Melbourne ChapterVedanta Centre of Sydney
Atmano Mokshaartham, Jagad Hitaya Cha
(for one's own salvation, and for the welfare of the world)
Melbourne Chapter
5-7 Angus Ave
Ringwood East
VIC 3135
Phone:
+61 426 864 750
+61 413 040 599
Email:
vedanta@vedantamelbourne.com
Universal Teachings
Every religion teaches man to fill his being with the glory of God and to transcend pettiness and selfishness. It trains him in the methods of unattachment and discernment, so that he may aim high and attain spiritual perfection.
Many people are sincere and fervent in upholding their Ideal but in their zeal they overlook the fact that the whole universe is part of that Ideal and that all men, of whatever nation or faith, are just as much children of God as they are. If we are not kind, tender, loving and forgiving towards all, we have no share in the religion we profess. If we look upon life from the Divine point of view, then all outer differences and misunderstandings recede away and perfect peace resides.
True religious growth consists in expansion not in contraction; it is inclusive not exclusive. - for True Love always unites never divides. The message of Truth and Love is to be found in all the world's great religions. Below are some excerpts taken from the Sacred Tests of the world's major religions to illustrate the underlying unity of all faiths.
| The Truth is One, Paths are Many |
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Christianity And I [Jesus] have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd. John 10.16 Islam Those who believe in the Qur'an, those who follow the Jewish scriptures, and the Sabeans and the Christians - any who believe in God and righteousness - on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. Qur'an 5.69 Hindusim As men approach me, so I receive them. All paths, Arjuna, lead to me. Bhagavad Gita 4.11 Confucianism Confucius said: "In the world there are many different roads but the destination is the same. There are a hundred deliberations but the result is one." I Ching Appended Remarks 2.5 Sikhism The Hindus and the Muslims have but one and the same God. Adi Granth, Bhairo, p.1158 Baha'i Faith The different religions have one truth underlying them; therefore, their reality is one.In brief, everyone of the divine religions contains essential ordinances, which are not subject to change, and material ordinances, which are abrogated according to the exigencies of time. But the people of the world have forsaken the divine teachings and followed forms and imitations of the truth. Inasmuch as these human interpretations and superstitions differ, dissensions and bigotry have arisen, and strife and warfare have prevailed. By investigating the truth or foundation of reality underlying their own and other beliefs, all would be united and agreed, for this reality is one; it is not multiple and not divisible. Jainism At any time, in any form and accepted name, if one is shorn of all attachment, that one is you alone. My Lord! You are one although variously appearing. Hemachandra Anyayogavyavacchedika 29 Taoism Let some worship the Truthful One [a Taoist deity], and revere the Northern Constellation, while others bow before the Buddha and recite sutras. Taoism, Tract of the Quiet Way Judaism Rabbi Joshus said: "There are righteous people among the nations who have a share in the world to come." Tosefta Sanhedrin 13.2 Sri Ramakrishna: As many faiths so many paths. |
| Tolerance and Respect for All Believers |
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Christianity Jesus said: "Do to others whatever you would have them do to you." Bible: Matthew 7.12 Islam Will you then compel mankind, against their will, to believe? No soul can believe, except by the Will of God. Qur'an 10.99-100 Hindusim |
| Eternal Truth |
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Christianity In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. Bible: John 1.1-4 Islam He has created the heavens and the earth with truth. Qur'an 16.3 Hindusim From the bosom of the sacred Word he brought forth the world. On high, below, he abides in his own laws. Atharva Veda 4.1.3 Buddhism The world exists because of causal actions, all things are produced by causal actions and all beings are governed and bound by causal actions. They are fixed like the rolling wheel of a cart, fixed by the pin of its axle shaft. Sutta Nipata 5.18 Sikhism Falsehood shall be destroyed; truth in the end shall prevail. Adi Granth,Ramakali-ki-Var, M:1 p.953 Taoism The ten thousand things all come from the same seed, and with their different forms they give place to one another. Beginning and end are part of a single ring and no one can comprehend its principle. This is called Heaven the Equaliser. Chuang Tzu 27 Judaism Righteousness and justice are the foundations of thy throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before thee. Psalm 89.14 Confucianism In the Book of Songs it is said; the ordinance of God, how inscrutable it is and goes on for ever. Doctrine of the Mean 26.10 Jainism The question as to when the union of soul with karma for the first time cannot arise, since this is a beginningless relation like gold and stone. Pancadhyayi 2.35-36 |
| Love and service |
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Christianity Jesus Said: "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles have power over them, and their leaders exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom to many." Bible: Matthew 20.25-28 Islam A man once asked the Prophet what was the best thing in Islam, and Mohammed replied, "It is to feed the hungry and to give the greeting of peace both to those one knows and to those one does not know." Hadith of Bukhari Hindusim The ignorant work for their profit, Arjuna; the wise work for the welfare of the world, without thought to themselves. By abstaining from work you will confuse the ignorant, who are engrossed in their actions. Perform all work carefully, guided by compassion. Bhagavad Gita 3.25-26 Buddhism The bodhisattva should adopt the same attitude toward all beings, his mind should be even toward all beings, his mind should be even toward all beings, he should not handle others with an uneven mind, but with a mind which is friendly, well-disposed, helpful, free from aversions, avoiding harm and hurt; he should handle others as if they were his mother, father, son, or daughter. As a saviour of all beings should a bodhisattva behave toward all beings. So should he train himself if he wants to know full enlightenment. Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines 321-322 Sikhism One who serves and seeks no recompense finds union with the Lord. Such a servant alone takesthe Master's guidance, says Nanak, as on him is divine grace. Adi Granth, Gauri Sukhmani, M:5 p.286 Taoism He who can find no room for others lacks fellow feeling, and to him who lacks fellow feeling, all men are strangers. Chuang Tzu 23 Judaism He who prays for his fellowman, while he himself has the same need, will be answered first. Talmud, Baba Kamma 92a Confucianism "Mencius said: "'Benevolence' means 'man.' When two are conjoined, the result is 'the Way.'" Menicus VII B:16 Baha'i Faith Be in perfect unity. Never become angry with on another. Let your eyes be directed toward the kingdom of truth and not toward the world of creation. Love the creatures for the sake of God and not for themselves. You will never become angry or impatient if you love them for the sake of God. Humanity is not perfect. There are imperfections in every human being, and you will always become unhappy if you look towards the people themselves. But if you look toward God, you will love them and be kind to them, for the world of God is the world of perfection and complete mercy. Therefore do not look at the shortcomings of anybody; see with the sight of forgiveness. The imperfect eye beholds imperfections. The eye that covers faults looks toward the Creator of souls. He created them, trains and provides for them, endows them with capacity and life, sight and hearing; therefore they are the signs of His grandeur. You must love and be kind to everybody, care for the poor, protect the weak, heal the sick, teach and educate the ignorant. Baha'u'llah's Teachings on Spiritual Reality 10.4 Jainism Have benevolence toward all living beings, joy at the sight of the virtuous, compassion and sympathy for the afflicted, and tolerance towards the indolent and ill-behaved. Tattvarthasutra 7.11 Shintoism Even though it be the home of someone who has managed for long to avoid misfortune, we gods will not enter into the dwelling of a person with perverse disposition. Even though it be a dwelling where a man be in mourning for father and mother, if he be a man of compassion, we deities will enter in there. Oracle of Kasuga African Traditional Religions Gentle character it is which enables the rope of life to stay unbroken in one's hand. Yoruba Proverb Zoroastrianism May generosity triumph over niggardliness, May love triumph over contempt, May the true-spoken word triumph over the false-spoken word, May truth triumph over falsehood. Yasna, 60.5 |
| FAITH |
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Christianity Jesus said: "For verily I say unto you if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say unto this mountain, 'Remove hence to yonder place'; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." Bible: Matthew 20.25-28 Islam The true believers are those whose hearts are filled with awe at the mention of God and whose faith grows stronger as they listen to His revelations. They put their trust in their Lord, pray steadfastly, and give in alms of that which we have given them. Such are the true believers. They shall be exalted and forgiven by the Lord, and a generous provision shall be made for them. Qur'an 8.2-4 Hindusim Faith is composed of the heart's intention. Light comes through faith. Through faith men come to prayer, Faith in the morning, faith at noon and at the setting of the sun. O Faith, give us faith! Rig Veda 10.155.4-5 Buddhism By faith you shall be free and go beyond the world of death. Sutta Nipata 1146 Sikhism Through faith man finds the Door of Liberation: Even his relatives are liberated through him. Through faith are both Preceptor and disciple liberated. Says Nanak, One with faith Need not wander about begging for divine grace. The great, immaculate Name of God May only be realized by one Whose mind is firmly fixed in faith Adi Granth, Japuji Sahib 15 Judaism |
| PURITY |
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Christianity Jesus said: "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God." Bible: Matthew 5.8 Islam For everything there is an appropriate way of polishing; the heat's polishing is the remembrance of God. Hadith of Tirmidhi Hindusim The body is cleansed by water, the internal organ is purified by truthfulness, the individual soul by sacred learning and austerities and the intellect by true knowledge. Laws of Manu 5.109 Buddhism Make thyself an island, work hard, be wise! When thy impurities are blown away, and thou art free from guilt, thou wilt enter into the heavenly world of the elect (Ariya). Dhammapada 236 Sikhism By purity of heart alone is the holy Eternal attained. Adi Granth, Asa-ki-Var M:1 p.472 Taoism The mind of the perfect man is like a mirror. It does not lean forward in its response to things. It responds to things but conceals nothing of its own. Therefore it is able to deal with things without injury to its reality. Chuang Tzu 7 Judaism Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new right spirit within me. Psalm 51.10 Baha'i Faith O my brother! A pure heart is as a mirror; cleanse it with the burnish of love and severance from all save God, that the true sun may shine within it and the eternal morning dawn. The Seven Valleys and The Four Valleys, 21 Shintoism All you who come before me, hoping to attain the accomplishment of your desires, pray with hearts pure from falsehood, clean within and without, reflecting the truth like a mirror. Uttaradhyayana Sutra 28.30 |
| PATIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE |
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Christianity He who endures to the end shall be saved. Bible: Matthew 5.8 Islam Patiently, then, persevere for the promise of God is true. And ask forgiveness for your sin, and celebrate the praises of your Lord in the evening and in the morning. Hadith of Tirmidhi Hindusim Though he be ever so tired by repeated failure, let him begin his operations again and again; for fortune greatly favours the man who perseveres in his undertakings. Laws of Manu 9.300 Buddhism Heedful among the heedless, wide awake amongst the slumbering, the wise man advances as does a swift horse, leaving a weak jade behind. Dhammapada 29 Sikhism Make patience thy arrow, patience again thy bow and then aim at the life-object and, lo, thou winnest by God's Grace. Shlokas of Farid Judaism Perseverance prevails even against Heaven. Talmud Sanhedrin 105a Confucianism Menicus said: "To try to achieve anything is like digging a well. You can dig a hole nine fathoms deep, but if you fail to reach the source of water, it is just an abandoned well." Menicus VII.A.29 Baha'i Faith From the exalted source, and out of the essence of His favour and bounty He hath entrusted every created thing with a sign of His knowledge, so that none of His creatures may be deprived of its share in expressing each according to its capacity and rank, this knowledge. This sign is the mirror of His beauty in the world of creation. The greater the effort exerted for the refinement of this sublime and noble mirror, the more faithfully will it be made to reflect the glory of the names and attributes of God, and reveal the wonders of His signa and knowledge. There can be no doubt whatever that, in consequence of the efforts which every man may consciously exert and as a result of the exertion pf his own spiritual faculties, this mirror can be so cleansed from the dross of earthly defilements and purged from satanic fancies as to be able to draw nigh unto the meads of eternal holiness and attain the courts of everlasting fellowship. Baha'u'llah's Teachings on Spiritual Reality 13.1 Jainism You have crossed the great ocean; why do you halt so near the shore? Make haste to get on the other side, Gautama; be careful all the while! Uttaradhyayana Sutra 10.34 Native American Religions You will be running to the four corners of the universe: To where the land meets the big water; To where the home of winter is; To the home of rain. Run this! Run! Be strong! For you are the mother of a people. Apache Song African Tradional Religions The snail has no hands, The snail has no feet, Gently the snail climbs the tree. Yoruba Proverb
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