God Is Love. Who is the Real Panchen Lama? “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” Then he said to them, "I can guarantee this truth: Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. According to legend, when Siddhartha was glowing right after his enlightenment, people asked him if he was a god, a prophet, a rishi, or a saint, and to each he replied, “No.” What he simply said is “I am awake,” and his answer became his title. The word “Buddha” comes from the Sanskrit root budh, which means “to awaken” and denotes one who has awakened from the deep sleep of ignorance. When this is, that is. From the arising of this comes the arising of that. When this isn't, that isn't. From the cessation of this comes the cessation of that. The idealization of asceticism, itself motivated by an extreme form of ressentiment motivated by the construal of all human suffering as a threat to the agent’s power. Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (*I do not consent to being recorded on this app.*) (*Views do not represent any association I am involved with.*)