dharmatalks

For those whose spiritual paths are influenced by the Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican and Lutheran (liturgical) traditions, including some of our Quaker, UCC, MCC and Emerging Church friends, yesterday marked the First Sunday of Lent. The Lenten observance is a forty-day period, between Ash Wednesday and the Feast of the Pascha. It’s often marked by fasting, penance and a tradition of “giving something up”.

The liturgical texts traditionally read yesterday included the story of Rav Yeshua (Rabbi Jesus) emerging from the River Jordan, infused with the Ruach (the Divine Feminine, or Shakti, often referred to as “The Holy Spirit”), and going into the desert for 40-days of fasting and retreat. There, the mythical tale of Jesus’ battle with the Adversary (ego-mind) ensues.

As a contemporary student of the Dharma, it’s always been easy for me to simply dismiss many such tales in the bible as the imaginings and mythos of primitive minds, and to prefer to focus on texts that don’t rely on such archaic and silly notions as “devils” and “deities”. But doing that would mean that I was ignoring the sacred trust placed in me as a successor of the apostles – to illuminate the authentic teaching of the Great Dharma Master, Rav Yeshua, for those whose hearts were devoted to him.

And so I thought, as I read through so many of our friends’ posts, talking about giving up Starbucks, or chocolate, iPods or Facebook for Lent, maybe it’s important to address this idea of giving something up, and looking at the real message in the biblical narrative (Luke 4:1-3).

The idea of giving something up is a matter of personal sacrifice for the sake of generating mindfulness. And there is surely a benefit to doing so.

But in this day and age, I often wonder if we might not revisit the mythos, and consider a new approach. Rather than giving something up, why not “take something on” for 40-days, as a means of not only generating mindfulness, but also increasing or building compassion?

The biblical tale uses the metaphoric struggle between Rav Yeshua and the “adversary” as an illustration of how the ego-mind challenges us with delusional ideas, fears, and enticements. It’s a story of Jesus coming face-to-face with the idea of attachments… Grasping at power and prestige… trying to find the “shortcut” by using our abilities in an “unskillful” way… attempting to avoid unpleasant things by manipulating them or pushing them away… things we all find ourselves confronted with in day-to-day life.

But Rav Yeshua understood that he could resist the ego-mind, and by emptying himself (samadhi), he could see things as they really are, not as the dualistic perceptions of the ego-mind would have us believe.

I would suggest that Jesus’ entire life was not one of sacrifice, but rather of “taking on” the responsibility to embody compassion, kindness, equanimity and altruistic joy… the qualities he suggested were a better representation of what the primitives called “God” than the idea of a terroristic, judgmental, violent and jealous. Cosmic Ego-maniac (whom they feared so much, they dared not even speak it’s name).

As Athanasius put it, the real message here is that in the life of Rav Yeshua – Jesus the Nazarene, “The divine became human, so that humanity could become divine.”

So while we might use these 40-days, whether we identify ourselves with the institutional Christian tradition or not, as a time when we mindfully resist selfish and ego-centric temptations, I would encourage you to think of ways in which you can “emerge from your own internal River Jordan”… infused with the essence of the Divine Feminine (a concept that would be suppressed by the Roman institutional church, until it was all but completely obscured)… and go to your “private place” each day, contemplating ways in which you can become more aware of your true nature… your Christ Consciousness or Buddha-Mind… and determined to bring that awareness to your daily life more fully.

When we do that… when we become more aware of our true nature… then we begin to recognise that true nature in others as well. Like Rav Yeshua, or the Buddha Vajrapani, we overcome the hoards of adversarial forces, and see with a clarity and compassion that compels us to love, to serve, to forgive and to heal.

Instead of giving up something, why not take on a selfless act of compassion for 40-days… regardless of your religious tradition?

Help out at a homeless shelter. Deliver meals to shut-ins. Try eating only healthy, raw foods, grown within a 50-mile radius of your home. Give what you can to the poor… the sick… the dying. Take a stand for those who are being persecuted or marginalised.

Do that for 40-days, and the transformative potential of such meritorious habits will yield remarkable fruit. And you will, as Christs and Buddhas, emerge from that River Jordan that flows within your Lotus Heart, with a new appreciation for all beings. You will have overcome your adversary… and you will be ready for your life’s Mission.

Namasté

khenpo gurudas sunyatananda

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“Chenrezig, Treasure of Objectless Compassion;
Manjushri, Lord of Stainless Wisdom;
Vajrapani, Destroyer of all adversarial forces;
O Je Tsong Khapa – Losang Drakpa —
Crown Jewel of the Sages of the Land of Snows,
Humbly at Your Lotus Feet I ask your blessing.”

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Drawing on the essential teachings of the great spiritual teachers, philosophers and freethinkers throughout time, Khenpo Gurudas Śunyatananda (retired Archbishop Francis-Maria Salvato, O.C.) has been regarded as a provocative, revolutionary “voice of reason” within the field of religion and spirituality, since 1983. Having the distinction of being one of the few openly non-theistic, openly-gay and post-denominational thinkers ever to serve as Bishop-Exarch and spiritual leader of the autocephalic Eastern Catholic Franciscans in North America, Gurudas is the author of more than 600 articles, eight books and currently serves as the spiritual advisor for a non-theistic, intentional spiritual community, The Spiritus Project. He can be reached at: http://dharmadudeunplugged.com

Copyright ©2008, Khenpo Gurudas Sunyatananda (The Most Reverend Dr. F. Francis-Maria G. Salvato, M.Sc., O.C.). All rights reserved. This material may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire copyright including contact information remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.