and Mahayana monks and scholars worked closely in Nalanda and other Buddhist Universities. Another interesting and fascinating point is that the earliest known writings of the Buddha's teachings were recently found in Kashmir and are now being studied, these scrolls which have been heralded as the " Dead Sea Scrolls of Buddhism " are written in the Kharoshti script. Kharoshti had limited use in India but the script itself is a derivative form of Aramaic! - Art Gregory lgregory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 20, 1999 Report Share Posted September 20, 1999 <<< The Clan wrote: > lgregory (The Clan) > But it is also true I believe that the older, encrusted shell of the Sanatana Dharma must be removed so that the original, pure light can once again be made manifest and radiate in the hearts of men! This " removal " can be very traumatic to those who are " blind " and whose " ears can no longer hear. " >>> ========== Dear Friends, Sanatana Dharma - Eternal Religion - concerns with attaining a specific mode of Consciousness that can be achieved only by intense sadhana - spiritual practice - where all doubts, dualities, and superstitions are dissolved into the 'Ocean of Bliss' of Oneness. Mostly it is an individual effort; and whatever collective benefit accrues is but a by-product. Therefore, it cannot be traumatic, on the contrary, the aspirant is enthralled by joy on undertaking the spiritual discipline which may appear traumatic and hard to others. To call others 'blind' or 'deaf' is not the usual practice of a sanatani. This is the meaning of 'not to destroy' anyone's faith. This is what Sri Ramakrishna told Master Mahashay " M " in their first encounter as regards 'idol worship' and 'lower forms' of rituals which many a westerner is unable to understand. dr c s s -- ==================================== E-magazine on science and spirituality. Visit: http://members.xoom.com/drcsshah/neovedanta/index.html ==================================== Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 20, 1999 Report Share Posted September 20, 1999 Namaste If anyone's interested to know more about the evidence that Christ visited India, you may purchase the following books. 1. " The Lost Teachings of Jesus, " Mark L. Prophet, Elizabeth Clare Prophet This book refers to works of Swami Abhedananda and Notovitch as 2 of the 3 main references. Quite a controversial book but nevertheless very believable. 2. The Autobiography: of Jesus of Nazareth and the Missing Years by Richard G. Patton Read the review and the mixed reactions to this book at: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0968243703/o/qid=937798414/sr=2-1/002 -0331480-5167200 Both the books are available at Amazon.com. Om Shanti Kathi > > lgregory [sMTP:lgregory] > Sunday, September 19, 1999 10:04 PM > Ramakrishna > [ramakrishna] Jesus came not to destroy ... > > lgregory (The Clan) > > I am relatively new to this list but have had a long association, although > somewhat intermittent one, with the Ramakrishna Order. I have always been > in sympathy with the efforts to harmonize the spirituality of Christianity > and Hinduism as there are indeed parallels. I also very much admired the > work of my spiritual Guru Swami Prabhavananda and his own commentary on > the > Sermon on the Mount that is still available. > > >Jesus did not come to destroy the existing religion. He came to clean the > >ancient religion off the dross that had collected over it in due course > of > >time. This happens to all religions. Buddha came to clean Hinduism. > Sankara > >came. Sri Ramakrishna came. As time passes by, the essential religion is > >pushed to the side, and empty rituals and dogma take their place. These > >prophets come to put the genuine and essential part of religion back to > its > >deserving place. They never replace old customs; they refine them and > infuse > >new life into them. > > You argue that Jesus came not to " destroy " the existing religion and " They > never replace old customs " - but I think this argument does not hold. If > the > Gospels are carefully read you will see that Jesus associated with lepers, > menstruating women, tax collectors, Roman soldiers, Samaritans ... all > people who were forbidden to be touched by the practising Jew of His time. > Also, the disciples " worked " on the Sabbath by gathering wheat in a > field... Jesus healed on the Sabbath, a direct violation of the Codes that > Jews lived under at the time...For all of the above and more, Jesus was > executed and condemned by the Sanhedrin. > > The Levitical Code was attacked directly by Jesus in more ways than I can > mention in this short post. > > It is true that the Avatar incarnates when the need is greatest as the > verse in the Bhagavad Gita stresses. But it is also true I believe that > the > older, encrusted shell of the Sanatana Dharma must be removed so that the > original, pure light can once again be made manifest and radiate in the > hearts of men! This " removal " can be very traumatic to those who are > " blind " and whose " ears can no longer hear. " > > Jesus in Kashmir? > > Aside from the above, I wanted to add how impressed I was with reading > Swami Abhedananda's " Journey into Kashmir and Tibet " - even though this is > a > very old book, to me Abhedananda's credentials are to be admired... the > character of the man and his clear spiritual nature, make this a fantastic > document. > > There has been I feel some confirmation of the Notovich story as he > mentioned scrolls that were supposed to be in Pali describing a life of > the > Christ in the Hemis Monastery. Scholars for years have scoffed at the > whole > story, saying that Pali scrolls in a Tibetan monastery would be impossible > since Tibetans only used Tibetan and Sanskrit! I have found recent > evidence > that Pali was indeed used in Kashmir! John Clifford Holt refers in his > introduction to the Anagatavamsa Desana on p. 2 to the " Hinayana Buddhist > Kashmiri communities. " The Hinayana use Pali. The Hemis monastery would be > close to Kashmir. Moreover it is my understanding that Hinayana and > Mahayana monks and scholars worked closely in Nalanda and other Buddhist > Universities. > > Another interesting and fascinating point is that the earliest known > writings of the Buddha's teachings were recently found in Kashmir and are > now being studied, these scrolls which have been heralded as the " Dead Sea > Scrolls of Buddhism " are written in the Kharoshti script. Kharoshti had > limited use in India but the script itself is a derivative form of > Aramaic! > > > - Art Gregory lgregory > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah > Vivekananda Centre London > http://www.btinternet.com/~vivekananda/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 20, 1999 Report Share Posted September 20, 1999 Namaste Sorry I gave the wrong book title. No. 1 should be: Lost Years of Jesus : On the Discoveries of Notovitch, Abhedananda, Roerich, and Caspari by Elizabeth Clare Prophet > > K Kathirasan ADM NCS [sMTP:kathirasan] > Monday, September 20, 1999 11:47 AM > Ramakrishna > RE: [ramakrishna] Jesus came not to destroy ... > > K Kathirasan ADM NCS <kathirasan > > Namaste > > If anyone's interested to know more about the evidence that Christ visited > India, you may purchase the following books. > > 1. " The Lost Teachings of Jesus, " Mark L. Prophet, Elizabeth Clare > Prophet > > This book refers to works of Swami Abhedananda and Notovitch as 2 of the 3 > main references. Quite a controversial book but nevertheless very > believable. > > 2. The Autobiography: of Jesus of Nazareth and the Missing Years by > Richard > G. Patton > > Read the review and the mixed reactions to this book at: > > http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0968243703/o/qid=937798414/sr=2-1/0 > 02 > -0331480-5167200 > > Both the books are available at Amazon.com. > > Om Shanti > Kathi > > > > lgregory [sMTP:lgregory] > > Sunday, September 19, 1999 10:04 PM > > Ramakrishna > > [ramakrishna] Jesus came not to destroy ... > > > > lgregory (The Clan) > > > > I am relatively new to this list but have had a long association, > although > > somewhat intermittent one, with the Ramakrishna Order. I have always > been > > in sympathy with the efforts to harmonize the spirituality of > Christianity > > and Hinduism as there are indeed parallels. I also very much admired the > > work of my spiritual Guru Swami Prabhavananda and his own commentary on > > the > > Sermon on the Mount that is still available. > > > > >Jesus did not come to destroy the existing religion. He came to clean > the > > >ancient religion off the dross that had collected over it in due course > > of > > >time. This happens to all religions. Buddha came to clean Hinduism. > > Sankara > > >came. Sri Ramakrishna came. As time passes by, the essential religion > is > > >pushed to the side, and empty rituals and dogma take their place. These > > >prophets come to put the genuine and essential part of religion back to > > its > > >deserving place. They never replace old customs; they refine them and > > infuse > > >new life into them. > > > > You argue that Jesus came not to " destroy " the existing religion and > " They > > never replace old customs " - but I think this argument does not hold. If > > the > > Gospels are carefully read you will see that Jesus associated with > lepers, > > menstruating women, tax collectors, Roman soldiers, Samaritans ... all > > people who were forbidden to be touched by the practising Jew of His > time. > > Also, the disciples " worked " on the Sabbath by gathering wheat in a > > field... Jesus healed on the Sabbath, a direct violation of the Codes > that > > Jews lived under at the time...For all of the above and more, Jesus was > > executed and condemned by the Sanhedrin. > > > > The Levitical Code was attacked directly by Jesus in more ways than I > can > > mention in this short post. > > > > It is true that the Avatar incarnates when the need is greatest as the > > verse in the Bhagavad Gita stresses. But it is also true I believe that > > the > > older, encrusted shell of the Sanatana Dharma must be removed so that > the > > original, pure light can once again be made manifest and radiate in the > > hearts of men! This " removal " can be very traumatic to those who are > > " blind " and whose " ears can no longer hear. " > > > > Jesus in Kashmir? > > > > Aside from the above, I wanted to add how impressed I was with reading > > Swami Abhedananda's " Journey into Kashmir and Tibet " - even though this > is > > a > > very old book, to me Abhedananda's credentials are to be admired... the > > character of the man and his clear spiritual nature, make this a > fantastic > > document. > > > > There has been I feel some confirmation of the Notovich story as he > > mentioned scrolls that were supposed to be in Pali describing a life of > > the > > Christ in the Hemis Monastery. Scholars for years have scoffed at the > > whole > > story, saying that Pali scrolls in a Tibetan monastery would be > impossible > > since Tibetans only used Tibetan and Sanskrit! I have found recent > > evidence > > that Pali was indeed used in Kashmir! John Clifford Holt refers in his > > introduction to the Anagatavamsa Desana on p. 2 to the " Hinayana > Buddhist > > Kashmiri communities. " The Hinayana use Pali. The Hemis monastery would > be > > close to Kashmir. Moreover it is my understanding that Hinayana and > > Mahayana monks and scholars worked closely in Nalanda and other Buddhist > > Universities. > > > > Another interesting and fascinating point is that the earliest known > > writings of the Buddha's teachings were recently found in Kashmir and > are > > now being studied, these scrolls which have been heralded as the " Dead > Sea > > Scrolls of Buddhism " are written in the Kharoshti script. Kharoshti had > > limited use in India but the script itself is a derivative form of > > Aramaic! > > > > > > - Art Gregory > > > > > > > > > > > > > > lgregory > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah > > Vivekananda Centre London > > http://www.btinternet.com/~vivekananda/ > > > Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah > Vivekananda Centre London > http://www.btinternet.com/~vivekananda/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.