The Theology of any religious or philosophical group that goes beyond mundane thought must be based upon a belief in a Cosmology which is related to the origin and structure of the universe.
We must then begin here by presenting a central pillar of Essene Christianity that assumes the level of truth within the esoteric, but has become merely mundane intellectual ritual in Modern Christian thought.
In the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas, which is from the Nazorean Essene school, stress is placed upon deep understanding on gaining gnosis, and on transcending dualistic worldly thinking. Jesus is revealed as a spiritual master of the Gnostic type. He is stripped of the miracle-mongering of the new Christian Testament, he is defined most by what he teaches, not what he does with his body or with modern Christian themes of Crucifixion. Yeshu of the Gnostics is a redeemer who has come into the world not to die for man, but to live for his secret Compassion and Wisdom.
Jesus then becomes for Essenes the fulcrum between Theology and Cosmology.
In that fact alone we are beginning to capture the essence also of Aviavartika thought in his mission.
"The universe originates with God. God creates the universe in a series of four emanations, each of which becomes a particular realm:
`ATSILUTH: The first emanation from God is the realm of the Divine Archetypes. It is a spiritual realm, not a physical realm.
The Divine Archetypes for humankind are the masculine ADAM KADMON with his feminine counterpart SHEKHINAH.
(Jesus is considered to be a messianic incarnation of Adam Kadmon; thus he is called "the first child of God". And since only the realm of Divine Archetypes was created directly by God -- all further steps of creation being accomplished by Adam Kadmon and Shekinah united as "THE WORD" -- Jesus, as Adam Kadmon, is also called "the ONLY BEGOTTEN son of God". Jesus himself stressed that we are all children of God, but only Adam Kadmon and Shekhinah -- by virtue of being Divine Archetypes -- were DIRECTLY BEGOTTEN by God.)
BERI'AH. Whereas `Atsiluth, the first realm, (described above) is a direct emanation from EN SOPH (the unmanifest God), the second realm, BERI'AH, is a direct emanation from `Atsiluth. Beri'ah is the realm of the HIGHEST RANKING ANGELS OF THE UNIVERSE. This realm contains no ordinary physical matter, only PURE SPIRITUAL ENERGY. Another term for this realm is "THE HIGHEST HEAVENS".
YETSIRAH. The third realm, Yetsirah, is an angelic realm, but not as high as the above described Beri'ah. The angelic beings of light in this realm are higher in spiritual development than human beings, but lower than those of the Beri'ah Higher Heavens. Within the realm of Yetsirah are seven sub-realms called "The Seven Heavens". Only when a being has progressed through these seven heavens of Yetsirah -- via spiritual evolution over long duration -- is that being able to ascend to the archangelic realm of the Beri'ah Higher Heavens. Yetsirah is not as physical as our realm, nor as subtle as Beri'ah. The lower regions of Yetsirah are more physical than the higher regions of that realm.
ASIYAH. The fourth realm, Asiyah, is the physical universe that we currently live in. Within Asiyah are countless sub-realms, some extremely dark and dense, some relatively light and subtle. Through our thoughts, words and deeds, we rise to the higher regions of Asiyah, or fall to the hell-pits of Asiyah.
What can we say of these equating them to Chan Dao Dharma tackling them in reverse order:
ASIYAH the fourth realm is witout any doubt the equivalent of Samsara, the world of sensory illusion that seems so real that the Dual mind converts in separate substances.
The less dualism in our cognition and the less identity which dominates thoughts, words, and deeds indeed rise to the highest level, which strips clinging and craving from delusion.
YETSIRAH. The third realm, Yetsirah, is the realm of beings high in spiritual development. There are seven seven sub-realms called "The Seven Heavens". We can considrr this idea as equivalent to the Bhumis in which the ten Bhumi correspond to the seven Heavens. When a being has progressed through to the tenth the Bhumi through spiritual evolution with Compassionate Dharma and Benevolence he is able to obtain the final Bhumi within a stained samsara. A person here is Bodhisattva in terms of Avaivartika.-
BERI'AH. Beri'ah is the realm of the HIGHEST RANKING ANGELS OF THE UNIVERSE and consists in PURE SPIRITUAL ENERGY. It is the Highest Heaven. It is "CONSCIOUS UNION WITH GOD".
In terms of Avaivartika we might consider this a state of an Awakened mind, or perhaps even an enlightened mind. Although we would consider that the mind is liberated and operating on a pure spiritual level but the physical body remains within Samsara.
`ATSILUTH: The first emanation from God is the realm of the Divine Archetypes. It is a spiritual realm, not a physical realm.
This Divine Archetypes within Avaivartika extended to Dao and Dharma Psychology would consist of the inherited Masculine and Feminine Principles within each human creature.
Parting company here from Avaivartika, Jesus the Nazarene would simply be classified as an Enlightened or Awakened human creature, while the archtype of the first human creature may be considered the direct higher fruit of the natural Dharma (at the moment).
HEAVEN AND HELL
Essene masters declare, "In our ancient Essene holy scriptures, Jesus teaches the following main points in regard to Heaven and Hell:
There is not only one Heaven and one Hell; rather, there are countless Heavenly realms and countless Hellish realms. Jesus said, "In God's house are many mansions" and "various realms". He describes "higher heavens" and "lower heavens"; he also describes "higher hells" and "lower hells". The universe is a vast cosmic school system for the training and evolution of souls. There are various levels of the cosmic school system and each level consists of many planets, spheres and realms inhabited by sentient beings. SOME OF THOSE REALMS ARE SO VIOLENT, HATEFUL, DARK AND MISERABLE, THEY CERTAINLY DESERVE THE TERM "HELLISH". SOME REALMS ARE SO PEACEFUL, JOYFUL, LIGHT AND LOVE-FILLED, THEY CERTAINLY DESERVE THE TERM "HEAVENLY."
According to Jesus, each being lives in the realm of the universe they deserve to (including the planet they live on) -- according to the universal law of karmic justice (CAUSE and EFFECT). Jesus said, "And as they have sown in one life, so shall they reap in another." Beings who live in harmony with universal law -- the laws of God -- will progressively ascend to ever-higher, more-heavenly abodes of light and love. Beings who do not live in harmony with the laws of the universe will progressively fall into ever-lower, more hellish realms of darkness and pain.
Jesus teaches that Heaven and Hell are experienced first inwardly -- as inner states of being -- and then become manifest in our outer circumstances as well. Jesus said, "The Kingdom of Heaven is within you." But he also said, "What is on the inside will become manifest on the outside." In other words, if you create a heavenly consciousness via harmony with universal law -- heaven within -- you will later experience a more heavenly outer-realm -- including the planet you live on -- as well. Again, Jesus said: "And as they have sown in one life so shall they reap in another." (It should be noted that some angelic beings who are entitled -- according to karmic law -- to live in more heavenly realms, CHOOSE to take incarnation in a more hell-like realm in order to perform loving service for the benefit of other beings.)
Speaking of the "Devil", I should inform you in regard to our beliefs about "Satan", Jesus, in our ancient Essene manuscripts, does not teach the existence of ONE EVIL COUNTERPART TO GOD; however, he does teach the existence of various demonic beings including a particular "fallen angel" called "Satan". So, there certainly is a "dark brotherhood"; there are demons and archdemons of various ranks and potencies; BUT NONE OF THESE DEMONS -- INCLUDING THE GRAND DRAGON SATAN -- are powerful enough to be considered a dualistic counterpart to God. They are simply lost souls in need of heavy-duty repentance."
Having concluded our overview of Essene cosmology, we will now examine several main aspects of Essene theology:
REINCARNATION.
In the ancient Essene New Testament, Jesus teaches the following five main points in regard to REINCARNATION:
Jesus teaches that souls reincarnate in order to gain experience in their quest for perfection. We read in The Gospel of the Holy Twelve:
"The soul is purified through many births and experiences."
In another passage of the same manuscript, Jesus states:
"So through many births will ye be made perfect."
Jesus teaches that all creatures -- not only humans -- must continue to reincarnate until sufficiently purified. Jesus said:
"As all creatures come from the unseen into this world, so they return to the unseen, and so will they come again till they be purified."
A third point made by Jesus on reincarnation is that there is a time of rest and reflection between lives:
"... and to them will be given space to consider, and amend their lives...."
Jesus taught that what we do in one life will follow us into our next life:
"The body that ye lay in the grave, or that is consumed by fire, is not the body that shall be, but they who come again shall receive other bodies, and as they have sown in one life, so shall they reap in another."
According to Jesus, once we are sufficiently perfected we need not reincarnate anymore:
"Blessed are they who suffer many experiences, for they shall be made perfect through suffering: they shall be as the angels of God in heaven and die no more, neither shall they be born anymore, for death and birth have no more dominion over them."
Once we reach a certain level of spiritual evolution we will have angelic bodies that never die. At that point, we will have no need to reincarnate anymore. That does not mean we will be done learning and growing -- the universe is infinite and we will always have new lessons to learn. But, at that point, we will have graduated from the level of the cosmic school system in which birth and death have dominion over us: WE WILL HAVE TRANSCENDED THE WHEEL OF REQUIRED DEATH AND REBIRTH. However, in order to be seen, touched, and considered "real" by physically incarnated beings of a lower evolutionary level whom we wish to help, we may sometimes CHOOSE to incarnate physically, even after we have transcended the need to reincarnate. Such a CHOSEN incarnation motivated by divine compassion rather than bondage to flesh is the act of an "AVATAR". This explains why Jesus, the SUPREME AVATAR, takes physical incarnation even though not bound to the wheel of birth and death: DIVINE COMPASSION!
We will now consider another aspect of Essene theology: VEGETARIANISM.
The ancient Essene New Testament makes clear that JESUS WAS A VEGETARIAN, and that vegetarianism was a central aspect of his doctrine, an ABSOLUTE REQUIREMENT OF DISCIPLESHIP. Vegetarianism was REQUIRED by Jesus of any person who wanted to become his disciple. In "Holy Twelve" we read:
Jesus said:
"Verily I say unto you, they who partake of benefits which are gotten by wronging one of God's creatures, cannot be righteous; nor can they understand holy things, or teach the mysteries of the kingdom, whose hands are stained with blood, or whose mouths are defiled with flesh.
"God giveth the grains and the fruits of the earth for food; and for righteous man truly there is no other lawful sustenance for the body....
"Wherefore I say unto all who desire to be my disciples, keep your hands from bloodshed and let no flesh meat enter your mouths; for God is just and bountiful, who ordaineth that man shall live by the fruits and seeds of the earth alone."
In another verse of the same manuscript, Jesus declares:
"I am come to end the sacrifices and feasts of blood, and if ye cease not offering and eating of flesh and blood, the wrath of God shall not cease from you, even as it came to your fathers in the wilderness, who lusted for flesh, and they ate to their content, and were filled with rottenness, and the plague consumed them.
"And I say unto you, though ye be gathered together in my bosom, if ye keep not my commandments I will cast you forth; for, if ye keep not the lesser mysteries, who shall give you the greater?
"He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much."
So, according to Jesus, vegetarianism is one of the "lesser mysteries" of the spiritual life, an ABSOLUTE REQUIREMENT for becoming a disciple of Jesus, and a prerequisite to being trusted with the "greater mysteries" of the universe.
In another verse from Holy Twelve, Jesus makes clear that flesh-eaters are to be welcomed into our "outer-circle" church activities, but cannot participate in "inner-circle" activities until they become vegetarian:
"A disciple of Jesus asked him a question, saying 'Master, if there come to us any that eat flesh ... shall we receive them?'
"And Jesus said unto him, 'Let such abide in the outer court till they cleanse themselves from these grosser evils; for till they perceive, and repent of these, they are not fit to receive the higher mysteries.'"
Of course, Jesus practiced what he preached: he was himself a vegetarian:
Jesus said:
"For of the fruits of the trees and the seeds of the herbs alone do I partake, and these are changed by the Spirit into my flesh and my blood. Of these alone and their like shall ye eat who believe in me, and are my disciples, for of these in the Spirit, come life and health and healing unto man."
Those readers familiar with the New Testament story in which Jesus miraculously fed 5,000 persons with but a little bread and a few fish, might ask: "Didn't Jesus eat fish?" The answer is: NOT IN THE ORIGINAL, AUTHENTIC NEW TESTAMENT! In the original, unadulterated version of the New Testament (The Gospel of the Holy Twelve), Jesus fed those 5,000 persons with but a little BREAD AND GRAPES! The vegetarian teachings of Jesus were removed by merchants of death -- persons who earned money from the flesh of animals -- after they forcibly took over the early Essene-Christian church and established a State-run religion.
The next aspect of Essene theology we will consider is GOD AS BOTH FATHER AND MOTHER.
In the Essene manuscripts used by our church, Jesus teaches that God is both Father and Mother, and that all of nature is created in the divine image and likeness of Father-Mother God. In The Gospel of the Holy Twelve, Jesus states:
"God is the Two in One. He is She and She is He.... Therefore shall the name of the Father and the Mother be equally hallowed, for they are the great aspects of God, and the one is not without the other, in the One God."
In other words, God is a perfect balance of the masculine (Father) and feminine (Mother) aspects. But do not get the wrong idea: When Jesus speaks of the masculine and feminine aspects of God, he is NOT speaking about physical sexual gender: he is not describing God as having both a penis and vagina! Rather, Jesus teaches that the masculine and feminine aspects of God are SPIRITUAL ATTRIBUTES such as the masculine ASSERTIVENESS and its feminine counterpart RECEPTIVITY, or the masculine JUSTICE and the feminine MERCY. Jesus is describing COMPLEMENTARY ASPECTS of God which are in such perfect balance they form a ONENESS. In Holy Twelve, Jesus makes that point very clear:
"God is both male and female, not divided, but the Two in One.... In God the masculine is not without the feminine, nor is the feminine without the masculine: Love is not without knowledge, Justice is not without Mercy, the Head is not without the Heart. In God, the masculine powers and feminine powers are perfectly united as ONE."
The key thing to remember is that the masculine and feminine aspects of God form a ONENESS, a HARMONIOUS WHOLE. To illustrate that idea, think of a tree. The branches are an aspect of the tree. The roots are another aspect of the tree. So is the trunk an aspect. But the tree itself is a ONENESS made up of many complementary aspects.
Now let us look at how this teaching relates to each of us. In other words, according to Jesus, what is our own relationship to God? Jesus said:
"Verily, God created mankind in the Divine image male and female, and all nature is in the Image of God.... In the beginning, God willed and there came forth the First Beloved Son and the First Beloved Daughter, united as Love and Wisdom, created in the Image and Likeness of the Father-Mother, and of these proceed all the generations of the Spirits of God, the Sons and Daughters of the eternal.... From the will of God comes forth the Divine Sons and Daughters of God, and within each Son is the Daughter and within each Daughter is the Son."
From the above excerpt we learn several important things about our relationship to God. First and foremost is the fact that we are each a Divine Child of God, created in the EMBRYONIC image and likeness of the eternal Father-Mother. I emphasize the word "embryonic" to bring home the point that though we are created in the image and likeness of God, we are neither quantitatively nor qualitatively the equal of God. An acorn is created in the embryonic image and likeness of Father-Mother Oak Tree; but the acorn is not yet quantitatively or qualitatively the equal of Father-Mother Oak Tree. Likewise, a drop of ocean water consists of the same elements as does the ocean itself. But while the ocean can truly claim to contain every drop of ocean water, the individual drop of ocean water cannot truly claim to contain the entire ocean. Such is our relationship to God: we are One with God; we are created in the image and likeness of God; YET GOD IS SENIOR TO US BOTH IN TERMS OF QUANTITY AND QUALITY.
The essential nature of God is a Oneness. And that Oneness has a name: "I AM". The One God chooses to manifest both a masculine and feminine aspect for the purpose of creation. That which is created is a spark of the Creator: You are THAT.
Masculine, causative energy, must be balanced by feminine, receptive energy, if harmony is to be experienced. If you are out of balance in EITHER direction, you will experience PAIN. You must find that place of balance at the very core -- CENTER -- of your being. That center is where you will find your true Self.... It is where you will find God.... It is where you will find Peace and Joy. It is where "I AM".
It is home.