Preaching the Atma

When I went to the Episcopal church on Sunday each of us was given a program for the day’s service. It really is a very well done program containing all the information I used in my last blog. I know that Christians do believe in conversion, so I was very careful not to include anything about that issue .

This morning I decided to tackle the issue head on so I again read the program. In the entire program I only found one reference to conversion and here it is:

“Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race, and nation by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit. Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. AMEN”

Isn’t the Holy Spirit the same as the blessed Atma? The prayer says that the promised gift of the Holy Spirit is given through Jesus Christ who was the Advocate or Avatar at that time….and for ever for that matter. Avatars are eternal aren’t they? The gift of the Spirit can be given through the blessed Buddha or our divine Swami also. Of course the Holy Spirit of the Atma isn’t actually given to anyone because it is what we are to begin with.

Perhaps, ‘the Way of eternal life’ is really the important phrase here but according to this prayer Almighty God opened the way of ‘eternal life’ by the gift of Holy Spirit and Almighty God is formless and nameless.

So that means, doesn’t it, that God has given all of us eternal life. But what is ‘Eternal Life’ Is it heaven? there are so many different kinds of heavens or eternal lives, so many different scenarios. I won’t go into descriptions of the different heavens here for fear of offending some believer or other but I frankly like ours best. Sanathana Dharma teaches that mergence with God occurs after we can purify all our attributes and after we KNOW WHO WE ARE. This is no easy task. It may be a great deal easier to say, ‘I believe in One name or another which supposedly ensures eternal life on the golden streets, then to eliminate all our desires and control our senses and to finally KNOW WHO WE ARE Time for Oprah

I am against conversion as I know there are several wonderful ancient Buddhist countries which are loosing their cultures because of these missionaries.

I found a good article by the Dalai Lama on religious tolerance It is entitled, ‘Many faiths, One Truth’ and it is very close to Swami’s teachings on brotherhood.

All of the following quotes can be found in the article which was from the New York Times.

‘Though intolerance may be as old as religion itself, we still see virulent signs of it everywhere. Radical atheists issue blanket condemnations on those who hold to religious beliefs. In the middle east. The flames of war are fanned by the hatred of those who adhere to a faith different from their own.’

‘Even so,’ the Dalai Lama continues, ‘ I believe there is genuine potential for mutual understanding, in preserving faith and respecting another’s traditions. I’ve come to understand the centrality of selfless compassion in Hinduism. The Bhagavad Gits admonishes us to ‘delight in the welfare of all beings. Islam, also teaches compassion as reflected in the very name of God which is, ‘the compassionate and merciful.’

Our Beloved Swami said in a Christmas Day discourse,

Respect All Faiths

Quoted from the Divine Discourses of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba:

“Jesus was the target for many mighty obstacles, and He braved them all. As a result, His name and story and message are shedding splendorous light all over the world now. Not Jesus only, every Prophet, Messenger of God, teacher of Truth and Spiritual leader had to wade through ridicule, neglect, and persecution.

“Though a diamond is cast in a dustbin, its luster remains; its price will not diminish. Though a sweet pumpkin grows on a thorny fence, its taste remains; its attraction will not diminish. Even if a peacock’s egg is hatched in a fowl-roost, its charm remains and its nature does not change. The Divine, although it moves among all and sundry can never be affected or deflected. Envious folks heaped insults on Jesus. Even among His disciples, some betrayed Him and deserted Him. Self-dominated people turn envious at greatness and goodness. But since Prema, the Prema of goodness, had no trace of self in it, Jesus was unafraid. The loveless are enveloped in fear. Love instills courage and promotes adventure. It delights in daring. If you follow your Master, you can face the devil, fight to the end and finish the game. Jesus was love. Sathya Sai, too, is love. That explains the gathering of Christians of all sects which we see here. In Rome today, Catholics gather to celebrate the Advent of Jesus. The Protestants celebrate it by themselves in their churches.

“But in the presence of Sathya Sai, all are equally welcome. The Jews arraigned Jesus and demanded that He should be punished. In this presence, today, Jews are adoring the very Jesus. The Prema of Sathya Sai has transformed, transcended those memories. It has made them realize that there is only one caste, the Caste of Humanity, there is only one religion, the religion of love. A few moments ago, Al Drucker spoke to you on Jesus Christ. He got the courage and the wisdom to offer homage to Christ, because of the impact of Swami’s Presence. He understands that there is only one God and that God is omnipresent. Names and forms are different, but they are all aspects of the ONE. Love must bind all believers together; not only believers but non-believers too must be loved and served as His images.

“Faith in God implies recognition of the omnipresence of the Divine in the universe and seeking to experience that Divinity within one’s self. The Divine is ONE, though it may be called by many names. It must be realized that God is all pervasive, and nothing exits without the power of the Divine. One should not allow one’s faith in God to be affected by the ups and downs of life. All troubles should be treated as tests and challenges to be faced with courage and faith.

“Members of one faith consider it supreme and deride the faith of others. No one is qualified to make such a claim. Even as you prize your faith, you must realize that others are equally entitled to prize their faiths. You may esteem your religion greatly, adhere to it accordingly. But do not criticize or despise the religions of other people. Unfortunately, men have lost this sense of respect for others’ faiths. If all people recognize this truth, there will be no room in the world for conflicts and discord.

“Man strives for peace in many ways. Where is the peace to be found? It is not in the external world. Peace must be found within. Outside, you have only pieces. You must seek to find the peace within you. There are millions in the world who preach and propagate what is good.

“But not one in a hundred practices the good teachings. This world will pay no heed to those who do not practice what they preach.

“Whether others esteem you or not, you must be content to act according to your conscience. The inner conviction that you are acting righteously is your best witness. There is no greater Dharma than adherence to truth. You need have no fear, as long as you adhere to truth. It is the liar who is haunted by fear. Therefore, go forward to render social service, with faith and fortitude. Eschew religious hatred, which is the cause of conflict. Respect every religion.

“People today talk about protecting the nation. The nation does not need protection. If you protect and foster truth and righteousness, the nation will be automatically protected.

“BE, DO AND SPEAK THE TRUTH.”

“All of you are embodiments of the Spirit (Atma). You are all manifestations of the Divine. The Indwelling Spirit is One and the same in all beings, irrespective of their external difference, like the current that illumines bulbs of different wattage and color. Fill your hearts with love. Then you can experience real bliss. With a narrow mind and heart, if you indulge in magniloquent words, no one will care to listen to you. First of all, be good yourself. Then you DO, Act likewise. Then SPEAK, tell others about what is good. Only then you will be setting an ideal example.” —Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

The Dalai Lama ends his article with this. ‘Harmony among the major faiths has become an essential ingredient of peaceful co-existence in our world. From this perspective, mutual understanding among these traditions is not merely the business of religious believers – it matters for the welfare of humanity as a whole.