On this cold, winter night, the Monks of the Eightfold Path -- a non-sectarian intentional spiritual community, rooted in the rich tradition of Buddhist Dharma, interpreted through an inclusive, non-religious, culturally relevant and post-modern lens -- honours the ancient traditions and mythos of our heritage as disciples of the Buddha Dharma and the Dharma of the Christ.
Inasmuch as mythos almost always draws on more ancient myths, there are some significant parallels between the narratives of Buddhism and the Yeshua narratives. Like Buddha, who was said to have been born of a virgin, named Maya, on December 25th, Yeshua was said to have been born to Mary, also supposedly a virgin, and by the Fourth Century C.E., his nativity was celebrated on December 25th, along with the birthdays of the Persian God-Man Mithra, Sol Invictus, Attis and Horus.
Like Yeshua, whose heritage is traced back to the mythological "first man", Adam, to whom one of the gods had given dominion over the earth, Buddha's genealogy traces back to the mythical Maha Sammata, the legendary "first ruler of the world."
Buddha Sakyamuni, we are told, was visited by wise men, who acknowledged his divinity; just as the story tells us occurred in the Yeshua/Jesus narrative.
When Sakyamuni was an infant, King Bhimbasara feared that the child would one day endanger his throne, and therefore sought to kill him. Similarly, the fictitious "slaughter of the innocents" story is told, in which King Herod ordered all the male children to be slaughtered for the same fearful reason.
At the age of twelve, tradition teaches that Buddha Sakyamuni had already excelled in his understanding of the Hindu Dharma, surpassing the wisdom of the learned men of the temples. Similarly, Yeshua is found in the Temple at Jerusalem, teaching the astounded learned ones there, according to the Christian narrative.
So why then, if it is so patently clear that these stories are mythos, do the monks of our spiritual community honour them?
To answer this, I find it necessary to clarify a misconception which often arises, when folks find their faith shaken by the presentation of rational evidence that frequently causes them to strike a defensive posture, and miss the point of the message altogether. (Both mine, and that of their sacred narratives!)
Unlike some scholars, who believe that this evidence proves the case for disbelief in there ever having been an historical Buddha Sakyamuni or Yeshua ben Yosef, I am disinclined to agree. There is no reason to presume that because the same mythological motifs ascribed to Osirus, Horus, Adonis, Attis, Krsna and about twenty other so-called "sun-gods" or "sons of gods", were overlaid upon the Perennialist teachings of Buddha and Christ, then we must discount there ever having lived two enlightened masters named Sakyamuni or Yeshua.
The interpolation of these universal myths into the biographies of Buddha Sakyamuni and Rav Yeshua simply reflects the same kind of commonality among various cultures, to elevate those esteemed teachers to the status of gods, by a primitive people.
And this has long been understood by the illuminati -- the more educated theologians, philosophers and anthropologists -- within the prevalent religions and spiritual traditions. There is an account in the Tibetinum Alphabetum, in which a Catholic monk, named Georgius, presents plates of a crucified god-man, who was worshipped in Nepal, prior to the time ascribed to Rav Yeshua ben Yosef. Such crucifixes were found at the crossroads of Nepal and Tibet. We know from Andrada la Crozius, one of the first Europeans to visit Nepal and Tibet, that this god-man was Indra, who was said to have shed his blood for the salvation of humanity.
Does this interpolation of ancient mythos into the historical teachings or dharma of these two great spiritual masters mean that we cannot honour the traditions of our spiritual ancestors, through whom we have received the real treasure of the Dharma itself? Does the logical conclusion that scriptures are a human construct mean that we cannot find the keys to personal and spiritual growth within the legends, the myths and the greater message underlying these accounts?
For a quarter of a century now, I have served as the spiritual shepherd or principal dharma teacher of our monastic and contemplative order. Inspired by the monastic traditions of Buddhism, the Camaldolese Benedictines, and the (pre-institutional) Franciscan charism, I embrace a belief that every sentient being deserves to be treated with respect, compassion, loving-kindness and equanimity.
The Contemplative Order of Compassion does not consider any sutra or group of sutras as its basic scripture(s). It draws inspiration from the essence of the Buddhadharma in all sutras. It does not accept the systematic arrangements of the Buddhist teachings proposed by any school. The Contemplative Order of Compassion (Monks of the Eightfold Path) seeks to realise the spirit of the Dharma in early Buddhism, as well as in the development of that spirit through the history of the Sangha, and its life and teachings in all Buddhist traditions.
Ours is a spiritual path based on the revealed wisdom of the Four Noble Truths, and grounded in the traditional Four Spirits; namely, the spirit of non-attachment from views and opinions, the spirit of direct experimentation on the nature of interdependent origination through meditation, the spirit of appropriateness, and the spirit of skilful means. All of these essential elements are found in all Buddhist traditions.
I made a sacred commitment to my then-spiritual teacher, in 2006, that I would spend a year, fearlessly dispelling the religious myths and legends that cause so many people pain and suffering. I promised that I would speak out against literalism, fundamentalism and "religious exclusivism". And I promised to endure the certain financial consequences we both knew would follow, for an entire year, as a test (I presume) of my willingness to stand firm in my spiritual path.
For twelve months tonight, I have kept my word. But now, that year is up. My commitment to my vows, to the spiritual path and to the Dharma itself, is uncompromised. However, I will no longer address what should, by now, be a crystal clear understanding of the difference between the dharma and the cultural mythos that has been interpolated into the teachings of the Buddha and the Christ.
Up until last year, I never felt any compulsion to address such matters, outside the monastery/seminary and ashram. Master Thich Nhat Hanh warns of the riskiness of placing our faith in ideas, because ideas can change. My belief is in the fundamental call to compassion. My faith is in love.
The exercise of this past year, while I hope to have been able to have positively affected some spiritual growth and understanding in others, has been a powerful learning experience for me as well. I believe I know why it was that I was asked to spend twelve months focused on such a difficult subject; and I am unfathomably grateful.
Tonight, all of that gets left in the ashes of the dhuni (ceremonial fire pit), and will be symbolically left on the pyres of the cremation grounds.
As a gift on this night, when we commemorate the symbolic birth stories of the Buddha and the Christ, the members of the monastic community voted and unanimously agreed (a feat in and of itself!) to permit me and my successors, to permanently drop the title of "Lama", in favour of the more simple "Dharmacharya" (Dharma teacher). Nothing could be more wonderfully received, as now, I can be certain that no one will ever mistake me for anything other than a simple monk, whose religion is compassion, whose god is love, and whose path is service to those who suffer.
As a simple monk, I bow to each of you and honour whatever traditions, spiritual paths and philosophies might bring you comfort, strengthen your resolve to serve others, and inspire in you a life of compassion.
I ask your warm remembrances as well, as we personally face some extreme financial hardships and are uncertain of the outcomes in the next week.
Over a thousand years ago, Padmasambhava, the great teacher who brought Buddhism from India to Tibet, predicted that in an age when we find increasingly more creative means of seeking entertainment and happiness outside of ourselves, we would forget how to bring meaning to our lives. In the Shambhala teachings, this time is called the "setting sun" or "remains of the day". As practitioners, we have the power to create an uplifted environment that supports us in changing our habits. My spiritual brother, the Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, teaches, "Paying attention to our life and arranging our environment so that it supports us in cultivating compassion is how we move out of the dark age with expediency and momentum."
As I sit in meditation tonight, it will be my sincere intention that each of you will find the courage and inspiration to begin paying greater attention to your lives, and begin to experience an increased cultivation of genuine compassion in your day-to-day journey.
With love and a grateful heart,
gurudas sunyatananda, o.c.
(francis-maria gianmichael salvato, o.c.)
Lojong Ladrang
Lancaster, PA USA
Internationally respected, life coach and teacher, Dharmacharya Gurudas Sunyatananda (Dr. F. Gianmichael Salvato, O.C., M.Sc.) is a Buddhist and Franciscan contemplative, and author of the popular book, "The Dharma of Compassion - One Monk's Reflections on the Teachings of the Enlightened and Anointed Ones". He is best known for his on-going contributions to helping people unlock the power of their own minds -- teaching them how to apply that power to create strong, loving relationships, improve their financial situations, and live healthier, more meaningful, prosperous, health and satisfying lives.
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