Prime RealityPrime RealityPantheism/New AgePantheism/New Age

Monism “The Monism “The One”One”

Brahman has no Brahman has no attributes, attributes, indefinableindefinable

New AgeNew Age No transcendent No transcendent

GodGod

God is all and in God is all and in allall

External RealityExternal RealityPantheism/New AgePantheism/New Age

Universe flows Universe flows out of Brahmanout of Brahman

Matter is illusoryMatter is illusory HierarchyHierarchy

– HumansHumans– AnimalsAnimals– PlantsPlants– MatterMatter

Altered state of Altered state of consciousness is consciousness is goal by use of goal by use of mystical mystical experiencesexperiences– ChannelingChanneling– Spirit possessionSpirit possession– Out of body Out of body

experiencesexperiences

Who is man?Who is man?Pantheism/New AgePantheism/New Age

Atman is the Atman is the essence of each essence of each soulsoul

Pass beyond self-Pass beyond self-awareness and be awareness and be unified with The Oneunified with The One

Enlightened are Enlightened are closer to Brahmancloser to Brahman

Human potential is Human potential is divine power within divine power within selfself

Places great value Places great value on individualon individual

Man is part of GodMan is part of God

Knowledge?Knowledge?Pantheism/New AgePantheism/New Age

Brahman is Brahman is indefinableindefinable

No knowledge No knowledge possiblepossible

Knowledge needs Knowledge needs to be harmonized to be harmonized across the across the disciplinesdisciplines– Ex. Science is Ex. Science is

both material and both material and spiritual as in ESPspiritual as in ESP

Morality, Right and Morality, Right and Wrong?Wrong?Pantheism/New AgePantheism/New Age

Brahman is beyond Brahman is beyond good and evil.good and evil.

Therefore, actions Therefore, actions are not good or evilare not good or evil

Ethical conduct is a Ethical conduct is a tool for becoming tool for becoming enlightenedenlightened

Assume occultic Assume occultic view that evil is view that evil is an illusionan illusion

Nothing is truer Nothing is truer than anything than anything elseelse

Belief in absolute Belief in absolute morality is wrongmorality is wrong

Death?Death?Pantheism/New Age Pantheism/New Age

Cycle of life until Cycle of life until enlightened – enlightened – NirvanaNirvana

Karma – present Karma – present fatefate(pleasure/pain)(pleasure/pain)

Reincarnation – Reincarnation – work out sin until work out sin until reach Nirvanareach Nirvana

Physical death is Physical death is not the end of not the end of selfself

History?History?Pantheism/New AgePantheism/New Age

Events and time are Events and time are an illusionan illusion

Events come and go Events come and go in a meaningless in a meaningless cyclecycle

Meaning is here and Meaning is here and nownow

We leave history We leave history behindbehind

Meaning is personal Meaning is personal based upon life based upon life experiences experiences

BUDDAHISMBUDDAHISM

Prime RealityPrime Reality– Final reality is the Void, nothing that Final reality is the Void, nothing that

can be named or graspedcan be named or grasped– The Void is the origin of everythingThe Void is the origin of everything

Who is man?Who is man?– Individual person is “not soul”Individual person is “not soul”– People are aggregation of previous People are aggregation of previous

individualsindividuals– Distinctions disappearDistinctions disappear

Eastern ThoughtEastern Thought

Cyclical historyCyclical history Paths that crossPaths that cross Doctrines that disagreeDoctrines that disagree Evil that is goodEvil that is good Knowledge that is ignoranceKnowledge that is ignorance Time that is eternalTime that is eternal Reality that is unrealReality that is unreal

Holds out the promise of peace, meaning Holds out the promise of peace, meaning and significance.and significance.

IrrationalityIrrationality– Reason is not a category, rejectedReason is not a category, rejected

Loss of moralityLoss of morality– Duality, both/andDuality, both/and

InconsistencyInconsistency– Consistency is no virtue but by reasonConsistency is no virtue but by reason– I’m not yet perfectI’m not yet perfect– Meditation is the answer, I cease actingMeditation is the answer, I cease acting

WestWest meets meets EastEast