03-21-2020, 02:42 AM
The question which have been puzzling me since I first became acquainted with Confederation message is how come that Christianity doesn't have any thorough meditation path?
Q'uo made a distinction between Christianity and Buddhism by saying that the former is "active and inclusive" path, while the latter is "passive and reductive". They also affiliated themselves with "active and inclusive" path, so they are, speaking roughly, Christians.
And yet Confederation always stress meditation as the most effective, swift method of spiritual development which is available to anyone. But strangely enough, meditation, as well as visualisation, are tools, which are most profoundly developed within Buddhism, especially Tibetan Buddhism aka Vajrayana. In Vajrayana, they have all sort of visualisational and meditative techiques, most prominent of them are Mahamudra (tib. Chagchen) and Mahasandhi (tib. Dzogchen). It is said that some most realized Dzogchen adepts are able dissolve their mortal bodies back into light at the time of death, this is called "rainbow body".
In contrast, I was able to find the only Christian way which resembles meditation in Eastern Ortodox Church, and that path is *hesychasm*. Their main aim is to achieve complete inner silence to make that clean sacred place for a sincere prayer, uninterrupted and free from thoughts. In this silence they pray a very simple and short prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner." They have rather elaborate theory and practice of cutting off any thoughts and intentions. They also utilize breathing method, low sitting posture with the head close to knees and have stages from basic one up to seeing "god light". Many of them choose a life of a hermit.
So, to sum it up, why do you think Christianity doesn't have meditation way as Buddhism has?
And why Confederation, being active/inclusive Christians suggests a method which is most developed within passive/reductive tradition which is Buddhism?
And what saddens me the most is Eastern Orthodox Church has a uniform opinion that meditation is in direct opposition to christian prayer, that is basically their official opinion if you ask any Father, just like they think that Buddhism is in direct opposition to Christianity. Did any one read any comments from Confederation on that seeming contradiction?
Q'uo made a distinction between Christianity and Buddhism by saying that the former is "active and inclusive" path, while the latter is "passive and reductive". They also affiliated themselves with "active and inclusive" path, so they are, speaking roughly, Christians.
November 22, 2008 Wrote:...We wish to thank the one known as G for this query. It enables us to look at the two paths of seeking which may be called “passive and reductive” and “active and inclusive.” The passive and reductive path is that which we would characterize as the Buddhist way, the Way of the Yogis. The beginning of the path is seen as one of chaos and a world of confusion and suffering. The end of the path is seen as the end of suffering and the reduction of all chaos into the “zero” of the uncluttered and empty mind.
In contrast, the way of activity and inclusiveness might be characterized as that Western way, which is understood by this instrument as the Christian way, where there is a journey from the beginning which is a similar landscape to the beginning of the Buddhist way, full of chaos and suffering. However, the end of this way is seen as a journey into more and more fullness of content, more and more connection to the world, until the world becomes holy or sacred.
In its way of describing that which is the spiritual journey, the Confederation, as you call our group, leans more towards the inclusive path than the reductive path. And yet both are views of the same process and the same underlying reality, if we may use that term in such a world of illusion as is the Creation....
And yet Confederation always stress meditation as the most effective, swift method of spiritual development which is available to anyone. But strangely enough, meditation, as well as visualisation, are tools, which are most profoundly developed within Buddhism, especially Tibetan Buddhism aka Vajrayana. In Vajrayana, they have all sort of visualisational and meditative techiques, most prominent of them are Mahamudra (tib. Chagchen) and Mahasandhi (tib. Dzogchen). It is said that some most realized Dzogchen adepts are able dissolve their mortal bodies back into light at the time of death, this is called "rainbow body".
In contrast, I was able to find the only Christian way which resembles meditation in Eastern Ortodox Church, and that path is *hesychasm*. Their main aim is to achieve complete inner silence to make that clean sacred place for a sincere prayer, uninterrupted and free from thoughts. In this silence they pray a very simple and short prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner." They have rather elaborate theory and practice of cutting off any thoughts and intentions. They also utilize breathing method, low sitting posture with the head close to knees and have stages from basic one up to seeing "god light". Many of them choose a life of a hermit.
So, to sum it up, why do you think Christianity doesn't have meditation way as Buddhism has?
And why Confederation, being active/inclusive Christians suggests a method which is most developed within passive/reductive tradition which is Buddhism?
And what saddens me the most is Eastern Orthodox Church has a uniform opinion that meditation is in direct opposition to christian prayer, that is basically their official opinion if you ask any Father, just like they think that Buddhism is in direct opposition to Christianity. Did any one read any comments from Confederation on that seeming contradiction?