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Part 4 of a special eight part series, A New Look at the Beatitudes, using The New Testament: An Expanded Translation, by Kenneth Wuest.

“Spiritually prosperous are those hungering and thirsting for righteousness, because they themselves shall be filled so as to be completely satisfied.”
–Matthew 5:6

Because we are so enslaved by our desire for pleasure and our aversion for pain, we try to avoid even discomfort or inconvenience–to such a degree that we consider wanting something we cannot have to be a form of suffering. We may say “no pain no gain” to others, but we do not want that to apply to ourselves. This beatitude, however, commends discontent to a great degree: the hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Peinao means to be famished, to crave desperately, not just to be simply hungry. Without food we will die, so those suffering from intense hunger are desperate to be fed. In the same way we must see that God-contact is not a wonderful option but an urgent necessity without which we inwardly die. Our yearning for God must be intense to the maximum degree. Otherwise we will not do the needful for the attainment of God-vision. We will foolishly feel that “the price” is too high. Peinao carries with it the connotation of keenly knowing our lack, and this knowledge spurs us on to spiritual fulfillment.

Peino has another meaning that is significant, both it and its root word penes mean to labor intensively (Strong says “pinching toil), to strive for subsistence. Here the idea of strong spiritual desire is supplemented with the concept of intense spiritual practice–also a necessity for blessedness.

Since thirst (dipsao, dipsos) can be even worse than hunger, it, too, is used by Jesus to symbolize the urge toward union with God.

Righteousness

The word dikaiosune does not mean righteousness in the sense of social goodness or approval, or even the approbation of God. Rather it means correctness or “rightness” of the person’s character, inner and outer. It means to be “straight” and “square” and “true” in our mind, our personality, and their expression in our daily life. Rectitude might even be a better word than righteousness. It is not an external matter, but an internal disposition of spiritual health that of course does manifest outwardly as is indicated by one of the root words of dikaiosun: deiknuo, which literally means “to show.”

There are two other significant root words: dikaios and dike. Dikaios means to be just and fitting in deed and thought to such a degree that a person is innocent of all wrong, the idea being that the individual has been purified from all fault by becoming righteous. So righteousness is an effective, positive thing, not just a passive characteristic. Dike is very interesting, for it literally means the judgment and punishment of wrong. In the context of this beatitude it means that a righteous person clear-sightedly detects his defects and eliminates them consciously through self-discipline and mastery.

“Filled so as to be completely satisfied”

The Bible frequently uses eating as a spiritual symbol, so much so that spiritual life is likened to a banquet or feast.

The Greek word employed by Saint Luke in his translating of Jesus’ words is chortazo, which means to eat beyond the point to satiety to that of outright incapacity to eat a bite more. “Gorge” is a synonym given by Strong. In other words, we shall be filled to total capacity with the righteousness of God if we hunger and thirst sufficiently. Abundance is the key thought here, and chortazo also means to completely satisfy all desire. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33)

There is more. The root word chortos means edible herbage or vegetation, but its literal meaning is “garden,” the idea being that the righteous are restored in spirit to Paradise, the Garden of Eden, and fed from the Tree of Life and thereby made immortal. (Can it be without significance that Saint Luke chose a word that explicitly implied vegetarian fare? [See Spiritual Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet])

Next: Part 5 of A New Look at the Beatitudes – Mercy and the Law of Karma.

Previous posts in this series:
• What Did Jesus Really Say in the Sermon on the Mount?
• The Kingdom of Heaven According to Jesus
• What Jesus Really Means by Meekness

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Part 3 of a special eight part series, A New Look at the Beatitudes, using The New Testament: An Expanded Translation, by Kenneth Wuest.

“Spiritually prosperous are those who are meek because they themselves shall inherit the earth.”
–Matthew 5:5

This has either been used to persuade people to shut up, lie down, and be run over, or it has been a point of rebellion by those who consider passivity unintelligent and harmful. But if we look at the Greek text we will see the actual idea in Jesus’s mind.

Praus means mild and gentle. This does not mean insipid, banal, bland, vapid, feeble, and timid–all “virtues” of the ineffectual and those who would render others ineffectual. Jesus does not want us to become squeaking mice.

Mildness and gentleness are symptoms of the truly peaceful, those who are at rest in God–and confident. Simplicity is implied here as well. Those who are truly strong are the mild and the gentle. Mildness is not characterlessness, either. It is really difficult to explain what is meant by this beatitude, but if you have ever met a truly enlightened person you know what is meant.

The saints I have met were varied in their personalities and “style,” yet they were all mild and gentle people. This is partially because all saints are perfect in ahimsa–non-injury. They are incapable of harming another. Not because they cannot in a mechanical sense, but because they are above such a thing. Saints can speak plainly–and often do–but never with an “edge” to them. Forgive me, I am talking around the subject, mostly because as I am writing this I am seeing in my mind the radiant and merciful faces of Sri Ma Anandamayi, Swami Sivananda, Sri Maitri Devi, and others that I met in India. They were firm and true, yet they were amazingly mild, gentle, and kind. They would not lie or dissemble, but they were always firm and rational, devoid of any sting or bitterness.

“We should blunt our sharp points,” says the Tao Teh King; and we should. And if we do, we “shall inherit the earth.”

Inherit the earth

Kleronomeo means to be an heir or to inherit. This implies that we are being freely given something through our merit: our meekness. Kleronomeo comes from kleronomos, which means to share in something, to actually possess it. So this is not a figurative matter, but something very literal. And what do the meek inherit? Ge, the earth. Not the “world” of human society and social constructs, but the very earth itself, the world of God’s making as opposed to the world of man’s fevered construction. The land itself will accrue to the meek. How many tyrants and empires have ground the meek into the earth only to vanish and become either forgotten or empty names in historical accounts. But the meek continue and abide upon the earth. The patient and the endurant eventually possess the land.

This is an external truth, and also a spiritual one. Those who remain sober, calm, and clear-sighted in their spiritual endeavors, without overblown ideas about their spiritual greatness or what glory they shall obtain, are those that shall attain everything. They shall master both the “earth” and the “heaven” parts of themselves. They shall be kingdoms, reflections of the heavenly kingdom to which they are called. Meekness (mildness and gentleness), then, is the way rather than a martial, brash attitude. Many people turn spiritual life into another craze or passion and burn themselves out in the process. Again, we see the value of the tortoise and the hare story. “In your patience possess ye your souls,” (Luke 21:19) counseled Jesus.

Next: Part 4 of A New Look at the Beatitudes – When Craving is a Good Thing.

Previous posts in this series:
• What Did Jesus Really Say in the Sermon on the Mount?
• The Kingdom of Heaven According to Jesus

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Part 2 of a special eight part series, A New Look at the Beatitudes, using The New Testament: An Expanded Translation, by Kenneth Wuest.

“Spiritually prosperous are the destitute and helpless in the realm of the spirit, because theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
–Matthew 5:3

Why are the destitute and helpless in the realm of the spirit spiritually prosperous? “Because theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” “Kingdom of heaven” is the translation of the words basileia ton ouranon. A basileus is a kingdom in the sense that it is a place where a king has established himself in power and reigns. The root word basis (just like the word in English) implies a point of establishment, or abidance.

Firstly we should note the symbolism. In a kingdom there is a king–a sole absolute power. There is only one king. So the kingdom of heaven is that state of consciousness in which God alone reigns–and reigns effectively–in the life of the individual. The kingdom of heaven is an absolute monarchy. And a worthy soul recognizes the sole authority and power of God. But in this kingdom there is perfect freedom. Each citizen freely chooses to be ruled by the King. God becomes our king by invitation only. It is our choice, not His. The moment some outside agency is (seemingly) pushing us into the kingdom or keeping us there–we are no longer in the kingdom. Freedom is essential in spiritual life. But freedom “under God.” The kingdom of heaven is not a place, but a state of being.

Infinite Consciousness

The word translated “heaven” is ouranos, and is a very interesting word indeed. Ouranos means the boundless sky, the idea being that the kingdom of heaven is Infinite Consciousness. The sky is vast space–nothing more. In a sense it is not even a “thing” at all. So the consciousness that is “heavenly” is both without boundaries or conditioning qualities, and not an object of perception to the limited and conditioned mind. It is Pure Consciousness (in Sanskrit: chidakasha) Itself. It, too, is Freedom beyond conception.

Interestingly, ouranos is from the root word oros, which means “to have been lifted up.” Our English word “heaven” means that which was heaved upward. The idea behind both words is expansion–in this case the limitless expansion of consciousness. The kingdom of heaven is “won” then by the expansion of our consciousness; and it is something we must do for ourselves. It is innate in us, but we must bring it to fruition. Oros also means mountain–a high place–and that implies the same thing: we must ascend from finite to Infinite. That is why climbing up a sacred mountain is such a common symbol in world religions. The ascent is not done with the feet but with the spirit. The Bible often uses eagles as symbols of spiritual aspirants, and the Greek word for bird–ornis–also is derived from the same root.

The Hebrew word for heaven means the same as ouranos. And that word is…NASA!

Those who are mourning

“Spiritually prosperous are those who are mourning, because they themselves shall be encouraged and strengthened by consolation.” (Matthew 5:4)

Pentheo means to grieve, to mourn, to wail, to sorrow. It includes both the inner feeling and the overt act. It encompasses inner and outer suffering, and is not at all appealing. But if we understand the root of this blessed mourning then we will see that it really is blessed.

What we should be mourning is our separation from God, our confinement in the prison world of constant birth and death and the narrow consciousness which is both the cause and the result of that confinement. We should both feel it deeply and act fervently to end it. If we do so, then Jesus assures us that we “shall be encouraged and strengthened by consolation.”

Comforted

In the King James version the word “comforted” is used to translate the Greek word parakaleo, which means to call someone near and comfort them. So this is not an impersonal matter of somehow becoming contented inwardly, but of being called to God, received into His arms of love, and lifted up beyond all capacity for pain or sorrow. Parakaleo also has the idea of someone being called for in an intensely personal and feeling way. Immediately there comes to mind the depictions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in which His heart is shown aflame with love for all mankind. Further, His heart is encircled and pierced by the thorns of the suffering of humanity which He witnesses. The intensely personal character of the comfort we seek is made clear by this. The roots of parakaleo give support to this and confirm the idea of the fervent nature of God’s calling for us–of God’s yearning for our union with Him.

Anyone who is making effort in spiritual life runs into the matter of discouragement and a feeling of weakness or outright incapability. The consolation of God reverses all this and makes us confident, courageous, and strong.

Next: Part 3 of A New Look at the Beatitudes – What Jesus Really Means by Meekness.

Read the first article in this series: What Did Jesus Really Say in the Sermon on the Mount?

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In this, the first of a special eight part series, A New Look at the Beatitudes, I will be using The New Testament: An Expanded Translation, by Kenneth Wuest since it presents the more philosophical side of Jesus words. To do this, it is extremely literal, sometimes so much so that the English is awkward, but it extracts the full meaning of the Greek wording. The esoteric understanding, of course, will be up to us.

“And having opened His mouth He went to teaching them, saying, Spiritually prosperous are the destitute and helpless in the realm of the spirit, because theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
–Matthew 5:3

Spiritually prosperous

Wuest is translating as “spiritually prosperous” the Greek word makarios. The word can mean both blessed and happy, but both expressions are too weak. Makarios means supremely blessed or happy in the sense that it is the ultimate degree of blessedness or happiness. Yet, it also means to be fortunate–in the literal sense of possessing a fortune and “well off”–prosperous. The idea is that of spiritual abundance, of spiritual superabundance. “God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.” (II Corinthians 9:8) The fullness of spiritual capacity and manifestation is implied here. Modern Christianity is so materialistic that virtually every time they speak of being blessed they mean gaining money. This is especially true of the televangelists and their forerunners the “New Thought” churches. Therefore Wuest is certainly justified in putting the adjective “spiritually” in the translation. Otherwise the Sermon on the Mount will just be another “God’s Prosperity Plan For His People.”

Destitute and helpless in the realm of the spirit

Here, too, Wuest is interpolating words, namely: “in the realm of the spirit.” It is necessary for him to do so, because of the “holy poverty” foolishness that reigned for centuries in Western Christianity. Of course the Church was always far from poor, but the clergy got simply tearful at the thought of “lady poverty” and “Christ’s poor.” Jesus did undeniably indicate that wealth and possessions were detrimental to many people, but never did He even hint at the idea that being poverty-stricken would make them virtuous. That is a moronism equivalent to the “suffering ennobles” idea.

In the East there are a lot of people wearing the mask of poverty and incapacity so others will make the money and do the needful for them. We have all known those who constantly had to be “helped” in everything. Even before beginning something they would start whining for assistance or declaring that they did not know how to do it. The inference was that someone should tell them every step until he got sick of it and did it for them. There are many reasons for people to behave in this way, some more perfidious and outrageous than others, but all inexcusable. So, as I say, we have to understand that Jesus is speaking of a spiritual condition when He says: “Spiritually prosperous are the destitute and helpless in the realm of the spirit, because theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Multiple meanings

The word Wuest translates as “destitute and helpless” is ptochos. This has several meanings, some on the surface and others more subtle, especially in the implications of the root words from which it is derived. Here they are:

1. To see oneself as a total pauper, destitute of all things, not in the sense of self-pity or self-denigration, but from the knowledge that God being All, all is to found in him, that nothing is of ourselves. “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.” (II Corinthians 3:5) We possess absolutely nothing. Everything that we “have” comes from God. Consequently we see all things as being in the realm of God and rejoice accordingly in Him. We do not feel fearful or lacking in anything because God is our sustainer. In exhorting the Christians of Corinth to be confident and fearless, Saint Paul reminded them: “Ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.” (I Corinthians 3:23) That is, we have nothing, but God has everything, and we belong to Him. And in the belonging we possess Him and possess all.
2. To be a beggar before God. That is, we should be looking to God for everything we need until we come to the realization that it is God Himself we need, that He is ours for the seeking. This does not mean that we whine and grovel before God, but that we depend on Him utterly. This is only good sense, since really we can neither do or be anything apart from Him. Even the most arrogant atheist is thoroughly dependent on God–he just does not realize it. The essence of this aspect though is the continual turning of our awareness Godward.
3. Those who do realize their dependency on God will then be spiritually prosperous because God will abundantly bestow on them all the riches of the spirit. Only empty hands can be filled. That is why an Indian poet sang: “A beggar at Thy door, Lord, pleading I stand. O grant to me an alms, Lord: love from Thy loving hand.” The love he is asking for is love of God, not love from God. In this realm it is truly “more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)
4. To be “destitute” of the ego, that which is ever grasping after things and claiming to be so much, is to be rich in the spirit. All the “things” of this relative life (death) lie only in the realm of the ego. Those who divest themselves of those things will then live in the spirit and be blessed.
5. A beggar has no home, but roams about seeking sustenance. Truly “the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” (Matthew 8:20) So the spiritually prosperous are those who realize that they are “strangers and pilgrims” (Hebrews 11:13; I Peter 2:11) and do not frustrate themselves by trying to “rest” or “live” anywhere in either the physical, astral, or causal worlds, but who seek the spirit alone. “For our hearts are ever restless till they find themselves in Thee,” said Saint Augustine.
6. It may not sound so pleasant, but ptochos also means to be distressed. In this instance, though, it means to be “divinely discontent,” to refuse to be satisfied with anything less than the highest spiritual attainment. To never be satisfied with anything less than infinity.
7. Ptochos comes from pipto, which means to rely–literally to “fall”–utterly on something or someone. Those who trust fully in God and place themselves unreservedly in His hands will not be disappointed. “My hope is in God” is the motto of the spiritually wise. But there is more. Pipto is related to petomai, which means “to fly,” the imagery of ptochos being that of a flying bird or butterfly that lands and comes to rest. In Whispers From Eternity Yogananda wrote: “Endowed with a spark of immortality, I have flown from life to life.…I shall alight at last, O Lord, upon Thine outstretched hand.” Those who are “coming in for a landing” in the Infinite are the spiritually prosperous.
8. No simile is perfect, and neither is that of a beggar. A beggar ideally is one who has nothing through no choice or fault of his own. But anyone with a bit of observation knows that many “beggars” are simply indolent opportunists. That is why there are actually beggars’ syndicates in eastern countries. Anyone who has spent much time in India is aware of this. There are people in genuine need, but there are many who are frauds preying on the compassion and good will of others. Some, especially the children, have been mutilated by the syndicate so they will make more money. However, another word from which ptochos is derived is peno, which means “to toil for daily subsistence.” So a ptochos is a beggar who works! That is, although we are completely dependent on God and look to Him alone, at the same time we labor in the vineyard of God-realization for our spiritual “daily bread.” As with all reality, it is contradictory–but it is consistent with truth. This is an important point because there are a lot of spiritual layabouts in all religions who excuse their indolence by saying that it is a manifestation of their faith in God and their awareness of their own helplessness. The words are noble, but the motive is ignoble and hypocritical. There is a lot about work and labor in the Bible. Just use a good concordance and see. (“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).)
9. A minor root word for beggar (ptochos) is ptoeo, when means to be apprehensive, The spiritually prosperous are always aware of their own capacity for failure and act accordingly. They strive to make God their strength and their safety. (“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:28,29))

In these matters of the spirit, destitution and helplessness are voluntary. That is, we intentionally divest ourselves of the illusions of possession and power, remembering the words of Jesus: “Thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” (Revelation 3:17) In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras he states that those who are perfectly detached–divested of all “things”–find themselves inundated with “all kinds of precious things.” So those who are in perfect “poverty” become incalculably wealthy in the spirit.

Next: Part 2 of A New Look at the Beatitudes – The Kingdom of Heaven According to Jesus.

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This is Part 12 of A Catechism of Enlightenment–a serialized commentary on “A Method Of Enlightening A Disciple” from Shankara’s Upadeshasahasri–A Thousand Teachings

23) “The Omnipresent takes note of the merit or demerit of none.” (Bhagavad Gita 5:15)

Since everything is just light and shadow like a motion picture, how can anything really have merit or demerit? This is why Buddhists speak of all things being “empty.” The image of a human being in a movie is not good or evil, healthy or ill, legal or illegal. It is nothing–just an appearance. Since God knows this, how can the Divine possibly look at anything as good or evil, pleasing or displeasing, legitimate or illegitimate, harmful or helpful? It is all just a training film in consciousness for those within the motion picture, within the dream of God. In short: Brahman does not take note of merit or demerit because there is no such thing–only an appearance.

24) “As the mighty wind, moving everywhere, rests always in the ether, even so, know that all beings rest in Me.” (Bhagavad Gita 9:6)

Since Brahman is ether (akasha) this is only reasonable. But since we have spoken of how the entire “creation” is a dream, what rests in Brahman? The individual selves, the jivatmans. For they are not a dream, but part of the Reality that is Brahman. We, too, are dreamers on the finite level, and must always distinguish between Brahman, ourselves, and our dreams, cosmic and individual.

25) “Know Me as the Knower of the Field in all fields.” (Bhagavad Gita 13:2)

Just as all beings abide in Brahman, so Brahman is within them all as The Knower. That is, everything perceived or experienced by them is perceived and experienced by Brahman through them. Brahman actually experiences “being” them, but without forgetting that It is not them–except in essence. We, on the other hand, identify with our experiences and fall into the labyrinth of illusory existence.

26) “Brahman is neither being nor non-being.” (Bhagavad Gita 13:12)

The Sanskrit text has the words sat and asat that are here translated “being” and “non-being.” The more complete definitions are: Asat: Unreal[ity]; nonbeing; nonexistence; false; falsehood. Sat: Existence; reality; truth; being. Brahman is beyond any of this, and the moment we try to drag Brahman down to the level where they apply we are only deluding ourselves. And Brahman could not care less. We need to stop trying to speak or think about Brahman and get busy preparing ourselves through meditation and spiritual discipline to experience Brahman.

27) “Being without beginning and devoid of [any] qualities.” (Bhagavad Gita 13:31)

Here again we see that nothing can be said about Brahman–or about the Self–nor can It or our Self be in any way described. Neither have any attributes whatsoever.

28) “Existing equally in all beings.” (Bhagavad Gita 13:27)

We cannot sensibly have a “more Brahman than thou” attitude! Divinity is equally in all things–as all things. No thing is more Brahman than another. However, that does not mean that some things are not heavier or lighter veilings of the Reality that is Brahman. The seeker after Brahman thus considers what will hinder or help his attainment of Brahmajnana, the Knowing of Brahman, and order his life accordingly.

29) “Distinct is the Supreme Purusha.” (Bhagavad Gita 15:17)

This is the same as Patanjali’s dictum: “Ishwara [God] is a particular Purusha.” Krishna and Patanjali mean that God is a special, unique, conscious Being–not just abstract Existence. God is a “particular Spirit” in the sense that God can be “picked out” or “singled out” from among all other things or beings. Though God is within all things and all things are within Him, yet He stands apart. This is stated several times in the Bhagavad Gita: “They are contained in me, but I am not in them…I stand apart from them all, supreme and deathless” (7:12, 13). “For my spirit stands apart, watching over Maya, the maker” (9:9). “Standing apart, He sustains” (13:14). “He is within and without: He lives in the live and the lifeless: subtle beyond mind’s grasp; so near us, so utterly distant” (13:15). “Although I am not within any creature, all creatures exist within me” (9:4). God is unique in the sense that He is Ekam Evam Advityam Brahman–the God Who is One, Only, Without a Second. He is not one of many, nor is He even one of two. He is ONE in every sense of the term.

• Read more installments of A Catechism of Enlightenment.

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