Universality of Religions: Many Paths towards the Same Goal (1/2)

K.S. Chow

Introduction

The major esoteric religions in the world today are Vedānta of Hinduism, Taoism, Buddhism, Christian and Islam. These religions differ only exoterically or outwardly but they are esoterically or inwardly identical. The exoteric dimension of religion is materialism or external forms, such as the scriptures, ritualism and practices. The esoteric dimension is ultimate Truth of Tao - the hidden and real Truth which sustains the phenomenal world. Exoterically, different religions undertake different ritualistic practices or prayers and adhere to apparent different divine Commandments or Precepts. Nevertheless, different religious paths converge finally at the communal Truth of Wisdom – the dependently co-arisen Unity or Non-duality. Unity or Non-duality is the oneness of the world expressed theosophically or perennially as ‘The One in many and the many in the One’. The parallel expression of this Truth in Mahāyāna Buddhism is: Emptiness is Form; Form is Emptiness’.

This Truth unveiling statement is the profound communal message of esoteric or higher religions. This is the Truth which we all should discover to redeem ourselves to transform ignorance of Truth to the discernment of Truth. The former is delusion or illusion and the latter is self-awakening or self-enlightenment. Primarily, this is the fundamental function of religion – the development of Wisdom through the perception of Ultimate Reality.

 The ordinary people merely perceive the many, multiplicity or diverge forms, reify them and are obsessed by them either by their temptations or repulsions. Consequently, they superimpose the illusive self-centric ego upon their human personalities either to satisfy their senses or to remove anguish or vexation. Buddhism depicts object reification as the personality view (sakkāya diṭṭhi). At this critical point, it is relatively easy to misinterpret that religion rejects materialism in favour of spiritualism. This is a perverse vision. Such misinterpretation has resulted in the unjust and sometimes very cruel persecutions of religious leaders or fervent religious adherents. The actual truth is that materialism and spiritualism are inseparable. Religion teaches us how to manage or deal with materialism with spiritual wisdom so that we are not disadvantaged by clinging or grasping upon self and others.

It is very obvious that human beings only can live or survive when they have adequate material supports at their disposals. We all need food, shelter, clothing, transport and other essential requisites to sustain lives. Even a computer or a car has become a fundamental requisite for a modern office or home worker. Spiritual knowledge is the wisdom of managing the material world wisely and infallibly. The actual position of religion is that only the forms or signs of the materialism are rejected but the pragmatic value of materialism can not be discarded in mundane life. The forms or signs are denied to avert grasping upon the five aggregates of the human personality. Only the forms or signs of objects are negated but the objects of perception themselves are not denied if they are practically useful. Renunciation is the annihilation of self-centric ego but not the annihilation of wealth or possessions. Lay practioners cannot renounce wealth and possessions. They are means to fulfill wholesome life. What are to be renounced are internal or mental. Religion trains us to renounce attachment and aversion in relation to materialism but not wealth or possessions that can perform wholesome or meritorious activities. For instance, we reject attachment to money but we can not reject money itself. Money is a means to an end.

 The instruments or practical utilities of materialism or objects are not discarded as they are pragmatic for the transactions of mundane human life. Knowledge of conventional truth is living skill by which we administrate and transact our secular lives. We are advised by Gotama Buddha to utilize them without ontological commitment or object reification and grasping. The forms or signs are abandoned in order to unveil the ultimate Reality of the Unity of Existence or Oneness of the world. When the illusive and unreal forms or signs are perceived as real substantial existents, the Ultimate Reality is obscured. When the Ultimate Reality is concealed, the notion of self-centric ego is fabricated and creates the continuous dramas of saṃsāric life. It is fabricated because it originally does not exist. The sole function of esoteric or higher religion is to help the adherents obliterate the fabricated self-centric ego. Self-centric ego is only obliterated if and only if the eternal Truth of Unity or Non-duality is intuitively apprehended. Religion guides us to discover the eternal Truth or Ultimate Reality of Unity or Non-duality so that we can become lovingly-kind, altruistically compassionate, benevolently appreciative and most importantly wisely equanimous.

Exotericism and Esotericism

For instance, the Christians adhere to the exoteric Ten Commandments. The Muslims are guided by the exoteric five pillars of Islam or the Islamic Law (Sharī’ah). The lay Buddhists exoterically safeguards the Five Precepts (Pañcasīlas) and the Ten Wholesome Courses of Action (Dasasīlas). Though adherents of different faiths undertake different ritualistic practices and adhere to different Commandments or Precepts, they are orientated esoterically towards and converge eventually at the inner Heart in which self-redemption occurs. Self-redemption is salvation. The exoteric dimension of religion is the cornerstone to the esoteric dimension of religion. Most importantly, the Commandments or Precepts help the religious adherents manage the material life wisely and infallibly before one has discerned the Truth. Once the Truth is discerned, the commandments or precepts are not violated effortlessly or spontaneously. Truth guides Man perfectly averting potential pitfalls in one’s life journey. This is the true meaning of renunciation or transcendence.

Ordinary people should avoid defining renunciation or transcendence because it is beyond intellectual or logical thought of the ordinary worldlings. Nevertheless, an ordinary worldling can develop his or her mind religiously by treading on any holy Path of Truth to finally discern the true meaning of renunciation or transcendence. In fact, such an endeavour is fundamentally important to eliminate human fallibilities and vulnerabilities. Mere going forth from home to homelessness is not the true renunciation or transcendence. Of course, the external renunciation helps tremendously in the initial practices before enlightenment of a monk or nun. If a monk or nun does not cultivate or practise as seriously as expected of the monastic life, it is a waste of rare, precious human life.

 Concisely put, renunciation is the annihilation of self-centric ego giving birth to the universal or cosmic Self. The main attribute of a saved or liberated person operating with cosmic Self is selfless service for all. Mere donning the robe is not true renunciation. Renunciation is self-redemption followed by a great compassion to propagate the Truth in any practical way possible.

 Internet propagation of Truth is most rapid and the coverage is globalized. Internet preaching is much more extensive and economical than live preaching. This is where we perceive a perfect alliance of modernity and spirituality.

 From Monotheistic perspective, a delivered Monotheist practises the Divine Truth of universal brotherhood of mankind. He or she love the neighbours as he or she loves himself or herself. Anyone other than members of one’s own family are neighbours. Neighbours include house’s neighbours, associates, colleagues, comrades, friends, strangers and even enemies. Religion recommends one’s love is extended non-discriminatively beyond the boundary of the family’s circle.  Loving the neighbours denote the manifest of universal, non-discriminative love irrespective of religions, creed, colours or castes. The Christian Scriptures state that a saved Christian infilled with the Holy Spirit of God manifests the following virtues:

1. Love
2. Joy
3. Peace
4. Patience
5. Kindness
6. Goodness
7. Faithfulness (Galatians 5:22)

Interestingly, the list of virtues is not exhaustive. It is limitless. Any righteous or ethical value is included. Holy Spirit moulds a comprehensive character development and formation. Holy Spirit is not a spiritual force injected externally by al-mighty God into the mind of a saved believer. It is the Spirit of Truth developed from knowing God. Knowing God is knowing the eternal Truth of Unity or Non-duality. The knowledge of Truth is gained through the human mind. God is Truth beyond intellectual understanding but it is discerned by intuitive or mystic realization – Self-awakening or Gnosis. Those who love and have affinity with God may see God through inferences.  The message of God is transmitted either through an angel or a human being, such as a Prophet or Buddha. Between an angel and a human being, a human being has been declared by the God or Buddha  to be more supreme divinely.

From Buddhist perspective, a delivered Buddhist exercises the four sublime or boundless virtues of Loving-kindness, Compassion, Appreciative Joy and Equanimity (Brahmavihāras). Boundless virtues denote that virtues are exercised non-discriminatively towards all neighbours in a sense similar to the practice of universal love by the Monotheists towards their neighbours. The boundless virtue of Equanimity is of utmost importance because it mirrors the complete annihilation of self-centric ego. A comprehensive list of attributes of a liberated Buddhist is formulated in the comprehensive Noble Eight Fold Path by Gotama Buddha thus:

1. Right Understanding
2. Right Thought
3. Right Speech
4. Right Action
5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Efforts
7. Right Mindfulness
8. Right Concentration

The list is exhaustic and mirrors the comprehensive attributes of a liberated Buddhist. The qualifying adjective ‘Right’ carries a profound message. It connotes that the self-centric ego has been obliterated totally and only the pure consciousness directs and empowers all the six sense activities. ‘Right’ connotes ‘ ‘Perfect’ as every aggregate of the Noble Eight Fold Path is regulated by the perfection of wisdom which dispels ignorance.

 In the state of liberation, the inner Heart is the common sanctuary to which a genuine religious adherent returns to  redeem oneself. The inner Heart is the pure, infinite consciousness of Perfect Man, such as an Arahant or Bodhisattva. Self-redemption is the attainment of soteriological goal by which one ‘s wisdom and moral conduct are consummated. As a result, the moral fallibilities and vulnerabilities of human personality are entirely annihilated.

The final state of human salvation has been dissimilarly designated. In reality, it is ineffable and nameless. The sole soteriological condition for all religious adherents is the annihilation of self-centric ego and the discernment of the relationship between the relative truth of phenomena and the eternal principle. The most important agenda of salvation in all religions is the consummation of comprehensive human character formation. Character consummation corresponds to the perfection of wisdom and conduct. No temptations and repulsions in the secular life will cause his or her downfall through immorality or lack of self-restraint.

Universality of Religions

Sri Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad Gītā, the Hindu religious scriptures thus:

In whatever way or form a man worships Me, I increase
his faith and make him firm and steady in that worship.

Sri Kṛṣṇa preaches that as long as God is worshipped correctly, whatever ritualistic practices, Commandments or Precepts and even whatever forms of religion adopted are immaterial. Only a Knower of Truth can utter thus. If a cat can catch a mouse, it is immaterial whether the cat is white or black. In other words, it is immaterial whether the ritual practices and doctrines are similar or identical, as long as it is orientated towards an identical soteriological goal, the means will produce the communal end. The soteriological fruit is foremost. All esoteric or higher religions are all-inclusive. Being all-inclusive, every esoteric or higher religion embodies the following communalities:

1.  All human beings are innately divine or supreme
2. The phenomenal world is manifest, illusive, unreal and impermanent
3. The Absolute Essence is hidden, real and eternal
4. The illusive self-centric ego is ignorantly superimposed

upon the human personality due to ignorance

1. Man can be ethically and wisely perfected through religious instructions, trainings and self-cultivation.
2. The communal Truth of Wisdom is the One in the many and the many in the One.

Therefore, the towering Sifi Ibn ‘Arabī advised us that since all major world’s religions are all-inclusive, we ought to respect all religions. Inter-faith dialogues should be focused on the aforestated esoteric communalities rather than the distinct exoteric dimensions. Inter-faith religious leaders should not preoccupy themselves with the exoteric doctrinal and ritual detail but should instead focus their attention on the communal Truth of Wisdom aforestated. Abn ‘Arabī, a Sufi Gnostic, advised further that even though religions contradict each other exoterically, each of them expounds the communal Truth of Wisdom, that is, dependently co-arisen Unity or Non-duality. This communal Truth of Wisdom bridges the apparently dissimilar religions. All Gnostics from dissimilar religions finally intuitively discern a single Divine Truth or Ultimate Reality.

Hindu philosophy advocates that God is Brahman thus, “Brahman (God) is in everything. Just like clay is in thousands of pots.” (Yoga Vasishtha 6.1.49). The same Yoga literature also affirms thus, “ The infinite consciousness is neither created nor destroyed. It is the sole Reality.” (Yoga Vasishtha 3.52). The sole Reality is Brahman, Tao, Buddha, or God.

In Hindu Soteriology of the Vedānta philosophy, knowledge of Self or Ātman (Ātmajñāta) is knowledge of All (sarvajñāta). When Ātman is known, everything is known. All knowledge is the knowledge of the Unity (the One) and its relation to the multiplicity (the many). Ātman is synonymous with knowing the true nature of Buddha-nature in Mahāyāna tradition. Ātman is synonymous with Brahman. Ātman is God residing in a human being. Ātman is universal Self which is synonymous with Dharmadhātu (universal Self) expounded in the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra of Mahāyāna tradition. The Brahman is God dwelling in the finite cosmos while Ātman dwells within Man. The Brahman is synonymous with the Buddha-realm (Dharmadhātu) in Buddhist cosmology.

In the Brahmajāla-sutta (DN.1), Gotama Buddha does not really criticize the Divine Scriptures of the Vedas which are ancient Divine revelation. The Exalted One refuted only the heretical or wrong interpretations of Vedic religion advanced by early Vedic or Hindu philosophers. To be more exact, Gotama Buddha emerged in India to fulfill the Vedas in the sense of rectifying the heretical or wrong interpretations of the Vedic religion. All religions reject ‘self’ (‘s’ in small letter) or ego but all religions advocate universal Self (‘S’ in capital letter). The self is the false self synonymous with ordinary, defiled, finite consciousness. The Self is the true Self synonymous with the intuitive, pure, infinite consciousness. Self is synonymous with Brahman, Tao, Buddha, God or Allah. The late Upaniṣad or Vedānta consummates the interpretation or exegesis of the Vedic religion.

It is not so appropriate or reliable to compare world esoteric religions with the early Scriptures of Vedas, Brāhmaṇas, Āranyakas, early and middle Upaniṣads for more reliable inter-faith understanding. The late Upaniṣad or Vedānta especially Vedānta Sūtra is the most reliable exegesis of the religious philosophy of modern Hinduism in which the universality of all religions is admitted. In fact, Vedānta is significant as it unifies all religions just like Bahau’llah (1817-1892), the founder of Bahai religion, unites all world religions. Bahau’llah once uttered, “ The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are attainable and until its unity is firmly established.”

Prophet Muhammad says thus:

We make no distinction between any of His messengers though
each prophetic Messenger brought particular rules and rites
that differed to some extent from those of previous Messengers
and to every nation, we appointed rites.(al-Quran: 22:67)

Different Prophets prescribed dissimilar ritualistic practices and rules of discipline  to suit the particular conditions of a particular country and the inclination of a particular group of devotees. Religious pedagogies differ according to individual differences and different customs, traditions or norms peculiar to the country from which the religion originated. For instance, the Buddhism in India is known to the Buddhists worldwide as Indian Buddhism. It is called Indian Buddhism because its exoteric dimension is Indianized. It is Indianized because the ritualism adopted ought to suit local Indian culture without sacrificing the esoteric Truth. The esoteric Truth is eternal and immutable. The local Indian Buddhist culture is merely the expedient device or skillful means to reach an identical, esoteric end, that is, mental liberation. Ritualism and Rules of discipline pave the path to realize the eternal Truth of Unit or Non-duality.

                                      To be continued