Golden Thread Here is a reflective exercise, showing how every authentic source of spiritual teaching presents essentially the same message. All are agreed on the necessity of a form of discipline. All religious systems, sects and cults are humanly contrived; whatever man does the Truth remains. If there are Laws to be confined to then it is only by these Laws that Reality can be experienced.
The Bhagavad-Gita
"He whose reason is everywhere unattached, the self subdued, controlling desires, goeth by renunciation (discipline) to the supreme perfection of freedom from obligation. How he who hath attained perfection obtaineth the Eternal, that highest state of wisdom, learn thou from me only and precisely."
NB the "path" is warm with Love and not quite as cold as it appears.
The Dhammapada
"All that we are is the result of what we have thought; it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow (the overshadowing) that never leaves him."
See Psalm 91
Manual of Zen Buddhism
"There is a reality even prior to heaven and earth; indeed it has no form, much less a name; eyes fail to see it; it has no voice for ears to detect; to call it Mind or Buddha violates its nature, for it then becomes like a visionary flower in the air; it is not Mind nor Buddha; absolutely quiet, and yet illuminating in a mysterious way. It allows itself to be perceived only by the clear-eyed. It is Dharma truly beyond form and sound; it is Tao having nothing to do with words."
See also Isaiah chap 64 v 4
Sayings of the Lamas (Tibetan)
"To him who knoweth the true nature of things, what need is there of a teacher? To him who hath recovered from illness, what need is there of a physician? To him who hath crossed the river, what need is there of a boat?"
See Matt chap 9 v 12
"An astronomer maketh calculations and divinations concerning the motions of the moon and the stars, but he doth not divine that in his own household his own womenfolk, being at variance, are misbehaving."
See Isaiah chap 66 v 1
Sayings of Confucius
"It is only the able and virtuous man who can attain to this perfection and can sacrifice when he has attained to it."
See 2 Peter chap 1 v 5 - 7
The Zend Avesta
"One may heal with holiness, one may heal with the law, one may heal with the knife, one may heal with herbs, one may heal with the Holy Word; amongst all remedies this one is the healing one that heals with the Holy Word; this one it is that will best drive away sickness from the body of the faithful; for this one is the best healing of all remedies."
("Ye shall know the Truth and the truth shall make you free." - Jesus; New Testament)
Mohammedan Scriptures
"He sees without causes when his eyes have become penetrating; you, who are bound by sense, pay your attention to causes. He whose soul is beyond natural qualities is in position of breaking through causes."
("Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." - Jesus; New Testament)
Book of the Dead
"The Osiris Nu (the Osirified author of the text) is strong both upon earth and in the underworld (the mists); and the Osiris Nu shall not tarry, and he shall not lie without motion in this land forever. Being doubly beautiful shall see with his two eyes, and he shall hear with his two ears; rightly and truly. Osiris Nu is like unto Ra (in his image and likeness) and he sets in order the oars of his boat; (he brings order) among those who are in the train of Nu. He doth not tell that which he has seen and doth not tell that which he has heard in the secret places."
See Matt chap 9 v 27 - 29
Romans chap 12 v 1 - 2
------------------------------------------------ "For in and out, above, about, below
Tis nothing but a magic shadow-show
Play’d in a box whose candle is the Sun,
Round which we phantom figures come and go."
Omar Khayyam
End note
Men and women have equal potential to reach this perfection, whatever linguistic conventions used.
School of Universal Mind
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