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From: kde@heawk1.gsfc.nasa.gov ( Keith Evans)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.eastern
Subject: Re: Body and Soul + knowledge quest.
Message-ID: <1990Oct31.013147.10335@nas.nasa.gov>
Date: 31 Oct 90 01:31:47 GMT
References: <1990Oct20.180354.14244@nas.nasa.gov> <1990Oct24.071156.20009@nas.nasa.gov>
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In <1990Oct24.071156.20009@nas.nasa.gov> hugh@chook.ua.oz.au (Hugh Garsden) writes:


>In article <1990Oct20.180354.14244@nas.nasa.gov>,
>adobe!!asanders@decwrl.dec.com writes:
>|>
>|> This is an interesting line of inquiry, but I can't help thinking that
>|> one of the most basic teaching of Eastern religion is that we live in a
>|> state of Ignorance--that we do not know the truth about our existence and
>|> cannot know this Truth until WE OURSELVES change. Thus Practice rather
>|> than Study becomes the basis for the search for Truth.
>|>

We seek this truth within ourselves by looking for the true entity of life.
Only after finding this truth can we polish the mirror of our lives and
reveal the Buddhahood inherent in us. 

Nichiren Daishonin (1222-1282) proclaimed this entity as Nam-myoho-renge-kyo
and enscribed the Gohonzon (the physical manifestation of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo)
before he died so that all mankind could gain Buddhahood in this lfetime.
Chanting it, even without understanding its meaning will bring benefit as
good medicine works even if we don't know how it does.

>1. The simple fact that there are references in religious
>texts to answer my question indicates that knowledge is certainly a part
>(although not the most important part) of religious doctrines.
>Knowledge and Practice are both present.

Through practice one gains "real" knowledge as compared to theoretical
knowledge.

>2. All levels of consciousness have their own ways of knowing,
>and integrates the knowledge of all lower levels. But there is nothing
>"wrong" with the knowledge that belongs to a certain level. Ultimately
>what we must do is achieve Unity with the Absolute (the Truth
>you speak of), but to do that we must get there by passing up through
>the levels below it. If I want to climb to the top of a ladder, I must

All are equal and can gain Buddhahood as they are (just by chanting
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo).

>Exercising and developing their minds is what they should have been doing, and 
>was appropriate Practice for that level.

The practice is the same for all levels.

>missing" which will still need to found. Any comments on this? Is it
>possible for someone to suddenly make a "jump" to enlightenment? And I
>mean a big jump. What is the result? Is it the same as reaching enlightenment 
>via a gradual development with no jumps?

See above. It is not the same as reaching enlightenment gradually, with no
jumps. Actually, you cannot reach enlightenment that way at all. Only with
faith (that Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is your life itself) can you become one 
with the reality that is the true entity of life.

--
   Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
            Respectfully,
  	         Keith Evans		kde@heawk1.gsfc.nasa.gov