Brahman=Logos?

[ajay00]

Originally Posted by The Anointed

So, in essence, what you have said, is, that anyone, even someone from the lower economic groups can achieve moksha, which is the Hindu equivalent of Nirvana, but you have failed to supply the evidence to support your statement that 'EVERYONE' attains Nirvana.

May peace be yours ajay.

The Self is within each and every sentient being, and any human being can attain Moksha. Anybody and everybody can attain Moksha or enlightenment if they put their mind to it.

Shankaracharya states the same in the Vivekachudamani...

Beyond caste, creed, family or lineage,
That which is without name and form, beyond merit and demerit,
That which is beyond space, time and sense-objects,
You are that, Brahman himself; Meditate this within yourself. ||Verse 254||
— Vivekachudamani, 8th Century CE

[ajay00]

Originally Posted by sky123

You can google His name and find multiple Article's regarding His violent behaviour after His so called conversion....

Emperor Ashoka lived 2250 years back when most of the world was in a barbaric and savage state.

He started his career as an aggressive young conqueror, but the heavy casualties he inflicted on the Kalingans , both human and animal, deeply touched him while surveying the battlefield after victory.

This was followed by a period of self-reflection and study, which persuaded him to adopt warfare only for defensive purposes, become a Buddhist , adopt a more ethical lifestyle and framing more ethical and humane policies with respect to human and animal welfare, along with the propagation of Buddhism all over the world then.

As an administrator however, he may have given heavy punishments for disruption of internal law and order. He did prioritize Buddhism over the other sects present then, and may have proclaimed its criticism as heresy so as to defend it from the dominant Brahminical religion which was opposed to it.

There are tales of Ashoka persecuting other sects, but this is considered by scholars to be clear fabrications arising out of sectarian propaganda.

[sky]

Originally Posted by ajay00

Emperor Ashoka lived 2250 years back when most of the world was in a barbaric and savage state.

And some parts haven't changed

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

QUOTE 66 EXCERPT: King Ashoka is a character whom I reference often in conversations on transformation. Your brief description is quite accurate.

King Ashoka is one of my greater 'heroes'. His reformation brought about about an end to animal cruelty and probably was the greatest contributor to Buddhism and the preservations of the varioius Suttas!

Without him, Budhism may have been 'lost'.

Originally Posted by ajay00

The Self is within each and every sentient being, and any human being can attain Moksha. Anybody and everybody can attain Moksha or enlightenment if they put their mind to it.

So, which is it to be; "Everyone "ATTAINS" Moksha", or everyone "CAN' attain Moksha' if they put their mind to it?

So, what happens to those who "CAN'T" attain Moksha?

[sky]

Originally Posted by The Anointed

So, which is it to be; "Everyone "ATTAINS" Moksha", or everyone "CAN' attain Moksha' if they put their mind to it?

So, what happens to those who "CAN'T" attain Moksha?

Well they will have to stay on the wheel until they eventually get dizzy and fall off

[Still_Waters]

QUOTE 77 EXCERPT:

Originally Posted by HITESH SHAH

Hi Sw

Now i would like to draw one anomaly in your inference on kalki. As u said kalki is referred in mahabharat n bhagvat purana. Both were roughly created 5000 years back. Vedas dont have reference of it. But your inference thit may have been included later seeing others writing ,is misleading n not based in fact. U may wish to revisit that view.

There are several traditions, including Hinduism, that talk of Avatars or Buddhas or the "Son of God" or the 12th Imam coming to raise mankind in times of trouble. I am sure that you are aware of this.

Just because there is a single reference to Kalki in the Mahabharata does not seem to support your statement that what I wrote is not based on fact. My sense is that someone took the name Kalki and wrote an entire purana about it sometime after 1500 when all this judgmental stuff was created. (Judgmental eternal damnation stuff seems to creep into most literatures because there are people who think that way and write that way.) Taking a name from the Mahabharata and building a whole story around it does not seem to support your position on judgment. Refer to the Wikipedia article whose link I provide .. specifically the development portion... as it elaborates on the development of the Kalki theme.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalki

Since you brought up the Mahabharata, perhaps you recall the fate of Duryodhona and his brothers who were depicted as the "bad guys" in the Mahabharata. When Yudishthira ascended the metaphorical ladder, he saw Duryodhana and his brothers making merry and partying while his wife Draupadi and his brothers appeared to be in a dark place. This was obviously mind-boggling to Yudisthira for obvious reasons related to judgment. However, he sat and meditated on it and, apparently (though the author doesn't go into it further) he understood as a smile appeared on his face according to the story. It took me a while to grasp the deep meaning contained in that part of the Mahabharata.

P.S. In response to your comment about me not liking the judgment and eternal damnation scenarios. It's not that I don't like them. It's just that I have investigated this eternal damnation stuff (which I once believed based on my Roman Catholic upbringing) and consider it to be untrue ... ultimately... where "ultimately" is the key word. Start a thread on that and I will be very interested in participating.

[Still_Waters]

QUOTE 80 EXCERPT:

Originally Posted by The Anointed

It is my belief that the Alpha dies in the process of evolving into the Omega, the two are one in different positions in the timelessness of eternity, who exists in a much higher time dimension, and I believe He 'The Omega God', who already exists in our future, is the one who mentally descended from his high point in time and revealed to his prophets that which is to occur in our future, which is in fact his living past.

So, in your opinion, God is a "moving target" evolving ! Interesting.

BTW, I did answer your question about naraka in post 75. Apparently, you didn't like or didn't understand my answer.

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by ajay00

The Self is within each and every sentient being, and any human being can attain Moksha. Anybody and everybody can attain Moksha or enlightenment if they put their mind to it.

Shankaracharya states the same in the Vivekachudamani...

I would add that, ultimately, ALL return to the source as opposed to "can". You left yourself open to The Anointed One with the word "can".

[HITESH SHAH]

Originally Posted by sky123

You can google His name and find multiple Article's regarding His violent behaviour after His so called conversion....

Indeed there is lot of researched material on this to prove your point. Also his barbaric ways may be the reason why buddhism did not came to full grips in india.