lovemuffin
τὸν ἄρτον τοῦ ἔρωτος
In Christianity, it was said by Jesus to be a precondition of having any vision of God, in the beatitudes, and in Christian practice it is brought about by prayer and contemplation, fasting, acts of mercy, humility, self-emptying and dispassion. "If your eye is single (clear; unfolded) then your whole body will be filled with light".
In Buddhism, I see parallels in the noble eightfold path and the middle way as the antidote to the suffering caused by desire, as well as with the idea of self-emptying (anatta) and sunyata generally. The "pure prayer" of the christian fathers could be compared to the realization of sunyata, although of course they are not perfectly equivalent
In Hinduism, there seems to be similar parallels in bhakti yoga, and even in the other paths, there seem to be some parallels with the need to purify one's inner state in order to achieve liberation. It is not just a question of an intellectual assent but a dharmic path.
Obviously I'm far more familiar with Christian ideas than other religions, but I'm curious what you think? Is a religious practice of some kind intended to cultivate an inner purity essential to your religion?
In Buddhism, I see parallels in the noble eightfold path and the middle way as the antidote to the suffering caused by desire, as well as with the idea of self-emptying (anatta) and sunyata generally. The "pure prayer" of the christian fathers could be compared to the realization of sunyata, although of course they are not perfectly equivalent
In Hinduism, there seems to be similar parallels in bhakti yoga, and even in the other paths, there seem to be some parallels with the need to purify one's inner state in order to achieve liberation. It is not just a question of an intellectual assent but a dharmic path.
Obviously I'm far more familiar with Christian ideas than other religions, but I'm curious what you think? Is a religious practice of some kind intended to cultivate an inner purity essential to your religion?