E=mc2?

A human being is part of the whole

called by us 'universe', a part
limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and


feelings as something separated from the rest - a kind of optical
delusion of his consciousness.

This

delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal
desires and to affection for a few persons

nearest to us.

Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our
circle of compassion

to embrace all living creatures and the whole of
nature in its beauty.

Albert Einstein

On a somewhat similar

note....

Beware of confining yourself to a particular belief and denying all else, for much good would

elude you. Indeed, the knowledge of Reality would elude you. Be yourself for all forms of belief, for God is too

vast and tremendous to be restricted to one belief rather than another.

Ibn 'Arabi (13th century Spanish

Sufi)

It really is amazing how so

many philosophies can each claim to be exclusive when they all teach much the same things. Just reading the quotes

you've put here remind me of listening to my teachers.

Bruce, since you live in Japan,

do you think you have been at all influenced by Zen Buddist religion / tradition and philosophy? Reason I say this,

is because some of the things you said reflect this religion/tradition or philosophy, whatever someone wants to call

it.

I don't live in Japan any longer,

but I did live there as well as China, India and Thailand, and no doubt have been greatly influenced by those

years.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bruce

On a somewhat

similar note....

Beware of confining yourself to a particular belief and denying all else, for much good

would elude you. Indeed, the knowledge of Reality would elude you. Be yourself for all forms of belief, for God is

too vast and tremendous to be restricted to one belief rather than another.

Ibn 'Arabi (13th century

Spanish Sufi)

---

People throughout history, and today identify with one exclusive religion, a particular

cause, a tradition, reason is they forment a culture around these ideologies for a sense of belonging and

familiarity, in a often harsh world that they cannot themselves deal with alone and cannot explain. Fundamentalism

and fanatacism stems from bieng ignorant and closed minded to anything else, and when coupled with a religion or

ideology that preaches intolerance and superiority, this breeds danger, as the world has discovered recently.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bruce

I don't live in

Japan any longer, but I did live there as well as China, India and Thailand, and no doubt have been greatly

influenced by those years.

---

I want to visit Tibet, Larsa.

Good movie to watch is from Martin

Scorsace, called Kundun. If anyone is interested in Tibet or Dalai Lama.

I see why you are influenced by the

countries you mentioned.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bruce

I don't live in

Japan any longer, but I did live there as well as China, India and Thailand, and no doubt have been greatly

influenced by those years.

---

Where in India?

Moved around a lot from ashram to

ashram: Benares, Calcutta, Puttaparthi, Bangalore, a place called Ananda Nagar (not the one from the book on

Calcutta)