The Truth About Religion From A Buddhist Esoterist

Okay, so Joshua Mhlakela who predicted that Jesus would return on September 23 (yesterday), is another in a long line of people who have stated a date that Jesus returns, but of course, the dude doesn't show. I wrote about it yesterday and told you I would have more on this today, and so I do. 

In the Book of Enoch, Azazel is responsible for teaching people to make weapons and cosmetics, for which he was cast out of heaven. The Book of Enoch 8:1–3a reads, "And Azazel taught men to make swords and knives and shields and breastplates; and made known to them the metals [of the earth] and the art of working them; and bracelets and ornaments; and the use of antimony and the beautifying of the eyelids; and all kinds of costly stones and all coloring tinctures. And there arose much godlessness, and they committed fornication, and they were led astray and became corrupt in all their ways." 

Sound familiar?  It should, it is you and me and all the rest of the world pretending we're not evil. Evil is in all of us, so is good, and the choice is ours to make every second we breath. Those with a faith that elevates them into the higher states of being, i.e., goodness, or personally for me, Buddhahood, are the good who have elevated themselves about the evil "Azazels" of the world. 

I'm not a Christian, but I do know there have been a good number of scholarly Christians who have written what I have just stated, and well, they do sound very Buddhist in their writings. For example:

• Meister Eckhart (c. 1260–c. 1327): This German theologian and mystic is often cited for his Buddhist-like concepts.
  • Detachment: He saw "detachment" (in German, Abgeschiedenheit) as the highest virtue, describing it as an emptying of the self to become a vessel for God. This mirrors the Buddhist concept of non-attachment.
  • The "Ground of Being": Eckhart spoke of a silent, imageless "Godhead" that was deeper than the personal God. This "desert of the Godhead" is comparable to the Buddhist notion of emptiness (śūnyatā), or the "ground of being," a state that is free from images and concepts.
• The author of The Cloud of Unknowing (late 14th century): This anonymous English mystic advocated for a form of contemplative prayer that involves emptying the mind of all thoughts, concepts, and images of God. The goal is to pierce through the "cloud of unknowing" to experience God directly. This apophatic (or negative) theology, which describes God by what God is not, is similar to Zen Buddhist meditation, which also seeks a non-conceptual, direct realization of truth.
• Thomas Merton (1915–1968): A Trappist monk and prominent 20th-century mystic, Merton was deeply involved in Buddhist-Christian dialogue. He wrote extensively on the parallels between Christian contemplation and Zen Buddhism, highlighting the similarity between Christian kenosis (the self-emptying of Christ) and Buddhist śūnyatā (emptiness).
• John of the Cross (1542–1591): This Spanish mystic wrote about a process of spiritual purification called the "dark night of the soul." In this experience, the soul is stripped of all worldly attachments, sensory desires, and even spiritual consolations in order to become completely dependent on God. This mirrors the Buddhist path of purifying the mind from attachments to achieve liberation.

Then there are the other Foundational concepts shared by esoteric Christianity and Buddhism:

1. Apophatic Theology vs. Emptiness (Śūnyatā): A key parallel is the shared emphasis on transcending mental constructs to experience ultimate reality.
   • In esoteric Christianity, the apophatic path involves moving beyond images and ideas of God to find the divine essence in a state of silence and emptiness.
   • In Buddhism, the concept of śūnyatā teaches that all phenomena are empty of inherent existence, and liberation comes from realizing this non-conceptual truth.
2. Detachment vs. Non-Attachment: Both traditions stress the need to let go of ego and worldly attachments for spiritual liberation.
   • Christian mystics, like Eckhart, emphasize detachment from earthly things to unite with the Divine Ground.
   • The Buddhist path is founded on the principle of non-attachment, which addresses the root of suffering (dukkha) that arises from clinging to desires.
3. Inner Transformation: Both traditions focus on inward, experiential transformation rather than just intellectual belief.
   • Christian mystics seek a direct, unmediated experience of God that transforms the individual's consciousness.
   • Buddhism emphasizes that enlightenment is realized through personal insight and meditation, not through faith alone. 

What does it all mean?

 

No one knows religion from their brains, it's from the heart. Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, Jew, etc., no one has the answers for all of us. So stop pretending you do, asshole, we are all in this together. Put down your "weapons and cosmetics" which is your faith, let's talk.

 

Who am I talking to here?  I don't know, maybe you.  

 

 

~~ Eso Terry