The Divine Spark

[Marcus]

Dear everyone,

Have you ever read, seen or heard something that shook you to your very core? Something that got so under you skin it kept you awake at night chewing it over?

Well, I've been bitten and I need your help. Bear with me whilst I explain.

During the Cosmic Shower course at this years UK Summer Camp, Sifu explained the notion of us being created perfect, in the image of God. That we all have Buddha nature, the divine spark within us. I've been digging around doing a little more research as I want to share this "truth" with as many people as I can, in the form of a comprehensive and well written article. All of my life seems to have been building up to this point. To paraphrase the great poet Robert Browning I've spent most of my adult life trying to find a way to "release my imprisoned splendour".

And you know what? The more I speak with others, the more I find this theme is a common one. So many of us live small lives, looking outside of ourselves for happiness and fulfilment, when all the time we have all that we could ever want within ourselves. Do you know what I mean?

So this is where I need your help. I am certain that I can find the actual Christian and Buddhist scriptures to back up such an article. And I'm certain that if I had 30 days of uninterrupted research time I could discover if other Religions also have this idea of us having the divine within us.

But I don' t have that luxury, so if you know of references or scriptural quotes from other Religions that support the view that we are made perfect, that there is nothing to add, nothing to become, no-one to be more like. That our work is to release our imprisoned splendour, to rid ourselves of sin, to overcome ignorance or to remove the blockages to harmonious chi flow - then can you please share them with me?

Either PM me, e-mail me direct or share your finding here on this thread.

Thank you in advance for your help and support on what I believe will be an article of great encouragement and hope to all those who read it.

Kindest regards
Marcus
Namo Amitabha Buddha Namo Amitabha Buddha Namo Amitabha Buddha

[Racheli]

Hello Sihing Marcus,

Are you interested in Kabbalah (Jewish Misticism) scriptures as well?

Surprisingly, or not, the most famous book of the Kabbalah is called Sefer Ha-Zohar or - "Book of Splendor".

[Kingmonkey]

the more I find this theme is a common one

absolutely!

You may want to try these:
Socrates and Plato which are said to have influenced early Christian Gnostycism,
have had ideas of an eternal divine and a imperfect "earthly" existence.
Christian Gnostics partly also had ideas of finding god within yourself.
May be the Nag Hammadi library is of interest.


The more I think about it, I get to the conclusion, that if we believe, that everyone has a "Buddha nature", it is only logical that any true "religion" must be aware of the fact, more or less.
With kindest regards
Pat

[Omar]

Hello Sihing Marcus,

I am at work now thus do not have the books available, but I am certain there is a rich section on the world religions in Sifu's complete book of Shaolin and the complete book of Zen that have examples of what you are looking for. You most likely read this many times already.

"I am He whom I love and He whom I love am I" Quote of a muslim master I recall from Sifu's books.

I recognize your wish to spread this, and a written article is a very good choice.

I mean, how often can one speak of these things properly outside ones closest family or the WahNam family? It's a tricky topic to approach in opposition to todays weather or yesterdays football match

[Andy]

Gnosis Gnana Jnana (Knowledge of the Divine Light within)

Dear Sifu Marcus,

This is the central topic of the central essay of the book Im currently writing.

I was hoping to ask you for assistance in reviewing my work, so I hope to share a fruitful discussion with you on this in future....if you would be so generous

Here's an excerpt of the quotes Ive gathered thus far:

"A fragment of me in the living world is the timeless essence of life"
- The Bhagavad Gita

"The Kingdom of Heaven is within you"
- Jesus

"I am the Inner Sacrifice, here in your Body,
O Best of Mortals"
- The Bhagavad Gita

"Look within, thou art the Buddha"
-Siddharta Gautama

"there resides but one Reality above and beyond all forms"
- Sufism

"these Saints have realised the Supreme Reality beyond all names and forms"
- Hinduism

"the pure nature of Supreme Reality is the real Buddha"
- Buddhism

"Rather the (Father's) Kingdom is within you and it is outside you"
- Jesus (Gnostic Gospels)

"I am the Truth!"
- Ibn Al-Hallaj

"The Cosmos and I live together, Everything and I are One"
- Chuang Tzu

"When he percieves the unity existing in separate creatures and how they expand from unity, he attains the Infinite Spirit"
- Bhagavad Gita

Namaste,

Andy

[barrys]

Marcus siheng,

You might want to look at the mantra "Om Namah Shivaya". It is from the Hindu texts, the Vedas. My understanding, which I checked out with Priya, is that it is a prayer to and meditation on the source/light outside, manifested in the divine Shiva, that is also within.

I have found listening to this mantra, and chanting it myself, to be a powerfully uplifting experience.

You might also want to look at a section of the Ramaya called 'Aditya Hridayam', which I understand can be translated as 'the sun in the heart' or 'the heart of the sun'. It is taught to Rama when he is exhausted and unsure how he can defeat Ravana. It is a prayer to Surya, the Sun. Rama is told:

Any one who sings the praise of the Sun,
In time of danger,
In time of suffering,
In wild forests.
And in times of fear,
Is able to cross the problem for sure.

then

Cleansing himself,
By doing Aachamana thrice,
And facing the Sun God,
Lifting his bow
The great hero Rama became very happy

He goes on to defeat Ravana.

When I have read this I generally experience Ravana as a powerful but misguided aspect that manifests in me. Not a defeat of something outside but a way of waking up my divine spark to overcome the trickier aspects of my ego.

You might also want to check out a book by Jospeh Campbell called 'Reflections on the art of living'. He has a lot of quotes from various spiritual sources on this topic.

All the best,

Barry

[joko]

so if you know of references or scriptural quotes from other Religions that support the view that we are made perfect, that there is nothing to add, nothing to become, no-one to be more like.

The following verses are taken from the Quran:

[64:3] He created the heavens and the earth for a specific purpose, designed you and perfected your design, then to Him is the final destiny.

[82:7] The One who created you, designed you, and perfected you.

So many of us live small lives, looking outside of ourselves for happiness and fulfilment, when all the time we have all that we could ever want within ourselves.

Please look at
Quran [50:16] And We have created man and We know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than his jugular vein.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Now, among the closing chapters of the Quran (which has 114 chapters), there are some verses I would like to present here, as they are relevant with the topic in this thread.

First, please take a look this verse
[95:4] We have created mankind in the best form.

then, the one immediately following it, will it make you wonder?
[95:5] Then We returned him to the lowest of the low.

and, the next one, explaining why:
[95:6] Except those who believe and lead a righteous life; they receive a reward that is well deserved.

Another chapter, Chapter 103, is somewhat similar in meaning to the above:
[103:2] The human is indeed in loss.
[103:3] Except those who believe, and do good works, and support one another with the truth, and support one another with perseverance.

What do you think? Aren't those in line with The Ten Shaolin Laws? And Buddha's teaching of "Avoid evil, do goods, and cultivate our souls" ?

Now, let me quote below the complete verses of Chapter 95 and Chapter 103 of the Quran:

In the Name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
95:1 By the fig and the olive.
95:2 And the mount of ages.
95:3 And this town of peace.
95:4 We have created mankind in the best form.
95:5 Then We returned him to the lowest of the low.
95:6 Except those who believe and lead a righteous life; they receive a reward that is well deserved.
95:7 So what would make you deny the system after that?
95:8 Is God not the wisest of the wise?

In the Name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
103:1 By time.
103:2 The human is indeed in loss.
103:3 Except those who believe, and do good works, and support one another with the truth, and support one another with perseverance.

May God bless us.

Joko

[Marcus]

I've got goose pimples!

This thread had dropped off my radar momentarily as I was focused on other pressing matters (like why so many of my books seem to have gone missing in the post recently) Then I come here today and see these incredible posts that you have made.

I couldn't have asked for more. They are brilliant. Thank you. Plenty of material for me to get stuck into and plenty of direct quotes I can acces immediately. Thank you!

And Andy, it's so funny that this subject is the central theme of a book you are writing! Brilliant, I'd love to discuss this matter with you.

Thanks again everyone.

Kindest regards

Marcus
Namo Amitabha Buddha Namo Amitabha Buddha Namo Amitabha Buddha

[eug]

Hi all. I can't seem to find it at the moment but there is a book called "The Mystic Christ" by Ethan Walker which I remember having a lot of these kind of quotes. It's theme is that religions have different ways of saying the same teaching on non-duality. I'll try to dig out the book but I'd recommend getting a copy anyway.

Kindest Regards
Eugene Butterworth