________________
LAURENCE FREEMAN
you are reflected back to you through your relationships in the workplace, family life, and in intimate relationships. Suddenly you will notice that you are more patient, more loving, or a better listener. That will take you by surprise. Because we don't usually think of ourselves as having these qualities. We're never made proud by that discovery. Whereas you can be made proud if you are looking for extraordinary experiences.
L.M.: The spiritual ego gets inflated.
L.F.: One of the great warnings of the desert fathers to the monks was not to gain spiritual pride. That is a constant danger. Rather, when you do become aware of these fruits in you, you are humbled by it. You realize that this isn't your doing. This is the mainfestation of the divine life in you through your personality. That provokes a sense of wonder in us, rather than a sense of pride.
L.M.: I understand that you made a pilgrimage with other Christians to Bodh Gaya in India, which is the place of the Buddha's enlightenment. It seems that the way of meditation opens a door—or window—that enables us to learn from other religions.
L.F.: The dialogue between Christianity and the other religions is one of the great moments of the spirit in the modern world, and one of the great signs of hope. But it will only really be successful if we develop a dialogue at a level of silence too. We can realize that it is from our practicing meditation together that the most important changes take place. One of the problems of dialogue at the intellectual, philosphical level is that you either end up in conflict and banging the door, or you go for a kind of diplomatic resolution-you try to paper over, or ignore the differences. But when you have this common practice of meditation together in the dialogue process, then you come to the words and discussions and arguments, and sharing of viewpoints, in a very different way. You come with a certain detachment from the words. You are not idolizing the words, and absolutizing concepts.
L.M.: Saint John begins his Gospel by saying that, "in the beginning was the Word.” Just what is that "word?” Does it mean the Bible, the Psalms? Yes, that is part of it. But isn't it also something else—that is, the creative action of the Holy Spirit, which we experience in meditation?
- 27
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
