Here's why....

[Guest guest]

I've read with interest the many postings about why God permits his

creations to suffer so.

 

For me personally, the doctrine of karma is insufficient to explain

suffering because it is part of the phenomenal world, a manifestation

of Maya and therefore not of much use to us now.

 

What DOES bring me comfort and an answer for that eternal question is

the statement (source unknown) that " we are only windows through which

the Universe can observe itself " . For me, that is our only purpose.

The creation of Maya or multiplicity requires the creation of

opposites and (maybe) cause and effect. To regard the spectacular

beauty of this world, we must regard its terrifying ugliness also.

Life is full of paradox: we have to give away in order to receive,

surrender in order to win and die in order to awaken.

 

In 6th Century Japan, the abbot of a Zen monastery received a novice

monk who complained of excruciating emotional and mental pain,

accompanied by rage, fear and despair. The abbot explained that life

is like being in a burning house. " How so? " , inquired the monk.

" You'd be crazy not to want out, " replied the abbot.

 

Jai Ramakrishna!

 

Barry Bates

West Palm Beach, FL, USA

 

PS: See also burninghousezendo.org and

http://www.buddhistdoor.com/bdoor/0112/sources/lotus7_p1.htm

[Guest guest]

Ramakrishna , " jairamakrishna " <bates7106@b...>

wrote:

>

>

> I've read with interest the many postings about why God permits his

> creations to suffer so.

>

> For me personally, the doctrine of karma is insufficient to explain

> suffering because it is part of the phenomenal world, a manifestation

> of Maya and therefore not of much use to us now.

>

> What DOES bring me comfort and an answer for that eternal question is

> the statement (source unknown) that " we are only windows through which

> the Universe can observe itself " .

 

Namaste,

 

A similar quotation is from Thomas Carlyle:(1795-1881)

 

" Rightly viewed, no meanest object is insignificant; all objects are

as windows, through which the philosophic eye looks into infinitude

itself. "

 

Our view is indeed limited, distorted, and self-defeating.

 

Why can we not consider that the 'tragedy' from our viewpoint

was in fact a 'liberation' granted by the Supreme Spirit - the last

thought before death is what takes you to That, and almost everyone

must have thought of That alone? Let us not assume that children do

not think of God.

 

 

 

Regards,

 

Sunder

[Guest guest]

Dear Sunder,

 

I agree with you wholeheartedly and that is what I tried to put

across in my last mail. I read a book recently where a Sage consoles

a grieving mother with the words, " Why do you grieve so much for

your son? Do you think he is in a worse state than what he was here?

Definitely not ! He is now basking in the glory of God, celebrating

his release from the sorrow of being encased in the human body. "

 

We all know that we come from a REALITY that we call God and that we

merge back into that same reality. So what follows is that suffering

is only here on earth. It is like two people about to enter a room.

One knows that the room is lighted and very comfortable, whereas the

other fears that the room is dark. In reality the room is indeed

well lighted. So now when both step in, they both will enter a

lighted room. It is not that the ignorant person who feared that the

room was dark will enter a dark room. That is not possible even

though it has been imagined. The rope continues to remain a rope

despite the observer thinking it to be a snake.

 

This is the reason why while we celebrate the departure of Monks,

the householder continues to mourn for the dead relatives. Only the

perception is different. One knows and the other does not know.

That's all. And this also justifies the sloka in the Gita which says

in effect, " Even a little knowledge of spirituality rids one of

great fear and sorrow. "

 

Regards,

Jagannath.