UnSaid

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and a Happy Hanukkah

My Kingdom is not of this world
- Jesus Christ

Something I liked:

Jesus Christ pointed out, “The kingdom of God is within you” (The Bible: Luke – 17, 21). In a similar vein, an ancient Tamil saint admonishes in these words – “O! Those unwise persons, who seek light from the heavens above, see this within yourselves”.

A little off topic but nevertheless relevant:

As in the case of the injured who is finally enabled to walk normally through the medium of physiotherapy, exercises and medicines, the spiritual aspirant also has to involve himself through proven techniques of obtaining spiritual strength. Exercises in right living, lifestyle and spiritual evolution through various physical and mental exercises (sadhana) have been prescribed by various schools.

Bhagawad Gita refers to this as a process of discarding passion, desire and anger (II 56 and V, 28). Such exercises for the body, mind and the spirit enable one to discover light and divinity within. This is the state, described by Gita as that state of “joy within, comfort within and light within” — antasukah, antararamah, antarjyoti (V, 24)

Updated : To add Hanukkah celebrations

The Chinese have mostly escaped the Islamic terrorism scourge, with many Jihadists calling China an ally rather than an enemy. It was even reported some time back in news articles that Mullahs prayed for Chinese victory against the ‘enemy’ US.

Not much Chinese reaction has been forthcoming even with Chinese citizens getting killed in Pakistan (Engineers working at Gwadar) and recently in the Jordan blasts. Most things that the Jihadis are fighting against, are also present in China (majority non-muslim population, yearning for materialism, etc.). They have been struggling with Islamic separatism in one of their own provinces for some time, but surprisingly, the Jihadists and the Chinese have not raised their voices against each other. What does it all really mean?

Is the Chinese gameplan to let the Jihadis can do their dirty work of keeping the world bleeding and preoccupied while they raise their own profile? Does this make China an ally of Jihadis? If China is an ally of the Jihadis, why is the world silent about it?

If the Chinese are not their ally, will they ever enter this ‘war on terror’ being played out in its neighbourhoods and around the world? The Chinese are pragmatic enough to realise that the Jihadis will ultimately start targeting them for not being muslims too. They can’t keep watching the world fight its battles forever without them and take all the spoils of war (presuming that the Jihadis get defeated). Or are they waiting for a trigger (bombs going off in Chinese cities), or just a good excuse? It might just be a matter of time when bombs start going off in Chinese mainland. Can they resist joining forces with the free world, even if they are not looking for an excuse? If it happens, rather, when it happens, What will it mean for the world, especially, its relationship with US, Russia, India and Pakistan?