387 lines
18 KiB
Plaintext
387 lines
18 KiB
Plaintext
The War Within
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World Scripture
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THE WAR WITHIN
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Religions have conceptualized the infirmity of the human condition as an
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interior war between two opposing natures, one good and the other evil. As
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long as people experience this state of contradiction, they can neither realize
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their divine self nor achieve a state of unity and wholeness. Paradoxically,
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while people immersed in worldly affairs may not always recognize the war
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within themselves, it is precisely in leading a conscientious life, when
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striving to do good and be good, that this conflict comes to the fore.
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The world's religions conceptualize this conflict in various ways. The first
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group of passages locates the two natures in the fabric of creation itself:
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thus Zoroastrianism and Hinduism teach that the earth is a battlefield between
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two opposing good and evil powers, and Hinduism and Jainism distinguish between
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the divine Self and the material existence in which it is bound.
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The monotheistic religions, however, cannot allow a dualism that locates the
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conflict in the fabric of creation itself, for that would raise insuperable
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problems for the doctrine of the unity of God. They delimit these warring
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powers to the carnal desires within the individual soul, or to the errant
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spiritual influences which incite such desires--see Demonic Powers, pp. 435-44.
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The next group of scripture passages hold this view: for example, Paul's
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observation of the war between spirit and flesh and the Jewish doctrine of the
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Good and Evil Inclinations. Buddhism, which regards material reality as
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resultant of mind and deals entirely on the level of psychology, likewise
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emphasizes the war within the person, between its innate emptiness and the
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fetters caused by craving for selfhood. We conclude with passages expressing
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the more general idea that the human self is often its own worst enemy.
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This body is mortal, always gripped by death, but within it dwells the immortal
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Self. This Self, when associated in our consciousness with the body, is
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subject to pleasure and pain; and so long as this association continues,
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freedom from pleasure and pain can no man find.
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1. Hinduism. Chandogya Upanishad 8.12.1
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Just as knowledge, in spite of it being intangible, gets obliterated under the
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influence of wine, so the self, though originally intangible, gets its
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qualities obstructed under the influence of tangible karma particles. In its
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state of bondage, the soul, though intangible, conceives itself to be tangible
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[identical with the body].
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2. Jainism. Pancadhyayi 2.57
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Two birds, united always and known by the same name, closely cling to the same
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tree. One of them eats the sweet fruit; the other looks on without eating.
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Seated on the same tree, the jiva moans, bewildered by his impotence. But when
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he beholds the other, the Lord worshipped by all, and His glory, he becomes
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free from grief.
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When the seer beholds the self-luminous Creator, the Lord, the Purusha, the
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progenitor of Brahma, then he, the wise seer, shakes off good and evil, becomes
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stainless, and reaches the supreme unity.
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3. Hinduism. Mundaka Upanishad 3.1.1-3
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The First Fundamental Principle is the primary cause of the succession of
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deaths and rebirths from beginningless time. It is the Principle of Ignorance,
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the outgoing principle of individuation, manifestation, transformation,
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succession and discrimination. From the working out of this Principle there
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has resulted the various differentiation of minds of all sentient beings, and
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all the time they have been taking these limited and perturbed and contaminated
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minds to be their true and natural Essence of Mind.
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The Second Fundamental Principle is the primary cause of the pure unity of
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Enlightenment and Nirvana that has existed from beginningless time. It is the
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principle of integrating compassion, the indrawing, unifying principle of
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purity, harmony, likeness, rhythm, permanency, and peace. By the indrawing of
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this Principle within the brightness of your own nature, its unifying spirit
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can be discovered and developed and realized under all varieties of conditions.
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4. Buddhism. Surangama Sutra
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Pancadhyayi 2.57: Cf. Pancadhyayi 2.35-36, p. 383. Mundaka Upanishad 3.1.1-3:
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The tree represents the body. The two birds are the jiva or individual soul
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and the Atman or Self. Cf. Bhagavad Gita 13.19-22, pp. 178f.; Atharva Veda
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19.51.1, p. 228. Surangama Sutra: Cf. Dhammapada 1-2, p. 722.
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- - - - - - - - - - - -
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There are two orders of creation: one divine, the other demonic.
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5. Hinduism. Bhagavad Gita 16.6
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Yes, there are two fundamental spirits, twins which are renowned to be in
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conflict. In thought and in word, in action, they are two: the good and the
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bad. And between these two, the beneficent have correctly chosen, not the
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maleficent.
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Furthermore, when these two spirits first came together, they created life and
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death, and now, in the end the worst existence shall be for the deceitful but
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the best thinking [Heaven] for the truthful person.
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Of these two spirits, the deceitful one chose to bring to realization the worst
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things. But the very virtuous spirit, who is clothed in the hardest stones,
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chose the truth, and so shall mortals who shall satisfy the Wise Lord
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continuously with true actions.
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6. Zoroastrianism. Avesta, Yasna 30.3-5
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The offspring of Prajapati were of two kinds: gods and demons. Of these the
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gods were younger and the demons the older. They were disputing the possession
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of these worlds. The gods said, "Well, let us overpower the demons at the
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sacrifice with the Udgitha chant [chanting the Sama Veda]."
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They said to speech, "Chant for us!" "Very well," she said. So speech chanted
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for them the Udgitha. Whatever delight is in speech, that she chanted for the
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Gods; whatever she speaks well, that is for herself. The demons knew: "By this
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singer they will overpower us." They attacked her and pierced her with evil.
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The evil that makes one speak what is improper, that is that evil.
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Then they said to the breath, "Chant for us!"... Whatever delight is in
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breath, that he chanted for the gods; whatever fragrance he smells well, that
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is for himself. The demons... pierced him with evil. The evil that makes one
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smell what is improper, that is that evil.
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Then they said to the eye, "Chant for us!"... Whatever delight is in the eye,
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that he chanted for the gods; whatever beautiful he sees, that is for himself.
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The demons... pierced him with evil. The evil that makes one see what is
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improper, that is that evil.
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Then they said to the ear, "Chant for us!"... Whatever delight is in the ear,
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that he chanted for the gods; whatever he hears well, that is for himself. The
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demons... pierced him with evil. The evil that makes one hear what is
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improper, that is that evil.
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Then they said to the mind, "Chant for us!"... Whatever delight there is in
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the mind, that he chanted for the gods; whatever he thinks well, that is for
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himself. The demons... pierced him with evil. The evil that makes one think
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what is improper, that is that evil. Thus they afflicted the senses with evil;
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they pierced them with evil.
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Then they said to the Life Breath, "Chant for us!" "Very well," he said. So the
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Breath chanted for them. The demons knew, "By this singer they will overpower
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us." They attacked him and wanted to pierce him with evil. But just as a lump
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of earth is scattered when it strikes on a stone, in the same way they were
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scattered in all directions and perished. Therefore the gods increased and the
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demons diminished. He who knows this increases in himself and his enemies
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diminish.
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7. Hinduism. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.3.1-7
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Bhagavad Gita 16.6: Cf. Satapatha Brahmana 5.1.1.1-2, p. 441. Yasna 30.3-5:
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Zoroastrianism demands a decision, to choose either the good or the evil spirit
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which rage in conflict within the self. Cf. Yasna 30.2, p. 675; Videvdad
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1.3-11, p. 438.
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- - - - - - - - - - - -
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The spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak.
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8. Christianity. Matthew 26.41
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Man prays for evil as he prays for good; man is ever hasty.
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9. Islam. Qur'an 17.11o
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Every person has both a bad heart and a good heart. No matter how good a man
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seems, he has some evil. No matter how bad a man seems, there is some good
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about him. No man is perfect.
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10. Native American Religions. Mohawk Tradition
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The mind is said to be twofold:
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The pure and also the impure;
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Impure--by union with desire;
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Pure--from desire completely free.
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11. Hinduism. Maitri Upanishad 6.34
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Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.3.1-7: The senses, though created good, are
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hopelessly invaded by evil--cf. Samyutta Nikaya xxxv.28, p. 381; only the Life
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Breath (prana) remains inviolate. The prana is channeled through yoga; hence
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it is through yoga and meditative disciplines that one can establish an
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inviolate foundation of goodness within oneself. Qur'an 17.11: Prayer is an
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expression of one's desire and intention; hence it is possible to pray for evil
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either out of ignorance or insincerity. Yet God does not necessarily treat all
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prayers alike, for he looks for true piety; cf. Qur'an 2.177, p. 861. Mohawk
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Tradition: This is the conclusion to a creation account given in full on pp.
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438f. Maitri Upanishad 6.34: Cf. Mueller's translation, p. 722. Cf. Dhammapada
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1-2, p. 722; Bhagavad Gita 3.36-41, p. 417.
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By the fetters of envy and selfishness are all bound--gods, men, demons, nagas,
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gandhabbas and every other great class of beings--so that although they wish,
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"Would that we might live in friendship, without hatred, injury, emnity or
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malignity," they still live in emnity, hating, injuring, hostile, malign.
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12. Buddhism. Digha Nikaya ii.276, Sakkapanha Suttanta
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Rabbi Isaac said, "Man's evil inclination renews itself daily against him, as
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it is said, 'Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil every
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day.' [Genesis 6.5]." And Rabbi Simeon ben Levi said, "Man's evil inclination
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gathers strength against him daily and seeks to slay him... and were not the
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Holy One, blessed be He, to help him, he could not prevail against it."
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13. Judaism. Talmud, Kiddushin 30b
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Five are the robbers lodged in this body--
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Lust, wrath, avarice, attachment, and egoism.
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14. Sikhism. Adi Granth, Sorath, M.3, p. 600
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The self is the one invincible foe when acting with the four cardinal passions:
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anger, pride, deceitfulness, and greed.
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15. Jainism. Uttaradyayana Sutra 23.38
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Lust, hatred, and delusion
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ruin the man of wicked heart.
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They are begotten in himself
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like the lush growth of pith in the stem.
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16. Buddhism. Itivuttaka 45
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Alas, all my efforts have come to nothing!
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I have not lessened my pride,
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I have not cast down my vanity:
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My mind is still the slave of evil impulses!
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Nanak prays, O Lord, save, save!
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17. Sikhism. Adi Granth, Shalok, M.9, p. 1428
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Digha Nikaya ii.276: Cf. Maitri Upanishad 3.2, p. 412. Kiddushin 30b: This is
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the Jewish doctrine of the Evil Inclination. See Kiddushin 30b, p. 526;
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Berakot 51, p. 926; Shabbat 105b, p. 407; cf. James 4.1-3, p. 416; 1 Peter
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2.11, p. 926. Sorath, M.3: Sikhism describes the evil within the mind through
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the doctrine of the Five Robbers. Cf. Asa-ki-Var, M.1, p. 456; Shalok
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Sehskriti, M.5, p. 1055. Shalok, M.9: Cf. Jaitsari Chhant, M.5, p. 410.
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- - - - - - - - - - - -
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I know what is good
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but I am not inclined to do it;
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I know also what is bad,
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but I do not refrain from doing it;
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I just do as I am prompted to do
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by some divine spirit
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standing in my heart.
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18. Hinduism. Mahabharata
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I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the
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very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is
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good. So then it is no longer I that do it, but sin which dwells within me.
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For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can
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will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but
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the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no
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longer I that do it, but sin which dwells within me.
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So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.
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For I delight in the law of God, in my inmost self, but I see in my members
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another law at war with the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of
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sin which dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me
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from this body of death?
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19. Christianity. Romans 7.15-24
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Man should discover his own reality
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and not thwart himself.
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For he has the self as his only friend,
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or as his only enemy.
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A person has the self as a friend
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when he has conquered himself,
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But if he rejects his own reality,
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the self will war against him.
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20. Hinduism. Bhagavad Gita 6.5-6
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Mahabharata: These words are spoken by the evil King Duryodhana as he breaks
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his promise to the five Pandava brothers to allow them to return from their
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exile in the forest to claim five villages. The 'divine spirit' is really an
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evil spirit which affirms his evil intentions. Romans 7.15-24: Christians have
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interpreted this passage in two ways: either Paul is describing his inner
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struggles prior to his conversion, or he is speaking as a saved Christian who
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remains in a state of contradiction. In the former case, receiving Christ
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brings wholeness and spiritual freedom, as the will becomes in accord with the
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Good; cf. 1 John 3.9, p. 227. The latter interpretation stresses that
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Christians are still bound by Original Sin and hence must be subject to the
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discipline of the Church; cf. Romans 8.23, p. 318; James 4.1-3, p. 416; 1 Peter
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2.11, p. 926. Bhagavad Gita 6.5-6: Cf. Matthew 12.30, p. 674; Acarangasutra
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5.36, p. 679.
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Surely God wrongs not men anything, but men wrong themselves.
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21. Islam. Qur'an 10.44
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By oneself alone is evil done; it is self-born, it is self-caused. Evil grinds
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the unwise as a diamond grinds a hard gem.
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22. Buddhism. Dhammapada 161
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Whatever harm a foe may do to a foe, or a hater to a hater, an ill-directed
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mind can do one far greater harm.
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23. Buddhism. Dhammapada 42
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The Reactive Mind is a portion of a person's mind which works on a totally
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stimulus-response basis, which is not under his volitional control, and which
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exerts force and the power of command over his awareness, purposes, thoughts,
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body, and actions. Stored in the Reactive Mind are engrams, and here we find
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the single source of aberrations and psychosomatic ills.
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24. Scientology. L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology 0-8
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Beware! your clinging-to-ego is greater than yourself;
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Pay heed! your emotions are stronger than yourself.
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Your vicious will is far wickeder than yourself;
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Your habitual thought is more characteristic than yourself;
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Your ceaseless mental activity is more frantic than yourself.
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25. Buddhism. Milarepa
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Although enemies such as hatred and craving
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Have neither any arms nor legs,
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And are neither courageous nor wise,
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How have I been used like a slave by them?
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For while they dwell within my mind
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At their pleasure they cause me harm,
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Yet I patiently endure them without any anger;
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But this is an inappropriate and shameful time for patience.
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Should even all the gods and anti-gods
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Rise up against me as my enemies,
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They could not lead nor place me in
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The roaring fires of deepest hell.
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But the mighty foe, these disturbing conceptions,
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In a moment can cast me amidst [those flames]
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Which when met will cause not even the ashes
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Of the king of mountains to remain.
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All other enemies are incapable
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Of remaining for such a length of time
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As can my disturbing conceptions,
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The long-time enemy with neither beginning nor end....
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While in cyclic existence, how can I be joyful and unafraid
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If in my heart I readily prepare a place
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For this incessant enemy of long duration,
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The sole cause for the increase of all that harms me?
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And how shall I ever have happiness
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If in a net of attachment within my mind
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There dwell the guardians of the prison of cyclic existence,
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These disturbing conceptions that become my butchers and tormentors in hell?
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26. Buddhism. Shantideva, Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life 4.28-35
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Dhammapada 42: Cf. Dhammapada 103, p. 731. Scientology 0-8: 'Engrams' are
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traces of unconscious behaviors and habits. Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of
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Life 4.28-35: Cf. Dhammapada 33-37, p. 733; Dhammapada 1-2, p. 722.
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- - - - - - - - - - - -
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Mencius said, "How can one get a cruel man to listen to reason? He dwells
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happily in danger, looks upon disaster as profitable and delights in what will
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lead him to perdition. If the cruel man listened to reason, there would be no
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annihilated states or ruined families....
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"Only when a man invites insult will others insult him. Only when a family
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invites destruction will others destroy it. Only when a state invites invasion
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will others invade it. The T'ai Chia says,
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When Heaven sends down calamities,
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There is hope of weathering them;
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When man brings them upon himself,
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There is no hope of escape.
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This describes well what I have said."
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27. Confucianism. Mencius IV.A.8
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Mencius IV.A.8: The T'ai Chia is a chapter in the Book of History.
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