Tuesday, October 01, 2019

"his fame in all that country" - Salvation and Enlightenment



The Narita Airport, around Tokyo

Salvation and Enlightenment

Religion is related to salvation and enlightenment.  Christ Jesus emphasized salvation but the Buddha focused on enlightenment.  However, it does not mean that the teaching of Christ Jesus is not related to enlightenment.

For example, the Buddha forbade his disciples to attend a funeral ceremony.  If a man cannot transcend the wheel of life, what meaning is there in a funeral ceremony?  But the Buddha must have thought that if a man got enlightenment, there would be no need for his funeral.  Yet, Christ Jesus taught that a man being sad due to death of his loved one should be consoled in Heaven.

It seems reasonable that an enlightened man needs no salvation from unhappiness, since such a man is free from unhappiness.  But it is very difficult and rare that a man is enlightened.  So, ordinary people absolutely need salvation.

God is perfectly and completely enlightened, but it does not seem that God requests a man to get enlightened like Him, although Christ Jesus told men to be perfect like God.

For example, Christ Jesus gave the instruction to love God as much as possible but not to get enlightened.

If a man who is not almighty and omnipotent succeeds in getting enlightened to any degree, he cannot rejoice God who is inherently and essentially enlightened.  But if a man who is imperfect loves God as much as he can, God must be rejoiced according to Christ Jesus.  And God will help such a man fully so that he does not need salvation and enlightenment any more, since God is the Master of everything.

Salvation is probably in the realm of love ultimately in relation to God, but enlightenment seems to be in the domain of saints.  If a man is loved by God and thus allowed to enter Heaven, he will be fully enlightened.  And to be loved by God, we have to love God as much as possible, according to Christ Jesus.  This is a part of a religion.

**** **** ****

Mat 9:30 And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.
Mat 9:31 But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.
Mat 10:1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.