Religious ceremony and the inner landscape

Image via WikipediaEach sacred tradition has some way of connecting what we consider to be the objective, or external world, to the subjective, or internal world. Even those which state that it is all one in God or in Mind or the like.

In Nichiren Buddhism, this is the Gohonzon, a scroll with sacred writing embodying the Lotus Sutra. One is to chant to the scroll, which is a physical representation of the Buddha-nature in the person chanting. The outer representation of the altar and scroll, recalling the Ceremony in the Air, is supposed to merge with the inner landscape of those performing this ritual.

In Shin Buddhism and in the larger realm of Pure Land Buddhism, the same can kind of association can be applied to its ceremonies and to the imagery of Amitabha Buddha and the Pure Land.

In Judaism, this externality was the Ark of the Covenant carrying the tablets of Moses as well as the tent in which it (and the Spirit of God) resided. It was also associated with the Temple in Jerusalem, and after the last demolition of the temple building, it was associated with the scrolls of the Torah itself. In Christianity, after and perhaps prior to the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, this externality was transferred to the person of Jesus of Nazareth and was then extended to the Eucharist. And so on.

And I can hear some mumbling. "So what?"

An Unlit Candle - Tibet, Passover, and the struggle toward the Light

Politics and religion. Now that should get an "Oy!" A few weeks ago I posted a reference to an article in the Jerusalem Post titled "Are Tibetans the New Jews?" Both groups had an autonomous religious state and highly religious culture which was absorbed into a larger empire. The Romans destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem, and the Chinese destroyed thousands of ancient monasteries throughout Tibet. Many Jews left their occupied homeland before and during a forcible expulsion. Many Tibetans have also fled their homeland and have ended up all over the world. Jews were concerned with how to maintain their religious, cultural, and ethnic identity. Many Tibetans are now pondering those same concerns. This comparison is not intended to be a dig at the Chinese or the descendants of the Romans, nor is it ignorant of the plight of other groups, for example, the many Palestinians who are caught in a conflict they neither want nor desire. Yet it does suggest on some level a sense of shared suffering. And some have now suggested that this be recognized with a sign of solidarity - An Unlit Candle at the Seder Table...

We call on all Jews to include an unlit candle on their Seder Tables this year. The candle symbolizes both the Olympic torch, whose light has been dimmed, and the unmet hopes of a people still living without freedom.

In the Jewish tradition, light symbolizes freedom, hope, and renewal. On Shabbat, Chanukah, and on holidays including Passover, we light candles to shed light into our hearts, thank God for the blessings we enjoy, and commit ourselves to our religion’s ideals of justice and freedom for all.

But for three million Tibetans living under military rule, the light has been extinguished. Tibetans may not freely practice their religion, display their flag, or honor their leader, the Dalai Lama. Doing so puts them at risk of jail, torture, or worse.

The point is not just to have another symbol on your table. Rather, as with the rest of the Seder, the point is to stimulate discussion and action. When your loved ones ask about the unlit candle on the Seder table, talk with them about the Tibetans’ struggle for freedom.

Thanks to Rachel of Velveteen Rabbi for sharing this and to Danny Fisher and all the others who are also passing it on.

Jewish prayer for peace

Continuing a general theme this week inspired by the Memorial Day holiday, allow me to present another prayer for peace. This one comes from the Jewish tradition, specifically a quote from the prophet Micah (Micah 4:2-5). This particular version of that scripture comes from The Peace Abbey, whose website also has inspiring versions of common peace prayers from many different traditions. [Here is some context for those who are new to reading my perspective or who have forgotten my approach to things like "God", "religion", etc.]

Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, that we may walk the paths of the Most High. And we shall beat our swords into ploughshares, and our spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation - neither shall they learn war any more. And none shall be afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of Hosts has spoken.