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Pructus Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

Reach in sustained awareness

Hello...
Some esoteric text, but as this is written in English....
Maybe I might be able to get some help....

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Sometimes a teacher of God may have a brief experience of direct union with God. In this world, it is almost impossible that this endure. It can, perhaps, be won after much devotion and dedication, and then be maintained for most of the time on earth. But this is so rare that it cannot be considered a realistic goal. If it happens, so be it. If it does not happen, so be it as well. All worldly states must be illusory. If God were reached directly in sustained awareness, the body would not be long maintained. Those who have laid the body down merely to extend their helpfulness to those remaining behind are few indeed. And they need helpers who are still in bondage and still asleep, so that by their awakening can God’s Voice be heard.
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1. reached directly in sustained awareness
Does this mean (A) “reached directly through(by way of) sustained awareness”?
Or does this mean (B) “keep being aware that he reached God”?

2. laid the body down
Does this mean (A) “abandoned the body” or, (B) “keep the body on the earth, not die physically”?
  

Top answer

Most Christian texts require the mental gymnastics of an apologist. In this world, it is almost impossible that this can endure. pructus If *** were reached directly in sustained awareness, the body would not be long maintained.

  • Most Christian texts require the mental gymnastics of an apologist.
  • In this world, it is almost impossible that this can endure.
  • pructus If *** were reached directly in sustained awareness, the body would not be long maintained.
  • I think the author is basing his argument on the idea that living men on Earth are in a state of separateness from ***.
  • Probably this stems from the Christian belief of the inheritance of original sin in perpetuity.
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8 Answers
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Most Christian texts require the mental gymnastics of an apologist.

In this world, it is almost impossible that this can endure.
pructusIf *** were reached directly in sustained awareness, the body would not be long maintained.
I think the author is basing his argument on the idea that living men on Earth are in a state of separateness fro
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I see... I see...
Thanks so much, AlpheccaStars!!
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pructus If *** were reached directly in sustained awareness, the body would not be long maintained. Those who have laid the body down merely to extend their helpfulness to those remaining behind are few indeed.
This is quite cryptic. In view of the preceding text I might paraphrase it as follows:

If you were able to maintain an ever-continuing direct
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Thanks so much, CJ!!

Right now I cannot use PC.
So I write here. I can't find reply button.

This teaching is translated in Korea, Japan, and China but there seem to be a lot of mistranslations. So I am interested. Spiritual teaching is also one of my interests too.... As you pointed out, this teaching is notirious for ambiguity...

Do you mean lay down means let the
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pructusDo you mean lay down means let the body deterioriate or let the health go bad as a result of not caring about his own health or body?
Yes and no. In the case of such an obscure text I can only say that it's a possible interpretation, not definitively what it means.

CJ
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"lay down one's life" is a euphemism that means to sacrifice oneself (to die) for the benefit of others. I just assumed that by "body," the author means "earthly life." Christians believe that the soul does not die; once the body dies, the soul lives on.
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I see... I see....
Thanks so much, CJ!!
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I see, AlpheccaStars!!
That's so useful discovery to me.....
Thanks so much...

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