Self forgetfulness is not to deny one's self, but to lose oneself, and that is not what a Christian strives to do. A Christian denies himself (steps down from the throne of his life and gives back the throne to Christ, the rightful heir of his life) in order to find his true self, hidden in Christ. Man was created in the image of God, and in God's image he should live. Christ is that image and in him is our true identity.
When you say this it makes me smile , for do you know a thing of the Life of Buddha ? It is the exact story of what you just epitomized as being the true life of the Christian .
You said :
A Christian denies himself (steps down from the throne of his life and gives back the throne to Christ, the rightful heir of his life) in order to find his true self, hidden in Christ.
In just the essential simple notes on Buddha's life , he was born as a prince and wealthy heir to a Kingdom , and did have access to every luxury , pleasure and knowledge educaton of his time . And gave it all away for a greater universal truth inside , found thru great sacrifice and deprivation ...and a ministry that lasted for 4 decades.
The point of man's unfolding within himself was based upon only his attention focussed upon --->righteousness. He taught all of our miseries and discontents were due to our own selfishness , and that there was a greater self within.
One of the greatest miracles I find in life , is there are some who cannot see the parallels in that teaching . One would have to be entirely mad to go in search of suffering with so much of it already in the world ...even in the name of God and Heaven.
Claiming to be "God" would do nothing to make the truths more evident or more real , so Buddha refrained from making such claims or choosing martyrdom . It was better to teach and enlighten for as long as he could what was called the "Way" and the "Light " of peaceful righteous living ..and teaching by the highest ( and simple )example.
It is that humility that draws me ...it should you also.
Martyrdom also seemed not a possibility for Buddha , for he usually converted all those who were the powerful of his day by the truth and sincerity of his teachings.
One could say that God was behind it all though ...if one needs that kind of reassurance. Direct experience is the better teacher , and Buddha was not so concerned with promising people a reward in heaven , but was far too practicle and enlightened to fall into that trap .
" "I cannot imagine a God who rewards and punishes the objects of his creation, whose purposes are modeled after our own - a God, in short, who is but a reflection of human frailty. Neither can I believe that the individual survives the death of his body, although feeble souls harbor such thoughts through fear or ridiculous egotisms.
"The religion of the future will be a cosmic religion. The religion which based on experience, which refuses dogmatic. If there's any religion that would cope the scientific needs it will be Buddhism...."
~ Albert Einstein |
