to the index
THE SACRED READINGS
ARCHIVE
“UNITY
IN DIVERSITY”
TORONTO, APRIL 13, 1997
(compiled by Cherag
Leslie Gabriel Mezei )
INVOCATION Toward the One
The Perfection of Love, Harmony, and Beauty The Only Being, United with
all the Illuminated Souls Who form the Embodiment of the Master The Spirit
of Guidance.
READINGS FROM THE WORLD SCRIPTURES
FROM THE HINDU SCRIPTURES
- Bhagavad Gita 4:6-8, 11
Although I am unborn, everlasting,
and I am the Lord of all, I come to my realm of nature and through my wondrous
power I am born. When righteousness is weak and faints, and unrighteousness
exults in pride, then my Spirit arises on earth. For the salvation of those
who are good, for the destruction of evil in people, for the fulfilment
of the kingdom of righteousness, I come to this world in the ages that
pass.... In any way that people love me, in the same way they find my love:
for many are the paths of people, but they all in the end come to me.
We offer to the Omniscient
God, our reverence, our homage, and our gratitude for the light of the
Divine Wisdom.
BUDDHISM The Gospel
of the Buddha: One Essence, One Law, One Aim
All things are made of one
essence, yet things are different according to the forms which they assume
under different impressions. As they form themselves so they act, and as
they act, so they are. It is...as if a potter made different vessels out
of the same clay. Some of these pots are to contain sugar, others rice,
others curds and milk; others still are vessels of impurity. There is no
diversity in the clay used; the diversity of the pots is only due to the
moulding hands of the potter who shapes them for the various uses that
circumstances may require. And as all things originate from one essence,
so they are developing according to one law and they are destined to one
aim which is Nirvana.... The Tathagata recreates the whole world like a
cloud shedding its waters without distinction. He has the same sentiments
for the high as for the low, for the wise as for the ignorant, for the
noble-minded as for the immoral.
We offer to the Omniscient
God, our reverence, our homage, and our gratitude for the light of the
Divine Compassion.
ZOROASTRIAN - The
Zend Avesta of Zarathustra
O Ahura Mazda, Thine has
been Armaiti, Thine has been the Life-creating wisdom. In us thou didst
Life within the flesh encage, and didst grant us Words to guide, and Strength
to act, so that we freely choose the path we tread. So each one, whether
enlightened or unenlightened, whether truly or falsely, lifts up their
voice to speak. But to the heart and to the head of each, directly through
the spirit, Armaiti comes. She stands by to counsel with us whenever in
doubt.
We offer to the Omniscient
God, our reverence, our homage, and our gratitude for the light of the
Divine Purity.
NATIVE RELIGIONS
- The Sacred Pipe: Black Elk
The first peace, which is
the most important, is that which comes within the souls of people when
they realize their relationship, their oneness, with the universe and all
its powers, and when they realize that at the center of the universe dwells
Wakan-Tanka, and that this center is really everywhere, it is within each
of us. This is the real peace, and the others are but reflections of this.
The second peace is that which is made between two individuals, and the
third is that which is made between two nations. But above all, you should
understand that there can never be peace between nations until there is
first known that true peace which, as I have often said, is within the
souls of people.
We offer to the Omniscient
God, our reverence, our homage, and our gratitude for the light of the
Divine Nature.
BAHA’I - ‘Abdu’l-Baha,
Promulgation, Page 24
Be as one spirit, one soul,
leaves of one tree, flowers of one garden, waves of one ocean. As difference
in degree of capacity exists among human souls, as difference in capability
is found, therefore, individualities will differ one from another. But
in reality this is a reason for unity and not for discord and enmity. If
the flowers of a garden were all one colour, the effect would be monotonous
to the eye; but if the colours are variegated, it is most pleasing and
wonderful. The difference in adornment of colour and capacity of reflection
among the flowers gives the garden its beauty and charm. Therefore, although
we are of different individualities, different in ideas and of various
fragrances, let us strive like flowers of the same divine garden to live
together in harmony. Even though each soul has its own individual perfume
and colour, all are reflecting the same light, all contributing fragrance
to the same breeze which blows through the same garden, all continuing
to grow in complete harmony and accord. Become as waves of one sea, trees
of one forest, growing in the utmost love, agreement and unity.
We offer to the Omniscient
God, our reverence, our homage, and our gratitude for the light of the
Divine Saintliness.
JUDAISM - Psalm 118:24-27,
Isaiah 56: 7. Tanakh, The Holy Scriptures
This is the day that the
Lord has made -- let us exalt and rejoice on it. O Lord, deliver us! O
Lord, let us prosper! May one who enters be blessed in the name of the
Lord; We bless you from the House of the Lord. The Lord is God; He has
given us light.... “...my House shall be called a house of prayer for all
peoples.”
We offer to the Omniscient
God, our reverence, our homage, and our gratitude for the light of the
Divine Covenant.
CHRISTIANITY - Luke
10:25-37. New Jerusalem Bible
And now a lawyer stood up
and, to test him, asked, ‘Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’
He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?’
He replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with
all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your
neighbour as yourself.’ Jesus said to him, ‘You have answered right, do
this and life is yours.’ But the man was anxious to justify himself and
said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?” In answer Jesus said, “A man
was once on his way down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands
of bandits; they stripped him, beat him and then made off, leaving him
half dead. Now a priest happened to be travelling down the same road, but
when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. In the same way a
Levite who came to the place saw him, and passed by on the other side.
But a Samaritan traveller who came on him was moved with compassion when
he saw him. He went up to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and
wine on them. He then lifted him onto his own mount and took him to an
inn and looked after him. Next day he took out two denarii and handed them
to the innkeeper and said, “Look after him, and on my way back I will make
good any extra expense you have.” Which of these three, do you think, proved
himself a neighbour of the man who fell in the bandits’ hands? He replied,
‘The one who showed pity towards him.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go, and do the
same yourself.’
We offer to the Omniscient
God, our reverence, our homage, and our gratitude for the light of the
Divine Self-sacrifice.
ISLAM - Surah 30:17-24.
The Meaning of the Holy Qur’an
So give glory to Allah, when
ye reach eventide and when ye rise in the morning; Yea, to Allah be praise,
in the heavens and on earth; and in the late afternoon and when the day
begins to decline. It is Allah who brings out the living from the dead,
and brings out the dead from the living, and who gives life to the earth
after it is dead: And thus shall ye be brought out from the dead. Among
Allah’s Signs is this, that Allah created you from dust; and then -- behold,
ye are people scattered far and wide. And among Allah’s Signs is this,
that Allah created you mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in
tranquility with them, and has put love and mercy between your hearts:
verily in that are Signs for those who reflect. And among Allah’s Signs
is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the variations in your
languages and your colours; verily in that are Signs for those who know.
And among Allah’s Signs is the sleep that ye take by night and by day,
and the quest that ye make for a livelihood out of Allah’s Bounty: verily
in that are Signs for those who hearken. And among Allah’s Signs, Allah
shows you the lightning, by way both of fear and of hope, and Allah sends
down rain from the sky and with it gives life to the earth after it is
dead: verily in that are Signs for those who are wise.
We offer to the Omniscient
God, our reverence, our homage ,and our gratitude for the light of the
Divine Unity.
From the Gayan, Vadan, Nirtan of Hazrat Inayat Khan
I searched, but could not
find Thee; I called Thee aloud, standing on the minaret; I rang the temple
bell with the rising and setting of the sun; I bathed in the Ganges in
vain; I came back from Ka’ba disappointed; I looked for Thee on earth;
I searched for Thee in the heaven; my Beloved, but at last I have found
Thee hidden as a pearl in the shell of my heart. --------
The closer one approaches
reality, the nearer one comes to unity.
We offer to the Omniscient
God, our reverence, our homage, and our gratitude for the light of the
Divine Truth.
BLESSING May the Blessing
of God rest upon you; May God’s Peace abide with you; May God’s presence
illuminate your heart, Now and forever more. Amen
|