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THE BLESSED NOBLE AWAKENED ONE - THE TATHAGATA -Young-The City

THE BLESSED NOBLE AWAKENED ONE - THE TATHAGATA 

Young

You shouldn’t look down on
— for being young —
a noble warrior of consummate birth,
a high-born prince of great status.
A person shouldn’t disparage him.

	
For it’s possible
that this lord of human beings,
this noble warrior,
will gain the throne
and, angered at that disparagement,
come down harshly
with his royal might.
So, guarding your life,
avoid him.
	
You shouldn’t look down on
— for being young —
a serpent you meet
in village or wilderness:
A person shouldn’t disparage it.
	
As that potent snake slithers along
with vibrant colors,
it may someday burn the fool,
whether woman or man.
So, guarding your life,
avoid it.
 
You shouldn’t look down on
— for being young —
a blaze that feeds on many things,
a flame with its blackened trail:
A person shouldn’t disparage it.
	
Fire Prevention Week
	

	
Next week, October 7-13 is Fire Prevention Week. The theme of this 
	
For if it gains sustenance,
becoming a great mass of flame,
it may someday burn the fool,
whether woman or man.
So, guarding your life,
avoid it.
	
When a fire burns down a forest
— that flame with its blackened trail —
the shoots there
take birth once more
with the passage of days & nights.
But if a monk,
his virtue consummate,
burns you with his potency,
you won’t acquire sons or cattle
nor will your heirs enjoy wealth.
They become barren,
heir-less,
like palm tree stumps.
	
So a person who’s wise,
out of regard for his own good,
should always show due respect
for a serpent,
a fire,
	a noble warrior with high status,
	& a monk, his virtue consummate.

	


	

When this was said, King Pasenadi Kosala said to the Blessed One: “Magnificent,
lord! Magnificent! Just as if he were to place upright what was
overturned, to reveal what was hidden, to show the way to one who was
lost, or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see
forms, in the same way has the Blessed One — through many lines of
reasoning — made the Doctrine - The True Practice of The True Followers
of The Path Shown by The Blessed Noble Awakened One - the
Tathagata clear. I go to the Blessed One for refuge, to the Doctrine -
The True Practice of The True Followers of The Path Shown by The Blessed
Noble Awakened One - the Tathagata, and to the Community of monks. May
the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has gone to him for
refuge, from this day forward, for life.”

The City

Dwelling at Savatthi…
“True Followers of The Path Shown by The Blessed Noble Awakened One -
The Tathagata, before my Awakening, when I was just an unawakened The
Blessed Noble Awakened One - The Tathagata To Be, the realization came
to me: ‘How this world has fallen on difficulty! It is born, it ages, it
dies, it falls away & rearises, but it does not discern the escape
from this stress, from this aging & death. O when will it discern
the escape from this stress, from this aging & death?’

“Then the thought occurred to me, ‘Aging & death exist
when what exists? From what as a requisite condition is there aging
& death?’ From my appropriate attention there came the breakthrough
of discernment: ‘Aging & death exist when birth exists. From birth
as a requisite condition comes aging & death.’ Then the thought
occurred to me, ‘Birth exists when what exists? From what as a requisite
condition comes birth?’ From my appropriate attention there came the
breakthrough of discernment: ‘Birth exists when becoming exists. From
becoming as a requisite condition comes birth… ‘Name-&-form exists
when what exists? From what as a requisite condition is there
name-&-form?’ From my appropriate attention there came the
breakthrough of discernment: ‘Name-&-form exists when consciousness
exists. From consciousness as a requisite condition comes
name-&-form.’ Then the thought occurred to me, ‘Consciousness exists
when what exists? From what as a requisite condition comes
consciousness?’ From my appropriate attention there came the
breakthrough of discernment: ‘Consciousness exists when name-&-form
exists. From name-&-form as a requisite condition comes
consciousness.’

“Then the thought occurred to me, ‘This consciousness turns
back at name-&-form, and goes no farther. It is to this extent that
there is birth, aging, death, falling away, & re-arising, i.e., from
name-&-form as a requisite condition comes consciousness, from
consciousness as a requisite condition comes name-&-form. From
name-&-form as a requisite condition come the six sense media…
Thus is the origination of this entire mass of stress. Origination,
origination.’ Vision arose, clear knowing arose, discernment arose,
knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things
never heard before.

“Then the thought occurred to me, ‘Aging & death don’t
exist when what doesn’t exist? From the cessation of what comes the
cessation of aging & death?’ From my appropriate attention there
came the breakthrough of discernment: ‘Aging & death don’t exist
when birth doesn’t exist. From the cessation of birth comes the
cessation of aging & death.’… ‘Name-&-form doesn’t exist when
what doesn’t exist? From the cessation of what comes the cessation of
name-&-form?’ From my appropriate attention there came the
breakthrough of discernment: ‘Name-&-form doesn’t exist when
consciousness doesn’t exist. From the cessation of consciousness comes
the cessation of name-&-form.’ Then the thought occurred to me,
‘Consciousness doesn’t exist when what doesn’t exist? From the cessation
of what comes the cessation of consciousness?’ From my appropriate
attention there came the breakthrough of discernment: ‘Consciousness
doesn’t exist when name-&-form doesn’t exist. From the cessation of
name-&-form comes the cessation of consciousness.’

“The thought occurred to me, ‘I have attained this path to
Awakening, i.e., from the cessation of name-&-form comes the
cessation of consciousness, from the cessation of consciousness comes
the cessation of name-&-form. From the cessation of name-&-form
comes the cessation of the six sense media. From the cessation of the
six sense media comes the cessation of contact. From the cessation of
contact comes the cessation of feeling. From the cessation of feeling
comes the cessation of craving. From the cessation of craving comes the
cessation of clinging/sustenance. From the cessation of
clinging/sustenance comes the cessation of becoming. From the cessation
of becoming comes the cessation of birth. From the cessation of birth,
then aging & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &
despair all cease. Thus is the cessation of this entire mass of stress.
Cessation, cessation.’ Vision arose, clear knowing arose, discernment
arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to
things never heard before.

“It is just as if
a man, traveling along a wilderness track, were to see an ancient path,
an ancient road, traveled by people of former times. He would follow
it. Following it, he would see an ancient city, an ancient capital
inhabited by people of former times, complete with parks, groves, &
ponds, walled, delightful. He would go to address the king or the king’s
minister, saying, ‘Sire, you should know that while traveling along a
wilderness track I saw an ancient path… I followed it… I saw an ancient
city, an ancient capital… complete with parks, groves, & ponds,
walled, delightful. Sire, rebuild that city!’ The king or king’s
minister would rebuild the city, so that at a later date the city would
become powerful, rich, & well-populated, fully grown &
prosperous.

“In the same way I saw an ancient path, an ancient road,
traveled by the Rightly Self-awakened Ones of former times. And what is
that ancient path, that ancient road, traveled by the Rightly
Self-awakened Ones of former times? Just
this noble eightfold path: right view, right aspiration, right speech,
right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right
concentration. That is the ancient path, the ancient road, traveled by
the Rightly Self-awakened Ones of former times. I followed that path.
Following it, I came to direct knowledge of aging & death, direct
knowledge of the origination of aging & death, direct knowledge of
the cessation of aging & death, direct knowledge of the path leading
to the cessation of aging & death. I followed that path. Following
it, I came to direct knowledge of birth… becoming… clinging… craving…
feeling… contact… the six sense media… name-&-form… consciousness,
direct knowledge of the origination of consciousness, direct knowledge
of the cessation of consciousness, direct knowledge of the path leading
to the cessation of consciousness. I followed that path.

“Following it, I came to direct knowledge of fabrications,
direct knowledge of the origination of fabrications, direct knowledge of
the cessation of fabrications, direct knowledge of the path leading to
the cessation of fabrications. Knowing that directly, I have revealed it
to monks, nuns, male lay followers & female lay followers, so that
this holy life has become powerful, rich, detailed, well-populated,
wide-spread, proclaimed among celestial & human beings.”

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Our next session of Wisdom from World Religions will be taught August 13th, 2018 – September 21st, 2018. 

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My Courses Wisdom from World Religions Day 1 (Monday): Wisdom from World Religions Day 1 (Monday): Wisdom from World Religions 0% Start: Mon 23 Jul 2018 Click the Open button to the right to access today’s learning elements.

Unit 1 Study Guide: Sir John Templeton’s Wisdom from World Religions: The Tapestry of World Religions

	Unit 1 Video: Sir John Templeton’s Wisdom from World Religions: The Tapestry of World Religions

	Unit 2 Study Guide: Introducing the Religions of the World: Sir John Templeton and the Study of Religion

	Unit 2 Video: Introducing the Religions of the World: Sir John Templeton and the Study of Religion,

	Unit 3 Study Guide: A Spiritual Practice from Sir John Templeton: Lifting Your awareness to a Higher level of Receptivity

	Unit 3 Video: A Spiritual Practice from Sir John Templeton: Lifting Your Awareness to a Higher Level of Receptivity

	Unit 4 Study Guide: Guest Lecture: Sir John Templeton on Science and Religion

	Unit 4 Video 4: Guest Lecture: Sir John Templeton on Science and Religion

https://wisdomfromworldreligions.com/DesktopModules/Interzoic.AccordLMS/SCOLoader.aspx?LEID=baed4430-b15c-4cd9-9296-e59b90798ffe&FId=6cb27ee6-c289-4a70-95d5-218eb9da98e7&MId=491&PortalId=0&TbId=119 Video 1: Sir John Templeton’s Wisdom from World Religions Topic:  The Tapestry of World Religions A Spiritual Law from Sir John Templeton: “The rich variety of world religions creates a tapestry of amazing beauty—a testimony to the spiritual nature of our human visit on earth” (WWR 56). Video 1 Learning Objectives: To get acquainted with Sir John Templeton’s Spiritual Vision To apply spiritual laws in order to become what Sir John Templeton calls “a constructive participant in building ‘heaven on earth’” (WWR xix). To employ the resources of the world’s religions to a personal quest for wisdom. Readings and Selections Suggested Reading in Wisdom from World Religions xix-xxv Discussion questions  Seekers  How many significant living religions of the world can you name? What methods would you use to study the religions of the world? Proficients  Can you group different current religious into two or three or more families of religions/ What critical and theoretical perspectives do you bring to bear on the study of religion? Adepts  Do you think that spiritual practices and the study of religion belong together? What do you see as the strengths and weaknesses of the synthesis of religious ideas and practices that John Templeton expresses in Wisdom from World Religions?   Readings from Sir John Templeton’s Wisdom from World Religions “The rich variety of world religions creates a tapestry of amazing beauty—a testimony to the essential spiritual nature of our human visit on earth. And yet, within this amazing and sometimes fascinating diversity can be found an equally amazing unity” (WWR 56). “The more we know about the universe and our place in it, the more we realize how little we know. So, in our ongoing search, we often look to the spiritual teachings of the world religions to provide assistance in helping us understand more of who and what we are and why we are here.” (WWR 5) “Wisdom from World Religions: Pathways toward Heaven on Earth is designed to offer people of all ages and all nations an opportunity to learn a little more about the spiritual laws, principles, and teachings of a variety of great spiritual practices. I hope that in this book we can offer a Scripture verse or story or parable or discipline or quote that may show you the world in a way more helpful than you have seen it before. The materials presented in this book can provide an opportunity for learning and “growing in wisdom.” There are clear scriptural and philosophical bases for advocating the need for an inquiring and open mind. . . . Can the value in learning to see a different world lie not in replacing the one you have, but in providing a basis for an opportunity to see from a different, or larger, perspective? Can the timeless universal principles of life that transcend modern times or particular cultures help people in all parts of the world live happier and more useful lives?” (WWR xxi). “The publishing of this book is accomplished with reverence and appreciation for the world religions that purify a person’s mind and heart, elevate his emotions, and offer guidance for a spiritual way of life. Much of the material contained herein has been made possible by the sincere light of the prophets, teachers, and traditions of the world’s great religions that, through the ages, have expressed sacred insights and wisdom to humanity” (WWR xxv). “Who am I? Why am I here on planet Earth? What does the future hold? How can I set out on my own into a world that sometimes seems filled with conflict and strife? How can I get along better with the people in my life? How do I cope with day-to-day pressures? How can I be successful in my work? How do I find peace in the midst of turmoil? How can my life be useful and happy?” (WWR 3).