The Centre of Heart is Identical for All Religious Adherents

By Wong Weng Hon

Introduction

The Original Nature or the Centre of the Heart of Human species is identical for all religious adherents. It cannot be different or distinct. Likewise, the moral Law of Cause and Effect is universally applied to all human beings without exception. The Original Nature of human species is universally known as the Universal Self, True Self, Pure Consciousness or Infinite Consciousness. The Confucius Classic of ‘The Doctrine of Mean (中庸) sheds light on this Original Nature known as Tao (道) thus :

天命之謂性, 率性之謂道, 修道之謂教.
Every human being is naturally endowed with the Original Nature.
Personal development concurring with this Original Nature is known as Tao or spiritual Path.
Cultivation according to Tao is the religious education or training.

In Taoist Classic ‘Tao Te Ching promulgated by Lao Tze, Tao is defined thus :

道可道, 非常道.
Tao, which is effable or expressable, is not the eternal Tao.

The Tao refers to an eternal Essence or Absolute (Truth or principle) ) from which the multiplicity of the world is manifested and to which all human species return to redeem themselves. This eternal Absolute or Essence or is known as Brahman in Upaniṣads, Vedānta, or Hinduism; Original Nature in Confucianism, Śūnyatā or Buddha-nature in Mahāyāna Buddhism, Anattā in Theravāda Buddhism, Holy Spirit or God in Christianity and Allah in Islam or Sufism.

All esoteric religions ultimately guide the genuine, serious religious adherents to walk the Path in order to make a return or inward journey to this Centre of the human Heart called Tao. It is in this original home of the human species that eternal bliss is experienced and perfect human virtue are manifested. This is the common soteriological goal of salvation, emancipation, liberation or deliverance in which one is truly free from suffering, realizes eternal happiness, perfects knowledge or wisdom and moral conduct. The true human salvation is realized by dwelling in this Centre of the human Heart. This Centre of the human Heart is an Absolute or Essence which is , infinite, eternal peace and eternal bliss.

Distinct and Identical

The Vedas, Upaniṣads, Vedānta, Hinduism, Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, Christianity, Sufism and Islam are exoterically different in outward dimension. But esoterically in terms of the final soteriological goal or human salvation, they are identical internally or esoterically at the summit of spiritual self-actualization or self-realization. This one and the only Truth governs the human personality (microcosm) and cosmos (macrocosm). It is above and beyond all religions. It is not only beyond all religions but is also ineffable or unspeakable. This ineffable Truth or Treasure, located at the Centre of the Human Heart, is our original home in which Brahman, Buddha, God or Allah welcome us home as we have been missing from this home for countless aeons since time immemorial.

Definite Condition

There is one definite or absolute condition for any religious adherent or practitioner irrespective of the dissimilar designations of their respective religions  to return home to redeem oneself interiorly. This interior life is the esoteric return to the Centre of the Heart or Original Nature of all Man. This one definite condition of self-redemption is that he or she must be able to discern intuitively the distinction or dissimilarity between the conventional truth of multiplicity and the ultimate truth of Unity or Oneness. To apprehend intuitively this vital distinction between these two truths, the esoteric religious practitioner must eliminate two-fold ignorance. Firstly, the ignorance pertains to  the illusive self or ego superimposed in his or her mind as I or Mine. Secondly, the ignorance is related to the illusive multiplicity or myriad beings of the empirical world. This two-fold ignorance can only be eliminated by the development of Wisdom through self-awakening or God-realization. Firstly, through gnosis or self-enlightenment, the wise practitioner must annihilate the illusive, superimposed self or ego known as animal self or lower self in monotheistic religions through the development of Wisdom. Secondly, he or she must realize the cosmic illusion of the multiplicity or myriad beings of the cosmos.

Unity and Multiplicity

The ultimate Truth is Unity and not multiplicity. Multiplicity is the false manifestation of the human mind and ego which are ordinary, finite consciousness. The ordinary consciousness is engendered by the ignorance of the true nature of things or cosmos. Realization of the Truth of Unity generates the infinite consciousness which is designated dissimilarly as Brahman, Buddha, God and Allah which is ineffable in the ultimate analysis. The world is, in actuality, a cosmic illusion and empty of signs, marks or characteristics. The signs, marks or characteristics, collectively known as diversifying differentiations or different creations, are apparently real in terms of conventional truth. They are unreal or illusive from the perspective of ultimate truth.The multiplicity are like dreams, magic shows, echoes or mirages which are illusory.  The ultimate truth of Unity is likened to the metaphor of Ocean; the conventional truth of multiplicity is akin to the metaphor of the waves of the Ocean. The waves are merely the images or reflections of the Sea. When the Sea is totally tranquil, the waves return and merge with the Ocean becoming a Unity or Oneness.

Conclusion

Originally, all human beings are one with the Absolute or Essence. When one attains the Absolute Silence of the mind, the infinite consciousness or pure consciousness, devoid of the illusive self or ego, is redeemed. It is the noisy self or ego which prevents us from returning home – the Centre of the Human Heart – our Original Nature. In Buddhism, one will return home – the Buddha-nature or Buddha mind, when he or she has realized the Perfection of Wisdom which dispels ignorance. The pathway of liberation adopted by Buddhism or Hinduism is either by the path of Karma-yoga (Selfless action) or by the path of Jñāna-yoga (Path of Wisdom or Knowledge).

In the monotheistic religions, one will go definitely home if he or she fears and loves God. One is said to fear and love God if he or she is an absolutely honest trustee of God. The trustee becomes the absolute servant of God by adhering completely to the commands of God without any question. This is known as the path of Bakhti Yoga (devout love of God). This can only be fulfilled if and only if one has surrendered self or ego absolutely to God by annihilating his animal or lower self (self or ego). This is known as the path of Karma Yoga. Selflessness is actualized when one has realized that every creation is unreal and only God is real. God is not physical being but an ineffable highest Truth to be worshipped by all. This highest Truth is beyond all religions. Only with the wisdom of self-realizing this highest Truth or perfect knowledge of God that one truly and genuinely apprehends intuitively the profound message of Unity and the Universal brotherhood of humanity ! Perceiving the Brahman, Buddha or God is discernment of the highest Truth which creates, preserves and governs the infinite cosmos.

Editor’s Note

This article is composed to awaken the different religious adherents that, theosophically speaking, all esoteric religions, such as Upaniṣads, Vedānta, Hinduism, Sikhism, Taoism Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity, Sufism and Islam advocates one and the same Truth at the esoteric dimension of religions. The final destination of salvation is identical for all human beings – a return to the Centre of the human Heart – Original Nature of Man. Whether the Absolute Truth of Oneness is known as Brahman, Tao, Ming Te, Buddha, God or Allah is immaterial as this one and the only Truth is ineffable or unspeakeable. Self-realization of this common Truth perfects human wisdom and conduct.

This article is specially composed to unify all people who profess different religions It is hoped that this article on theosophy will help construct world peace and harmony as the modern world is divided by deficiency in inter-faith understanding.