WE ARE EXPLORING THE PRACTICE
OF HOLINESS
+ The four ripening
factors refer to the four principal factors that bodhisattvas employ in
attracting disciples and enhancing their spiritual potentials. These are:
1. Giving material
aid;
2. Speaking
eloquently;
3. Always giving
the right counsel; and
4. Setting an
example by living the principles taught.
It is through these
skillful means that the compassionate bodhisattvas work for the welfare of all
other beings.
— His Holiness The Dalai Lama in The
Path to Bliss by His Holiness The Dalai Lama, Christine Cox, editor
+ The archetype of the Bodhisattva is one of the greatest gifts of Buddhism to the planet.
I liken it to the biblical archetype of the Suffering Servant which is
introduced to us in the Servant Hymns of the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 42:1-6;
Isaiah 49:1-7; Isaiah 50:4-9; Isaiah 52:13-53:12). Other wisdom traditions also offer this
archetype in a variety of ways. The main
idea is that the holy person becomes totally enlightened and, rather than
keeping this bliss to herself or himself, she or he vows to save all creatures
everywhere with this wisdom. There is
even an insistence that it is impossible for anyone to be saved until everyone
is saved.
So, becoming a Boddhisattva or a Servant of the Lord is
ultimately mandatory.
This is A Course in
Miracles. It is a required course. Only the time you take it is voluntary. Free
will does not mean that you can establish the curriculum. It means only that
you can elect what you want to take at a given time. The course does not aim at
teaching the meaning of love, for that is beyond what can be taught. It does
aim, however, at removing the blocks to the awareness of love’s presence, which
is your natural inheritance. The opposite of love is fear, but what is
all-encompassing can have no opposite.
Learning how to be holy and practicing holiness is an
obligation. Sooner or later, everyone
gets the call to be a devoted participant in bringing our planetary evolution
to a more holy level of compassion, peace, justice and sustainable abundance
for all creatures everywhere. I don’t
believe anyone can avoid this call nor would anyone want to avoid this call
once the bliss of holiness
is experienced.
+ Holiness
is not one of the 37 Spirituality & Practice practices BUT put Holiness
in their Search Engine and you come up with 460 items including 227 quotes,
168 books, 28 practices, 14 teachers, 12 arts links, 7 e-courses, 3 films and 1
blog as of 5/11/16. Go to http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/search/?q=holiness.
+ The Body gets a lot of attention from Spirituality and Practice as you can see when you go to a link to “Body” on
their search engine. You will find 1611 items as of 4/26/16.
+ I would love it if you offered a guest post on this
practice or any practice. And, I have
work to do on my Holiness Page. Maybe you can help. Send an email with the subject “Holiness” or
“Guest Post” to John@abundancetrek.com.
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