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The cold and heat hells come together

When it is cold, the cold kills you; when it is hot, the heat kills you.

A monk asked Dongshan, "When the cold and heat hells come together, how should one avoid them?" Dongshan said, "Why not go to a place where there is neither cold nor heat?" The monk said, "What kind of place is it where there is neither cold nor heat?" Dongshan said, "When it is cold, the cold kills you; when it is hot, the heat kills you." (The blue cliff record Case 43: Dongshan's "Cold and Heat")

A man who lives in heaven while staying in this world

"One who binds start in his life with its end and makes a step forward is a man who lives in heaven while staying in this world." This is a comment that someone in Europe used to described Jesus' life. Jesus was not crucified only once in his 34 years lifetime. His whole 34 years of life itself was the Crucifixion and all things that happened in his life were to fulfil the words of God.

The gospels of Matthew and Luke, which are both written in chronological manner, took up the scene of Jesus entering the temple in Jerusalem while riding a donkey with a colt and leading the crowds, acording to the Old Testament, at the later parts as the climax of his life. However the gospel of John puts this scene at the start of his evangelism. The writer of the gospel of John seems to try to fully show that Jesus's life was to fulfil the words of god and that "in the beginning was the Word".

Realization of God's rule

The Greek word "Basileia", the origin of the phrase "the kingdom of God", is said to mean the realization of God's rule. Jesus showed us the way to realize the kingdom of God through practicing "the word of God" in other words "the divine mandate from Heaven" in terms of Confucianism and to live in heaven while staying in this world. The words "anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me" show us the ultimate meaning of Christian practice. It seems to be extremely merciless that you must carry your cross as the symbol of sins, which mankind has committed since the era of Adam and Eve, throughout of your life and to die on it. However once you decide to fulfill the word of God through your offsprings even if it consumes one thousand or ten thousand years, you already live in heaven even though your body still stays in this world. The majority of his twelve Apostles were actually martyred keeping his word.

Collapse of the nuclear non-proliferation regime

The safeguards agreement wich India has recently signed with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) showed that the Nuclear non-Proliferation treaty (NPT) and the IAEA inspection system, both of which aim to maintain the existing nuclear-power states' monopoly of nuclear weapons, have been mutilated and no longer function.

The dissolution of the nuclear-power states' monopoly regime led by the USA can be said to be natural both ethically and pragmatically. However the risk of escalation of nuclear weapon development races between Israel and Iran, India and Pakistan and so on and eruption of the regional nuclear wars have become realistic. Moreover the USA's financial crisis is set to spread over the world. Surely the cold hell and heat hell are coming together. How should we avoid them?

However if we observe calmly, it is obvious that only one answer is available. Not only Pakistan, in fact no one agrees that India can be exempted from signing of the Nuclear non-Proliferation treaty and the IAEA inspection because India is a democratic country. The only way which can please everyone is for total bans to develop, produce and have nuclear weapons and at the same time total liberalization to develop, produce, have and trade civil nuclear equipments and its fuel.

Who can cut the Gordian knot?

When the Tokugawa shogunate was losing its prestige with the allied forces of Satsuma-han, Choshu-han, Tosa-han and Hizen-han marching into the Edo-castle, Tokugawa still had the biggest military force and could still fight against them. However the Tokugawa government chose disarmament by itself and gave up the Edo-castle bloodlessly. Even if they fought and the allied forces won, the Hans (domains governed by Japanese feudal lords in the Edo period) will continue to have their own military forces and Japan might not became one country. However because the biggest warlord Tokugawa disarmed by its own choice, Satsuma-han, Choshu-han and the other hundreds of Hans had no more cause to have their own militias. Then the new Meiji government could establish a modern uniformed state with the only military force. Therefore it can be said that the Tokugawa government's decision had helped the Meiji-government to establish its foundation.

In the same way, if the leader of free world, USA, initiates to propose the transfer of nuclear weapons to the United Nations, Russia, Britain, France, China and India etc. cannot refuse it. The nuke race may be eradicated. Especially if part of these nuke-states put up the elimination of nuke as their just cause of having nuclear weapons, they cannot object to the proposal.

It may need one thousand or ten thousand years to eliminate war and terrorism in this world. However it is the responsibility of not only politicians but also for Christians, Buddhists, Muslims and other religionists or common people to aim for this goal and carry their cross and step forward today.

Supplement

When I sent this draft to an acquaintance who publishs Christian mail-magazine, I received the following comment.

One who carried sins, which mankind had committed since the era of Adam and Eve, and died was Jesus. Sins which mankind had committed since the era of Adam and Eve were written off by only his death. There is no way to write off sins for the universe except through his death. Therefore Jesus did not tell his dtsciples to die. And people need not to die for it.

The following is my answer;

Paul said "Have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death?" in Romans 6:3. He also said "Give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God." in Romans 6:13. (2008/10/01 Eko-an Hensho-koji)

Gordian knot

An intricate knot tied by Gordius, the king of Phrygia, and cut by the sword of Alexander the Great after he heard that whoever undid it would become ruler of Asia.