To all who celebrates Christmas. Yes, Merry Christmas!
Now, please stop reading as the rest will likely make your Christmas less merry.
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Saturday, February 23, 2008
The Vacuum Law
I attended the talk on 22 Feb, "HINDUISM REDISCOVERED: A Religion in Vogue" by Vivekacharya Pavan Choudary, CEO, Vygon India.
It was interesting during the Q&A session, where he shared his wisdom in answering the questions. I would like to share some of them here.
This is another meaningful story he told. As I can't remember every words, I am retelling it from the story I think I heard.
A farmer prayed to God and asked to be made wealthy. God agreed and assure him that his house will never be lack of grains. Indeed, he was happy to find that every morning he finds a full bag of grain no matter how much he has used up the day before.
However, he didn't feel that God has granted his wish, which was to be wealthy. He was actually a little angry that God is so stingy only making his bag of grain full at the beginning of each day. Year after year, as his family enjoyed the never empty bag of grain, deep in his heart he was always wondering why is God so stingy?
Finally, he passed away and met God. He asked about this life long question he had. God explains, I am not stingy, but rather, it was you who is stingy. ... How is this so? If you were to share most of your grains to others, just imagine only a mere 2% of them return you something, wouldn't you become very wealthy? Instead, you kept this blessing I gave you to yourself. Thus, the blessing didn't grow into bigger blessings.
He then brought up a recent case in real life. Somewhere in Canada a corn farmer has been winning awards for producing very good quality corns. When reporters ask him for his secrets recipe, his recipe is not any secret. He has always shared all his knowledge and know how about farming good quality corns to other farmers. Then, as everyone produces good corn, he is more motivated to do more research and study how to improve. As a result, he has been able to keep winning.
Below is an excerpt from a speech by Rev. Sun Myung Moon, God's Hope for Man given on October 20, 1973 in Washington, D.C.
---
Jesus came as a savior, but his teaching was, "... the Son of man came not to be served but to serve ..." ( Matt 20:28 ) Jesus taught that the greatest love in this universe is to give one's life for his enemy. The teaching of the Bible is contrary to the common rule of our worldly society. It is exactly the opposite of the way of this self-centered world. The Bible teaches complete giving and total sacrifice. "He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matt 10:39 ) It seems almost foolish to think seriously about living this way in man's evil society. But once you know God's principle, you discover that there is actually no wisdom greater than this.
Jesus Christ's teachings hit the very core of this fundamental truth. The more you give the more you receive. God rewards total giving with total love, and total sacrifice with total life. Giving creates room for God's love to enter The more room and the greater the vacuum created by your giving, the faster you will be filled by the flow of God's love.
---
Thus, share, what we've already been given, because the reason we were given these things is for us to share it out.
I would like to call this The Vacuum Law.
Part 1
Part 3
It was interesting during the Q&A session, where he shared his wisdom in answering the questions. I would like to share some of them here.
Wisdoms from a talk by Vivekacharya Pavan Choudary -- Part 2
This is another meaningful story he told. As I can't remember every words, I am retelling it from the story I think I heard.
A farmer prayed to God and asked to be made wealthy. God agreed and assure him that his house will never be lack of grains. Indeed, he was happy to find that every morning he finds a full bag of grain no matter how much he has used up the day before.
However, he didn't feel that God has granted his wish, which was to be wealthy. He was actually a little angry that God is so stingy only making his bag of grain full at the beginning of each day. Year after year, as his family enjoyed the never empty bag of grain, deep in his heart he was always wondering why is God so stingy?
Finally, he passed away and met God. He asked about this life long question he had. God explains, I am not stingy, but rather, it was you who is stingy. ... How is this so? If you were to share most of your grains to others, just imagine only a mere 2% of them return you something, wouldn't you become very wealthy? Instead, you kept this blessing I gave you to yourself. Thus, the blessing didn't grow into bigger blessings.
He then brought up a recent case in real life. Somewhere in Canada a corn farmer has been winning awards for producing very good quality corns. When reporters ask him for his secrets recipe, his recipe is not any secret. He has always shared all his knowledge and know how about farming good quality corns to other farmers. Then, as everyone produces good corn, he is more motivated to do more research and study how to improve. As a result, he has been able to keep winning.
Below is an excerpt from a speech by Rev. Sun Myung Moon, God's Hope for Man given on October 20, 1973 in Washington, D.C.
---
Jesus came as a savior, but his teaching was, "... the Son of man came not to be served but to serve ..." ( Matt 20:28 ) Jesus taught that the greatest love in this universe is to give one's life for his enemy. The teaching of the Bible is contrary to the common rule of our worldly society. It is exactly the opposite of the way of this self-centered world. The Bible teaches complete giving and total sacrifice. "He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matt 10:39 ) It seems almost foolish to think seriously about living this way in man's evil society. But once you know God's principle, you discover that there is actually no wisdom greater than this.
Jesus Christ's teachings hit the very core of this fundamental truth. The more you give the more you receive. God rewards total giving with total love, and total sacrifice with total life. Giving creates room for God's love to enter The more room and the greater the vacuum created by your giving, the faster you will be filled by the flow of God's love.
---
Thus, share, what we've already been given, because the reason we were given these things is for us to share it out.
I would like to call this The Vacuum Law.
Part 1
Part 3
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Getting un-lost
Yesterday my brother casually shared with me a teaching in buddhism: (roughly) Since even [buddhism] laws [that helps one to get enlightened] can be forgo, isn't it more forgoable for secular things which are non-laws. An analogy is in order to get from the current shore to the opposite enlightened shore, the teachings/laws that we follow/practice towards enlightenment are like the boat that bring us across to the enlightened shore. When we reach there, we will forgo the boat since we don't need it.
Relating to another question from a cousin that why some Christians say they cannot enter temples, while some like one of our aunt could? This idea comes to me:
Generally speaking, religions [not in their institutionalised manner] seek to help people who are lost in the secular/temporal world to become less lost or more un-lost. However, it seems to me that many, while becoming un-lost in the secular world, are getting lost in some particular religion institution that they are in. These are what many called the religious people.
I don't consider Jesus and Buddha as religious people. That's why they were unwelcome and kicked out by the religion institutions of their times.
Relating to another question from a cousin that why some Christians say they cannot enter temples, while some like one of our aunt could? This idea comes to me:
Generally speaking, religions [not in their institutionalised manner] seek to help people who are lost in the secular/temporal world to become less lost or more un-lost. However, it seems to me that many, while becoming un-lost in the secular world, are getting lost in some particular religion institution that they are in. These are what many called the religious people.
I don't consider Jesus and Buddha as religious people. That's why they were unwelcome and kicked out by the religion institutions of their times.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Peace Messages
Lets make peace!
Please focus on the contents and the good intentions.
At the age of 87+, he needs no hidden agenda.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Being religious
Religious teachings are generally considered good, or support the concept of serving others.
However, I observed most religious people seem to place self-interests on-top, or behind those of others. When faced with the challenge of risking one's spiritual and/or physical life for the betterment of others, only the true religious people overcome at ease and naturally.
Consider the famous story of two monks helping a lady across a river. The younger monk might have worried that he risk his spiritual health by touching the lady.
Consider shutting communication channels between "believers" and those whom the believers' higher authority labeled as evil. The "believers" prefer not to risk their chance of getting into Heaven, by not willing to have contacts with those whom they consider are not getting into Heaven.
Yet we see in movies, and some times also in real life, some heroic acts of taking high risk to save others.
Yet Jesus were among those whom the authority had considered not holy.
Yet a famous buddhist quote says "Should I not go to hell [to help], who shall [I ask to] go?"
However, I observed most religious people seem to place self-interests on-top, or behind those of others. When faced with the challenge of risking one's spiritual and/or physical life for the betterment of others, only the true religious people overcome at ease and naturally.
Consider the famous story of two monks helping a lady across a river. The younger monk might have worried that he risk his spiritual health by touching the lady.
Consider shutting communication channels between "believers" and those whom the believers' higher authority labeled as evil. The "believers" prefer not to risk their chance of getting into Heaven, by not willing to have contacts with those whom they consider are not getting into Heaven.
Yet we see in movies, and some times also in real life, some heroic acts of taking high risk to save others.
Yet Jesus were among those whom the authority had considered not holy.
Yet a famous buddhist quote says "Should I not go to hell [to help], who shall [I ask to] go?"
Monday, May 24, 2004
Don't reduce your love to parents after knowing God
I was reminded about a concept that I think was misunderstood by many. (Before I begin, I should say that I am not too familiar with the Bible and I am talking about the concept here, i.e. not about the actual meaning of the verse.)
In the Bible Matthew 10:37 "Jesus said to his apostles: ‘Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; ..." Initially, this gives me the impression that we have to love our parents lesser so as to fulfill the condition that we do not love our parents more than Jesus. I am not surprise if there were many who felt likewise.
Now I understand it as follows: Assuming that we naturally love our parents very much and loving them is correct, without doubt. Thus, the idea of reducing our love for them is not an acceptable concept or option. In this case, the only way to satisfy the request of not loving our parent more than Jesus will be to strive to increase our love for Jesus.
In some way, this is similar to the common behavior of choosing the easy way out. Last time, some how I avoided from being rich and was having low level of satisfactions. This is the easy way out for living 'comfortably' by lowering our standard of 'comfort'. By a similar logic as above, now I set higher standard of comfort and strive for it, by putting more effort into achieving that. In doing so, I foresee that the overall standard of comfort in a society will be raised and everyone benefits. In 'easy way out' case, I'll remain as comfortable through illusion and this will not benefit those around me.
In the Bible Matthew 10:37 "Jesus said to his apostles: ‘Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; ..." Initially, this gives me the impression that we have to love our parents lesser so as to fulfill the condition that we do not love our parents more than Jesus. I am not surprise if there were many who felt likewise.
Now I understand it as follows: Assuming that we naturally love our parents very much and loving them is correct, without doubt. Thus, the idea of reducing our love for them is not an acceptable concept or option. In this case, the only way to satisfy the request of not loving our parent more than Jesus will be to strive to increase our love for Jesus.
In some way, this is similar to the common behavior of choosing the easy way out. Last time, some how I avoided from being rich and was having low level of satisfactions. This is the easy way out for living 'comfortably' by lowering our standard of 'comfort'. By a similar logic as above, now I set higher standard of comfort and strive for it, by putting more effort into achieving that. In doing so, I foresee that the overall standard of comfort in a society will be raised and everyone benefits. In 'easy way out' case, I'll remain as comfortable through illusion and this will not benefit those around me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
