“ Nearly 600 years before Jesus, two great philosophers of China taught similar concepts pertaining to good and evil. Lao Tzu said: 'It is the way of the Tao . . . to recompense injury with kindness.' By returning good for good and also good for evil, Lao-Tzu believed that all would become good. He continued by stating, 'To return evil for evil would lead to chaos.' In another area of China, a disciple of Confucius asked for a single word that could serve as a guide to conduct one's entire life. Confucius replied: 'Is not reciprocity such a word? What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.' ” (An excerpt from my new book “Beyond Knowing” )
There is a common thread and it does flow through all of the philosophies and theologies of our great world. This common thread of thought has been around long before Lao Tzu or Confucius, or any of the other Philosophies or Religions.
Through this web page I want to share with you what I have learned. I ask one question at a time, then share the individual answer from each philosophy and theology, providing their reference for their answer.
Through this process I am hoping to show we are all speaking of the same God. We are describing All That Is through different names and references.
But like I said before, I do not have the right to tell you what to think or what to believe. So I will share with you what I have learned through my research---research material which I have also shared with you through the Other Links located on this web site. DO NOT take my word. Oh, and by the way, it is okay to be curious. And it is okay to disagree, as long as you do not take the brunt of your emotional disagreement out on another person.
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I wish to peak your curiosity concerning the commonalities of our present day Theologies and Philosophies by asking several basic questions and then providing an individual opinion from Christianity (the Bible), Judaism (the Torah), Mohammedanism (the Koran {Qur'an}), Buddhism, Hinduism, and Freemasonry.
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Matthew 11: 11 - 15
Among them that are born of woman there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist . . . For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias which was for to come. He that have ears to hear, let him hear.
Matthew 16: 13 - 14
When Jesus came into the coast of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, "Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am?" And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist; some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
Matthew 17: 9 - 13
And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead."
And his disciples asked him saying, "Why then say the scribes Elias must come first?" And Jesus answered and said unto them, "Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, that Elias is coming already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Like wise shall also the Son of man suffer of them."
Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
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The Torah refers to the entire body of the Jewish law as contained chiefly in the first five books of the Old Testament and the Talmud. Another reference is The Kabbala and is said to represent the hidden wisdom behind the Hebrew scriptures and was derived by the Rabbis in the middle ages from still older secret documents.
Jeremiah 1: 5
Then the word of the Lord came unto me saying, before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
Ecclesiastes 1: 9 - 11
The things that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done; and there is no new thing under the sun.
Is there any thing whereof it may said, See, this is new? It hath been already of old time, which was before us.
There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.
Psalms 90: 3 - 4
Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, return, ye children of men.
For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
The Zohar Vol. II, fol. 99 A Kabalistic classic
All souls are subject to the trials of transmigration; and men do not know the designs of the Most High with regard to them; they know not how they are being all times judged, but before coming into this world and when they leave it. They do not know how many transformations and mysterious trials they must undergo; how many souls and spirits come to this world without returning to the place of the divine king.
The soul must reenter the absolute substance whence they have emerged. But to accomplish this end they must develop all the perfections, the germ of which is planted in them; and if they have not fulfilled this condition during one life, they must commence another, a third, and so forth, until they have acquired the condition which fits them for reunion with God.
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Qur'an, Chapter 2: AL-BAQARA (The Cow) Verse: 002.028
YUSUFALI: How can ye reject the faith in Allah?- seeing that ye were without life, and He gave you life; then will He cause you to die, and will again bring you to life; and again to Him will ye return.
PICKTHAL: How disbelieve ye in Allah when ye were dead and He gave life to you! Then He will give you death, then life again, and then unto Him ye will return.
SHAKIR: How do you deny Allah and you were dead and He gave you life? Again He will cause you to die and again bring you to life, then you shall be brought back to Him.
Sharf-U' D-Din-Maneri Sufi teacher
Oh Brother, know for certain that this work has been before thee and me in bygone ages, and that each man has already reached a certain stage. No one has begun this work for the first time.
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Japanese Buddhist Hymn (Eighth Century A.D.)
Blind, blind are sentient creatures all,
Yet know they not their blindness.
Again, again they are reborn
To darkness and to sadness:
Again, again they pass and die
Blinded by sense eternal!
Lao Tzu the founder of Taoism
To have attained to the human form must be always a source of joy. And then, to undergo countless transitions, with only the infinite to look forward to - what incomparable bliss is that! Therefore it is that the truly wise rejoice in that which can never be lost, but endures always. . . .
Birth is not a beginning; death is not an end. There is existence without limitation; there is continuity without a starting point. . . . There is birth, there is death, there is issuing forth, there is entering in. That through which one passes in and out without seeing its form, that is the Portal of the Heavenly Tao.
PO CHÜ (A.D. 772 - 846) Taoist Poet
If I depart, I cast no look behind
Still wed to life, I still am free from care.
Since life and death in cycles come and go,
Of little moment are the days to spare.
Thus strong in faith I wait, and long to be
One with the pulsing of Eternity.
Jam-i-Kaikhoshra a Zoroaster of ancient Persia
After leaving this body a virtuous man acquires a still better place and body and his wisdom constantly increaseth.
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Bhagavad Gita:
The Bhagavad-Gita, which means the Song of the Lord, was written between the second century BC (Before Christ) and the second century CE (Christian Era). It synthesized many ideas from the Samkhya philosophy and practice of yoga, but it is also claimed by Vedanta and Hindu philosophy in general as its greatest work on spirituality.
Bhagavad-Gita Chapter 2, Text 12
na tv evaham jatu nasam
na tvam neme janadhipah
na caiva na bhavisyamah
sarve vayam atah param
Translation
Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.
Purport
In the Vedas, in the Katha Upanishad as well as in the Svetasvatara Upanishad, it is said that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the maintainer of innumerable living entities, in terms of their different situations according to individual work and reaction of work. That Supreme Personality of Godhead is also, by His plenary portions, alive in the heart of every living entity. Only saintly persons who can see, within and without, the same Supreme Lord can actually attain to perfect and eternal peace.
Bhagavad-Gita Chapter 2, Text 13
dehino 'smin yatha dehe
kaumaram yauvanam jara
tatha dehantara-praptir
dhiras tatra na muhyati
Translation
As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober person is not bewildered by such a change.
Purport
Since every living entity is an individual soul, each is changing his body every moment, manifesting sometimes as a child, sometimes as a youth, and sometimes as an old man. Yet the same spirit soul is there and does not undergo any change. This individual soul finally changes the body at death and transmigrates to another body; and since it is sure to have another body in the next birth -- either material or spiritual -- there was no cause for lamentation by Arjuna on account of death, neither for Bhisma nor for Drona, for whom he was so much concerned. Rather, he should rejoice for their changing bodies from old to new ones, thereby rejuvenating their energy. Such changes of body account for varieties of enjoyment or suffering, according to one's work in life.
Bhagavad-Gita Chapter 4, Text 5
sri-bhagavan uvaca
bahuni me vyatitani
janmani tava carjuna
tany aham veda sarvani
na tvam vettha parantapa
Translation:
Personality of Godhead said: Many, many births both you and I have passed. I can remember all of them, but you cannot, O subduer of the enemy!
Purport
Krishna (God) remembered acts which were performed by Him millions of years before, but Arjuna could not, despite the fact that both Krishna and Arjuna are eternal in nature. We may also note herein that a living entity forgets everything due to his change of body, but the Lord remembers because He does not change His sac-cid-ananda body. He is advaita, which means there is no distinction between His body and Himself. Everything in relation to Him is spirit -- whereas the conditioned soul is different from his material body. And because the Lord's body and self are identical, His position is always different from that of the ordinary living entity, even when He descends to the material platform.
Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869 - 1948)
(From one of Gandhi's letters to Madeleine Slade, daughter of a distinguished British Admiral, and a Disciple of Gandhi)
The more I observe and study things, the more convinced I become that sorrow over separation and death is perhaps the greatest delusion. The realization that it is a delusion is to become free. There is no death or separation of the substance. And yet the tragedy of it is that we love friends for the substance we recognize in them, we deplore the destruction of the insubstantial that covers the substance for the time being. Whereas real friendship should be used to reach the whole through the fragment. . . .
What you said about rebirth is sound. It is nature's kindness that we do not remember past births. Where is the good either of knowing in detail the numberless births we have gone through? Life would be a burden if we carried such a tremendous load of memories. A wise man deliberately forgets many things, even as a lawyer forgets the cases and their details as soon as they are disposed of. . . .
To wish to see the dearest ones as long as possible in the flesh is a selfish desire and it comes out of weakness or want of faith in the survival of the soul after the dissolution of the body. The form ever changes, ever perishes, the informing spirit neither changes nor perishes. . . .
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Death from Masonry Defined
That event in the life of man which marks the transition from material and visible to the invisible and spiritual world. In point of fact, there is no such thing as death - it is simply a progress, or a change in the manner of existence. The ancients were more earnest believers in immortality than the moderns. With them immortality was a fact which admitted of no doubt; consequently all the literature of the old Pagans deals largely with the awful mysteries of eternity. It invariably represents the future life as a continuation of this.
In the mysteries, and also in Freemasonry, death has a symbolical meaning. It signifies the end of a profane and vicious life - a life of stupidity and ignorance - and the introduction to a life of virtue, and the enjoyments of knowledge; in other words, to that higher sphere of intellectual and moral perfection which is the result of those labors and trials which are symbolically represented in the initiation.
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II Samuel 22:31-33 KJV
"As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him. For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God? God is my strength and power: And he maketh my way perfect."
John 1:1-4 KJV
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men."
Acts 17:24-29 KJV
"God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshiped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device."
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Genesis 17: 1
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
Exodus 3: 6, 13 - 14
Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. . . . And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: . . .
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Qur'an, Chapter 2: AL-BAQARA (The Cow), Verse: 002.032
YUSUFALI: They (the angels) said: "Glory to Thee, of knowledge We have none, save what Thou Hast taught us: In truth it is Thou Who art perfect in knowledge and wisdom."
PICKTHAL: They said: Be glorified! We have no knowledge saving that which Thou hast taught us. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Knower, the Wise.
SHAKIR: They said: Glory be to Thee! we have no knowledge but that which Thou hast taught us; surely Thou art the Knowing, the Wise.
Qur'an, Chapter 2: AL-BAQARA (The Cow), Verse: 002.115, 117
002.115
YUSUFALI: To Allah belong the east and the West: Whithersoever ye turn, there is the presence of Allah. For Allah is all-Pervading, all-Knowing.
PICKTHAL: Unto Allah belong the East and the West, and whithersoever ye turn, there is Allah's Countenance. Lo! Allah is All-Embracing, All-Knowing.
SHAKIR: And Allah's is the East and the West, therefore, whither you turn, thither is Allah's purpose; surely Allah is Amplegiving, Knowing.
002.117
YUSUFALI: To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: When He decreeth a matter, He saith to it: "Be," and it is.
PICKTHAL: The Originator of the heavens and the earth! When He decreeth a thing, He saith unto it only: Be! and it is.
SHAKIR: Wonderful Originator of the heavens and the earth, and when He decrees an affair, He only says to it, Be, so there it is.
Qur'an, Chapter 6: AL-ANAAM (Cattle, Livestock), Verse: 006.018
YUSUFALI: "He is the irresistible, (watching) from above over His worshippers; and He is the Wise, acquainted with all things."
PICKTHAL: He is the Omnipotent over His slaves, and He is the Wise, the Knower.
SHAKIR: And He is the Supreme, above His servants; and He is the Wise, the Aware.
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Zen Buddhism
The historical Buddha, was born into the flesh like Jesus. Buddha was born of the king of the Shakya clan in northern India, originally named Siddhartha Guatama and was raised as a prince during the 500-400 BC era.
Upon his birth, a sage foretold that he would be either a great King
or a great Sage. Fearing for the latter, his father ensured that little Siddhartha was not exposed to any suffering during his upbringing and had him in preparation for a throne.
Just before the birth of Prince Siddhartha's son, the prince, at the age of 29, did witness old age, suffering and death. On the day of his son's arrival, Siddhartha, deeply troubled by the suffering he saw around him, renounced his privileged life to seek understanding. After 6 years of struggling as an ascetic he finally achieved Enlightenment which he referred to as the Middle Way. Upon that day, at the age of 35, Siddhartha became the "Awakened One" or, Buddha. Until his death in his middle 80's, Buddha continued to teach the Middle Way, the founding philosophy of modern day Buddhism.
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Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.3.28
ete camsa-kalah pumsah
krsnas tu bhagavan svayam
indrari-vyakulam lokam
mrdayanti yuge yuge
Translation
"All the lists of the incarnations of Godhead submitted herewith are either plenary expansions or parts of the plenary expansions of the Supreme Godhead, but Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself."
Brahma-Samhita 5.52
yac-caksur esa savita sakala-grahanam
raja samasta-sura-murtir asesa-tejah
yasyajnaya bhramati sambhrta-kala-cakro
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
Translation:
"Let me worship," Lord Brahma said, "the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda [Krishna], who is the original person and under whose order the sun, which is the king of all planets, is assuming immense power and heat. The sun represents the eye of the Lord and traverses its orbit in obedience to His order."
Purport
The sun is the king of the planets, and the sun-god (at present of the name Vivasvan) rules the sun planet, which is controlling all other planets by supplying heat and light. He is rotating under the order of Krishna, and Lord Krishna originally made Vivasvan His first disciple to understand the science of Bhagavad-Gita. The Gita is not, therefore, a speculative treatise for the insignificant mundane scholar but is a standard book of knowledge coming down from time immemorial.
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Masonry Defined
God is the highest and most perfect intelligence: in Him all things exist, and from Him all things depend.
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John 4:24 KJV
"God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."
1 John 1:5 KJV
"...God is light, and in him is no darkness at all."
1 Corinthians 14:33 KJV
"For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace,. . ."
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Numbers 23:19
"God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?"
Deuteronomy 10:17
"For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:"
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Qur'an, Chapter 2: AL-BAQARA (The Cow), Verse: 002.105
YUSUFALI: It is never the wish of those without Faith among the People of the Book, nor of the Pagans, that anything good should come down to you from your Lord. But Allah will choose for His special Mercy whom He will - for Allah is Lord of grace abounding.
PICKTHAL: Neither those who disbelieve among the people of the Scripture nor the idolaters love that there should be sent down unto you any good thing from your Lord. But Allah chooseth for His mercy whom He will, and Allah is of Infinite Bounty.
SHAKIR: Those who disbelieve from among the followers of the Book do not like, nor do the polytheists, that the good should be sent down to you from your Lord, and Allah chooses especially whom He pleases for His mercy, and Allah is the Lord of mighty grace.
Qur'an, Chapter 3: AL-E-IMRAN (The Family of Imran, The House of Imran), Verse: 003.002
YUSUFALI: Allah! There is no god but He,-the Living, the Self-Subsisting, Eternal.
PICKTHAL: Allah! There is no god save Him, the Alive, the Eternal.
SHAKIR: Allah, (there is) no god but He, the Everliving, the Self-subsisting by Whom all things subsist.
Qur'an, Chapter 6: AL-ANAAM (Cattle, Livestock), Verse: 006.073
YUSUFALI: It is He who created the heavens and the earth in true (proportions): the day He saith, "Be," behold! it is. His word is the truth. His will be the dominion the day the trumpet will be blown. He knoweth the unseen as well as that which is open. For He is the Wise, well acquainted (with all things).
PICKTHAL: He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in truth. In the day when He saith: Be! it is. His Word is the Truth, and His will be the Sovereignty on the day when the trumpet is blown. Knower of the Invisible and the Visible, He is the Wise, the Aware.
SHAKIR: And He it is Who has created the heavens and the earth with truth, and on the day He says: Be, it is. His word is the truth, and His is the kingdom on the day when the trumpet shall be blown; the Knower of the unseen and the seen; and He is the Wise, the Aware.
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Zen Buddhism
Lao Tzu Founder of Tao
There is something which existed before Heaven and Earth. Oh how still it is, and formless, standing alone without changing, reaching everywhere without suffering harm. It must be regarded as the Mother of the Universe. It appears to be everlasting. Its name I know not. To designate it, I call it Tao.
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Bhagavad-Gita Chapter 4, Text 6
ajo 'pi sann avyayatma
bhutanam isvaro 'pi san
prakrtim svam adhisthaya
sambhavamy atma-mayaya
Translation
Although I am unborn and My transcendental body never deteriorates, and although I am the Lord of all living entities, I still appear in every millennium in My original transcendental form.
Purport
The Lord has spoken about the peculiarity of His birth: although He may appear like an ordinary person, He remembers everything of His many, many past "births," whereas a common man cannot remember what he has done even a few hours before. If someone is asked what he did exactly at the same time one day earlier, it would be very difficult for a common man to answer immediately. He would surely have about his past body as soon as he gets another body. He is the Lord of all living entities because He performs wonderful and superhuman activities while He is on this earth. Therefore, the Lord is always the same Absolute Truth and is without differentiation between His form and self, or between His quality and body.
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Masonry Defined
God is in the belief system of mankind. The belief in God is not the result of teaching, not the result of the exercise of reason, not a deduction from the order and regularity of the universe; for faith in a Supreme Being was universal among men in the infancy of the race, and before the human mind was capable of that power of analysis, or had attained to that degree of science which this study of the universe and of the laws of nature supposes. As the notion of an Infinite Being transcends the circle of sensible and material objects, and is clearly beyond the power of a finite being to create, therefore that notion must have been communicated directly to man by God himself. Man believes in a God, therefore God exists; because, were there no God the notion of such a being could not exist. The crowning attribute of man, and what distinguishes him from the brute, is not the faculty of reason; for that, the brute has in common with man; but the power of seeing and aspiring to the ideal. Thus man had no sooner looked upon the grandeur, and glory, and beauty of the world, than he saw enthroned far above the world that which was vaster, more beautiful, more glorious than the world, the Ideal, that is to say, God.
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Acts 17:24 KJV
"God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;"
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Deuteronomy 4:39
Realize it today and ponder it in your heart: God is the Supreme Being in heaven above and on the earth beneath - there is no other.
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Qur'an Chapter 2: AL-BAQARA (The Cow), Verse: 002.029
YUSUFALI: It is He Who hath created for you all things that are on earth; Moreover His design comprehended the heavens, for He gave order and perfection to the seven firmaments; and of all things He hath perfect knowledge.
PICKTHAL: He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth. Then turned He to the heaven, and fashioned it as seven heavens. And He is knower of all things.
SHAKIR: He it is Who created for you all that is in the earth, and He directed Himself to the heaven, so He made them complete seven heavens, and He knows all things.
Qur'an, Chapter 6: AL-ANAAM (Cattle, Livestock), Verse: 006.003
YUSUFALI: And He is Allah in the heavens and on earth. He knoweth what ye hide, and what ye reveal, and He knoweth the (recompense) which ye earn (by your deeds).
PICKTHAL: He is Allah in the heavens and in the earth. He knoweth both your secret and your utterance, and He knoweth what ye earn.
SHAKIR: And He is Allah in the heavens and in the earth; He knows your secret (thoughts) and your open (words), and He knows what you earn.
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Zen Buddhism
Wherever there is experiencing.
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Masonry Defined
God is equally present with the pious Hindoo in the temple, the Jew in the synagogue, the Mohammedan in the masque, and the Christian in the church.
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Daniel 6:10 KJV
"Daniel... went into his house... he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God."
Matthew 7:7-8 KJV
"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."
Luke 22:41 KJV
Jesus.."...kneeled down, and prayed,"
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Jewish Liturgy Level: Intermediate
Observant Jews pray in formal worship services three times a day, every day: at evening (Ma'ariv), in the morning (Shacharit), and in the afternoon (Minchah). Daily prayers are collected in a book called a siddur, which derives from the Hebrew root meaning order, because the siddur shows the order of prayers. It is the same root as the word seder, which refers to the "Passover" home service.
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Qur'an, Chapter 2: AL-BAQARA (The Cow), Verse: 002.043
YUSUFALI: And be steadfast in prayer; practise regular charity; and bow down your heads with those who bow down (in worship).
PICKTHAL: Establish worship, pay the poor-due, and bow your heads with those who bow (in worship).
SHAKIR: And keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and bow down with those who bow down.
Qur'an, Chapter 6: AL-ANAAM (Cattle, Livestock), Verse: 006.072
YUSUFALI: "To establish regular prayers and to fear Allah: for it is to Him that we shall be gathered together."
PICKTHAL: And to establish worship and be dutiful to Him, and He it is unto Whom ye will be gathered.
SHAKIR: And that you should keep up prayer and be careful of (your duty to) Him; and He it is to Whom you shall be gathered.
Qur'an, Chapter 7: AL-ARAF (The Heights), Verse: 007.031
YUSUFALI: O Children of Adam! wear your beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer: eat and drink: But waste not by excess, for Allah loveth not the wasters.
PICKTHAL: O Children of Adam! Look to your adornment at every place of worship, and eat and drink, but be not prodigal. Lo! He loveth not the prodigals.
SHAKIR: O children of Adam! attend to your embellishments at every time of prayer, and eat and drink and be not extravagant; surely He does not love the extravagant.
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Zen Buddhism
That depends on how life manifests at any given moment.
The thoughts of Aishi, a Zen Buddhist Priest
There is only one sect, to my knowledge that recognizes a Buddha that could be communicated with. The remaining sects follow Buddha's suggestion and do not believe things that he says, but find out our truth for ourselves. We also believe in not putting anything or anyone above our own head.
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In India there are six orthodox schools of philosophy which recognize the authority of the Vedas as divine revelation, and they generally function as pairs - Nyaya and Vaishesika, Mimamsa and Vedanta, and Samkhya and Yoga.
Nyaya and Vaishesika
True knowledge of the Lord, of Life, of everything, comes from meditation, which is prepared for by good deeds.
Mimamsa and Vedanta
Meditation on the highest yields unity with the infinite and knowledge of Spirit (Brahman), enabling one to stop producing karma and end the cycle of karma and reincarnation.
Samkhya and Yoga
In meditation the soul may be seen by the yoga of concentration and the Samkhya yoga of discriminating reason as well as the yoga of works. Making thought come to rest by meditation, perfected in knowledge and calm, one goes to the immortal place.
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Masonry Defined
As Masons we are taught never to commence any great or important undertaking without first invoking the blessing and protection of Deity, and this is because Masonry is a religious institution, and we thereby show our dependence on and our trust in God. The legitimate prayers of Freemasonry are short addresses to the Great Architect of the Universe for a blessing on our labors.
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Luke 22:42-43 KJV
Jesus..."Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him."
Acts 10:3 KJV
"He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius."
Acts 18:9 KJV
"Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:"
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Genesis 20:6
"And God said unto him in a dream,. . ."
Exodus 19:19
"...Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice."
Numbers 12:6
"And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream."
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Qur'an Chapter 2: AL-BAQARA (The Cow), Verse: 002.062 - 063
002.062
YUSUFALI: Those who believe (in the Qur'an), and those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Christians and the Sabians,- any who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.
PICKTHAL: Lo! Those who believe (in that which is revealed unto thee, Muhammad), and those who are Jews, and Christians, and Sabaeans - whoever believeth in Allah and the Last Day and doeth right - surely their reward is with their Lord, and there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve.
SHAKIR: Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the f Christians, and the Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve.
002.063
YUSUFALI: And remember We took your covenant and We raised above you (The towering height) of Mount (Sinai) : (Saying): "Hold firmly to what We have given you and bring (ever) to remembrance what is therein: Perchance ye may fear Allah."
PICKTHAL: And (remember, O Children of Israel) when We made a covenant with you and caused the mount to tower above you, (saying): Hold fast that which We have given you, and remember that which is therein, that ye may ward off (evil).
SHAKIR: And when We took a promise from you and lifted the mountain over you: Take hold of the law (Tavrat) We have given you with firmness and bear in mind what is in it, so that you may guard (against evil).
Qur'an, Chapter 2: AL-BAQARA (The Cow), Verse: 002.087
YUSUFALI: We gave Moses the Book and followed him up with a succession of messengers; We gave Jesus the son of Mary clear (Signs) and strengthened him with the holy spirit. Is it that whenever there comes to you a messenger with what ye yourselves desire not, ye are puffed up with pride?- Some ye called impostors, and others ye slay!
PICKTHAL: And verily We gave unto Moses the Scripture and We caused a train of messengers to follow after him, and We gave unto Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs (of Allah's sovereignty), and We supported him with the Holy spirit. Is it ever so, that, when there cometh unto you a messenger (from Allah) with that which ye yourselves desire not, ye grow arrogant, and some ye disbelieve and some ye slay?
SHAKIR: And most certainly We gave Musa the Book and We sent messengers after him one after another; and We gave Isa, the son of Marium, clear arguments and strengthened him with the holy spirit, What! whenever then a messenger came to you with that which your souls did not desire, you were insolent so you called some liars and some you slew.
Qur'an, Chapter 3: AL-E-IMRAN (The Family of Imran, The House of Imran) Verse: 003.038-039
003.038
YUSUFALI: There did Zakariya pray to his Lord, saying: "O my Lord! Grant unto me from Thee a progeny that is pure: for Thou art He that heareth prayer!
PICKTHAL: Then Zachariah prayed unto his Lord and said: My Lord! Bestow upon me of Thy bounty goodly offspring. Lo! Thou art the Hearer of Prayer.
SHAKIR: There did Zakariya pray to his Lord; he said: My Lord! grant me from Thee good offspring; surely Thou art the Hearer of prayer.
003.039
YUSUFALI: While he was standing in prayer in the chamber, the angels called unto him: "Allah doth give thee glad tidings of Yahya, witnessing the truth of a Word from Allah, and (be besides) noble, chaste, and a prophet,- of the (goodly) company of the righteous."
PICKTHAL: And the angels called to him as he stood praying in the sanctuary: Allah giveth thee glad tidings of (a son whose name is) John, (who cometh) to confirm a word from Allah lordly, chaste, a prophet of the righteous.
SHAKIR: Then the angels called to him as he stood praying in the sanctuary: That Allah gives you the good news of Yahya verifying a Word from Allah, and honorable and chaste and a prophet from among the good ones.
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Zen Buddhism
The thoughts of a Zen Buddhist Priest
He is not a god that will bequeath anything to us. There is nothing outside the mind, including Buddha. Nothing is lacking - what is there to ask for?
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Bhagavad-Gita Chapter 4, Text 8
paritranaya sadhunam
vinasaya ca duskrtam
dharma-samsthapanarthaya
sambhavami yuge yuge
Translation
To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium.
Purport
It is not a fact that the Lord appears only on Indian soil. He can manifest Himself anywhere and everywhere, and whenever He desires to appear. In each and every incarnation, He speaks as much about religion as can be understood by the particular people under their particular circumstances. But the mission is the same -- to lead people to God consciousness and obedience to the principles of religion. Sometimes He descends personally, and sometimes He sends His bona fide representative in the form of His son, or servant, or Himself in some disguised form.
Caitanya-caritamrta of Krishnadasa Kaviraja verses Madhya 20.263-264
srsti-hetu yei murti prapance avatare
sei isvara-murti `avatar' nama dhare
mayatita paravyome sabara avasthana
visve avatari 'dhare `avatar' nama
Translation
"The avatar, or incarnation of Godhead, descends from the kingdom of God for material manifestation. And the particular form of the Personality of Godhead who so descends is called an incarnation, or avatar. Such incarnations are situated in the spiritual world, the kingdom of God. When they descend to the material creation, they assume the name avatar."
Purport
There are various kinds of avatars, such as purusavatars, gunavatars, lilavatars, sakty-avesa avatars, manvantara-avatars and yugavatars -- all appearing on schedule all over the universe. But Lord Krishna is the primeval Lord, the fountainhead of all avatars. Lord Sri Krishna descends for the specific purpose of mitigating the anxieties of the pure devotees, who are very anxious to see Him in His original Vrindavan pastimes. Therefore, the prime purpose of the Krishna avatar is to satisfy His unalloyed devotees.
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My thoughts on this:
Throughout the last five years, the teachings of Masonry have always brought me back to this one thought: "Be careful of what you ask for, you just might receive it." To amplify upon why my thoughts always go back to this saying, I will now share with you the Masonic thoughts pertaining to the word, Amen.
Masonry Defined
The response to every Masonic prayer is, "So mote it be: Amen." The word Amen signifies in Hebrew verily, truly, certainly. "Its proper place," says Gensenius, "is where one person confirms the words of another, and adds his wish for success to the other's vows." It is evident, then, that it is the brethren of the Lodge, and not the Master or Chaplin, who should pronounce the word. It is a response to a prayer. The Talmudists have many superstitious notions in respect to this word. Thus, in one treatise, it is said that whomsoever pronounce it (Amen) with fixed attention and devotion, to him the gates of Paradise will be opened; and, again, whoever enunciates the word rapidly, his days shall pass rapidly away, and whosoever dwells upon it, pronouncing it distinctly and slowly, his life shall be prolonged.
My after thoughts:
"So mote it be: Amen." is a request to God that your prayer/vows come true. And God will answer all your requests, whether you like them, want them, or not.
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Over the last few months, several people involved with the final preparation of my book have asked similar questions pertaining to the process of awakening and its effects on our present day commitments to our families, our lives, and our religious beliefs. Each person's questions originate from different areas of thought. One person was concerned with the process of change and the required sacrifice that might be necessary to accomplish that change. Another person was concerned with her additional responsibility that comes with her new understanding. And another person was concerned with the growth process and its effects on her commitment to her family and religious beliefs.
Even though these are three different concerns, there is still a common thread through them, and that is change. How do we deal with change?
Nothing is as Constant as Change
Let us begin by looking at a misconception surrounding change. Many people believe we have to make some profound sacrifice in order to grow or change. When a person responds to this concept as a basis for change, it may create some fears. However, there is a simpler way to look at change. We can actually begin with our present beliefs and see ourselves simply expanding upon each tier of understanding as a foundation to greater growth. Why not look at it this way? That would actually be the simplest thing for us to do. So let's keep it simple by using our present day thoughts, perceptions, conceptions, beliefs and commitments as the foundation for the growth process discussed.
Another thing we need to take into account is how slowly change happens. Sometimes this is because we are afraid of change and instinctively seek a level of comfort we wish to keep. Often we consciously or unconsciously reenforce our search for comfort by drawing people of like minds to us. Some of us take this one step further by seeking out and associating with groups, whether they be a church group, or a community support group. We seek comfort, security and acceptance through these associations. We further find security by sharing with the group and people of like minds, our ideas, concepts, beliefs, perceptions and expectations. This manner of sharing furnishes us with the building blocks for trust, faith, acceptance and love. And through this step of growth within the group, we make individual
commitments to others.
As I re-read the previous paragraphs, several specific questions come to mind. As we continue to grow, are we accountable for our commitments? What if we feel we have outgrown our partner? Our beliefs? Our support groups? Are we accountable to our commitments to all of these entities? The basic answer to this question is Yes. Yes you are accountable and responsible for your present day commitments. But further—yes you may also outgrow these commitments. And yes you can even out grow your partner, your beliefs, and your present day group affiliations.
But if you can understand the growth process, you will be able to stop and think about how you developed your present day character. Isn't it true that you as a person are what you are from your absorption of the teachings you received as a child? Of course you are much changed from what you were as a child. Do you still have the same friends as when you were nine years old? Do you still attend the same group functions as you did when you were nine years old? However, as you look at this process of your growth, you realize that the memories, the lessons learned, are all still there—each intricate thread woven together into the tapestry of your present day persona. These years have built a foundation which anchors the growth process of your future. Changes, additions, new commitments to yourself and "new others" are always accruing in your life.
Commitments Help us to Grow
Another question comes to mind. What of our marriage commitment? What happens if you start growing and your partner does not? Part of the growth process is sharing what you have learned. Through the sharing process, you can actually learn more by explaining ideas and answering the questions of your partner. But what if your partner is not interested in this kind of growth? Now you find yourself in a position of having to make a decision. Do you continue to grow and leave your partner behind? Or do you compromise?
Before you answer those questions, let us look at some of the benefits of becoming consciously aware of your spiritual half. Through the process of awakening to who and what you are, you can become consciously aware of what you wanted to remember and actualize during this lifetime. You can remember why you chose your present day partner and what you wanted to accomplish with him or her. You can remember why your children chose you as a parent, and the valuable lessons they wanted to share and experience with you. You will be able to see people in trouble coming to you and you will know how you may have agreed to help them—even before you came to this life. And you will be able to help those in need who seek you out by sharing with them what you have learned, thereby helping them to remember what they are here to accomplish also.
The Responsibility of Growth
In the first paragraph I shared with you a concern about the additional responsibility that comes with new knowledge. This is important as each one of us continues to waken at our own pace, we will also develop a better understanding of the limitations of others. The understanding of these limitations can help us deal with a partner who chooses not to grow. He or she may be here in this lifetime to actualize a specific experience which may not include the conscious awareness of his or her spiritual half. Now with this understanding, what do you do? Do you compromise? The answer may be No, or Yes, but you are making decisions from the position of awareness and compassion.
By respecting who, what, and where each person is along his or her journey in this lifetime, you are not really "compromising" or "sacrificing." You can still become who you want to be. You can still associate with your groups and people of like minds. You can be more understanding in your responsibilities to your commitments, your family, and your beliefs. Plus you will find you have more patience with those who are struggling, who are dealing with their own lessons of this lifetime.
Another way of looking at this previous concept is to understand the importance of acceptance. Not only do you need to accept yourself, you also need to accept each human being in your life for what that person is today and where he or she is along his or her journey. If a person truly believes he or she needs to pray or meditate three times a day, that is just fine, for that is where that person needs to be today. And who are we to tell them that they are wrong? But still, we can share with him or her what we have learned, then leave it up to that person to decide what he or she wants to do.
All that I have shared with you through my book, "Beyond Knowing", and this Web page, is a combination of words—a different way of explaining things—words which create ideas you may want to employ when you are ready to take the next step in your journey. For only you will know when that time has come.
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