Watch or listen to the second part of the series on the Richard Urban Show, Why Abstinence Matters:
We Have Become Diseased both Spiritually and Physically on the Richard Urban Show.
Cheon Seong Gyeong 2156
The result of this Fall is that human-
kind became ignorant of such basic
issues as the facts relating to God, life,
and the universe. Throughout my life,
I have spoken in public more than ten
thousand times, and presented a true
view of the world, of life, and of history
based on the principles of ‘Godism.’ This
content in its entirety has been translat-
ed into twelve different languages and
published in a series of some three hun-
dred volumes. It was not brought to light
as a result of some kind of comprehen-
sive literary research or academic study,
but is comprised of the fundamental and
essential answers I found while freely
traversing both the visible and the invis-
ible worlds.
Richard: Very true. How many are aware of what the purpose of life is, as God designed it?
Cheong Seong Gyeong 1509
Where is the center of the universe?
It is the family. Where is the base for true
love to settle? It is in your family. There-
fore, the family of the original ideal is
one that grasps the love of the universe
and participates in the protection of the
universe. Also, such a family applies
the realm of love for the universe to the
national level in order to walk the way
of patriotism and finally, applies it to the
world level. People who love their family
are called filial sons or daughters, people
who love their nation are called patriots,
and people who love the world are called
saints. (Blessed Family – 925)
World Scripture and the Teachings of
Sun Myung Moon
Chapter 3
Perfection
Scriptures describe the virtues of a person who is one with the Absolute, who is firmly established in truth, who is without sin or bondage to worldly corruption, and who exhibits the fullness of sanctifying grace. He or she may be called a saint, a sage, a Buddha, or a divine man. This state of perfection is not beyond our reach; it is a goal to be attained, if we only make the effort. Gandhi once said, “Life is an aspiration. Its mission is to strive after perfection, which is self-realization. The ideal must not be lowered because of our weaknesses or imperfections.”
The passages in this section describe the excellent qualities of a person who has attained the state of perfection. Three characteristics of perfection in particular stand out: The first is mind-body unity. The saint has dominion over him or herself, having overcome selfish desires and been purified of any feelings of lust, greed or other cravings. As a result, he only wishes to do what is right—in accord with God’s will and the dictates of conscience. In Saint Augustine’s words, he is one who can “love God and do what you will.”
Second, perfection is a state of unity with God. God is the pattern and model for the highest human aspirations. Thus, the saint participates in God’s own perfection and comes to embody God’s attributes— absoluteness, unchangeability, compassion, righteousness, etc.
Third, perfection means to embody God’s true love. Love or compassion is the core of God’s being, as expressed in His untiring efforts to save sinful people. Therefore, a man or woman of perfection delights in the well-being of others and selflessly works for their benefit. Saintly love has no partiality, regards no one as an enemy, but always repays evil with good. (See also Chapter 13: True Love.)
- Perfection Begins with Unity of Mind and Body
A novice asked the Buddha, “What is goodness
and what is greatness?” The Buddha replied,
“To follow the Way and hold to what is true is
good. When the will is in conformity with the
Way, that is greatness.”
Sutra of Forty-two Sections 15 (Buddhism)
None of you truly believes until his inclination
is in accordance with what I have brought.
Forty Hadith of an-Nawawi 41 (Islam)
One who is rich in the enlightenment will not
indulge in any sinful action, since his conscience is
guided by the intellect fully illumined with Truth.
Acarangasutra 1.174 (Jainism)
Whose minds are well perfected in the Factors of
Enlightenment, who, without clinging, delight
in the giving up of grasping, they, the corrup-
tion-free, shining ones, have attained Nibbana
even in this world.
Dhammapada 89 (Buddhism)
He whose senses are subdued, like steeds
well-trained by a charioteer, he whose pride is
destroyed and is free from the corruptions—
such a steadfast one even the gods hold dear.
Like the earth, a balanced and well-disciplined
person resents not… He is like a pool, unsullied
by mud; to such a balanced one, life’s wanderings
do not arise.
Calm is his mind, calm is his speech, calm is his
action, who, rightly knowing, is wholly freed
[from defilements], perfectly peaceful and
equipoised.
The man who is not credulous but truly
understands the Uncreated (Nibbana), who has
cut off the links, who has put an end to occasion
[of good and evil], , who has eschewed all desires,
he indeed is a supreme man.
Dhammapada 94-97 (Buddhism)
Arjuna: Tell me of those who live established in
wisdom, ever aware of the Self, O Krishna. How
do they talk? How sit? How move about?
Lord Krishna: They live in wisdom who
see themselves in all and all in them, who have
renounced every selfish desire and sense craving
tormenting the heart.
Neither agitated by grief nor hankering after
pleasure, they live free from lust and fear and
anger. Established in meditation, they are truly
wise. Fettered no more by selfish attachments,
they are neither elated by good fortune nor
depressed by bad. Such are the seers.
Even as a tortoise draws in its limbs, the
wise can draw in their senses at will. Aspirants
abstain from sense pleasures, but they still crave
for them. These cravings all disappear when
they see the highest goal. Even of those who
tread the path, the stormy senses can sweep
off the mind. They live in wisdom who subdue
their senses and keep their minds ever absorbed
in Me.
Bhagavad-Gita 2.54-61 (Hinduism)
Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as say-
ing, “The believers whose faith is most perfect
are those who have the best character.”
Hadith of Abu Dawud and Darimi (Islam)
The monk who has destroyed the cankers, lived
the life, done what was to be done, laid down the
burden, won the goal, burst the bonds of becom-
ing, and is freed by the fullness of gnosis, cannot
transgress nine standards: a monk in whom the
cankers are destroyed cannot deliberately take
the life of any living thing; cannot, with inten-
tion to steal, take what is not given; cannot
indulge in carnal intercourse; cannot intention-
ally tell a lie; cannot enjoy pleasures from mem-
ories as of yore when a householder; a monk
in whom the cankers are destroyed cannot go
astray through desire; cannot go astray through
hate; cannot go astray through delusion; cannot
go astray through fear.
Anguttara Nikaya 4.370 (Buddhism)
He who has achieved it cannot either be drawn
into friendship or repelled,
Cannot be benefited, cannot be harmed,
Cannot either be raised or humbled,
And for that reason is highest of all creatures
under heaven.
Tao Te Ching 56 (Taoism)