The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ. Levi

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      8 The ant constructs her home, the bee its sheltering comb, the spider weaves her web, and flowers breathe to them a spirit in their sweet perfumes that gives them strength to toil.

      9 Now, men and birds and beasts and creeping things are deities, made flesh; and how dare men kill anything?

      10 ’Tis cruelty that makes the world awry. When men have learned that when they harm a living thing they harm themselves, they surely will not kill, nor cause a thing that God has made to suffer pain.

      11 A lawyer said, I pray you, Jesus, tell who is this God you speak about; where are his priests, his temples and his shrines?

      12 And Jesus said, The God I speak about is every where; he cannot be compassed with walls, nor hedged about with bounds of any kind.

      13 All people worship God, the One; but all the people see him not alike.

      14 This universal God is wisdom, will and love.

      15 All men see not the Triune God. One sees him as the God of might; another as the God of thought; another as the God of love.

      16 A man’s ideal is his God, and so, as man unfolds, his God unfolds. Man’s God today, tomorrow is not God.

      17 The nations of the earth see God from different points of view, and so he does not seem the same to every one.

      18 Man names the part of God he sees, and this to him is all of God; and every nation sees a part of God, and every nation has a name for God.

      19 You Brahmans call him Parabrahm; in Egypt he is Thoth; and Zeus is his name in Greece; Jehovah is his Hebrew name; but everywhere he is the causeless Cause, the rootless Root from which all things have grown.

      20 When men become afraid of God, and take him for a foe, they dress up other men in fancy garbs and call them priests,

      21 And charge them to restrain the wrath of God by prayers; and when they fail to win his favor by their prayers, to buy him off with sacrifice of animal, or bird,

      22 When man sees God as one with him, as Father-God, he needs no middle man, no priest to intercede;

      23 He goes straight up to him and says, My Father-God! and then he lays his hand in God’s own hand, and all is well.

      24 And this is God. You are, each one, a priest, just for yourself; and sacrifice of blood God does not want.

      25 Just give your life in sacrificial service to the all of life, and God is pleased.

      26 When Jesus had thus said he stood aside; the people were amazed, but strove among themselves.

      27 Some said, He is inspired by Holy Brahm; and others said, He is insane; and others said, He is obsessed; he speaks as devils speak.

      28 But Jesus tarried not. Among the guests was one, a tiller of the soil, a generous soul, a seeker after truth, who loved the words that Jesus spoke; and Jesus went with him, and in his home abode.

      CHAPTER 29

      Ajainin, a priest from Lahore, comes to Benares to see Jesus, and abides in the temple. Jesus refuses an invitation to visit the temple. Ajainin visits him at night in the farmer’s home, and accepts his philosophy.

      Among Benares’ temple priests was one, a guest, Ajainin, from Lahore.

      2 By merchantmen Ajainin heard about the Jewish boy, about his words of wisdom, and he girt himself and journeyed from Lahore that he might see the boy, and hear him speak.

      3 The Brahmic priests did not accept the truth that Jesus brought, and they were angered much by what he said at the Udraka feast.

      4 But they had never seen the boy, and they desired much to hear him speak, and they invited him to be a temple guest.

      5 But Jesus said to them, The light is most abundant, and it shines for all; if you would see the light come to the light.

      6 If you would hear the message that the Holy One has given me to give to men, come unto me.

      7 Now, when the priests were told what Jesus said they were enraged.

      8 Ajainin did not share their wrath, and he sent forth another messenger with costly gifts to Jesus at the farmer’s home; he sent this message with the gifts:

      9 I pray you, master, listen to my words; The Brahmic law forbids that any priest shall go into the home of any one of low estate; but you can come to us;

      10 And I am sure these priests will gladly hear you speak. I pray that you will come and dine with us this day.

      11 And Jesus said, The Holy One regards all men alike; the dwelling of my host is good enough for any council of the sons of men.

      12 If pride of caste keeps you away, you are not worthy of the light. My Father-God does not regard the laws of man.

      13 Your presents I return; you cannot buy the knowledge of the Lord with gold, or precious gifts.

      14 These words of Jesus angered more and more the priests, and they began to plot and plan how they might drive him from the land.

      15 Ajainin did not join with them in plot and plan; he left the temple in the night, and sought the home where Jesus dwelt.

      16 And Jesus said, There is no night where shines the sun; I have no secret messages to give; in light all secrets are revealed.

      17 Ajainin said, I came from far-away Lahore, that I might learn about this ancient wisdom, and this kingdom of the Holy One of which you speak.

      18 Where is the kingdom? where the king? Who are the subjects? what its laws?

      19 And Jesus said, This kingdom is not far away, but man with mortal eyes can see it not; it is within the heart.

      20 You need not seek the king in earth, or sea, or sky; he is not there, and yet is everywhere. He is the Christ of God; is universal love.

      21 The gate of this dominion is not high, and he who enters it must fall down on his knees. It is not wide, and none can carry carnal bundles through.

      22 The lower self must be transmuted into spirit-self; the body must be washed in living streams of purity.

      23 Ajainin asked, Can I become a subject of this king?

      24 And Jesus said, You are yourself a king, and you may enter through the gate and be a subject of the King of kings.

      25 But you must lay aside your priestly robes; must cease to serve the Holy One for gold; must give your life, and all you have, in willing service to the sons of men.

      26 And Jesus said no more; Ajainin went his way; and while he could not comprehend the truth that Jesus spoke, he saw what he had never seen before.

      27 The realm of faith he never had explored; but in his heart the seeds of faith and universal brotherhood had found good soil.

      28 And as he journeyed to his home he seemed to sleep, to pass through darkest night, and when he woke the Sun of Righteousness had arisen; he had found the king.

      29 Now, in Benares Jesus tarried many СКАЧАТЬ