Have you ever felt that you can give up everything you have,
even your most important possession, even your own life, for something of
immeasurable value?
This is a kind of sentiment discerned from the parable of
the hidden treasure and the parable of the precious pearl in Matthew 13:44-52.
These are, in fact, twin parables, to teach us what the Kingdom of Heaven is
like, starting from the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:3-9), throughout other
parables in Matthew 13.
In this set of Jesus’ parables, both the person, who found
the hidden treasure in the land, and the merchant, who found the precious
pearl, sold everything they had to attain what they desired – the hidden
treasure, and the precious pearl, respectively.
Their act of selling all of their earthly possession for the sake of
their hearts’ desire, which is the Kingdom, as symbolized in the hidden
treasure and the precious pearl of the twin parables, is like practicing dana paramita
（布施波羅蜜：the virtue of self-giving,
generosity）for Buddhists
to attain Nirvana.
In these twin parables, a common teaching is that we must
give up our own earthly possessions completely – nothing to be held back in us
– in order to attain what is of greater value, namely, the Kingdom of Heaven.
It is not to give up our earthly assets reluctantly or with reservation but
willingly and completely – without any reservation. The parables evoke
impressions that both the person who found the hidden treasure and the merchant
who found the precious pearl sold all they had willingly in order to attain
what their hearts desire.
An act of willingly giving up one’s possessions to attain
the Kingdom, an important teaching from the parables, echoes an essence of dana paramita in Buddhist teaching, as
it is also understood as “giving joyfully”(喜捨), not giving reluctantly.
The parable of the hidden treasure suggests that we may
encounter an opportunity for the Kingdom by chance, while the parable of the
precious pearl tells that the Kingdom is attained through our intentional
search. In a way, an unexpected
encounter with the Kingdom in the parable of the hidden treasure is like the
Zen (Chan) Buddhism’s teaching on sudden enlightenment (subitism). On the other
hand, attaining the Kingdom as a result of years of searching, as indicated in
the parable of the precious pearl, seems to correspond to Theravada Buddhism’s
teaching on a gradual process toward the enlightenment.
Though sudden enlightenment in Zen Buddhism, which is a
branch of Mahayana Buddhism, and gradual enlightenment in Theravada Buddhism,
may be seen as opposing thoughts to each other within Buddhism, these are not
to be compared to determine which is better. Rather, these are to understand
that there are more than one way to attain the state of enlightenment –
buddhahood. Likewise, Jesus wants to
teach us that there are different ways to attain the Kingdom of Heaven. However, whether sudden or gradual, as a way
to the enlightenment in Buddhism requires practicing paramitas (波羅蜜：necessary virtues to attain perfection), including
dana papramita, any possibility for
the Kingdom demands us to surrender all our earthly possessions.
In a way, the fact that the person, who found the hidden
treasure in the land sold everything to attain the land where the treasure is
and the fact that the merchant who found the precious pearl also poured all of
his assets to get the pearl echo the dana
paramitain Buddhist teaching
of attaining enlightenment for Nirvana. After all, both the person who found the
hidden treasure and the merchant who found the precious pearl in the parables
gave up everything they had owned upon their discoveries of these. This is what
dana paramita of Buddhist teaching
encourages to attain what is the most precious – Nirvana. The virtue of dana paramita is also about an important
Buddhism teaching of detachment to overcome the effects of klelshas (fefilement), such as attachment (clinging).
The twin parables of the hidden treasure and the precious pearl are metaphors
not only for the Kingdom of Heaven through giving up all of our earthly
possessions but also for Nirvana by practicing dana paramita, along with other paramitas,
to reflect the importance of detachment. Paramitas
are aimed for perfection, which characterizes Nirvana. The Sanskrit and Pali word, “paramita” has the prefix, “param”, and this suggests “perfection”
and “supremeness”. The suffix, “ita”, suggests “to reach” or “to cross
over”. Thus, paramita etymologically means to cross over to the state of
perfection, which is Nirvana.
This teaching of dana paramita in Buddhism is certainly
discerned in Jesus’ teaching besides the aforementioned twin parables of the
hidden treasure and the precious pearl. Basically. Jesus teaches us that we
need to let go of all of our earthly attachment, like Buddhism’s dana paramita virtue, in order to attain
the Kingdom of Heaven, which is metaphorically addressed as the land with the
hidden treasure and the precious pearl in the parables.
In fact, Jesus’ teaching of the virtue of detachment from earthly matter,
like dana paramita in Buddhism
teaching, is not just to attain the Kingdom but also to follow him as his
disciples. For example, Jesus teaches dana paramita as a necessary condition
for the discipleship.
“If you wish to be
complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have
treasure in heaven; and come, follow me"(Matthew 19:21).
Here, Jesus connects perfection to the discipleship, and
perfection is what paramitas,
including the virtue of dana paramita
– willingly giving and detachment for the sake of a metaphysical object of
heavenly value – Kingdom of Heaven for Christians and Nirvana for Buddhist.
Joyfully giving – giving up all our earthly possessions –
practicing the virtue of detachment, not reluctantly or obligatorily but
willingly and joyfully, as dana paramita
is about, is not only a way to
attain the perfection (param), which
is the Kingdom of Heaven in Christianity and Nirvana in Buddhism, but also to
follow Christ as his disciples.
So, have you ever felt that you can willingly and joyfully give
up everything you have, even your most important possession, even your own life,
for something of immeasurable value – the Nirvana-like Kingdom of Heaven ?
If you have, then, you must also know what real love – agape – is, as it also demands detachment,
like what Jesus teaches through the twin parables – requiring dana paramita for the sake of your
object of love – the one you love.
Pursuing a person to love and to be loved by is like the
person who sold everything to attain the land with the hidden treasure in the
parable of the hidden treasure – or like the merchant who sold all his assets
to attain the precious pearl. So, when we find a person, as worthy as the
precious pearl, then, we must detach all our earthly possessions – at least
figuratively.
At first, driven by Eros, we fall in love with our love
objects, as attracted. This is a phenomena of fancy biochemistry in the brain
and the work of the brain’s limbic system, as this is pretty much in the dimension
of emotions. But, as our love matures, it is no longer a physical and emotional
attraction. The relationship grows and matures to a point of willingness and
joy of self-sacrifice for the sake of the love objects, with whom we grow in
relationships.
So, our Eros-driven pursuit of the love object, as in Song
of Songs 2, will mature into a kind of pursuit with willing self-sacrifice or
detachment as described in the parable of the hidden treasure (Matthew 13:44)
and the parable of the precious pearl (Matthew 13:45-46). And, at this level of
maturity, the relationship is intimate and also characterized by mutual
self-giving as in dana paramita. This
also makes our intimate love (agape)
relationship is like our relationship with the Lord, as his disciples, because
the discipleship also requires the same kind of selfless detachment, as in
Matthew19:21. To make the relationship
perfect or param, loves leave their
own loving parents in order to create new family together and to become
sacramental one flesh. “For this, man
will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will
become one flesh “(Genesis 2:24).
There is an element of pabbajja
of Buddhist teaching in this, too.
Buddhist teachings of the virtues of dana paramita and pabbajja
are about detachment in their essence for the sake of attaining something of
immeasurable value , which can be prajna (wisdom)
leading to Nirvana, in Buddhism teaching. To Christians, as reflected in the
twin parables of the hidden treasure and the precious pearl (Matthew 13:44-46),
it is about giving up, letting go of, sacrificing, detaching, all of our
earthly possessions and attachment, for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. This
is why Kingdom is found in the Sacrament of Matrimony.
After all, being faithful to the Lord and seeking his Kingdom of Heaven through our discipleship is best characterized by falling in love constantly, as reflected in this poem by Fr. Pedro Arrupe S.J.. God is our ultimate treasure, like the precious pearl, and like the ones we can marry.
After all, being faithful to the Lord and seeking his Kingdom of Heaven through our discipleship is best characterized by falling in love constantly, as reflected in this poem by Fr. Pedro Arrupe S.J.. God is our ultimate treasure, like the precious pearl, and like the ones we can marry.
Nothing is more practical than
finding God, than
falling in Love
in a quite absolute, final way.
What you are in love with,
what seizes your imagination, will affect everything.
It will decide
what will get you out of bed in the morning,
what you do with your evenings,
how you spend your weekends,
what you read, whom you know,
what breaks your heart,
and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.
Fall in Love, stay in love,
and it will decide everything. - See more at: http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/prayers-by-st-ignatius-and-others/fall-in-love/#sthash.LIsJp907.dpuf
finding God, than
falling in Love
in a quite absolute, final way.
What you are in love with,
what seizes your imagination, will affect everything.
It will decide
what will get you out of bed in the morning,
what you do with your evenings,
how you spend your weekends,
what you read, whom you know,
what breaks your heart,
and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.
Fall in Love, stay in love,
and it will decide everything. - See more at: http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/prayers-by-st-ignatius-and-others/fall-in-love/#sthash.LIsJp907.dpuf
Nothing is more practical than
finding God, than
falling in Love
in a quite absolute, final way.
finding God, than
falling in Love
in a quite absolute, final way.
What you are in love with,
what seizes your imagination, will affect everything.
It will decide
what will get you out of bed in the morning,
what you do with your evenings,
how you spend your weekends,
what you read, whom you know,
what breaks your heart,
and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.
Fall in Love, stay in love,
and it will decide everything.
!Enamórate !
Nada puede importar más que encontrar a Dios.
Es decir, enamorarse de Él
de una manera definitiva y absoluta.
Aquello de lo que te enamoras atrapa tu imaginación,
y acaba por ir dejando su huella en todo.
Será lo que decida qué es
lo que te saca de la cama en la mañana,
qué haces con tus atardeceres,
en qué empleas tus fines de semana,
lo que lees, lo que conoces,
lo que rompe tu corazón,
y lo que te sobrecoge de alegría y gratitud.
¡Enamórate! ¡Permanece en el amor!
Todo será de otra manera.
Nothing is more practical than
finding God, than
falling in Love
in a quite absolute, final way.
What you are in love with,
what seizes your imagination, will affect everything.
It will decide
what will get you out of bed in the morning,
what you do with your evenings,
how you spend your weekends,
what you read, whom you know,
what breaks your heart,
and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.
Fall in Love, stay in love,
and it will decide everything. - See more at: http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/prayers-by-st-ignatius-and-others/fall-in-love/#sthash.LIsJp907.dpuf
finding God, than
falling in Love
in a quite absolute, final way.
What you are in love with,
what seizes your imagination, will affect everything.
It will decide
what will get you out of bed in the morning,
what you do with your evenings,
how you spend your weekends,
what you read, whom you know,
what breaks your heart,
and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.
Fall in Love, stay in love,
and it will decide everything. - See more at: http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/prayers-by-st-ignatius-and-others/fall-in-love/#sthash.LIsJp907.dpuf
No comments:
Post a Comment