MYSTERY, MYTH, HISTORY
THE DIMENSIONS OF SPIRITUALITY IN THE CONTEXT OF AVATARA
Keywords:
Mystery, Myth, Spirituality, Avatara, Faith, History, Divine, Idols, Descend of God, Hinduism, Jesus of Nazareth, ChristAbstract
Spirituality may be understood as man's 'adjustment' with the ultimate Mystery, the goal of man's existence. It is the existence before God, the human' spirit being grasped, sustained and transformed by the Supreme Spirit; it is man's search for communion with God, an anticipation of the human salvation awaited in the age to come. The constant theme of spirituality is man's being with God or God's being with man.
References
K. Rahner, "Uber den Begriff des Geheimnisses in der katholischen Theologie", in: Schriften zur Theologie IV (Einsiedeln: 1964), pp, 51-99.
M. Vekathanam, Christology in the Indian Anthropological Context: An Evaluative Encounter with K Rahner and W. Pannenberg (Peter Lang: Frankfurt. New York, 1986), pp. 404-412.
J. N. Farquhar. Permanent Lessons of the Gite, 1912. p, 31. Cf. also: E.J. Sharpe, Not to Destroy but to Fulfil, 1965, p. 200.
E.G. Parrinder, Avatar and Incarnation (London; 1970), p, 236.
S.J. Samartha, The Hindu Response to the Unbound Christ (Madras: 1974), p. 154.
A. Schweitzer, The Quest for the Historical Jesus, 1910.
Personal translation from: R. Bultmann, Jesus Christus und die Mythologie - Das Neue Testament im Licht der Bibelkritik (Gutersloh: 1980), p. 17.
A. Cotterell, A Dictionary of World Mythology, London 1979, pp.55, 56. Cf. also: P. Fallon. "Image Worship." in R. De Smetf J. Neuner (Ed.). Religious Hinduism (Allahabad: 1968). P. 172.
J.N. Farquhar. The Crown of Hinduism. Oxford 1915. p. 303.
J.B. Chethimattam. Consciousness and Reality: An Indian Approach to Metaphysics (Bangalore: 1967). p. 22.
J.N. Farquhar, Op, cit., p. 305. and P. Fallon, Art. Cit. p. 172.
S. Radhakrishnan, The Vedanta According to Sankara and Ramanuja (London: 1923), p. 256.
Idem, The Hindu View of Ufe (London: 1980 (1927», pp, 24-25.
J.N. Benerje, Purenlc and Tantric Religion, (Calcutta 1966), p. 31.
J. Gonda, Visnuism and Selv ism - A Comparison, London 1970, pp. 22-24.
E.J. Rapson (Ed.), The Cambridge History of India, Vols. 6 (1922-Repr. 1957-1964), Vol. I, p. 273.
D. Acharuparampil, "The 'Guru' in Hindu Tradition," in Ephemerides Cermelitlcse, Teresianum: Rome, XXXI (1980), I, p, 13.
M. Dhavamony, Classical Hinduism (Documenta Missionalia 15), Rome 1982, p. 61.
S.N. Dasgupta, A History of Indian Philosophy, 5 Vols. Cambridge (Repr. 1955), Vol. 2, p. 525.
E.G. Parrinder, The Significance of Bhagavad-Gita for Christian Theology (London: 1968), p. 13.
A.M. Sastri, The Bhagavadgita with the Commentary of Sri Sankaracharya (5th Ed. 1961), p. 121.
G. Thibaut (Tr.), The Vedanta Sutra with the Commentary bv Rernenu]s (1904), 2. 2. 42.
A. Govindacharya (Tr.), Sri Bhagavadgita with Sri Ramanujacharya's Visishtadvett » Commentary (1898. See Intr).
M. Dhavamony, "Hindu Incarnations," in Studia Missionalia 21 (1972), pp. 156ff.
S.J. Samartha, The Hindu Response to the Unbound Christ, p. 156. Cf. also: The Hindu View of History (Bangalore; 1959).
K. Rahner, "Was heibt heute an Jesus Christus glauben?," in Schriften ZUf Iheotoote, Band XIII, Einsiedeln (1978), pp. 175-176.
Idem, "Current Problems in Christology," in Theological Investigations, Vol. I (1961), p, 189.
K. Bahner, "Probleme der Christologie von hsute." in Schriften zur Iheotoet«, Bd. I, Einsiedeln (1958), p, 191.
Idem, lch glaube an Jesus Chrlstus (Theologische Meditationen 21), Hrg. H. KUng, Einsiedeln (1968), pp. 33-34.
Idem. Grundku rs des Glaubens-Einffjhrung in den Begriff des Christentums (Freiburg im. 8r .• 1976). pp. 203, 205, 227, 288.
R. C. Das, Convictions of an Indian Dlscip!« (8angalore: 1966), P. 9.
K.C. Sen, Keshub Chunder Sen's Lectures in India (Collection) 2 Vols. (London: 1901), 1904; Vol I. pp. 388-389.
P.C. Mozoomdar, The Spirit of God (Boston: 1894), pp, 246-249.
P. Johanns, "To Christ through the Vedanta," in Light of the East, VIII (June 1930), 9, p, 6.
B.H. Streeter and A.J. Appasamy, The Sadhu (1921), p, 232.
Paul Sudhakar: quoted from Robin Boyd, An Introduction to Indian Christian Theology (Madras: 1969), p. 217.
V. Chakkarai, Jesus the Avatar (Madras: 1929), p. 2.
P.C. Mozoomdar, Op. ctt., pp, 239ft. Cf. also: The Oriental Christ (Boston: 1883), pp, 40-46.
J. Neuner, "Avatara Doctrine and the Christ-Mysterium," in Man and Religion (1965), p.32.
Samuel Rayan; "Interpreting Christ to India: The Contribution of Roman Catholic Seminaries," in Indian Journal of Theology 23 (1974), p. 224.
James Robinson and John B. Cobb (sds.), The Latar Haidagger and Theology (New York: 1961). p, 151.