ST. JEROME

St. Jerome’s maxim above, continues to be true today as it was in the third and fourth centuries. The Second Vatican Council included it in its Constitution on Divine Revelation (Dei Verbum paragraph 25) and the Catechism of the Catholic Church includes it in its section on Sacred Scripture in the Life of the Church (paragraph 133).

The central issue is the Old Testament Canon or books. The Catholic canon is taken from the Septuagint (Greek version) which contained the full canon as attested to by a number of ancient documents and Councils. The Protestants use the version that was translated and compiled at the Jewish Council of Jamnia sometime between 90-100 A.D. The Council was convened due to the Christians using the Septuagint to proselytize the Jews. Additional, they adopted a “canonical authenticity” rule that said that only books written in Israel and in Hebrew could be admitted. Oddly enough, the Hebrew liturgical language at the time was Greek. A little know fact is that the Council was composed of Pharisees and Sadducees – though the Sadducees had the majority vote. In addition to the text not being deemed “canonical” due to language and location, all the text omitted contain text that address the resurrection of the body. As you know, the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the body. Modern findings seem to indicate this was more of the reason for Jamnia excluding the texts. Just a post script, the King James version of Scripture contained a full canon until 1863.

CRITERIA OF A GURU

DISCOURSES ON TANTRA
Shrii Shrii Anandamurtii

 

Perhaps you know that the word guru is a very old Vedic word. It means "one who dispels darkness". Now, this expression "one who dispels darkness" is often used without deeper understanding. This darkness actually belongs not only to the psychic stratum or the spiritual stratum, but to all strata of human existence. That is, darkness prevails in all the three strata -- in the crude physical sphere, in the psychic sphere, and in the spiritual sphere. So a guru will necessarily have to be able to remove darkness from all three strata. If he teaches the alphabet or some academic matter to students, he will be called a teacher -- teacher in the academic sense. That will not do. If, again, he removes darkness from the psychic world, he imparts intellectual knowledge to his followers, that will not be enough either. And if, finally, he dispels darkness only from the spiritual stratum of his disciples, that will not do either. The fact is that a guru — if one is to be accepted as a real guru — shall have to remove darkness from all the strata of the physical world, all the strata of the psychic world, and also all the strata of the spiritual world.

Now let us look at the spiritual world. In the spiritual world, he alone can be a guru who can lift downtrodden humanity to a high spiritual level, who can illumine humanity with spiritual effulgence. That is, only a Maha'kaola has the requisite qualification to be a guru, others cannot be gurus.

In order to be an ideal guru in the spiritual sphere, one must be throughly conversant with the minutest details of sa'dhana', every aspect of sa'dhana', important or unimportant. The guru must not only learn those things, but must also possess the capacity to teach those practices to others. Otherwise he should not be treated as a guru. The Maha'kaola alone has this capacity, no one else. Kaolas are those who by dint of sa'dhana' have successfully elevated their microcosmic stance and established it in the Macrocosmic one; but a Maha'kaola is one who is a kaola, certainly, but at the same time possesses the capacity to help others as well to get to that exalted kaola position. In the past Lord Shiva was one such Maha'kaola. Lord Krs'n'a was another. To be a guru one must be a Maha'kaola.

One must possess knowledge regarding sa'dhana', not only thorough knowledge of the sha'stras [scriptures]. And in order to gain thorough scriptural knowledge, one must know as many important languages as are necessary for the purpose. That is to say, it is not enough that a guru acquire the necessary qualifications to be able to teach sa'dhana' (that is, impart lessons on the practical cult); he must possess adequate knowledge of theory also. That is, in order to know the inner secret of sa'dhana', he must possess thorough and authentic scriptural knowledge; then only should he be accepted as a perfect guru in the spiritual sphere. One who has a fairly good knowledge of sa'dhana' and can also help others in that realm, but is completely devoid of intellect, or knowledge of languages and scriptures, cannot be a perfectly competent guru in the spiritual sphere; for, being a guru, he will have to explain the theoretical side also. If, suppose, I say to someone, "Do this," I should also explain why he or she should do that, and at the same time I should be able to support it in the light of the sha'stras.

You may raise the question, "What is a sha'stra?" You might point to a voluminous book and call it a sha'stra, but that would be misleading. Sha'stra in the true sense means, Sha'sana't ta'rayet yastu sah sha'strah parikiirtitah -- that is, "Sha'stra is that which disciplines and liberates humans." So a guru must be well versed in sha'stra, otherwise he cannot show the right path to humankind. The term guru would be a misleading misnomer -- which is never desirable. Sha'stra does not necessarily mean the Vedas; it means the way to emancipation through inculcation of rigorous discipline; it is something that prevents one from taking license in the name of liberty. It means clear instructions that guide everyone along the path, that lead to attainment of prosperity and welfare.

Sha'sana't. What is this sha'sana? Does it mean torture? No. Does it mean punishment? No. Does it mean atonement?  No. Not at all. Here sha'stra means anusha'sana. What is anusha'sana? Hita'rthe sha'sanam anusha'sanam -- that is, "Anusha'sanam means that degree of rectificatory punishment which will be conducive to one's well-being."

A spiritual guru must be well-acquainted with all the processes of sa'dhana', must have the capacity to convince others, must possess complete knowledge of the scriptures, must know many languages, and must have comprehensive knowledge and intellect, plus some extra qualifications. What are those qualifications? Nigraha'nugrahe shakto gururityabhidhiiyate -- "the guru must possess the capacity both to punish, and to love, or bless, his disciples." Punishment alone, without love, is not good. Love and punishment should go together, and the degree of punishment should never exceed the degree of love. Then  only  can  one be called a real spiritual guru.

I have already said that a guru must be an authority on all subjects in all the three strata:

As a spiritual guru, he must be thoroughly versed in spiritual science -- both the theory and the practice. He must know how Parama Purus'a associates Himself with jiivas [unit beings]; and he must know how jiivas associate themselves with Parama Purus'a (they associate themselves just as the Ganges merges into the Bay of Bengal). Otherwise, how can he teach this science to others?

And who knows this science? Only Parama Purus'a knows it, because He Himself has created everything. He has created our sense organs, and He has created the tanma'tras* that our sense organs detect. He can create anything He likes. But remember, He does not do anything. His "doing" means His thinking. Things will take shape as He thinks. No one but Parama Purus'a knows how He does it. So how can people know Parama Purus'a if He does not teach to others the science of knowing Him? Only Parama Purus'a knows the science and the method to realize Him, to know Him; because He has created both human beings and the path that they must move along. So people can know the method by His grace only. Hence it has been said in A'nanda Su'tram,** Brahmaeva Gururekah na'parah -- that is, "Brahma alone is the Guru." Through His physical structure, He teaches the actual science to the spiritual aspirants. People should clearly understand this.

There are many people who are prone to think that in the spiritual realm there is no need to acquire intellectual knowledge for God-realization; and in support of their thesis they mention the names of some great men. Now it is true that for God-realization, academic qualification may not be necessary at all: there is no differentiation between a learned person and a foolish one. But in order to be a guru, one must be a learned person. God-realization is not enough for a guru, he must possess other qualifications as well. So a person who is devoid of learning and scriptural knowledge and the capacity to teach others, and the twin capacities to punish and reward his disciples, should never be accepted as a spiritual guru. A guru does not mean only a spiritual guru, he must be a guru for the intellectual and physical worlds also.

After the spiritual sphere comes the psychic sphere, which is cruder than the former. That is, the guru must be aware of the nature of the human mind -- what it is made of, how it should be elevated step by step from crude to subtle, how all the unit minds can march together in unison towards the goal -- in a word, he must know both the theoretical and the applied sides of psychology. He must know a thousand times more than is written in books. He must assimilate everything through his own refined intellect. And then only can he teach others perfectly. That shows that he must be not only a spiritual guru, but also a guru in the psychic world. There is a sense of want in the human mind. One who can remove the sense of want is a guru. In order to qualify as a guru, one must have the power to remove psychic wants.

As in the spiritual sphere, so also in the psychic sphere, a guru must be learned. He should be well-versed in the humanities; in fact, in all branches of human knowledge. In order to be a spiritual guru, it will be sufficient that he have mastery over scriptural treatises; but to be a guru in the psychic sphere, he must be well-versed in all branches of human knowledge. A limited knowledge of a few scriptures will not do. And simultaneously, he must be conversant with the style in which the human mind functions, as also in the method to control and guide it properly.

Next comes the physical world. The followers, the disciples, of the guru, are men and women of flesh and blood having physical structures. They have their sorrows and miseries, their tears and smiles. This is their life. They have their problem of food and clothing; they have their pleasures and pains, their tears of pain and tears of joy; they become elated in happy circumstances and depressed when things go wrong. It is the duty of a guru to provide his followers with the wherewithal for their progress. This is what an ideal guru is to do in the physical sphere. As a guru in the physical world, he will have to teach mankind such techniques as will solve their wordly problems -- problems of food, clothing, education and medical treatment. A guru must see to it that their mundane problems are solved.

So in order to be a guru, one must come onto this earth with the highest qualifications in the spiritual field, and with the greatest capacity to face the mountainous obstacles in the physical world. To shoulder the responsibility of a guru is not child's play.



15 March 1981 DMS, Ramrajatala
A'nanda Vacana'mrtam (Blissful Discussion)

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF LOST AND REJECTED SCRIPTURES

APOCALIPSIS 13:18 (666)

Mula sa: ANG BAGONG TIPAN ng ating Mananakop at Panginoong Jesucristo, Isinalin sa Wikang Pambansa mula sa Vulgata Latina (Latin Vulgate) ni P. Juan T. Trinidad, S.J., S.T.L., S.S.D. Doktor sa Banal na Kasulatan --- CATHOLIC TRADE SCHOOL, Manila 1966 --- TUNGKOL SA 666

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KARMA

A doctrine common to Hinduism, Buddhism, and Theosophy, although not wholly adopted by Theosophists as taught in the other two religions. The word karma itself means ‘‘action,’’ but implies both action and reaction. All actions have consequences, some immediate, some delayed, others in future incarnations, according to Eastern beliefs. Thus individuals bear responsibility for all their actions and cannot escape the consequences, although bad actions can be expiated by good ones.

Action is not homogeneous, but on the contrary contains three elements: the thought, which conceives the action; the will, which finds the means of accomplishment; and the union of thought and will, which brings the action to fruition. It is plain, therefore, that thought has potential for good or evil, for as the thought is, so will the action be. The miser, thinking of avarice, is avaricious; the libertine, thinking of vice, is vicious; and, conversely, one thinking of virtuous thoughts shows virtue in his or her actions.

There is also a viewpoint which believes that karma comes not from the action itself, but the beliefs and feelings which motivate or allow the action. ‘‘The law of karma is not a justice and retribution system, so anyone who has had much suffering in this life is not a victim of ‘bad karma,’ but simply finds themselves in predicaments that are simply the result of their own beliefs about themselves.’’

Arising from such teaching is the attention devoted to thought power. Using the analogy of the physical body, which can be developed by regimen and training based on natural scientific laws, Theosophists teach that character, in a similar way, can be scientifically built up by exercising the mind.

Every vice is considered evidence of lack of a corresponding virtue—avarice, for instance, shows the absence of generosity. Instead of accepting that an individual is naturally avaricious, Theosophists teach that constant thought focused on generosity will in time change the individual’s nature in that respect. The length of time necessary for change depends on at least two factors: the strength of thought and the strength of the vice; the vice may be the sum of the indulgence of many ages and therefore difficult to eradicate.

The doctrine of karma, therefore, must be considered not in relation to one life only, but with an understanding of reincarnation. In traditional Hinduism individuals were seen as immersed in a world of illusion, called maya. In this world, distracted from the real world of spirit, one performs acts, and those actions create karma—consequences. In traditional teaching the goal of life was to escape karma. There was little difference between good and bad karma. Karma kept one trapped in the world of illusion.

During the nineteenth century, Western notions of evolution of life and the moral order were influenced by Indian teachings. Some began to place significance upon good karma as a means of overcoming bad karma. The goal gradually became the gaining of good karma, rather than escape. Such an approach to reincarnation and karma became popular in Theosophy and Spiritism, a form of Spiritualism.

Western scholars have often mistakenly viewed karma and fate as the same concept. Fate, however, is the belief that the path of one’s life is established by agencies outside oneself. Karma is the opposite, implying the ability to alter one’s path of life—in a future life if not the present—by altering one’s feelings and beliefs, and by engaging in positive practices. ‘‘It is the coward and the fool who says this is fate,’’ goes the Sanskrit proverb. ‘‘But it is the strong man who stands up and says, ‘‘I will make my fate.’’

According to this view, reincarnation is carried on under the laws of karma and evolution. The newborn baby bears within it the seeds of former lives. His or her character is the same as it was in past existences, and so it will continue unless the individual changes it, which he or she has the power to do. Each succeeding existence finds that character stronger in one direction or another. If it is evil the effort to change it becomes increasingly difficult; indeed a complete change may not be possible until many lifetimes of effort have passed. In cases such as these, temptation may be too strong to resist, yet the individual who has knowledge of the workings of karma will yield to evil only after a desperate struggle; thus, instead of increasing the power of the evil, he helps to destroy its potency. Only in the most rare cases can an individual free himself with a single effort.

The karmic goal in reincarnation, however, is said not necessarily to raise the soul to a higher plain of existence, but entreat enlightenment to reign at whichever level of existence the soul happens to find itself. ‘‘Many. . .see the process of enlightenment as ‘‘ascension’’; it is in fact more true to say that it is a process of descension, that is bringing the light down to all levels.’’

Sources:

Abhedananda, Swami. Doctrine of Karma: A Study in the Philosophy

and Practice of Work. Calcutta: Ramakrishna Vedanta Math,1965.

Carus, Paul. Karma: A Study of Buddhist Ethics. La Salle, Ill.:

Open Court, 1894.

Feuerstein, George. The Shambala Guide to Yoga. Boston and

London: Shambala, 1996.

Glasenapp, Helmuth von. The Doctrine of Kerman in Jain Philosophy.

Bombay: Bai Vojibai Jivanial Panalal Charity Fund, 1942.

Hanson, Virginia, ed. Karma: The Universal Law of Harmony.

Wheaton, Ill.: Theosophical Publishing House, 1975.

Jast, L. Stanley. Reincarnation and Karma. Secaucus, N.J.:

Castle Books, 1955.

‘‘Karma: Meaning and Definition.’’ Hinduism Today June 19,

1994, http://www.spiritweb.org/.

Payne, John. ‘‘Reincarnation & Karma.’’ January 1, 1995

http://www.spiritweb.org/ .

Reichenbach, Bruce R. The Law of Karma: A Philosophical

Study. London: Macmillan, 1990.

Sharma, I. C. Cayce, Karma and Reincarnation. Wheaton, Ill.:

Theosophical Publishing House, 1975.

Silananda, U. An Introduction to the Law of Karma. Berkeley,

Calif.: Dharmachakka Meditation Center, 1990.

Torwesten, Hans. Vedanta: Heart of Hinduism. New York:

Grove Weidenfeld, 1985.

Woodward, Mary Ann. Edgar Cayce’s Story of Karma. New

York: Coward-McCann, 1971.

MISBAHA (Tasbih)

 A misbaha (Arabic: مسبحة), sibha (Arabic:سبحة), Tasbeeh (Urdu), or tespih (Albanian, Turkish and Bosnian) is a string of prayer beads which is traditionally used by Muslims to keep track of counting in tasbih. The Misbaha is also known as Tasbih (تسبيح) -not to be confused with Tasbih a type of dhikr-in non-Arab Muslim regions or Sibha in some Arabic dialects e.g. Libyan Arabic. In Turkey, the beads are known as Tespih.

A misbaha is a tool used to perform dhikr, including the 99 Names of Allah, and the glorification of God after regular prayer.

It is often made of wooden beads, but also of olive seeds, ivory, amber, pearls or plastic. A misbaha usually consists of 99 beads (corresponding to the 99 Names of Allah), or sometimes 33 beads (in which case one cycles through them 3 times to equal 99).

HISTORY

It is thought that in the early Muslim era loose pebbles were used or that people counted on their fingers. According to the 17th century allamah Muhammad Baqir Majlisi, after the Battle of Uhud, Fatimah would visit the Martyrs' Graveyard every two or three days and then made a misbaha of Hamza's tomb soil. After that, people started making and using Misbhas. 

Followers of Wahhabism disapprove of the misbaha, arguing that Muhammad only used the fingers of his right hand and this is how all Muslims should pray. It is said that the 33-bead misbaha represents, to Christians, the 33 years of Christ's earthly existence, while those of 99 beads represent the 33 years multiplied by the three manifestations of God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misbaha 

MALA & ROSARY

The rosary is an ancient spiritual tool. Throughout the Far East, rosaries are called malas and consist of 108 beads. For spiritual disciplines, rosaries are used the same way regardless of the religious tradition: primarily to count the number of repetitions (japa) of the mantra or prayer. While 108 beads had been used in Vedic malas for thousands of years before the birth of Jesus, the Catholic Church adopted fifty-four beads, one-half mala, plus a pendant consisting of five beads. (While this five-decade version is the most familiar, the “full” rosary consists of fifteen decades of beads plus the pendant.) One might say, for example, that one has performed twenty rosaries or ten malas of a specific prayer or mantra. As any practicing Roman Catholic can tell you, saying the rosary is a powerful experience”.

HEALING MANTRAS, by Thomas Ashley Farrand