TeachersThere are many spiritual teachers, from Guantama Buddha to Jesus Christ. A brief history of each is provided below. Please make a selection:
In 1945, in some 150 ancient caves at Nag Hammadi, upper Egypt, Mohammed Ali found 52 texts, including previously unknown early Christian Gospels. This gospels are knows as the Coptic or Gnostic Gospels. They include:
- Gospel of Thomas
- Gospel of Philip
- Apocrypha (Secret Book)
- Secret Book of James
- Letters of Peter to Philip
- Gospel of Truth
- Gospel to the Egyptians
- Gospel of th Hebrews
- Book of James
- Apocalypse of Paul
- Apocalypse of Peter
- Testimony of Truth
- Gospel of Mary Magdalene
- Trimorphic Protennoia
The texts were diverse. They included secret gospels, poems, quasi-philosophical descriptions on the origin of the universe, myths, magic, mystical instructions. These texts were carbon dated to 50-150 A.D. They were Coptic translations of even older manuscripts. Some were older than the New Testament Gospels. The "Testimony of Truth" was similar to the Old Testament Book of Genesis, but the serpent in the Coptic version is not evil, instead the serpent represents divine wisdom (similar to the Hindu concept of Kundalini). Another, called the "Thunder, Perfect Mind", was a poem about the dualistic world and feminine divine power. The Coptic or Gnostic scriptures are kept in the Library at Nag Hammadi. They are deemed secret teachings of Christ and his disciples. They refer to the Old Testament scriptures, the New Testament and the Letters of Paul. They also provide a description of Jesus Christ and other disciples.Why were these texts buried for 2,000 years? There texts and others like them were hidden (as opposed to being destroyed) because they were denounced as heresy by the orthodox church in 180 A.D. They were denounced by Bishop Irenaeus as false knowledge. Irenaes particular denounced the "Gospel of Truth" and the "Apocrypha of John". Later, in 230 A.D., Hyppolytus, a roman teacher wrote the "Refutation of All Heresies". Later, in 350 A.D., Emperor Constantine declared the exoteric Roman Orthodox Christian Church the officially approved religion out of political expediency. During this time, Roman Orthodox Christian Bishops controlled the politics and even the police. Possession of unapproved religious books were denounced as heretical and made a criminal offense. Any copies of such books were burned. It is believed that monks at the Monastery of St. Pachomius (in upper Egypt) placed these banned texts in ajrs and buried them in nearby caves to protect them for posterity. This is similar to what happed to the Dead Sea Scrolls, also found in jars within ancient caves.  "Gnosis" means insight or knowledge. "Gnostics" were the knowers of the esoteric, secret knowledge or truth taught by Christ and other early Christian leaders. Gnostics believed spiritual knowledge was obtained through observation and direct experience. They believed that insight involved the intuitive process of knowing oneself at the deepest level and there you would know the Great Spirit. This is the secret of gnosis. You find God within just as Christ Realization involves finding the Christ within you.
Leaders or teachers of the gnostic movement include: - Theoditus (140-160 A.D.) was an Asia minor teacher who wrote "the Gnostic is one who has come to understand who we were and what we have become; where we were and whither we are hastening; from what we are being released; what birth is; and what death is."
- Monoimus wrote "abandon searching for God and the creation and other matters of a similar sort. Look for God by taking yourself s the starting point. Learn who it is within you who makes everything his/her own and says 'My God, my mind, my thoughts, my soul, my body'. Learn the sources of sorrow, joy, love, hate.... If you carefully investigate these matters you will find God within yourself."
There are distinct differences between orthodox Christians and Gnostic Christians. - Orthodox Christians believe God is external and separation from humans. Gnostics believe self knowledge is knowledge of God and that the self and the divine are the same.
- Instead of the orthodox concept of "sin and repentance", the Gnostic Jesus Christ talks of "illusion and enlightment". Instead of coming to save humankind from sin, Jesus comes as a guide who opens access to spiritual understanding that is within each of us. When a disciple becomes enlightened, Jesus is no longer the spiritual master as both are now equal.
- Orthodox Christians believe Jesus Christ is the sole son of God who came to save humanity,. However, the Coptic Gospel of Thomas relates that as soon as Thomas recognizes Jesus, Jesus says to Thomas that they have both received their being from the same source.
- In the Coptic Gospels Jesus is identified as a spiritual teacher similar to the living Buddha (i.e. Living Christ) as opposed to the savoir of Humanity. Jesus says: "I'm not your master. Because you have drunk, you have become drunk from the bubbling stream I've measured out. He/she who will drink from my mouth will become as I am. I myself shall become he/she, and the things that are hidden will be revealed to us both."
Hindu and Buddhist traditions strongly influenced early Christianity and Gnosticism. There were little to no differences between Eastern and Western Philosophy as they were not separate streams 2,000 years ago. Early trade routes between the Greco-Roman world and Far East eliminated philosophical barriers. For centuries, Buddhist missionaries taught in Alexandria Egypt and elsewhere in the Mediterranean. There are those who contend that Jesus Christ spent the "lost years" (from his youth until he was 30) in Egypt and India, where he acquired much of his spiritual knowledge and healing skills. The Gnostic Gospel of Thomas tells of "Judas Thomas", Jesus' twin brother, going to India around 40 A.D. Is Judas Thomas really Jesus' twin brother or is this another identify for a man wanted by the Romans and warring Hebrew factions of the times? There are those who contend that Jesus Christ did not die on the cross, but was given narcotics which led the Romans to believe he was dead. Once in the cave, antidotes were given, Christ was revived, and went into hiding from the authorities, hiding in churches and temples from Rome to India until death by natural causes while in India. Who knows? However, some sects of early Christians (before 200 AD) established a political institution called the "Catholic Church" comprised of a hierarchy of bishops, priests, and deacons who became guardians of the only true faith and the sole mediators between the masses and God. These particular Christians believed that there was no salvation unless you were a member of the official "Catholic Church". Those Christians who challenged the official church were declared heretics, expelled and murdered. The official Catholic Church selected but a few of the any texts to become the official gospels and New Testament books. Why were so many other writings excluded and even banned? Could it be that they contained ideas which threatened the political power and structure of this man-made, official church? The answers lie in the newly discovered Gnostic texts found at Nag Hammadi. Finally, the so called heretics can speak for themselves and you, not the official church, can decide for yourself! Ideas unique to these Gnostic Christians follow: - Suffering, labor, and death do not necessarily derive from human sin or the original sin.
- The Divine has a feminine element; God is celebrated as both Mother and Father.
- Christ's resurrection is to be understood symbolically, not literally. Life Christ, we each can resurrect the Christ within ourselves (i.e. Christ Realization).
- Catholic Christians and today's extreme Right Christians fail to grasp the true mystery and are indeed the real heretics, worshipping an external, false God of the Old Testament.
- The world is dualistic and the Divine (God, Spirit, Universal Intelligence, etc.) encompasses both and goes beyond this duality.
- The priesthood begins wioh Mary Magdalene, not Peter or Paul or the other disciples as Mary was the first to see the risen Christ!
These gnostic Christians had no temples or churches. The church was comprised of individuals (men, women, and children) who met in various homes and locations, and drew lots to see who would take on what roles for that meeting. There were not permanent priests, as Christ taught that we are all ministers unto ourselves and others.
Let's look at the development of Eastern Philosophy. Early historty (pre 1500 B.C.) is known as the time of the Rishis (sears) and marks early Hinduism. Aryans, known as armed warriors, migrated into India. There were Indo-European speaking and responsible for the early forms of sanskrit. They invaded and dominated northwest India (presently Pakistan) about 1500 B.C. They found the remnants of a matriarchal or goddess oriented, shamanistic, meditating, yoga practicing society which was once as advanced as Egypt and Mesopotamia. This matriarchal civilization dates back to 3,000 B.C. and forms the foundation for Hinduism. The Aryans did not destroy the pre-existing culture, but absorbed it and revitalized it into a new civilization that consequently spread throughout India and bacme know as the Vedic Age. This emerging civilization settled in the Indus Valley, along the North Ganges River.  The Vedic Age (1500-500B.C.) saw the development of a systematic philosophy to demonstrate the ultimate reality of all things. Here we have the birth of Vedanta or more commonly called Hinduism. The Vedantic sages or sears were called Rishis who developed a supreme science called "Brahmavidya" (knowledge of Brahman, the Creator) which involved the study of the mind and of the underlying reality to all things. This philosophy entailed the following principles:
- There is an infinite, changeless reality beneath the world of change.
- This same reality lies at the core of every human personality.
- The purpose of life is to discover this reality experientially, to realize the Divine while here on earth.
This knowledge was handed down using the oral tradition until approximately 1,000 B.C. when the great sage Vyasa arranged the knowledge into books known today as the Vedas. There are four Vedas: - Rig Veda - containing 1,028 poetic hymns.
- Sama Veda - containing worship liturgy.
- Yayer Veda - containing healing and sacrificial formulas from which Ayervedic Medicine originates.
- Artharva Veda - containing prayers; had a strong mother or pagan focus.
About 800-400 B.C. unknown ascetics who came to know the ultimate reality (Brahman) wrote 108 short stories known as the Upanishads. The Upanishads contain wisdom on how to dissipate our attachments to the world and unite with Brahman. The most pupular Upanishads include the Aitareya, Taittiriya, Chhandogya, Brihadaranyaka, Mundaka, Mandukya, Isa, Kena, Katha, Prasna, and Svetasvatara. Each one is a story told from the perspective of teacher-student relationship. An additional Upanishad, the Bhagavad Gita, was inserted into the Epic Classic of India, the Mahabharata, by the seer Vyasa who wrote the Gita. (The Mahabharata tells of an actual war that occurred in India about 1,000 B.C. Excavations of an ancient city at Dvaraka supports the historical events told in the Mahabharata.) This Upanishad tells of a relationship between a young prince and his chariot driver who is actually Krishna in disguise. Krishna is an incarnation of the Divine. India has some additional Epics: the Ramayana, Mahabharata (as mentioned above), and the Code of Manu (first man). Analysis of the Vedas has evolved into two views, the orthodox view and the Sankara 's view. The orthodox view involves ritual worship using the Mantras and rules (Brahmanas) for use of hymns and symbolic meanings of sacrifices which focuses on housholders. The Sankara's view focuses on actions, rituals and sacrifices (Karmakanda) and wisdom (Jnanakanda). There are also 3 Vedanta Schools. The non-dualistic school (Advaita) was founded by Sankara and advocates that the universe is pure , consciousness is the only true reality, and souls are one with this reality in their essence. The qualified non-dualistic school was founded by Ramanuja and held that the universe and souls are real, being manifestations of the Divine. The dualistic school (Dvaita) was founded by Maddhva and held the universe and souls are separate from the Divine, yet dependent on the Divine. Notwithstanding these schools, Hindus preferred the name Hinduism which supports Sanatana Dharma or the eternal religion based on the eternal principles in the Vedas. The Vedas hold to 3 criteria of truth (Vedaita): - scriptural authority (sruti)
- reasoning (yukti)
- personal experience (anubhava).
There were also 4 ideals associated with actions: - dharma - actions performed in accordance with universal, righteous law for harmony and spiritual growth.
- artha -wealth acquired according to dharma.
- kama - the fulfillment of sensuous and esthetic pleasures in accordance with dharma.
- moksha - the soul's freedom from the material world attained by the support of righteousness, wealth, and esthetic satisfaction.
The Vedas also introduced the concepts of "karma" and "rebirth". A person's good or evil tendencies along with their happiness or suffering are the result of actions from prior lives. Further, actions performed in this will life shape future lives. The Hindus had an organized society. This society upheld four stages of life that everyone went through: - student (Brahmacharya)
- householder
- retiree or forest dweller
- renunciate (Sanyassi).
In this last stage, you were entitled to relinquish your responsibilities, leave your family, and pursue the Divine through austerity, non-attachment, and meditation. The Hindus also had a caste system which divided the labor necessary to support the society. In theory this division of labor would allow everyone to pursue the Divine later in life while maintaining the needs of the society. Everyone was respected regardless of their position in the system. A fifth caste, the untouchables, was added latter in history, as the cast system became a political instrument and was abused. However, the original system was comprised of the following 4 divisions of labor: - priesthood (brahmanas)
- warriors & aristocrats
- traders and professionals
- cultivators or farmers
By 500 B.C. many philosophies existed. The Ajvakas held that the universe was a closed causal system with everyone evolving towards perfection. The Lokayatas were materialists who advocated seeking maximum pleasures since this was the one and only reality. The Skeptics who believed spiritual doctrines to be contradictory and truth unattainable but believed in being peaceful and friendly out of practicality. The Jains believed life was painful and sought freedom from cycles of rebirth through karma yoga, austerity, and practicing non-violence (ahimsa) in its extreme (i.e. wearing facial masks to preclude inhaling and hurting microscopic beings). Then there were the Hindus or Brahmans whose belief system derived from the Vedas; they maintained the existence of the Soul (Atman). Six main orthodox systems of believe evolved: - Purva Mimamsa ascribed to Jaimini
- Mimamsa (Vedanta) ascribed to Vyasa
- Sanchya ascribed to Kapila
- Patajali ascribed to Pan tajali (either 350 B.C. or 800 A.D. as historians dispute the dates)
- Nyaya ascribed to Gautama Buddha (563 B.C.)
- Vaiseshika ascribed to Kanada.
Buddhism itself evolved into four schools, all ascribed to Gautama Buhha who is also known as Shakimuni Buddha: - Theravada Buddhism in the Pali language
- Mahayana Buddhism in Sanskrit language
- Tantra or Tibetan Buddhism
- Ch'an (Zen) Buddhism
From an historical perspective, the key dates to keep in mind are: - 563 B.C. - Guatama Buddha
- 350 B.C. - Pantajali
- 44-12 B.C. - Sankara (founded the Holy Shankaracharya Order of Swamis)
Pantajali, a Rishi, (350 B.C.) wrote the Yoga Sutras of Pantajali . (Yoga simply means union with the Divine). These sutras prescribe an experiential path also know as Raja Yoga. The sutras are based on the science of mind control (Yoga Psychology). The sutras explain a systematized path called the "Eightfold Path" to realization of the Divine. (This Eightfold Path is different from the "Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism.) The eight steps follow: - Yamas - moral code advocating non-violence, non-lying, non-stealing, non-attachment and non-sensuality/sexuality.
- Nyamas - religious code involving study of the scriptures and self, austerity, purity, contentment, and devotion to the Divine.
- Asanas - yoga postures that release tension and promote physical relaxation and health.
- Pranayama - control of prana which is our breath and subtle life force .
- Pratyhara - withdrawal of the senses from external objects.
- Dharana - concentration.
- Dhyana - meditation.
- Samadhi - state of union with the Divine.
There are two levels of Samadhi. The first level is a temporary union which we go in and out of; the second level we unite permanently with the Divine.Sankara (Shankaracharya) (44-12 B.C.) was a religious teacher who wrote a spiritual book called the AtmaBodha or Book of Self-Knowledge which re-establishes the supremancy of the non-dualistic Vedanta. Sankara reformed Sanatana Dharma, the Eternal Religion of the Hindus by choosing 10 central Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita as the primary scriptures. He also declared the Gita to be an Upanishad and placed it in the Mahabharata. Lastly, he established the Swami Order and created 10 Swami divisions: - Aranya - forest
- Bharati - land
- Tirtha - place of pilgrimage
- Sagara - sea
- Saraswati - wisdom of nature
- Puri - tract
- Giri - mountains.
Swami means spiritual teacher. All swami names end in "ananda" which means "supreme bliss". The head Swami who reigns over all the divisions is known as the "Jugadguru".Hinduism views the Divine as having three aspects (Trimurti) and each aspect with both a male and female counterpart, though use of the male names in the trinity dominates. The Trimurti is comprised of - - Brahma - the creative force (physical)
- Vishnu - the preserving force (astral)
- Shiva - changing force (causal)
Gautama Buddha's birth name was Siddhartha. Gautama is his clan name. Buddha means "the awakened one". Neither was Gautama Buddha the first Buddha as many preceeded him. Siddhartha lived from 563 to 483 B.C. His story is interesting. His father Shuddhodana was the king or leader of a local people called the Shakyas. His mother, Mahamaya, died one week after giving birth to Siddhartha. Consequently, his aunt, who was his mother's sister took the mother's place. (At that time in history the societies accepted polygamy). A sage notices t32 special signs on the baby Siddhartha's body and tells the father that Siddhartha will become an enlightened , ascetic Buddha, teaching many. But Siddhartha's father is determined to prevent the prediction from coming true. Instead he wants Siddhartha to eventually take his place as King. The father confined Siddhartha to 3 marbled palaces, one for each season. Within the palace walls Siddhartha was exposed to only beauty and pleasure, to delicious food, to leisure, to music, and even dancing girls. As a young man, Siddhartha excelled in his studies, was kind, handsome, and excellent in sports and the martial arts. Though he had many concubines, at age 16 he married his beautiful young cousin Yashodhara. When Siddhartha was 29, Yashodhara gave birth to their son, Rahula. However, Siddhartha's curiosity about the world beyond the palace grew. He made 4 secret trips outside the palace walls with the help of his groom Channa. The 1st trip he met an old man. The 2nd trip he saw a sick man. The 3rd trip he saw a corpse being carried to a crematory. The 4th trip he came across a wandering holy man (sahdu) who was a renunciate. The cumulative effects of all these encounters were traumatic to Siddhartha, who for the first time realized the truth about the human condition. He realized that all human beings, including himself, are susceptible to sickness, old age, and death. Following these encounters, Siddhartha matured quickly and with new clarity, focused on the important questions or issues regarding life. The wandering holy man awakened Siddhartha's dormant spirituality as Siddhartha noticed the man was dressed in rags yet had a tranquility or peace that no one else had. After his son was born, that same night, Siddhartha ran off, renouncing his wealth, family, and position to seek a solution to the problem of human suffering. He studied under several shramana teachers and learned meditation. He became an ascetic and lived alone in the jungle, subjecting his body to extreme forms of deprivation and suffering. He eventually realized that all of this was only leading to more suffering. He was naked and alone; he slept on a bed of thorns; he held his breath until he passed out; and he starved himself into extreme emaciation. Six years later, he realized that this ascetic path of abusing the body (similar to the fakers) would eventually lead to death. He abandoned it for yet another path. He realized that the extremes of sensual indulgence and self mortification led no where. Remembering a child that was meditating under an Apple tree, he choose the path of meditation,. He sat on a cushion of grass beneath the Bodhi tree and meditated until he found his answers to suffering. In deep meditation, Satan (ego) appeared to him trying to tempt and allure him away from his meditation many times. Satan tried to lure him with fear of death, the supernatural, and sexual desires. After many months of meditation, Siddhartha entered the state of Samadhi and attained various meditative depths (dhyanas). With a clear and concentrated mind, he began t practice insight meditation (vipassana) ad gained special knowledge of - - former lives;
- workings of karma and the cycles of life and death (those with bad karma were reborn into miserable states while those with good karma wer reborn into happy states);
- the destruction or freedom from sensual desires, the desire for existence, ignorance, and addictions or attachments to things and thoughts.
- the "I" or "Ego" which was an illusion; and
- an unlimited source of energy.
Following the night of May's full moon, witht he morning star arising, he saw the world for the first time without illusion, as the Awakened One, the Buddha. In a meditative state, Brahman came to Buddha and asked him to teach, to help people release themselves from suffering. With deep compassion, Siddhartha agreed. He taught for 45 years. His first students were 5 ascetics he had befriended in his days of dwelling as a renunciate. Siddhartha taught them the Four Noble Truths and the Middle Way (between sensual indulgence and mortification of the body). He ordained them as Buddhist monks (Bhikshu). Others followed and a community of Buddhist monks (Sangha) was established. Ordination was by a simple formula: shaving hair and beards, wearing a yellow robe, and reciting the "Refuge" three times. The "Refuge" follows: - I go for refuge to the Buddha."
- I go for refuge to the Dharma.
- I go for refuge to the Sangha.
The Four Noble Truths: - Suffering (Dukkha) - the 5 mental and 5 physical components of a human being are subject to suffering.
- Cause (Tanha) - suffering is caused by our cravings (desires and attachments to things and thoughts).
- Cessation of Suffering - that craving can be eliminated becomes a realization.
- Path - Follow the Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism.
A code of monastic rules was established called "Pratimoksha". For 45 years Buddha wandered through different kingdoms teaching. After hearing the Buddha and becoming a follower, many kings gave him parcels of land which became the first Buddhist Monastaries. His family (father, aunt, wife, son and nephews) all converted to Buddhism. He used no tricks or super paranormal powers to convert others. He didn't believe in ritual sacrifices of animals and tried to stop such practices. His cousin Ananda became his personal attendant after ordination and stayed with him until his death. At first the Buddha refused to allow women into the Sangha, believing they would weaken his dharma (this reflects the general prejudice of the times against women). However, Ananda swayed him that women had the same spiritual potential as men. Consequently, Buddha admitted his Aunt, wife and other shakyan ladies to the sangha as nuns. The Buddha helped the sick, washed and cared for them, and encouraged his monks to do the same. The Buddha tried to serve as a role model to others. The Buddha was a human being and after 45 years of teaching, he became sick. He chose not to prolong his life. He developed violent pains in his stomach, but kept traveling for days and weeks. He was also poisoned by pork meat that caused him to bleed. He taught that everything born must die, including himself. His two most loyal monks who he had originally ordained also passed away. He hinted to Ananda that he could prolong his life if Ananda sked him to. Ananda didn't understand and failed to ask. Consequently on te outskirts of a town called Kushinagara, teh Buddha's sphysical uffering became so intense that he collapsed in a grove of shala trees which started blossoming. Local people came to pay their last respects. The Buddha converted on last person, then passed on. His last words were "Impermanent are all created things. Strive on mindfully". Modern Hinduism recognizes Gautama Buddha as an incarnation of Vishnu ( the preserver or sustainer). Hinduism derived much from Buddhism as did Buddhism from Hinduism. Buddhis trantra is similar to the Hindu Tantra (Shiva-Shakti). Buddhist Cosmology is based on a 3 dimensional matrix comprised of worlds, realms (spheres) and destinations. Each world system is periodically destroyed, either partially or totally, then recreated. Similarly, within the human sphere there are cycles of progress and decay. Each major age brings a Buddha to assist the human race. The present age was blessed with Shakyamuni Buddha. The Past Age had Dipamkara Buddha. The next age awaits for Maitreya Buddha. These Buddhas help us through the Samsaras or cycles of life and death which will eventually lead to our liberation from suffering and entrance into Nirvana. Buddhist Theory has some interesting tenets: - Human Beings are in fact liberated but don't know it. When we realize it, we will be freed.
- Form is the Void and the Void is Form. Realization of the Void is to be a Buddha or knower; not to realize it is to be an ignorant being.
- There are two paths: knowledge and ignorance. The former leads to Nirvana. The latter leads to the worlds of experience.
- Ignorance is "Maya" which means "illusion".
- The mind and body are veils to the Silence that is always present.
- The Divine never destroys, but simply withdraws the Universe to itself
- Everyone continually changes, even into dying and death. However, the after-death change is merely the result of accumulated past karma and doesn't, as in birth or earthly life, create new karma.
- The soul complex cannot reincarnate until circumstances are fit for it.
- The Law that determines how a being will reincarnate is the same Law that provides the means and conditions which the reincarnation takes place.
- By misconduct and neglect in life, a human being can descend downward (transmigrate) to a lower form of being which it once emerged from. Thus, a human soul can inhabit a sub-human body. Such a descent may involves a loss of enormous time in the spiritual evolution process.
- Karma refers to prior and present action determining future circumstances or opportunities.
- Notwithstanding Karma, the Atma or Soul is essentially free by virtue of freedom of choice.
- A person is not only affected by his/her own karma, but by that of others, the community, society, planet, etc.
- We must take responsibility in what we kill and try to minimize it.
- We must accept that we kill as it is unavoidable to a certain degree if we are to live.
- Committing suicide is considered a form of killing.
- It is our purpose in life to enlighten ourselves and through our own enlightment, to enlighten others by serving as examples or role models, and never through forcing others.
- We must think deeply s to the ways and means any food has come to us. We must think about what we have done or killed to get the food and accept this along with the responsibility for our actions. We must consider our worthiness to consume this food. What have we done today that makes us fit to kill, even if it is a cabbage.
- We must understand that we only eat so that we do not become lean and die. We accept food so that we may become enlightened and enlighten other beings.
- The Tibetan Book of Dead provides instructions to the dead psyche or soul to guide it through the 49 days of the Bardo realm until the next incarnation or liberation.
 Namaste. Jai Bagwan. Victory to your Soul!
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