The Sermon on the Mount & the Gospel of Thomas
மலைப்பிரசங்கம் · தோமாவின் நற்செய்தி
The most concentrated statement of Jesus's ethics, and the lost gospel in which the kingdom is already spread out on the earth.
Matthew 5–7 is the Sermon on the Mount—the Beatitudes, the Lord's Prayer, the lilies of the field, the warning against judging: an inversion of who counts, and a demand that is unlivable by design. The Gospel of Thomas is a list of 114 sayings of Jesus with no birth, no miracles and no crucifixion, lost for sixteen centuries and found in a jar in Egypt in 1945. Its Jesus is closer to a Zen teacher than to the figure of the creeds: the kingdom is not coming, it is already spread out on the earth and people do not see it. It sits naturally beside the Upanishads without anyone having to force it. Ramakrishna practised Christianity for a season; Neem Karoli Baba said “no one believes in Christ, but I do”; Yogananda wrote a two-volume commentary on the Gospels. They are here for that reason.
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
The Beatitudes. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” is kural 34 and Ramakrishna's whole teaching on longing.
Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Beside Gita 2.47 and Yoga Sutra 2.16.
Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Sarada Devi's last message, almost word for word: do not find fault with others; see your own.
The kingdom is inside you and it is outside you. When you know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will understand that you are children of the living Father.
Chāndogya 6.8.7—“that thou art”—in Coptic.
If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you.
Vivekananda's “education is the manifestation of the perfection already in man.”
Split a piece of wood; I am there. Lift up the stone, and you will find me there.
Bharathi's crow's wing. Neem Karoli Baba's “everywhere is the Ganga.”
The Father's kingdom is spread out upon the earth, and people do not see it.
Beside Chāndogya 3.14.1: “all this is Brahman.”
Where the translation is marked “Aumidhra”, the English is our own plain rendering from the original, made with the public-domain translations above as reference. Where a translator is named, the wording is theirs.
Other scriptures