H I N D U I S M

     From Hinduism one learns, “Everything is Consciousness and you are THAT.” The Masters, who are aware of this Truth, are beyond identification with any particular religion or philosophy, for they have realized the Universal Self and have evolved to a level of Consciousness beyond the “I am the body” belief. 

     India has produced more Enlightened Masters than any other place in the world – and most of the world’s religions originated there. Both the Buddha and Jesus trace their spiritual heritage to Hinduism, which is the granddaddy of all religions, since its all-inclusive overview incorporates every possible method of realizing the Ultimate.

     There are many books available in the West, written by and about the Enlightened Gurus; and their Ashrams and homes can be visited for darshan and satsang (meetings with the Master) in India, and many other countries as well (including the U.S.)

     In Hinduism, the major approaches to attainment of Realization are expressed through these four Yogas:

     The four yogas connect to the ZEN GAME personality types, so initially one will gravitate to the method that corresponds to their ego orientation and predominant personality characteristic. For example, Christianity is a form of Bhakti Yoga – for it is devotion to Jesus, who is the Enlightened Master (or Guru.) Body-Types, who have opened their emotional center, and are “other- oriented” will be drawn to Bhakti; whereas, Jnana Yoga has more appeal for Mind-Types, because it is through understanding alone, that Realization happens. Karma Yoga is good for action- oriented types, which in the ZEN GAME are called Assertives. Raja Yoga is being still, emptied of the “I thought” which is blocking the clarity of Realization. This is easy for Quiets. Zen Buddhism (especially Soto Zen) is a good example, for it is sitting quietly in meditation until the “I thought” drops off.

     Of all the Enlightened Masters, the ones who share the most advanced understanding seem to come from Advaita Vedanta. Vedanta means “the end of the Vedas,” and is a culmination of Hinduism. Advaita means “non-duality.” These Masters never get off on tangents; they have actualized the Absolute, and speak from Unitary Consciousness (rather than the voice of the Relative) when they teach. Here are several exceptional contemporary Masters, whose writings can be found in most bookstores:

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T A O I S M

     Taoism comes from ancient China, and has been revived in the West, largely because of Alan Watts and other contemporary writers who have been able to get inside of the ancient, wise sages and share their humor, naturalness, and Enlightened view of the world with the rest of us.

     The two primary originators of Taoism are the legendary sage, Lao-Tzu and his student, Chuang-Tzu. Lao-Tzu was the author of the "Tao Te Ching," which is the main scripture of Taoism. It puts into words, that which most assume cannot be said.

     There are many current books available, written in the West, which relate Taoism to our everyday life. Two of the most popular ones are “The Tao of Physics” and “The Tao of Pooh,” but there are many others as well. The main method of Taoism (if it can be called that) is just to follow your own nature, for it will always be in harmony with Totality (the Tao.)

     The ZEN GAME incorporates and has been greatly influenced by Taoism, and uses the symbol of the Tao, divided into Yang & Yin, as well as the eight hexagrams which come from the "I Ching" and which are the universal combinations of Yang & Yin (male & female).

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B U D D H I S M

     Buddhism originated in India, and cannot be fully appreciated without understanding the Hindu overview from which it arose. Prince Siddhartha Gautama, discovering the inescapable suffering inherent in the human condition (of sickness, old age & death) left his family, wealth and royal stature, to find the Way of Liberation from that suffering. When he awakened to the Answer, they named him “Buddha” or “the Awakened One.” Anyone else who also Awakens from the dream of thought to his or her Supreme Identity is also called “Buddha.”

Buddhism was a reformation of Hinduism, centered around the Buddha and his teaching. Although Hinduism has remained mainly in India, Buddhism has spread all over the world, and developed many variations. Theravada Buddhism (the way of the Elders) can be found in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Laos and Cambodia and centers around the monks, who adhere to the original teaching with it’s monastic setting. The main method of Theravada is Mindfulness meditation, which is paying attention in every moment in order to Awaken. The Theravada Buddhism, which one finds in the West, usually centers around local Temples that are filled mainly with people from the country represented. The sermons and chants are conducted in their own language and in Pali, making it rather difficult for Westerners to participate. However, just seeing these wonderful orange-robed monks with their happy dispositions, peaceful lifestyle, and austere commitment is both inspirational & challenging for Westerners who are all caught up in the ways of the world.

One of the symbols used in Buddhism is the Raft. The Raft (or method) takes one from this shore of ordinary ego-consciousness to the other shore of Enlightenment. Theravada has also been called “Hinayana” which means little raft, and then “Mahayana” means big raft. Mahayana Buddhism spread into many countries, taking on the environment that it entered. Mahayana is for the masses, as well as for the monks.

Mahayana Buddhism includes Tibetan Buddhism, under the Dalai Lama, as well as Zen Buddhism, and Tantra. The Dalai Lama is the PR spokesman for all Buddhists, and his charisma and compassion have attracted lots of followers in the West, including many entertainers, like Richard Gere. 

Of all the forms that Buddhism has taken, it is Zen, which seems to be the most one-pointed as far as Enlightenment is concerned. Zen is a combination of Indian Buddhism and Chinese Taoism. When the legendary Bodhidharma took dhyana (insight meditation) from India to China, it merged with Taoism to create a most appealing religion, unlike any other. In China, the word, dhyana was translated chan, then when it went to Japan, was called zen. So the word zen means meditation.

The early Chan period produced much creativity and many enlightened Masters. It is during this Golden Age of Zen, that many funny anecdotes arose regarding the Masters and their most unusual ways of sharing their Enlightened view of life, and testing each other’s insight. The most famous of these Masters was Hui-Neng, who was just an uneducated woodchopper when at an early age he happened to overhear some monks reciting the Diamond Sutra. This elevated his understanding to an extraordinary level of satori. Later, he was taken to the monastery to work in the kitchen. However, his insight was deeper than the other monks, so when the old Abbott was ready to pass on the robe and bowl to his successor, Hui-Neng was chosen. It was because of the depth of his understanding that Zen became recognized as a legitimate Way of Liberation. Zen is most unusual because of the direct transmission of Enlightenment which has been handed down from one Master to the next, tracing the lineage back to the Buddha.

There are many wonderful books available regarding these early Chan Masters. “Zen Flesh, Zen Bones” is a compilation of the classic stories and Mondos which came mainly from this period. Also, the many books by D. T. Suzuki and Alan Watts are recommended reading for anyone who is attracted to this early period of Zen.

When Chan went to Japan, the name changed to Zen. The Japanese people added their own style and simplicity to the funny and iconoclastic form of Buddhism that developed in China. In addition to beautiful monasteries with black-robed monks, Zen permeated into the entire Japanese culture from the use of the arts as methods for Self Discovery and Awakening. Nancy Wilson Ross’s book, “The World of Zen” illustrates how Zen was taught, using the arts of Flower Arrangement, Haiku poetry, Sumie’ painting, the Noh Play, Archery, Swordsmanship, Tea Ceremony, Bonsai, and martial arts of Bushido and Karate. The tranquility that comes from meditation has expressed itself through the beauty and culture of the Japanese people.

There are two schools of Zen which have been transplanted in the west. One is Rinzai and the other is Soto Zen. Many of the Zen Centers in America are a combination of both. Rinzai Zen was named after the Master Rinzai, who developed the koan system of posing illogical riddles to the student. The student must answer the question without using conceptual thinking. Three of the most famous koans are: “Does a dog have the Buddha nature?” “What is your Original Face that you had before your parents were born?” and “What is the sound of one hand clapping?” The only answer accepted by the master is the one that comes from Awareness in THIS moment (prior to the arising of thought.)

Soto Zen is sitting in silent meditation in the lotus position, which is called zazen. Americans who participate in this silent meditation find a welcome relief from the chaos of the everyday world. However, unless one has learned how to meditate in the middle of activity, it will not be practical in one's everyday life. Even though this form of meditation is assumed by many to be the most direct way of attaining Enlightenment, Hui-Neng himself made fun of it. He said, “The Buddha has no fixed position. . . and sitting in one place all day is killing the Buddha.”

Therefore, for meditation to really be affective in one’s life, and for breaking through to the Ultimate, one should learn meditation in repose (silent), meditation in activity (mindfulness), and Self inquiry (asking “Who am I?”) With all three methods working as a unit, the little seed inside will surely blossom into Enlightenment!

There are countless books on Buddhism available now in every bookstore; books on Tibetan, Zen, Tantra, and Theravada. There are also a huge number of Zen Centers all over America. When they were first started, a generation ago, the Masters came mostly from Japan, and also some from Korea and Vietnam. However, now there are Americans who have replaced the original Masters, continuing the ancient tradition from the Zendos.

T A N T R A

     Tantra can be found in Hinduism, Buddhism, & Taoism, and is a method using sensuality and worldliness as a way of transcendence, rather than fighting with one’s natural instincts. When Awareness is going on along with everyday activities, one’s addictions and mechanical activities become exhausted (due to the increased Self-Consciousness) -- and eventually drop off, when there is a shift of identity. Usually, religions suggest that one suppress the non–spiritual elements. However, in Tantra, it is realized that this is only a temporary fix, and will create a division between the “ideal” and the “actual,” and between mind and body. Therefore in Tantra, one learns to make friends with one’s dark or unconscious side until it becomes integral. In opening both the male and female principles in oneself, there is Wholeness. As Jesus put it, “When you make the two One, then you will go into the Kingdom.”

Tantra’s ancient scriptures were written four or five thousand years ago, in the language of love between Shiva and his consort Devi. At the end of “Zen Flesh, Zen Bones” one can find a shorthand version of 112 ways (or meditation techniques) to open the door of Consciousness. One will discover in these techniques, the blueprint for meditation methods that developed later in all the various traditions. Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh took these 112 centering techniques and expanded them into many wonderful volumes entitled “Book of the Secrets.” Of all the Masters, Rajneesh (Osho) was the best at communicating the deepest meaning of Tantra, and how it can be used as a Method to the Ultimate.

C H R I S T I A N I T Y

     The Bible was not written by an Enlightened Master, as many of the scriptures of Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism have been. Therefore, it does not communicate the highest teaching, but instead, a symbolic, mythical interpretation of the teaching of Jesus. This teaching is inspirational and helpful for those who are on the beginner’s level of spirituality. However, if one is ready to penetrate to the Heart of Jesus and know him fully, then he (or she) must discover the hidden or esoteric teaching. This teaching is not found in the churches, which are involved only with the exoteric (social and superficial) level only.

        Christianity today should be called “Paulianity” since it is more the creativity of Paul, than of Jesus. Paul was not an Enlightened Master, for he never got beyond the division in himself. The Gospels in the Bible were not the historical Truth about Jesus, or what he taught, but was instead a combination of three elements. First of all, the ancient Persian myth of the Sun God Mithra, which was the popular religion of the times, and with which Paul was well-acquainted. He combined it with the doctrines of Sacrifice and Atonement coming from Judaism, as well as the Theology of Eschatology (the End-Times) that was totally off the point. These three elements were interwoven, using the persona of Jesus as the character. In the beginning, people knew that the Gospel story was meant to be symbolical of Enlightenment……the death of the ego and rebirth in the Transcendental State. However, after years went by, the symbolism was forgotten, and it was taken to be literal and factual.

     The historical Jesus is unknown to present day Christians, who have never fully understood that the teaching of “The Kingdom of Heaven” refers to spiritual Enlightenment, or oneness with God. When his followers asked where they could find this “Kingdom” that he spoke of, Jesus answered, “If you look for it, you will not find it, for the Kingdom of Heaven is within you.”

     The most important facts in the life of Jesus have been left out of the Bible. Most people do not realize, for instance, that he spent more of his life in India, than in Israel. The missing years of his life between the ages of 12 and 30, were spent traveling all over India, learning from the Enlightened Masters of Hinduism and Buddhism. In ancient monasteries in India, they have preserved stories of his journeys, as well as maps showing where he went during those formative years. Many of his parables were taken right out of the Buddhist Sutras and were not originals.

     When The Nag Hammadi scrolls were unearthed in Egypt not long ago, the most significant book found was “The Gospel of Thomas,” written by the brother of Jesus. It predates the Biblical Gospels and fits all the pieces together regarding what Jesus taught. These Riddles or Parables are a much clearer statement that sounds very similar to the way the Hindu and Zen Masters talk. Some of these can be found in the “Who is Jesus?” section on the Website.

     One of the very best verses which is not listed in the Section mentioned above is this one:

     From a traditional Christian viewpoint, what could this possibly mean? There is absolutely no clue, for one must be on The Path, to understand that it refers to Meditation. Meditation is omitted from the traditional teaching. It is only the secret or advanced teaching in which the Universal is expressed. In the Thomas verses it is obvious that Jesus was pointing to the same Enlightened Consciousness as the Hindu and Buddhist Masters.

     There are many Christian mystics, who over the Centuries have had glimpses of Unitary Consciousness. However, there is only one, who seems to have reached the level of Master, and that is Meister Eckhart. Meister Eckhart was a German Catholic Priest and Mystic, who was eventually ex-communicated from the Church because of his Enlightened Understanding. It was not until D. T. Suzuki came along and pointed it out, that the West could finally acknowledge his degree of attainment. Meister Eckhart is a bridge for Christians who are unable to jump right into the Eastern framework, for he expresses Enlightenment using Christian terminology, in his own very creative way. Although the words are somewhat archaic, if one is interested, the best book available is “Meister Eckhart” by Raymond Blakney, and also “Mysticism – Christian & Buddhist” by D. T. Suzuki. 

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S U F I S M  &  T H E  F O U R T H  W A Y 

     The Sufis are the only Muslims who seem to be on the Path of Enlightenment. It is when the Muslims entered India, trying to destroy Hinduism, that the Sufis arose. The Sufis were Muslims who absorbed the greater Understanding from the Hindus. So, just as Buddhism and Christianity find their roots in Hinduism…….so, then, do the Sufis.

     There are books on Sufism, by Idries Shah, and other authorities. However, the Master who’s roots can be traced back to Sufism who was the most creative and original was George Gurdjieff.  Gurdjieff was a Russian, by birth, who had run into the Sufis, and then developed his own system, which he called "The Fourth Way." He said there were the three ways of the Monk, the Yogi, and the Fakir, and then there was another way for the ordinary people of the world to attain Enlightenment. This, he called "The Fourth Way."

He was a "Rascal Sage" who used many unconventional tricks to awaken the students who came to him. However, some of his insights and methods were both original and practical for a person who wants to be transformed while still remaining in the world, and who wants to do it on his own, without joining a group, or following a Master. The best and most helpful book on his Methods, was written by his student, Ouspensky. It is entitled, "The Fourth Way.".......(what else?)

This is one of the best books for learning how to pay attention in THIS moment! One can open the book anywhere, and be reminded of "Self-Remembering," which was his term for Meditation. There are many other excellent aids in the book, such as "The Magnetic Center." He points out that when one uses the word "I," it is not the same "I" but many different persons, that are in contradiction in oneself. There is the "I" that is a parent, the "I" that goes to work, the various "I's" that are aroused from memories in the past. One may say "yes" with one "I" and then the next day, when a different "I" is conscious, there will be a "no." So, the average person is a bundle of contradictions, who cannot be trusted to keep his word. When meditation (or "Self-Remembering") begins, it creates a Magnetic Center, in which all these contradictory "I's" can come together as ONE."

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W O M E N 

     Most of the Masters that one hears of are men. However, there are many women, as well, from all the traditions, who have become conscious of the Enlightened State. The female symbol of Enlightenment is best represented by Quan Yin, who’s beautiful statues can be seen all over the world, representing the compassionate Boddhisattva, who will not rest until all the suffering in the world has been ended, through Realization of the Ultimate.

     One of the fully Enlightened female Masters, who has been inspired by Quan Yin is Suma Ching Hai. Raised as both a Catholic and a Buddhist, she spent many years on The Path, before Realization happened. Born in Asia, she travels worldwide, sharing her insights, and has a large group of followers. Her teaching is called “The Quan Yin Method.”

     Here are some quotes from the little book that she distributes with no charge, to all. It is entitled, “The Key of Immediate Enlightenment.”

     Another female and Zen Master who was inspired by Quan Yin was Roshi Jiyu Kennett, from Mt. Shasta Abbey in California. She had this to say, “The statues of Kuan Yin appear female until, on looking at them closely, one realizes that they are neither male nor female but something which is beyond both. This is because if someone truly realizes the heart of Kuan Yin, they become a new creature, beyond the opposites of male and female, right and wrong, and are said to be unsui, free as the clouds and strong and gentle as water.”

     Another Master, called “The Holy Mother,” is Ammachi. Her full name is Mata Amritanandamayi Devi. She is a Hindu from India, who also travels worldwide, gathering huge crowds. She does much philanthropic work, along with being a spiritual inspiration. Her trademark is the Divine Hugs that she gives to one and all, who must stand in line for hours at a time to reach her. They say she will not leave (no matter what the hour) until everyone has received her warm embrace. Many claim to receive healings from this encounter.

     The Master from India who was her predecessor is Anandamayi Ma. Her title was also “The Divine Mother” denoting her Enlightenment. She, however, never left her native country, but spent her whole life in India, traveling all over to reach the people who needed her. There are many books published in India, regarding her life and teaching. The following quotation by Anandamayi is the most eloquent and appropriate conclusion to this section:

T H E  S U P R E M E  M O M E N T 

     “In accordance with your own particular line of approach, each one of you must seize the time, the moment that will reveal to you the eternal relationship by which you are united to the Infinite: this is the revelation of Mahayoga, Supreme Union. Supreme Union signifies that the whole universe is within you, and you are in it . . . 
         At that ‘Moment,’ at that point of time – when it is found, you will know your Self. To know your Self implies the revelation (at that very same instant) of what your father and mother in reality are, and not only your father and mother, but the entire universe. It is that Moment which links up the whole of creation. For to know yourself does not mean to know your body only; it signifies the full revelation of That which eternally Is – The Supreme Father, Mother, Beloved, Lord and Master – the Self. 
        At the moment of your birth, you did not know that you came into being. But when you have caught the Supreme Moment, you suddenly come to know who you really are. At that instant, when you have found your Self, the whole universe will have become yours. Just as by receiving one seed, you have potentially received an infinite number of trees, so must you capture the One Supreme Moment, the realization of which will leave nothing unrealized.”

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