Unity

koan · Post by **koan** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 11:16 pm

Just read this from my Zen calandar:

I believe in the essential unity of all that lives. Therefore I believe that if one person gains spiritually the whole world gains, and if one person falls, the world falls to that extent.

- Mahandas K. Gandhi

What thinketh you?

Post by **kensloft** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 11:35 pm

koan wrote: Just read this from my Zen calandar:

I believe in the essential unity of all that lives. Therefore I believe that if one person gains spiritually the whole world gains, and if one person falls, the world falls to that extent.

- Mahandas K. Gandhi

What thinketh you?

Sounds pretty good to me. Sort of right on in its own way. :-6

Beth · Post by **Beth** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 5:37 pm

Depends on what she means by "falls" and what her definition of "spirituality" is, I would think.

Post by **kensloft** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 6:08 pm

Beth wrote: Depends on what she means by "falls" and what her definition of "spirituality" is, I would think.
Which definitions do you choose?

Ted · Post by **Ted** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 8:07 pm

koan :-6

I do have a great respect for Gandhi. In many ways I can agree with that statement. In many ways we are all connected.

Shalom

Ted :-6

koan · Post by **koan** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 9:37 pm

I think this thought/statement is an example of why some people can not judge others but feel the suffering and the accomplishments of all their fellow humans as if it were their own suffering and accomplishment.

It is a great expression of compassion.

Post by **kensloft** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 11:14 pm

koan wrote: I think this thought/statement is an example of why some people can not judge others but feel the suffering and the accomplishments of all their fellow humans as if it were their own suffering and accomplishment.

It is a great expression of compassion.

Well said and that is how I interpret these words. Even Christ would undrstand them because that was what he was trying to instill in his followers.

Post by **nev** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 1:26 pm

I believe that unity is inclusive of thought and behaviour. I believe that there should be unity within ourselves first before we can try to unite or consider being united with others. If our spiritual belief is one thing, but our thoughts are different, or our behaviour is another, or we communicate differently then we are not united within and therefore can never be united without.

Anything that we do that harms ourselves, regardless of extent, is a nail against our spiritual and physical being. That therefore then serves to hurt our unity within and without.

I therefore agree with Gandhiji.