Siddhartha and Jesus (7/7)

In this final lesson, we embark on a contemplative journey inspired by the enlightenment of Siddhartha and the teachings of Jesus. Together, we will explore the concept of awakening and the path that leads us towards a deeper connection with the divine. Drawing upon Siddhartha's pursuit of enlightenment and Jesus' teachings on spiritual transformation, we will reflect on the essential elements that guide us on our own spiritual journeys. This Sunday, we will embrace the call to awaken to our true nature, find inner peace, and discover the path to a life filled with Divine Purpose and Illumination.

Join us as we conclude our series and take the insights we've gained forward into expression in our lives, and enjoy beautiful music and friendly fellowship.

Listen & Watch

Sermon Notes

Quotes

“What should I possibly have to tell you, oh venerable one? Perhaps that you’re searching far too much? That in all that searching, you don’t find the time for finding?” (ch. 12, p. 112)

“‘When someone is searching,”’ said Siddhartha, ‘then it might easily happen that the only thing his eyes still see is that what he searches for, that he is unable to find anything, to let anything enter his mind, because he always thinks of nothing but the object of his search, because he has a goal, because he is obsessed by the goal. Searching means: having a goal. But finding means: being free, being open, having no goal. You, oh venerable one, are perhaps indeed a searcher, because, striving for your goal, there are many things you don’t see, which are directly in front of your eyes.’” (ch. 12, pp. 112–112)

“…wisdom cannot be passed on. Wisdom which a wise man tries to pass on to someone always sounds like foolishness.” (ch. 12, p. 114)

“Knowledge can be conveyed, but not wisdom. It can be found, it can be lived, it is possible to be carried by it, miracles can be performed with it, but it cannot be expressed in words and taught.” (ch. 12, p. 114)

“Everything is one-sided which can be thought with thoughts and said with words, it’s all one-sided, all just one half, all lacks completeness, roundness, oneness” (ch. 12, pp. 114–115)

“A person or an act is never entirely Sansara or entirely Nirvana, a person is never entirely holy or entirely sinful.” (ch. 12, p. 115)

“The sinner is not on his way to become a Buddha, he is not in the process of developing, though our capacity for thinking does not know how else to picture these things. No, within the sinner is now and today already the future Buddha, his future is already all there, you have to worship in him, in you, in everyone the Buddha which is coming into being, the possible, the hidden Buddha.” (ch. 12, p. 115)

“The world, my friend Govinda, is not imperfect, or on a slow path towards perfection: no, it is perfect in every moment, all sin already carries the divine forgiveness in itself, all small children already have the old person in themselves, all infants already have death, all dying people the eternal life. It is not possible for any person to see how far another one has already progressed on his path; in the robber and dice-gambler, the Buddha is waiting; in the Brahman, the robber is waiting.” (ch. 12, p. 115)

“In deep meditation, there is the possibility to put time out of existence, to see all life which was, is, and will be as if it was simultaneous, and there everything is good, everything is perfect, everything is Brahman.” (ch. 12, pp. 115–116)

“This here,” he said playing with it, “is a stone, and will, after a certain time, perhaps turn into soil, and will turn from soil into a plant or animal or human being.” (ch. 12, p. 116)

“But today I think: this stone is a stone, it is also animal, it is also god, it is also Buddha, I do not venerate and love it because it could turn into this or that, but rather because it is already and always everything…” (ch. 12, p. 116)

“There is no thing which would be Nirvana; there is just the word Nirvana.” (ch. 12, p. 117)

“honest, I also have no high opinion of thoughts. I have a better opinion of things.” (ch. 12, p. 117)

““I do not care very much about. Let the things be illusions or not, after all I would then also be an illusion, and thus they are always like me. This is what makes them so dear and worthy of veneration for me: they are like me. Therefore, I can love them.” (ch. 12, p. 117)

“But I’m only interested in being able to love the world, not to despise it, not to hate it and me, to be able to look upon it and me and all beings with love and admiration and great respect.” (ch. 12, p. 117)

Scriptures

Ask, Search, Knock (Matthew 7:7–11)

“Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asked for bread, would give a stone? Or if the child asked for a fish, would give a snake? If you, then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”

Hearers and Doers (Matthew 7:24–27)

“Everyone, then, who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall because it had been founded on rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!”

Love for Enemies (Matthew 5:43–48)

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven, for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.