The Heart

S

Sacredstar

Guest
Dear All

I have put this here because I like to compare texts with other faiths and religions so hope that others will share any scripture that compares.

“Follow your heart and have heart for others.”

“Heart” is mentioned 634 times in the New Testament. 

Jesus speaks of a clean heart (Mt 5.8)

His own humble heart (Mt 11.29)

That truth comes from the heart (Mt 15.18)

Forgive from the heart (Mt 18.35)

Believe with your heart (Mk 11.23)

Love with all your heart (Mk 12.33). 

Love beyond measure from the heart

Kim xxx
 
Dear Sacredstar,

in Eastern Buddhism, the use of the term "Heart" signifies more than what is associated with it in Christian terminology. The Chinese/Japanese character "Shin" for "Heart" also means "Mind", so usually translators will pick one of translate it as "Heart/Mind".

Perhaps one of the most striking terms in Buddhism concerning "heart-to-heart" is Isshin denshin, a direct communication from the spirit of the teacher to that of the student.

One of the central texts in Easter Buddhism is the Heart Sutra, a summary text concentrating the main principles of the Mahayana Teachings. Incidentally, the Japanese word for Sutra, "Shingyo", contains the "Heart Character as well.

[size=+3]Heart Sutra
[/size][size=+1](Hannya shingyô)
shingyo.gif
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[font=Times, Helvetica, sans-serif]Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, when deeply practicing prajna paramita, clearly saw that all five aggregates are empty and thus relieved all suffering. Shariputra, form does not differ from emptiness, emptiness does not differ from form. Form itself is emptiness, emptiness itself form. Sensations, perceptions, formations, and consciousness are also like this. Shariputra, all dharmas are marked by emptiness; they neither arise nor cease, are neither defiled nor pure, neither increase nor decrease. Therefore, given emptiness, there is no form, no sensation, no perception, no formation, no consciousness; no eyes, no ears, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind; no sight, no sound, no smell, no taste, no touch, no object of mind; no realm of sight... no realm of mind consciousness. There is neither ignorance nor extinction of ignorance... neither old age and death, nor extinction of old age and death; no suffering, no cause, no cessation, no path; no knowledge and no attainment. With nothing to attain, a bodhisattva relies on prajna paramita, and thus the mind is without hindrance. Without hindrance, there is no fear. Far beyond all inverted views, one realizes nirvana. All buddhas of past, present, and future rely on prajna paramita and thereby attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment. Therefore, know the prajna paramita as the great miraculous mantra, the great bright mantra, the supreme mantra, the incomparable mantra, which removes all suffering and is true, not false. Therefore we proclaim the prajna paramita mantra, the mantra that says: "Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha."[/font]
 
So far as I understand it, in the ancient world the heart was seen as the seat of reasoning, and if so, "heart" might be better reinterpreted as "mind". It would be interesting to see how that would impact the NT interpretations, or whether that has already been factored in (presuming I'm not remembering incorrectly).
 
Dear Hyozan

Beautiful thank you, I have heard that the Japanese are unable to think the way we do, in fact it is recorded that they do not separate the heart from mind for them they are one and so they operate emotionally and intuitively very different from us in the West. So there view of mind is very different to ours. Perhaps you might like to share more insight on this.

Dear Brian

"So far as I understand it, in the ancient world the heart was seen as the seat of reasoning, and if so, "heart" might be better reinterpreted as "mind". It would be interesting to see how that would impact the NT interpretations, or whether that has already been factored in (presuming I'm not remembering incorrectly)."

Was it not the heart of conscience?'

Does the heart not feel and the mind think?

The Ancient Egyptians threw the brain away on burial as they deemed it to be a useless mechanical apparatus but the heart was the seat of intelligence and I would add common sense but some people do not listen or follow the heart of their soul.

Perhaps others could enlighten us further.

being love

Kim xxx
 
1 Sam: 16:7 NIV

"The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
 
Thanks for the link - a subject into itself. :)
 
Sacredstar said:
Dear All

I have put this here because I like to compare texts with other faiths and religions so hope that others will share any scripture that compares.

“Follow your heart and have heart for others.”

“Heart” is mentioned 634 times in the New Testament.

Jesus speaks of a clean heart (Mt 5.8)

His own humble heart (Mt 11.29)

That truth comes from the heart (Mt 15.18)

Forgive from the heart (Mt 18.35)

Believe with your heart (Mk 11.23)

Love with all your heart (Mk 12.33).

Love beyond measure from the heart

Kim xxx
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Hi Kim,

Here are just a few excerpts from the Baha'i Writings. I hope you find these useful.


"O SON OF SPIRIT! My first counsel is this: Possess a pure, kindly and radiant heart, that thine may be a sovereignty ancient, imperishable and everlasting." -The Hidden Words of Baha'u'llah, p. 1

"O SON OF BEING! Thy heart is My home; sanctify it for My descent. Thy spirit is My place of revelation; cleanse it for My manifestation." -Ibid, p. 17

"O SON OF EARTH! Wouldst thou have Me, seek none other than Me; and wouldst thou gaze upon My beauty, close thine eyes to the world and all that is therein; for My will and the will of another than Me, even as fire and water, cannot dwell together in one heart." - Ibid, p 33

"O MY SERVANT! Purge thy heart from malice and, innocent of envy, enter the divine court of holiness." -Ibid, p 36

"O BEFRIENDED STRANGER! The candle of thine heart is lighted by the hand of My power, quench it not with the contrary winds of self and passion. The healer of all thine ills is remembrance of Me, forget it not. Make My love thy treasure and cherish it even as thy very sight and life." - Ibid p 33

"O MY FRIEND IN WORD! Ponder awhile. Hast thou ever heard that friend and foe should abide in one heart? Cast out then the stranger, that the Friend may enter His home." - Ibid p 31

"O SON OF DUST! All that is in heaven and earth I have ordained for thee, except the human heart, which I have made the habitation of My beauty and glory; yet thou didst give My home and dwelling to another than Me; and whenever the manifestation of My holiness sought His own abode, a stranger found He there, and, homeless, hastened unto the sanctuary of the Beloved. Notwithstanding I have concealed thy secret and desired not thy shame." - Ibid p 31
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Loving Greetings, Amy
 
Psalms, KJV

28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

33:21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.

51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

61:2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

84:2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.

90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:


lunamoth
 
6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

6:6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

(King James Bible, Deuteronomy)
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12:28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? 12:29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

(King James Bible, Mark)
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peace,
lunamoth
 
I've got one, by Nachman of Bratslav. He was a very troubled guy, brilliant though, and wrote some wonderfully deep stories. This is an excerpt from an unusually long one, the Seven Beggars. It's about the heart and the spring. The translation I am taking is from Tormented Master by Arthur Green, who says the heart could be the shechinah (God's presence in the world) the true tzaddik (the most righteous leader of the generation) or every individual who longs for God. He's usually very ambiguous like that.

There is a mountain, and on that mountain there stands a rock. A spring gushes forth from that rock.

Now everything has a heart, and the world as a whole has a heart. The heart of the world is a complete form, with face, hands, and feet. But even the toenail on that heart of the world is more heart-like than any other heart.

The mountain and the spring stand at one end of the world, and the heart is at the other. The heart stands facing the spring, yearning and longing to draw near to it.

It is filled with a wild yearning, and constantly cries out in its longing to approach the spring. The spring, too, longs for the heart.

The heart suffers from two weaknesses: the sun pursues it terribly, and burns it because it wants to approach the spring -- and its second weakness is that of longing and constant outcry to draw near to the spring. The heart ever stands facing the spring, and cries out in pain because of its great yearning.

When the heart needs to rest a bit, or to catch its breath, a great bird comes over it, and spreads forth its wings to shield the heart from the sun. But even at its times of rest, the heart looks out toward the spring in longing.

Now if the heart is filled with so great a desire to draw near to the spring, why does it not simply do so? But as soon as it begins to move toward the mountain, the mountaintop where the spring stands disappears from view. And the life of the heart flows from the spring; if it were to allow the spring to vanish from its sight, it would die...

If that heart were to die, God forbid, the entire world would be destroyed. The heart is the life of all things; how could the world exist without a heart? For this reason the heart can never approach the spring, but ever it stands opposite it and looks at it in longing.
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Dauer
 
the old testament used the word "bowels" much in the same way as heart

gives a whole new perspective on saying "You Move Me" :D
 
Basstian said:
the old testament used the word "bowels" much in the same way as heart

gives a whole new perspective on saying "You Move Me" :D
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How romantic. I'd hate to see the Valentine's card. :D

lm
 
WOW 9Harmony, Lunamoth and Dauer beautiful words of the heart.

One planet, one people, one heart, united we stand divided we fall.

Blessings in abundance

kim xx
 
hey, sacred

the Quaker tradition sees the heart metaphorically as the receiver of divine inspiration, and it is also described as the seat of the "inner light", that of God within all people.

alot of early Quaker texts (and later texts) use heavily mystical language, and make many refences to the heart in both understandings of the idea.
 
ISFP said:
hey, sacred

the Quaker tradition sees the heart metaphorically as the receiver of divine inspiration, and it is also described as the seat of the "inner light", that of God within all people.

alot of early Quaker texts (and later texts) use heavily mystical language, and make many refences to the heart in both understandings of the idea.
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Dear IFSP

I would be interested if you could share some of the mystical Quaker texts on this subject.

cheers,
lunamoth
 
Dear ISFP

I totally agree, I am sure you will also agree that is why it is so important that we heal the heart of any unforgiveness or anti-love otherwise the divine truth is blocked from entering the heart.

Like Lunamoth says please share more with us.

being love

Kim xx
 
hey guys-

there are a number of Quaker texts that could be looked at. the journals of early Friends can be especially revealing as they often describe in great detail and beauty the writer's spiritual experiences and journey in faith. contemporary spiriotual journals (of any kind, really, not just Quaker) are also interesting.

there's a book called "Quaker Spirituality: Selected Writings" that might be a good place to start. it's a collection of testemonies and reflection by Quakers (including George Fox) and much of the content is fundementally mystical in nature. it's a beautiful read, and the authors date from the beginning of Quakerism to the 20th Century.
 
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