Tony Bristow-Stagg
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Unity In Diversity
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Once recently I had an online class where I'd start reading the Gita from the beginning, a little bit every night, and explain it to the listeners, so thanks God I still completely remember all of it
The sub story of the Book is wonderful to me; how clever and wise (and also dangerous) to have a general story where a guy needs to fight with his own tribe. Now, to me, that has two meanings. The first one's clearer meaning that once when find the truth, no one even our family members should not stand in our way. But the second meaning which is much deeper and is my favourite is a version of what we have also in the bible, Quran and Baha'i that is "your enemies are members of your own house". You know, in Islam there are two kinds of wars; the lessee war which is the outward war with other people. The bigger war which is the inner war with our own bad qualities and I guess that war Arjuna had to undertake is mostly the inner one. I also love many other concepts in Gita like the one where we read that an enlightened person gets mastery of his ego so much that the ego turns into a (symbolically) turtle which will pull his legs into his shell once needed.
In fact there are so many great teachings regarding the "taming of the self" there that I cannot mention all of them here.
Now, people may have different ideas about who Arjuna is and what is the station of Krishna; I don't mind any of that. To me, it is a must read and a must act book.
Hey, I have also read the diamond sutra, heart sutra, and the flower garland sutra. I love all of them . My mystical journey started with reading sutras in fact
Both meanings imply division, though, not unity?
The lesser and greater struggles/wars, likewise imply division?
There's a (currently dormant) thread on reading one of the chapters of the flower garland sutra. Feel free to join in!
https://www.interfaith.org/community/threads/19335/
The heart sutra is about emptiness, which seems a step removed from unity?
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Exactly.
So think about it?
It is offered that there are lights far brighter than the sun. Darkness is not the opposite of light; it is the lack of light.
We should consider that the Spirit isn't white light, Tony. Light includes all wavengths of electromagnetic radiation; visible light is a tiny part of it.
IMO
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Tony Bristow-Stagg
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I have a different frame of reference RG, I fear if I explain it, then the conversation will deteriorate.
Yes indeed, we agree darkness is the lack of light. That also means that evil is the lack of Good. Thus both only exist because of the lack of the animating force.
There is much written on this RJM.
Regards Tony
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In my view, emptiness and any other personal effort that leads to a better understanding of the nature of the self is a good essential step towards unity. Likewise the effort a person may undertake to tame his/her ego leads to unity. Can we imagine a united world at peace when each individual has not achieved peace and understanding within his/her self? The answer is no.
Thanks a lot for the link to the flower sutra. I'm going to take a look now
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Nor anytime soon ...
Right. The current condition of the world is very dark. It seems to be a cliche but I do believe that the darkest hour of the night is the hour right before the sunrise.
In my imagination, the world is gonna be a wonderful place in the next thousand years which is a short time in the cosmic measure of time.
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Nature will always be subject to constant change. Good and evil will always be relative in nature. There will always be predators and victims. It's always going to be 'nature red in tooth and claw.' Nature will never be a wonderful place for all its creatures. All living creatures suffer pain and death.* We can only try to find peace within ourselves. Imo
* And much good too, of course
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by saying that the world is gonna be a wonderful place I mean human being will finally aaken to the reality of his own existance and the generality of people will have a much much better understanding of life and its mechanism. The world will become like one city, not just in words but in action, and we'll learn how to use technology for everyone's benefit. that is my image of the future in a thousand years
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Maybe. Or perhaps we'll be hit by an asteroid and revert back to the stone age by then?by saying that the world is gonna be a wonderful place I mean human being will finally aaken to the reality of his own existance and the generality of people will have a much much better understanding of life and its mechanism. The world will become like one city, not just in words but in action, and we'll learn how to use technology for everyone's benefit. that is my image of the future in a thousand years
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Well I am here to learn @mrym
I would like to know about the Baha'i attitudes towards the afterlife, heaven and hell, etc. But without being referred to other writings -- as Baha'i tell it here, in their own words ...
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Assume I am illiterate. How would you explain it to me?
that is an interesting topic for a thread. I'll create one today. I was thinking today that as much as all people wish for peace and unity on earth, yet when there is a thread in which there are no arguments or fights, it is so boring just a few of us take part
I guess one reason we humans like to argue and fight so much is because it is exciting
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Looking forward to it
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As much as I might be inclined to agree, there is a common thread through history when we have looked at the world and said: 'This is our dark times'.
But we are looking at it from a particular sociological viewpoint ... there are continents of people where the world is as bleak and as bright as ever it was.
I'd say the 17th century takes some beating.
Do they though? I think many pay lip-service to the doctrine, but look after No1. first.
Well if the message is 'Peace on earth and goodwill to all', then social media has weaponised against it.I guess one reason we humans like to argue and fight so much is because it is exciting
What socmed shows is 'my tribe' lurks ever just beneath the veneer, it supersedes all else and once roused, anything goes ...