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From the time I began to think about the god, I had many concepts- sometimes like the statue and sculpture in temples, other times the pictures and the description written in the ‘holy books’. The different shapes and the layouts appeared in respective situations. From the impact of the culture and the upbringing, the fatherly figure of god with almighty power and strict judgment, became very lasting. The concept of heaven and the hell guided by fear and believed by the traditions around the world, have supported this concept. I wondered whether the God have the quality of love and forgiveness, otherwise where is the necessity of creating hell (paradoxically the scriptures mention the GOD has these qualities).
Equally amazing is the database system of god keeping account of each and the every deeds performed by the individuals. The god must be very busy and has hectic life. Why did he create the world which would turn out to be burden to himself. Then, I observed people (and participated myself unknowingly) in praying god to fulfill the desires; desire for health, wealth, power, success and what not. God becomes the amplified image of us, being used to quench our desires by praising/praying HIM. The god seems to be like a corrupting government staff who can be bribed by the praying. What is in prayer (that i had known) after-all, it was just begging. There are two devotees (and religions) of god who are the enemy to each other. Both are praying for the individual benefit against other. The god must be in confusing situation to whom he should listen. I wondered which statement is correct: God create us in his image or we create god in our image.
The people who called themselves atheist are against this concept, and logically they seems to be right. Their number is very small and yet theists see risk from them in diminishing the value of humanity. On contrary, the world is always becoming victim from the religious war where all the stupidities are justified and excused by their God. If this fatherly concept is for fulfilling our desire and excuses/justification of our activities (stupidity), can world exist without this concept? Answer seems to be frustratingly 'yes'. After-all, the skeptics and atheists are living with this concept. From Charwak to Epicurus, all have convincing logics and provided indirect contribution of the scientific development and the advancement of the physical world.
By and by, when I went through the teaching of masters, like Buddha and Lao tsu, I just bewildered. How can people call them god and worship their sculptures, who never believe in GOD and worshipping. Buddha said there is no god, only dharma is. Lao tse said only Tao is. That is, there exists only the creative energy not creator. It shattered the personification of god leaving no space- neither for theists nor atheists (all atheist believe in law and mystery of nature). At this level, the god vanishes only the godliness remains. Godliness becomes the love and forgiving (as Jesus declared) or peace and compassion (as Buddha taught). Liveliness/life-energy is god itself. Newton discovered the law of gravity by observing the falling apple form the tree. What brings the apple to the branch of the tree? It is the godliness within. What brings the sweet fragrance and color to the flower? What is keeping us breathing and making our heart bit going? From where the atheists gather the energy and intelligence to argue against the GOD (he he)?
This concept becomes more universal and appealing, nonetheless the concept remains the concept. there is no experience of godliness. It may provide the intellectual pleasure but not the strength and authenticity for living. The Masters from the ages are talking about their direct experience not about the concept. They had the fathomless peace and infectious happiness, which could only possible by incessant experiences. What is god in terms of our direct experience, how to experience god by the systems within our physical body? In our physical realm the experience happens in five levels; taste, sight, smell, sound and sensations. Can GOD be experienced, better speaking, can we experience ourselves as the ceaseless and causeless - taste, smell, sound, sight and feeling residing in the body system?
The mystic and the sages from the age have experienced consciousness in many ways;
Kabir says: Bin bati bin tel (there is lamp burning without oil)
Nanak says: Ek Omkar satnam (Everlasting music)
Jesus says: The Christ consciousness (Everlasting light and Love)
Mohammad (Sufis) says: Nad and Noor ( Music and light)
Hindu Upanishad says: Rasho Vaisha ( Intoxicating taste), Pranab/Omkar (Sound).
and there are many ….
How do a seeker get direct experience of god? First, be with those who have been experiencing. Find the living master. It is said- whatever you read or think, it is just concept- many times the concept itself becomes the hurdle in experiencing the Godliness. I recall a Zen proverb: If Buddha comes in your meditation, kill him.
What is your observation? What is GOD for you, friends?
Like most of people, I am not sure whether there is god or not. But yes I can tell one thing, Belief on something (more often:god) is needed to make the discipline and order between us. And yes, being the part of our culture, we cant leave it instantly.
ReplyDeleteLet me start with a famous quotation of Voltaire. Voltaire had somewhere said:
ReplyDeleteIf God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him
Honestly speaking I can not deny the existence of god only because I haven’t seen ‘him’, but one of the definition of Osho; best fits my observation:
“The part of existence, which is visible, is nature, and part of the nature, which is invisible, is God” (I forgot the exact line…if it is quoted wrong, blame it to my bad memory)
So, for me all the visible and invisible existence in totality is God.
God is the existence itself----
ReplyDelete