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ACCORDING TO THE THOMAS GOSPEL
6. His disciples asked him and said to him, "Do you want us to fast? How should we pray? Should we give to charity? What diet should we observe?" Jesus said, "Don't lie, and don't do what you hate, because all things are disclosed before heaven. After all, there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and there is nothing covered up that will remain undisclosed."
Interpretation :
The answer lies not in "what to do" (fast, pray, charity), nor in "what to avoid" (diet,..). If one can drop such foolish questions altogether then true being is uncovered. Action inspired by true being (no lie, no hate) is always truthful, natural and enjoyable. It may involve doing and not doing, yet there will be no urge to do or not to do. That which one needs to find is anyhow not hidden and requires no doing nor non-doing, covering or uncovering to be found.
14. Jesus said to them, "If you fast, you will bring sin upon yourselves, and if you pray, you will be condemned, and if you give to charity, you will harm your spirits. When you go into any region and walk about in the countryside, when people take you in, eat what they serve you and heal the sick among them. After all, what goes into your mouth will not defile you; rather, it's what comes out of your mouth that will defile you."
Interpretation :
Humbly accept what you receive (eat what they serve) and give what you have, which is the healing power of love (heal the sick). All else is just an ego-game - most of all any attempts at severe austerities (fasting), at changing the course of things (through selfish prayer), or at buying your way out (giving to charity). After all, there is nothing wrong with the natural act of eating (what goes in your mouth will not defile you), but a lot can go wrong in a display of wisdom or preaching (what comes out of your mouth will defile you). Teach by example, by pure being, only.
89. Jesus said, "Why do you wash the outside of the cup? Don't you understand that the one who made the inside is also the one who made the outside?"
Interpretation :
Why do we often put so much attention into trying to purify the mere form (wash the outside of the cup), such as body, mind or society ? It is because we are still attached to the unreal reality of the form and do not recognize that the self is both the source of itself (the one who made the inside) as it is the source of the body and the entire universe (the one who made the outside). When being centered in the self, all outer problems disappear.
104. They said to Jesus, "Come, let us pray today, and let us fast." Jesus said, "What sin have I committed, or how have I been undone? Rather, when the groom leaves the bridal suite, then let people fast and pray."
Interpretation :
Penances (fasting) or surrender (prayer) are not needed for an enlightened being like Jesus. He does not need to detach from anything, as he is detached from everything (what sin have I committed). He is always connected to the Supreme (how have I been undone). However, when in people there is no union between energy and consciousness, between individual consciousness and cosmic consciousness, between ego and self (when the groom leaves the bridal suite), then penances and surrender through prayer are required (let people fast and pray).
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