A Walk down the Ages-1

[Guest guest]

Hi,If an alien was to come and pick up a history book covering 2,000 years of this planet's history, it wouldseem all that he would find is a record of conquests, wars, jihad's,crusades, a miserable chronicle of seemingly endless struggle for power, beit in the name of religion or naked greed.What should also be available ought to be a commentary of moments in humanity's history where global consciousness shifted, "leapt up" be it through the presence of mystics, awakened ones, enlightened ones or geniuseslike painters, playwrights, musicians.A walk down the ages.........1000-1100 ADIn the very early morning of January 1st, 1000 AD, thousand of god-fearingEuropean sigh with relief, afraid that at the end of the first millenniumafter Christ, would bring the Judgment Day on Earth.They are happy todiscover that life goes on more or less as usual.950-1050In a single sustained burst of creativity, scores of temples are created atKhajuraho, India elaborately covered with erotic statues.The temples are built by Tantric Masters.The temples outside are covered with all the possible forms and combinations of sexual union and inside are stark bare walls, signifying emptiness.These Khajuraho temples are a symbolic representation of the fact that the same energy which is life creating through sex, can be transformed into meditation to re-discover that which IS.Many of the temples were destroyed by invaders, forgotten and were re-discovered in the 20th century.1017 ADBirth of Ramanuja in India, a mystic who brings the essence of Vedas and Upanishads to the masses, thereby for the first time destroying the exclusivity of the priest class to hoard these truths.1088 ADTa Hui, a great Zen Master is born near the Yangtse River, in China.Through Tai Hui, one comes to know of his Masters, Chun of Chan T'ang and Yuan Wu whose sayings are condensed in the book' Blue Cliff Record".Ta Hui's fame as a enlightened Master grows to such proportions, that he is given the name of "Buddha Sun" as a sign of imperial honour.Ta Hui dies in 1163 AD and just before he dies, he is asked by his disciples to compose a verse. He does and dies immediately after uttering these words:Birth is thusDeath is thusVerse or no verseWhat's the fuss?1117A young French philosopher named Abelard meets a beautiful 16 year old girl called Heloise in Paris, becomes her tutor and falls in love with her.He throws aside his radical philosophy in favour of passion and romance.His brutal castration at the hand of Heloise's uncle, shocks Paris and sets the stage for one of the greatest love stories of all times.Helloes at the instruction of Abelard becomes a nun, loses nothing of her love for him.She writes" If Augustus Caesar, ruling over the whole world, were to deem me worthy of marriage, dearer to me and of greater dignity would it seem to be called thy whore, than his empress."1130Hakim Sanai, a court poet, is travelling with the Sultan of Ghazna on a journey of conquest of India when he hears singing from inside a walled garden. It is the Sufi mystic Lai-Khur dismissed by most people as a drunkard who loudly proposes a toast " to the blindness of Hakim Sanai, because he is unaware of the purpose for which he has been created."The impact of the mystics words, causes Hakim Sanai to awaken and he writes "The Hadiqa"- The walled Garden of Truth.If this world was to get destroyed, two books should be saved, one from Zen, Sosan's Hsin Hsin Ming and the other is Hakim Sanai's The Hadiqa.1048Birth of Omar Khayyam, the mystical poet in Nishapur, Persia.He was a poet, a mathematician, an astronomer.His work on algebra becomes known throughout medieval Europe.He measures the length of the year to 11th decimal places in the 11th century!However his fame is from his writings, his mystical love poems, contained in his book -The Rubiyat".One of the well know verses:"The Moving Finger writes;and having writ,Moves on;nor all thy Piety, nor WitShall lure it back to cancelhalf a lineNor all thy Tears wash out aWord of it"1182Giovanni de Bernadone is born in Assisi, Italy.From a wild teenager drunk most of the time, he becomes an ascetic monk eventually becoming know as St. Francis of Assisi.He lived a life of severe self-denial and yet in his last days he repents his asceticism saying that it has "offended his brother, the body'.His rapport with animals and nature become a legend.1200Birth of Dogen, a famous Zen Master who founds the Soto school of Zen. Dogen introduces Zazen to humanity, a sitting meditation.Dogen was a seeker at the age of 7 and was initiated into monkhood at the age of 13.He attains enlightenment with Master Ju-Ching and writes:"To study the way is to study the self.

To study the self is to forget the self.To forget the self is to be enlightened by all things."1207Mevalana Jalaluddin Rumi is born in Afghanistan.Under the threat of the Mongols, he and his family flee to Konya, Turkey.Rumi becomes a mystical poet under the influence of Sufi Master Senseddin Tebrizi (also known as "Shams")During his lifetime, Rumi has written over 25,000 couplets.Rumi says "Come, come even if you have broken your vows a thousand times""Beyond all right doings and beyond all wrong doings;there is a field.I will meet you there."1215Signing of the Magna Carta by King John of England at Runnymede,on the river Thames, a document considered to be one of the early foundations of human rights such as habeas corpus, trial by jury. It also transformed absolute monarchy into something more limited and constitutional.1260Mesiter Eckehart, one of the great Christian mystics is born in Thurigia. He becomes professor of theology in Paris and takes a leading role in the Dominican Order of Monks.His popularity, unconventional language, ability to attract both Christian and non-Christians, provokes clashes with the orthodox Christianity.1335Birth of Lalla Ishwari in a village near Srinagar, Kashmir.After marrying at a young age, she renounces her husband and wanders naked through forests and towns in a state of ecstatic rature, singing songs of devotion.In Kashmir they have a proverb "We only know two words- Allah and Lalla"" I, Lalla, entered thejasmine gardenWhere Shiva and Shakti were making love.I dissolved into themAnd what is this to me now?I seem to be hereBut really I'am walkingin the jasmine garden"1360Birth of Ramananda in Allahabad, India, more famous for two of his disciples who go on to be come enlightened Masters in their own right- Kabir a weaver and Raidas a leather worker.1394Birth of Ikkyu in Japan.A wandering poet and enlightened Master and at the same time revelling in wine and women, Ikkyu's "haikus" are unparalleled."To write something and leaveit behind us?It is but a dream.When we awake, we knowThere is none to read."Contd..........

[Guest guest]

Dear Sandeep,

 

This survey is a delightful way to start the day.

 

Many friends in this catalog. I was particularly

happy to run across William Blake, because his

poem "Tyger Tyger" has been on my mind lately

for some reason.

 

The final note at the bottom of the third page

is a little shocking.

 

I only wish the catalog began a little earlier,

early enough to include Yajnavalkya, the sage

of the Brhadaranyaka Upanishad, who -- think

of it, it's positively horripilating -- may have been

the FIRST PRATTLER!

 

If suggestions for additional items are welcome,

perhaps consideration could be given to Britain's

outlawing of the international slave trade, 1806-7.

 

Cheers,

 

Rob

 

 

 

-

 

Sandeep Chatterjee

Realization

Saturday, October 06, 2001 2:26 PM

A Walk down the Ages-1

 

 

Hi,If an alien was to come and pick up a history book covering 2,000 years of this planet's history, it wouldseem all that he would find is a record of conquests, wars, jihad's,crusades, a miserable chronicle of seemingly endless struggle for power, beit in the name of religion or naked greed....

[Guest guest]

Hiya Rob,

 

 

-

Rob Sacks

Realization

Sunday, October 07, 2001 09:06 PM

Re: A Walk down the Ages-1

 

Dear Sandeep,

 

This survey is a delightful way to start the day.

 

Many friends in this catalog. I was particularly

happy to run across William Blake, because his

poem "Tyger Tyger" has been on my mind lately

for some reason.

 

The final note at the bottom of the third page

is a little shocking.

 

I only wish the catalog began a little earlier,

early enough to include Yajnavalkya, the sage

of the Brhadaranyaka Upanishad, who -- think

of it, it's positively horripilating -- may have been

the FIRST PRATTLER!

 

San:

 

Aaah well, if one moved back to the Upanashidic dudes, well there would be no end to these guys<s>

Just thought the immediate last 1000 years is a good starting point.

------

 

 

If suggestions for additional items are welcome,

perhaps consideration could be given to Britain's

outlawing of the international slave trade, 1806-7.

 

San:

 

Sure.

Add on.

And in contrast the reluctance of the European nations(inlcuidng the UK) to address the issue of slavery in the Conference of racial discrimination, held few months back in S Africa, is amusing.

 

Also see that Nisargadatta seems to have been missed in that company.

 

I am going to get hell when I meet him.

LOL

 

 

Cheers

 

Sandeep

[Guest guest]

Howdy Sandeep,

 

> Aaah well, if one moved back to the Upanashidic

> dudes, well there would be no end to these guys<s>

> Just thought the immediate last 1000 years is a

> good starting point.

 

Yes, of course, you're right. You can't include

everything. And yet... and yet.... it would be so

moving to read an entry for the "First Dude in a

Diaper."

 

> And in contrast the reluctance of the European nations

> (inlcuidng the UK) to address the issue of slavery in the

> Conference of racial discrimination, held few months

> back in S Africa, is amusing.

 

Now that's odd... we must read different newspapers.

I thought it was Sudan and Mauritania which were resistant

to addressing that topic.

 

> I am going to get hell when I meet him.

 

That's a scary thought. I once had a copy of "Ultimate

Medicine" in the bedroom, which has a particularly

terrifying photo of him on the cover, and my girlfriend

wouldn't go to sleep until I removed the book from the

room.

 

Cheers,

 

Rob

 

 

-

Sandeep Chatterjee

Realization

Sunday, October 07, 2001 12:53 PM

Re: A Walk down the Ages-1

 

Hiya Rob...