IN THE WORDS OF JESUS–Part 745

ON LOVE; PART CCCXXXIV

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GoodWill IS Love in Action

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“But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth  not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy” (James 3:14-17).

These words above and the balancing negative words that precede these which we discussed many times and again two posts back have always played a strong role in our work on this blog to help us to understand what is and what is not to be considered as Wisdom from above. For many people who presume to hear from God these words should take on that additional meaning as it is by these words, along with the intended way of reading them as established by the Apostle James, that a man can ferret out those thoughts and ideas that come to him as God’s will but which are in reality self-centered and self-serving. At the same time, these ideas can help us to better understand what IS that True prompting from our own Souls, our own God Within, through whom God speaks to us and by example of this dynamic we can try to look to the words below from the Buddha through our understanding of the mind of the ‘devout’ Christian, that is the Christian who believe as his doctrines inform him regarding other religions. This man, in his believing that it IS in Jesus and only Jesus that have the Way, may mock and scorn the writings of the Sages of Time without ever understanding them or Truly KNOWING what they have said as they rely most only on what they were told. In the right use of the ideas of Wisdom from above and Paul’s equally important words on the fruit of the Spirit can be found a KEY to unlocking the Truth for ALL men who can tear themselves away from the preconceived ideas of others and look for themselves intently at the words offered and the context of their offering.

Better than a thousand hollow words is one word that brings peace. Better than a thousand hollow verses is one verse that brings peace. Better than a hundred hollow lines is one line of the dharma (law), bringing peace. It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, Heaven or hell. Better than a hundred years of worship, Better than a thousand offerings, Better than giving up a thousand worldly ways in order to win merit, Better even than tending in the forest A sacred flame for a hundred years – Is one moment’s reverence For the man who has conquered himself.

(Dhammapada; the Thousands)⁵

Now we should understand from the start that some of these ideas of Buddhism are alien to Western Culture and this will be true in the mind of the aspirant as well at the man of whom we are speaking, the man whose preconceived ideas about the Buddha make him to see this great Sage of Time as a heretic and a false teacher from their Christian perspective, and this while never understanding the Truth of His teachings nor the culture and society that He came to. A culture and a society that is vastly different than the Jewish one that the Master came into as perhaps the first and only Son of God in whom “…dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). Jesus never derided any other religion nor did He speak of them save the Jews religion which He upheld in its intent and derided in its practice and its man made doctrines; and the Master’s words about false teachers are not intended to be a commentary on other religious beliefs around the world but rather the teaching of men concerning their created doctrines as opposed to the Truth which is clearly found in these ideas that we are presenting as the Wisdom from above and the fruit of the Spirit. It IS in measuring what we hear, read, see and believe against these words of James and the words of Paul, both the positive and the negative, that we can Truly ascertain their veracity of what we hear, read, see and believe but, of course, this must be done on a very personal level and away from preconceptions and those things that we have ‘learned’ over time.

One can base the veracity of a religion on its teachings, and to do so from a Christian perspective, one must employ the tools given as we have ofttimes discussed. The Wisdom from above, as stated at the top of our essay, and the fruit of the Spirit which IS, according to Paul: “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance” (Galatians 5:22-23) ARE our tools. In these words we find the qualities of those thoughts and ideas that are “of the Spirit” and we should note that there is naught in this list that is for the self as these are the qualities of the fruit itself, and not the qualities of how one feels about them. The same is said about the Wisdom from above which, as we have previously said, has much of the same ideas and some also that are not as easily understood. We did spend many words over several posts explaining the words used and this can be referenced in In the Words of Jesus parts 323-326 if so desired. Here we are not so concerned with the individual words but rather with the general tenor of the ideas that they bring forth and then to relate this to these particular words from the Buddha. These words ARE NOT specially picked for this; we are using these which were our Quote of the Day and which were readily available; these ARE are as suitable as any of His random sayings. And, we have opportunity here to discuss these words from the Buddha as we have been discussing other Quotes of the Day.

• Better than a thousand hollow words is one word that brings peace. Better than a thousand hollow verses is one verse that brings peace. Better than a hundred hollow lines is one line of the dharma (law), bringing peace. There should be no problems in understanding these words according to our guidelines above as we see in both the Wisdom from above and the fruit of the Spirit that Peace is clearly among them. From the perspective of the saying here, the Buddha is offering the reality that Peace IS better; if it is in one word, or one verse, or one line of the law, than the whole of the hollow words, verses and laws that are not able to offer Peace. Can we see here the separatist doctrine and beliefs of men as the Buddha’s intent using this word rendered as hollow, as empty of Truth? And the same for law, as law is most always from the interpretations of men and looking here at our own recent past and the laws that held back large segments of the population based on naught but prejudice we can see today their emptiness and lack of Truth. And, can we note here that even today their is the tendency to create laws that benefit one part over another. Peace of course streams from Love, and from brotherhood and from understanding which themselves are intimately tied to Love as the Master teaches it. Can we see that if the Golden Rule were applied in the creation of laws there would be no laws created that favor one group over another save the fair laws against those things that harm. There IS NO Peace in the type of activity that promotes a separatist attitude and here we should understand Peace not only as the lack of hostility but rather in terms of the effect that one can have over another, terms as these from the general definition according to Webster’s: A state of quiet or tranquillity; freedom from disturbance or agitation; calm; repose ¹. In this context can we see the words of the Buddha? and can we see our own thoughts, attitudes and actions which, while we may presume are part of that Wisdom and that fruit, are hollow as well if they DO NOT offer Webster’s ideas for ALL who are impacted by them?
  
• It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, Heaven or hell. Here we must come to an understanding of what it is to conquer the self and this reality can be seen in those things listed by the apostles that ARE NOT Wisdom from above nor fruit of the Spirit. These things are of and for the self and we should not concentrate only on those gross ideas that are learned in doctrine but the more subtle ideas as well. Paul tells us “Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like“. In this list are both the gross and the subtle and we should be as aware of wrath, strife, hatred and variance as we are of the others; these ARE, ALL of them, selfish thoughts, attitudes and actions and these are what must be conquered in the Buddha’s words and the magnitude is apparent in His words as it IS in the words of the apostle who says clearly “that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21). The only differences here between the words of the Buddha and of the apostle are in the culture that IS addressed and in honest reading the result IS virtually the same. From the words of James we have a similar understanding except James does not include the gross offenses as does Paul. James tells that: “if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work” (James 3:14-16), and in these words we should be able to see the entirety of Paul’s list. Of course language IS NOT clear and many do not read James words in the spirit that they are offered which is clearly that if it is for the self, it is not from above. We have covered these words many times and say here again for clarity that: We should be careful here as to how some of this is interpreted because “bitter envying and strife” do not just cover the harshest of ideas that these bring forth but, in envy we should also see emulation which Vincent is as tells us is a better translation and of which he says: Emulation is the better general rendering, which does not necessarily include envy, but may be full of the spirit of self-devotion ⁴. Strife is rendered wrongly according to Vincent who tells us that: Thus it comes to be applied to those who serve in official positions for their own selfish interest, and who, to that end, promote party spirit and faction ⁴; (For more on these words see In the words of Jesus part 323). Now the proper rendering of these words IS against the sense of self which IS the same as what Paul tells us and which the Buddha says as conquer yourself.
• Better than a thousand offerings, Better than giving up a thousand worldly ways in order to win merit, Better even than tending in the forest A sacred flame for a hundred years – Is one moment’s reverence For the man who has conquered himself. While there is not a direct reference to these words from the Buddha in James’ Wisdom from above and Paul’s fruit of the Spirit nor in those opposites that they list which ARE things that ARE “earthly, sensual, devilish” and prohibitive of one’s ability to “inherit the kingdom of God“, we should be able to understand these ideas from the Buddha as selfish and self-centered as well. And, there is a rather direct reference to some of these idea from the Master who tells us in the Sermon on the Mount that we should: “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. Moreover when ye fast , be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast . Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly” (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18). We should see here in the Master’s words the same dynamic as is evident in the Buddha’s. Offerings and alms given for the appearance of doing and not Truly from the heart; praying in public and fasting for similar reason, for the merit that one may receive, and giving up those thousand worldly ways which, if for merit only is not giving them up at all. Now the reference to a sacred flame is a cultural one that we DO NOT understand but in the summation of all these things we should see the idea of self merit as the goal for the man in the world and that reverence as the goal for the man who IS focused in the greater Truth. In this idea of reverence there is confusion from our perspective as we believed that this referred to reverence for those who have achieved and this is the way that this is positioned in other translations of the text. Another translation offers this for one part: You could, for a hundred years, live in a forest tending a fire, or pay a single moments homage to one person, self cultivated. Better than a hundred years of sacrifices would that act of homage be**. This is perhaps a literal translation of these words and we had always looked for more as this reverence for others seems to be out of place in the Buddha’s way of teaching. Today we caught a glimpse of this idea so to see it a bit differently; it is not that it is reverence for another who has conquered himself but rather is is reverence by  the man who has conquered himself for what he himself has accomplished in such conquering. And the idea is not in the sense of self but in the sense of freedom. Its worth of more than the offerings and the giving up of worldly ways for merit can be see in the way that Paul expresses for us our own goal saying that we “shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:21). This deliverance IS the conquering and both are active pursuits of the aspirant and the disciple.

It has been our objective today to try to equate these rather random words of the Buddha to the teachings of the Master and His apostles and not only on Wisdom and fruit but on the general tenor of the writings of both as they seek to make disciples of men and to deliver them by their teachings so that one by one perhaps ALL of mankind can conquer the carnal self and stand with the Master saying “I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

We will continue with our thoughts in the next post.

Note on the Quote of the Day

This daily blog also has a Quote of the Day which may not be in any way related to the essay. Many of these will be from the Bible and some just prayers or meditations that may have an influence on you and are in line with the subject matter of this blog. As the quote will change daily and will not store with the post, it is repeated in this section with the book reference and comment.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. (2 Corinthians 10:3-6).

In this saying we have much Truth for the man who would be a disciple and who would attain the Kingdom and we have here the apostle’s instruction including that part that can only serve to detract from any accomplishment that a man can achieve in his pursuits. This is of course to judge others before that point where one is himself in full compliance with His words.

Let the peace of God rule in your hearts!

• ¹ Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, 1828 and 1913
• ⁵ The Dhammapada Translated by Thomas Byrom
• ** Dhammapada, A Translation; Ven Thanissaro, Bhikkhu, Buddha Dharma Education Association, Inc.(www.buddhanet.net)