As I was reciting Brahmanandam Parama Sukhadam aloud the other day, I became especially aware of its emphasis on beyond duality (dwantateetam) and tatwamasyadilakshyam (the goal of ‘That Thou Art’). Brahmanandam together with Nirvana Shatakam expresses most powerfully, in my opinion, the quintessence of non-duality.
As I look at the Christian Scriptures, Christ gave two commandments: 1. Loving God with all one’s heart, soul, and mind, and 2. Loving one’s neighbor as oneself as containing the whole of the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 22: 37-40). Christ systematically built the Kingdom of God by emphasizing the Unity of Humanity through the Golden Rule: “Do to others what you like others to do to you” (Luke 7: 12). Interestingly this rule also sums up the whole of the Law and the Prophets. He does not want anybody on earth to be called master, teacher, or father as only God our Father is worthy of all those titles (Matthew 22: 8-10). In his all-important last discourse (John 13-17) he calls God Father, all humans’ brothers, sisters, and friends. He calls all humanity including himself as sons and daughters of God. He identifies himself with God. As brothers and sisters of Christ, we also get identified with God. If we follow his teachings, he assured us that we will even be able to do greater woks than he did. He also exhorts us to be perfect as his heavenly Father is.
Certainly this is not a systematic exposition. But there are unmistakable elements in Christian Scriptures that identify us with Christ or God. Our identifying ourselves with Christ leads to our identification with God. While non-duality is not given the importance it deserves in Christian Scriptures, Christians will not be wrong in thinking of Christ fulfilling the Hindu-concept of Advaita(non-duality) in creation. In all these theological speculations what matters most is the prime law of love and tolerance that will see us through and lead us to the Ultimate.
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