I have read a lot of books on history, religion, philosophy, psychology, self help and self improvement looking for enlightenment.
From the classical works and sacred texts to the pop culture and the new age recycled thoughts; pretty much all I got was variations on the same themes.
Even religions, if you look at the very core beliefs and moral principles they preach, are pretty much the same variations on the Ten Commandments.
You would think that the world after ten thousand years of “civilization” would resemble the Garden of Eden, that war, poverty, famine and disease would be a thing of the past, that violence, intolerance, bigotry and racism between human beings would be long gone.
But look at the world today. It seems to me that from the day I was born there has been a war or another going on, a famine or a plague going on in some corner of the world.
And it looks to me that things are getting increasingly worse. IMO.
Same thing on personal level: You would think that every person would be an enlightened human being, that stress and fear, depression and anxiety, low self esteem addictions and self destructive behavior would be eradicated by this time.
Reality once a gain differs from the theory.
We all know that we have to love each other that we have to love even our enemies.
We all know that we should not kill, steal, lie and deceive, judge and persecute.
Nobody wants to be miserable, depressed, stressed, poor or sick.
We all know the “theory” the good books have taught us the wise man, the sage and the prophets have imparted to us.
Why it is not working? What gives?
The world as it is today is the result of our actions. The pollution, the wars, all the dysfunction and hatred going on is our doing. We just keep pointing fingers at each other.
The Republicans at the Democrats the Jews at the Palestinians, the Christians at the Muslims and vice versa.
The mantra of human relations and human dialog at this moment on this very planet is: We are “right” and they are “wrong”
Well, there is no “we” and there is no “them” to blame. There is also no “us” either, so all that remains is “I”
If there is a blame, a guilty verdict to be passed, a cross to be carried it is “I” who should take the blame, not “they” not “you” but “I”
That is the understanding I have being given.
This is not what I asked for or what I thought I would find looking for enlightenment.
But this is my truth, like it or not.
Like Jesus I have to carry my cross, like Buddha I have to find my enlightenment.
If there are enlightened people out there they will understand and send their smile and blessing upon me.
The rest will just pass judgment onto me according to their own character. They will call me a sage or a fool, a crook or a saint.
It doesn’t matter.
I have to keep on searching.
What is the secret of turning beliefs into actions?
What is the secret on turning the teachings of Jesus and Buddha into reality?
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32 comments:
Chop wood and carry water - that's what I heard somewhere.
or maybe it's when standing on dry land, you should make a beacon of yourself so that other weary travelers can see the shore.
Great post. Don't worry too much, though, progress is inevitable. We live in linear time.
We humans have only been here a dot in terms of time on the planet. If you subscribe to Evolution then it will be many moons before further progress/development as a species shows through. Pity our lives are so short really. I guess all any of us can do is be true to oneself while you are here.
If we were all exactly like, or even fairly similar to Jesus or Buddha, yes I think the world would be a much better place. But we aren't. We raise them to become decent, capable, adults. In fact we raise our children to become individuals.
We want them to enjoy their childhoods therefore we give them abundance. We give them better than we had, more opportunities, better education, so that they can fulfill their dreams.
We don't all raise our children in the practices of Buddha or Jesus. We don't all raise our children to make the world a better place or to find purpose or peace for themselves and others.
So I think the answer to your questions lie in the fact that we are all in dividuals. No two of us are exactly alike. We have weeknesses and strengths, we have good, we have evil. We have emotions, we have intelligence, all in different amounts, in every individual. So everyone's truth, everyone's peace will be via their own journey, even if travelling along the same path as you or I.
You are right, there is only 'I'. The world we see is a reflection of ourselves.
As far as turning the teachings of Jesus and Buddha into a reality; it's all about the practice. If you are walking the path of Self discovery and enjoying the journey (be it good or bad, because in the end, it's all good) then you are creating that reality as you go.
"How do we turn beliefs into action?"
That's a beautiful question.
Man is not proud of his ancestors and never invites them round to tea.
Maybe life is like that Paula Abdul song - two steps forward and one step back. Generally though i feel that we over-exagerate our importance in this universe and assume that everything we do is somehow our right. We trust in our governments because there is little alternative and all we can really hope for is that the tide of history will eventually take us in the right direction.
Whether you believe the son of god stuff or not Jesus did prove that one man can make a difference - i think the best you can hope for is to change yourself and thereby influence those around you to change with you
Bloody hell - that was deep for a Tuesday xx
Act as if you're Jesus or Buddha. (While dancing to that Paula Abdul song)
The answer, according to Jesus, is that man is not capable of fulfilling the ten commandments. It is like asking a parapalygic to get out of his wheelchair and walk up the stairs.
That is why, though He was God, He took on the form of a man and became totally obedient to God the father, even to a death by torture. To set an example of obedience, and humility, and to attone for the sins which seperate us from the Father. We have to set aside our self relience and pride and let God pick us up out of our wheelchair and heal us. Then we can run up the stairs in joy and be enabled to do all the good things for others that we are asked to do.
world is mirror of self.
encouragement you seek huh? :) or judgement perhaps?
none here. a riddle: why does a rock beneath your foot cares not of what you wrote?
answering that question took me 3 years. i believe you can do it quite sooner. ;)
good luck.
mickael
I think perhaps the answer is to make action our ally.
You know the answers to the questions you ask. They are good questions, the answers are even better.
THERE IS NO ONE RIGHT WAY TO LIVE !
Do what you like and like what you do . If you send out negative , negative will come back , if you send out positive , positive will come back . The Ten Commandments are just rules made so tribes men can live in large groups without killing each other .
"All that we are is the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him." Buddha
As far as the rest of civilization ; You can't live their life for them , You only have control over your self .
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." Mohandas Gandhi
"In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love." Mother Teresa
"No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path." Buddha
I can go on but I think you get it
@ Sylvie – one day when I grow old, I’ll move to a small farm and chop wood and carry water :)
@ Aggie – The only thing we are getting out of this life is our experience.
So we better make the best out of it.
@ Brigit – We have our individual path but also we are dependent of each other.
In some way we are all on the same boat.
@ COm – I am working in creating my reality.
Thank you for your support!
@ Diomedies – It is my Gordian knot at this moment. Feel free to help!
@ Pixie – That is my feeling exactly. All I can do is to change my life.
@ Ted – Why act like, why not be?
@ Christian – To be a Christian is to feel and to act like Jesus. IMO
@ Psiplex – Do you like what you see in the world today?
@ Mickael – Wisdom is like money.
It has no value until you spend it!
@ Diego – That is a great answer. Enlightenment should be action not thought.
@ Mark – Faith is like jumping out of a plane without a parachute.
I need to gather some courage before the jump :)
@ Flight – Thank you for the encouragement!
Hi there!
The best word to describe this blog post is that it's rejuvenating.
I agree with you, the world is just becoming worse today and I know I contribute to it and everybody else around me. I mean, I'm not perfect but I try to do what is appropriate. It's not about having a Religion and following whatever is written on the Holy Books but it's all about living with goodness, compassion, solidarity and all that stuff.
I think people are just too caught up with their lives because of too many problems - that's why they forget the right thing to do and just end up doing whatever.
I always think of CWG.
We must change the Sponsoring Thought about Who We Are. Then we change our actions, but not before.
I think the world has been trying to change their actions for centuries... never realizing that the Sponsoring Though remains the same...
I don't believe that things are getting worse. Take it all in perspective. It used to be commonplace to have slaves in this country. Women used to be second class citizens. Yes, there is still some crazy (stuff) going on in the world, but there is also a lot of good. What you focus on, persists! Great blog, by the way. A fun discovery! I will stumble it.
There is no being without a reference point. The word that is not the thing creating the impression of something else.
I did say be them. I didn't say be like them. I'm imagining who they would be but it's really me I'm talking about, isn't it?
I can't be a power hungry bastard without first having an impression of the wretched of the earth. And vis-a'-vis. I'm only going to cause a lot of trouble if I really believe I'm looking at someone other that me.
I'm sometimes struck with the thought that unless everyone desires the same end results, the results will continue to be disjointed and disharmony will prevail.
As always, you give me food for thought, Buddha.
One seems to always follow another that is not there.
ask for answer do you?
well, if answer mattered, sakyamuni would have passed it. question is what matters. when you'll see the answer, you won't need anyone to tell whether it's accurate. should you put effort that is.
or, of course, you can choose to know better and disregard old fool's mumbling :)
good luck.
mickael
@ Half Crazy – We have to stop and ask ourselves; what is going on?
@ This Brazen Teacher – “Sponsoring thoughts” Very interesting! I have to find more about this. Thanks!
@ Amy – It is very hard not to see the progress but also not to see that we are one step from self destruction as species.
@ Ted – If we need a reference why don’t use God – Shit is not going to work – too many Gods!
Back to the drawing board :)
@ Talon – That is very true
“United we stand, divided we fall!”
@ Mickael – When Sakyamuni found the truth did he mumbled or did he let the whole world know it?
Your expression of yourself is growing so much lately. I absolutely love that you know it doesn't matter what others think, but that your own search is paramount for you. Because you are focused on that and because you share so willingly with us your search feels personal to me. Not to say that you are carrying me along but I do feel open to walking along beside you at times.
"What is the secret of turning beliefs into actions?" In one word I think it is act. Not as in role-playing but as in taking action. Move to get moving. Love to feel loving.......
You're so right to focus on 'I' and personal responsibility and actions. I've been reading articles from the UK's BBC News and am saddened by the xenophobia that seems to be developing as a result of migrant workers doing jobs that local people won't.
Intolerance, fear and jealousy are negative and destructive. Sadly they are also deeply rooted and difficult to remove.
Where there's a drawing board, there's a reference point.
well, i heard he talked some nonsense and shown people flowers. some learned from that. others saw it as crazy stuff and mumbling of another fool.
giving answers was confirmed useless for quite many times. thus, i'm giving a riddle to question oneself. if you believe that questioning yourself is a bad idea - please let me know and i will not write to you again. ;)
good luck.
mickael
everything is beautiful.
the world is beauty.
ultimately.
that is a belief-emotion i have indelibly experienced.
an assurance that all will be well...
even if it doesn't seem so on the surface
I like the bumper sticker, "I'm out of coffee, life is crap."
talking is good. :)
yet talking alone brings little use.
good luck.
mickael
The core beliefs and moral principles of many religions may be close to the same, but it's the administration of those principles into today's world that the religions differ on. 10 different people in Christianity alone would probably give you 10 different contexts in which to apply "Thou shall not kill", although 5 or 7 of those Christians would be pro-war.
The same thing goes with what is considered "civilization". To the imperialist, civilization is just committing the same monstrous acts in new ways. To the humanist, "civilization" is finding new ways to put an end to monstrous acts. This is also a constant conflict in today's world.
However, I would not think that we'd all be enlightened by now. That is a choice the individual must make. Nowadays, everyone chooses reality TV and Justin Timberlake over a book or the newspaper. As a result, less and less people are aware that there is a world outside of themselves, and are additionally ignorant about the world inside of themselves. Pleasure in Ignorance, which is one of the prime horses on which evil rides, is a key problem in today's world. There's nothing wrong with the theory that wise men have imparted to us, it's the fact that many have not paid attention to the wise men at all. Additionally, amongst the people who did listen to the wise men, 10 different people from 10 different backgrounds will think that one statement from the wise men will mean 10 different things. Perhaps some of them will just stop thinking that they are wise altogether.
You are right about the "I", but the "I" is just one infinitesimal fraction in the universe. On this planet. In one American state, even. The "I" can only do so much, so blame cannot always be pointed to the "I". I certainly cannot blame myself for the horrors of Darfur. But I should be active upon it with what's in my capacity.
There's no secret to turning Jesus' or Buddha's teachings into reality. You read them and ask yourself what they mean to you, and then you enact them. Simple in action, infinitely complex in goal.
I would not think that we'd all be enlightened by now.
Hi,
Thanks so much for sharing your belief. What I believe has worked for me is the acceptance of the Gift of Christ's Everlasting Righteousness. Thus, I have benefited from being righteous by faith, clothed with the Righteousness of the Messiah (Hebrews 11:6,Phil 3:9-11).
Sabbay
AdventistWheat
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