When the hope that the Savior would come soon based on Daniel's 'Seventy Weeks prophecy' in the Old Testament rose and a tidal wave of the church movement by Overseas Gentile Jews which had occurred in the Mediterranean coast finally reached Jerusalem, the headquarters of Judaism, Jesus seems to have often visited the meeting place of the Essenes adjacent to the residence of the High Priest Caiaphas and to have started to baptize with the Holy Spirit through "dialogue."

Didymus Judas Thomas, one of the Twelve, who is honored as the twin of Jesus (Both Didymus and Thomas mean twin in Greek and in Aramaic respectively.), traveled to Assyria around 35 C.E., two years after Jesus' ascension, and went on a mission to India, then left to Beijing (北京), China in 62 C.E. In this way, the "Baptism of the Holy Spirit" that Jesus founded penetrated to the Eastern world, fusing with the Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism that were emerging at the time, giving rise to Pure Land faith and Zen culture, and even contributing to the birth of Islam.

Thus this time, I will focus on the introduction of Nestorian Christianity (景教Jingjiao), which became the catalyst for the rise of Zen Buddhism in China, and deliver the new book "Zen Buddhism and Nestorianism." By comparing the contents of the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, and the Epistles of Paul with the Kosoku koans(古則公案), I would like to explore, together with the readers(you), the Genjo koans(現成公案) that Jesus presented to us.

Incidentally, subjects which Zen masters give their students in the meditation hall are called "Koan(公案)," the "Zen Questions and Answers" of the predecessors recorded in the Koan Roku(record books of Koan) are called "Kosoku Koan(古則公案)," and the current problems faced by the people in the real world are called "Genjo-koan(現成公案)."

In the exchange of ideas between the teacher (Jesus) and the students (Peter, John, Thomas, etc.), the views of the koans presented are never the same: Peter's is Peter's, John's is John's, today's is today's, and tomorrow's is tomorrow's. Your own view is required.

Then below, I will introduce some of the contents of the new book, "Zen Buddhism and Nestorianism." If you are interested, we would be happy if you would read the electronic or paperback version.

Pray and fast are practices for one to return to the state of truth or no deception. Thus he said, "Both of I and you do not need to do them now. However, the groom (Jesus = original self) leaves the bridal suite (Father's kingdom), (in other words, on the Second Coming) then let people fast and pray." He meant that both pray and fast are practices to make spiritual rebirth and to return to original Self (Supreme God = Jesus).

Paul also preaches in 'Epistle to the Romans,' saying, "Have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection." (Romans 6:3-5)

On another day, Jesus said, "If you do not fast from the world, you will not find the kingdom. If you do not observe the sabbath as a sabbath, you will not see the father." (Thomas 27)

Both 'the father' and 'the kingdom' indicate 'original Self, the supreme god,' while 'fast from the world' means to withdraw oneself from the chain of causes and conditions of this world. Sabbath is none other than the state to withdraw oneself from the chain of causes and conditions of this world. Therefor, "If you do not observe the sabbath as a sabbath, you will not see the father."

The kingdom has existed from the beginning until now. Thus if you find out your original Self which have been one with Supreme God from the beginning, then the kingdom will be realized instantly right before your eyes. Therefore, in India, Buddha was enlightened upon seeing Lucifer while sitting under the bodhi tree and testified "Holy am I alone throughout heaven and earth. Grass, trees and the domains of all living things, all attain buddhahood." And Paul too, he says, "The Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Romans 14:17) "But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning," he adds. (Romans 14:23)

According to theologian Naoki Kuwabara(桑原直己1954-), professor emeritus at the University of Tsukuba, in the Old Testament's Canticles, the "bridegroom" is a metaphor for God and the "bride" is a metaphor for the people of Israel. Even in Christianity, "Christ"' has traditionally been compared to the "bridegroom," and the "church" or "soul"' to the "bride." "Brautmystik," which compares one's soul to a bride and God or Christ to the bridegroom and expresses the love of the soul toward God, was cultivated especially in "Monastic Theology," which is oriented toward love and prayer for God.

(“Bridal mysticism” and “Essence mysticism”https://tsukuba.repo.nii.ac.jp/record/40985/files/SP_42_118.pdf)

In September of last year, when I published a text called "The baptism with the Holy Spirit" on the Web, I received a message from Mr. Motohiro Kisaichi(私市元宏), a representative of the Koinonia Society and a professor emeritus at Konan Women's University(甲南女子大学), saying,"Thank you very much for your very interesting treatise on Zen Buddhism and the Spirit of Jesus." In fact, I decided to publish "Zen Buddhism and Nestorianism" after hearing his point. Mr. Kisaichi then delivered a DVD containing two documents: "Explanation of the Womb Realm Mandala(胎蔵曼荼羅)" and "Response to Me."

To Mr. Atsushi Murakami

The document you sent me has a large content, and it includes Chinese Zen Buddhism and its goal of "self-understanding as a human being" of "enlightenment."

Furthermore, Thomist thought and Keikyo(景教) are related to this, and it also mentions Kukai(空海), who plays an important role in Japanese Buddhism.

The issues this document presents are the enlightenment of Zen Buddhism, the wisdom of Thomism (Gnosticism), and the spiritual wisdom of the Spirit advocated by the Christian church. How do "human self-understanding" presented by these three concepts of "enlightenment," "human wisdom," and "spiritual wisdom" interact? I think we can narrow it down to these issues.

This is an "important conundrum." It is not easy to explore the interrelationships of human self-understanding conveyed by the three parties. I am currently trying to create a document that is as concise and easy to understand as possible, and would like to send it by mail if possible, so please wait for a while. (The latter part is omitted)

October 4, 2024

Motohiro Kisaichi

【Reference】

According to the dialectic of the Gospel of John,

How then can a man possess eternal life?

When he said, "You are Huichao," Zen Master Fayan thrusted vivid Self in Huichao in front of his eyes.