HEBREW TEXTS

Discipline Lessons from the Ancient Hebrew texts

The Torah , The popul vu, The Tripitaka (Pali Canon - Mahayana Sutras and the Tibetan Book of the Dead are three major noncanonical Buddhist texts), the Quran, and the vedas, all teach a way to the supernatural, a world beyond our planet and universe, a place free from the restrictions of the human body and its pains and suffering . They teach discipline, as a bridge to an everlasting destiny, what are your thoughts on an ultimate reality? I found the story below depicting the steps that separates wo/man from achieving this by defying authority and neglecting to embrace discipline. It is found in the Torah.

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals. He said to the woman, “Did Your boss really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but The boss did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For The boss knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like The boss, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” In summary, the fruit was:

  • Delicious (good for food)
  • Delightful (pleasing to the eye)
  • Desirable (desirable for gaining wisdom)
  • Denied ( as a boundary to stay in relationship)

When we feel denied , we act justified by reason and defy love. It is the separation from love that leads people to be satisfied by the fruit but living forever separated from relationship.

Think about it.

This story illustrates the three biggest struggles we all face in life. Lust of the flesh (good for food), lust of the eyes (pleasing to the eye), and the pride of life (desirable for gaining wisdom - to be gods of our own lives). Regardless of your worldview, discipline in its four elements as taught at MRC, help us see clearly the freedom that ensues from living a life with clear boundaries.