Roll Away The Stone
Gay Baines
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I watched the "Frontline"series and was completely
fascinated. It's a pleasant change to hear people talk
about the social and historical aspects of the Jesus
story.. It's a pleasure to hear a professor speak plainly
about the fact that Jesus died and his followers were
left feeling bereft ... which is what I am sure happened.
I talked to another person (ah the heck with it, she's a
good friend, my late husband's first wife), as agnostic as
I, and she too was enthralled. She said if the transportation
weren't so difficult, she'd go up to SUNY Buffalo and audit
a course in the history of early Xnty.
I enjoyed Elaine Pagels especially. There was an article
about her in the New Yorker last year. I started reading it,
then decided I was too dumb to understand it & gave up.
It might still be around here somewhere [rustle rustle].
Guess not. I too have looked at the web page, but there's
just so much in there, you can't absorb it all.
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"If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you.
If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth
will destroy you." Jesus -The Gospel of Thomas --found in 1945 at Nag
Hammadi, Egypt
-------------------------
This is a beautiful quote. It seems Buddhist to me.
Didn't Joseph Campbell suggest that Thomas had
traveled to the Far East & come in contact with
Buddhist thought?
Tord Svenson
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At 01:00 PM 4/16/98 -0400, Gay Baines wrote:
-------- snip -------------
>----------------------- (Tord's signature) ----------------
>"If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you.
>If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth
>will destroy you." Jesus -The Gospel of Thomas --found in 1945 at Nag
>Hammadi, Egypt
>------------------------- Gay said ----------------
>
>This is a beautiful quote. It seems Buddhist to me.
>Didn't Joseph Campbell suggest that Thomas had
>traveled to the Far East & come in contact with
>Buddhist thought?
>
------------------------
I would call it extremely powerful --- and threatening. The image of the
Kingdom of God within us as destroying us if we don't "bring it forth"
exceeds any normal "Christian" or Buddhist imperatives of which I am aware.
Case XLVI in the Mumonkan -- Sekiso's Hundred Foot Pole -- comes close.
I look upon Jesus' statement as of primary importance. Since I have almost
died a couple of times, I will warn you and anyone else that to be confused
at that moment is something you will not forget. That destroying confusion
comes from failing to be truly enlightened. How can you tell if you are
truly enlightened? Sekiso tells us to go to the top of the hundred foot
pole and then keep going --
>Sekiso said, "How can you go further from the top of a hundred foot pole?"
Again, an ancient worthy said, "One sitting at the top of the hundred foot
pole has entered the Way, but is not yet the real thing. He must go on
further from the top of the hundred foot pole, and reveal his true self in
the ten directions."
We are all circling death and sometimes it comes very close. The plunge
into the gravity well of death ( Jesus said "destroy you") is a primary
force that can be used to accelerate our consciousness above the hundred
foot pole and bring our true self to life as we return. The light of the
true self -- enlightenment -- The Kingdom of God --the understanding Plato
speaks of but will not explain -- has nothing to do with life or death. It
simply is --and it is within all sentient beings.
Jesus is as serious in this statement/koan as it is possible to be -- If
anyone takes him seriously :-)
Do you feel lucky?
Tord
Roger Mohr
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Great quote Gay. I was just trying to say something similar on the UU
men's list. Thanks.
Also, http://www.catholic.org/saints/saints/apostles.html has a little on
St. Thomas, who is said to have proselytized in Persia and India. I'm a
symbol junkie, what can I say.
Roger
Gay wrote:
> "If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save
you.
> If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth
> will destroy you." Jesus -The Gospel of Thomas --found in 1945 at Nag
> Hammadi, Egypt
> -------------------------
>
Gay Baines
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Actually, Tord is responsible for the quote, not moi.
Elaine Pagels cited it on the "First Xns" Frontline
series last week.
----------
From: Roger Mohr
Sent: Friday, April 17, 1998 1:33 PM
To: Recipients of UUS-L; Gay Baines
Subject: Re: Roll Away The Stone