The Gospel of John in the Light of Indian Mysticism

by Ravindra, Ravi

• ISBN13: 9781594770180
• ISBN10: 1594770182
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-08-16
• Publisher: Inner Traditions

Summary

Explores St. John’s Gospel from an Eastern perspective to reveal the interconnectedness of all faiths and the need for interfaith dialogue

• Takes readers beyond academic and historical analyses by exploring the mystical foundation of the Gospel

• Includes the full text of the Gospel of John interwoven with passage-by-passage interpretations

The Gospel of John is different from the other canonical gospels in its overall point of view concerning Jesus Christ and his mission on earth. It is much more cosmological in scale and mystical in nature and has long been considered more esoteric. The Gospel of John in the Light of Indian Mysticism presents an unusual and rewarding exploration of this Christian text from a Hindu perspective as Ravi Ravindra takes us into the heart of St. John’s words, eloquently and convincingly revealing the interconnectedness of all faiths and the growing need in today’s world for interfaith dialogue. For those concerned with the emergence of a universal spirituality, Ravindra provides a source of light, a translucent pool of wisdom that offers from its depths an immense and lasting spiritual vision.

Author Biography

&quot;Catches the tone and spirit of St. John and this gospel’s profound coherence with other traditions, particularly the Hindu tradition in India and of course the Bhagavad Gita.&quot;<br />

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	xi
Preface to the Revised Edition	xiii
Introduction	1	(12)
CHAPTER 1
1-9 Intelligence Beyond Time	13	(3)
10-13 All Who Receive the Word Are Begotten by God	16	(2)
14-18 Eternity in Love with Time	18	(3)
19-34 The Witness as the Midwife of the Spirit	21	(4)
35-51 Preparation for Withstanding Truth	25	(7)
CHAPTER 2
1-11 Transformation: Water into Wine	32	(2)
12-25 Temple, Body, and Spirit	34	(5)
CHAPTER 3
1-21 New Birth	39	(4)
22-36 None but the Groom Has the Bride and the Fire	43	(4)
CHAPTER 4
1-3 Beware the Hollow Men	47	(2)
4-15 The Inner Spring of Living Water	49	(2)
16-18 The Need for Inner Unity	51	(1)
19-24 The Worshippers Whom the Father Seeks	52	(1)
25-42 The Secret Name of God	53	(3)
43-54 Belief in Signs and Wonders	56	(2)
CHAPTER 5
1-9 The Struggle Between the Self and the Ego	58	(2)
10-17 Action and Rest from Action	60	(3)
18-30 Only They Can Be Just Who Do Nothing by Themselves	63	(3)
31-47 The Esoteric Message of the Tradition	66	(3)
CHAPTER 6
1-13 The Bread from the Simple Heart	69	(3)
14-15 The Fear and Temptation of Becoming King	72	(1)
16-21 The Power of I AM	73	(2)
22-58 I AM as the Bread of Eternal Life	75	(8)
59-71 Levels of Struggle	83	(3)
CHAPTER 7
1-13 Conflict Between the Spirit and the World	86	(3)
14-32 My Teaching Is Not My Own	89	(4)
33-36 Where I AM, No One Can Come	93	(2)
37-52 Rivers of Living Water from the Belly	95	(4)
CHAPTER 8
1-11 Adultery: Mixing of Levels	99	(3)
12-20 The Highest Person as the Witness Within	102	(2)
21-30 Without Knowing I AM, We Die Missing the Mark	104	(3)
31-47 A Disciple Is One Who Lives the Teaching	107	(4)
48-59 Losing Our Minds Rightly	111	(3)
CHAPTER 9
1-7 Spiritual Blindness Is Natural	114	(3)
8-17 Sight as New Birth	117	(2)
18-34 Insight or More Sights?	119	(2)
35-41 The Sighted and the Sightless	121	(3)
CHAPTER 10
1-21 Many Sheep and One Shepherd	124	(4)
22-42 The Father and You Are One	128	(5)
CHAPTER 11
1-16 They Whom Christ Loves Die to Themselves	133	(6)
17-44 Awake, 0 Sleeper, Arise from the Dead	139	(4)
45-57 Alien People Clutching Their Gods	143	(4)
CHAPTER 12
1-8 Giving Our All to the Master	147	(1)
9-19 The Kingdom of Christ Is Not of This World	148	(2)
20-36 Unless a Seed Dies, It Bears No Fruit	150	(3)
37-43 Levels of Seeing	153	(3)
44-50 The Yoga of the Cross	156	(2)
CHAPTER 13
1-17 Washing Off the Surface Self	158	(3)
18-32 The Trial of Judas	161	(7)
33-38 Only Those Who Know Can Love	168	(2)
CHAPTER 14
1-14 I AM the Way and the Truth and the Life	170	(3)
15-26 Those Who Love Can Come to Truth	173	(2)
27-31 Those Who Have Nothing Will Not Die	175	(2)
CHAPTER 15
1-6 Right Order-Internal and External	177	(3)
7-13 Love from Above, Obedience from Below	180	(2)
14-17 Levels of Disciples	182	(2)
18-25 Leave the World in Order to Change It	184	(3)
26-27 The Eternal Witness from the Beginning	187	(2)
CHAPTER 16
1-6 The Scandal of the Cross	189	(2)
7-15 The Inner Guide	191	(2)
16-23 Death and New Birth	193	(1)
23-33 Participating in the Mind of Christ	194	(4)
CHAPTER 17
1-13 The Work of the Father	198	(3)
14-26 Consecration in Truth	201	(4)
CHAPTER 18
1-12 The Overwhelming Force of I AM	205	(4)
13-27 The Trial of Peter	209	(2)
28-40 The King of the Inner Kingdom	211	(3)
CHAPTER 19
1-22 The Crown of Thorns and the Inner Kingdom	214	(4)
23-42 Delivering the Spirit to the One Whom He Loved	218	(5)
CHAPTER 20
1-18 I Sleep, but My Heart Waketh	223	(6)
19-31 The Spirit of Truth as the Subtle Body of Christ	229	(6)
CHAPTER 21
1-14 A New Beginning	235	(4)
15-19 The Lamb of Christ Among the Wolves of the World	239	(2)
20-25 Let Not Him Who Seeks Cease Until He Finds	241	(3)
Bibliography	244	(3)
Index	247