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嶺南大學「靈性、快樂、文化」研討會

Lingnan University

Workshop on “Spirituality, Value, and Culture”

A Primer on Multi Faith Spiritual Practice

The purpose of all religions is elevation of the human consciousness through spiritual practice.   While different religions may hold different beliefs about the object(s) of worship or veneration, and may seek communication, inspiration, or enlightenment by invoking different names which are held to be holy, this does not diminish the commonality of the nature of spiritual practice, which is to free the mind from the obsessions and biases that it has inherited from the past and thus to seek the liberation of the soul from the bondage of ignorance and delusion.  The state of bliss to be achieved may be called differently in different religions: union with God, enlightenment, nirvana, whatever.  But it is really the same in nature, regardless of what it is called.

All religions accept that human beings have inherent weaknesses and have suffered because of “sin.”   Chastising the “soul” from sin is therefore an imperative across all religions, although the meaning of “soul” could assume different meanings in different religions.  Yet there is no disagreement that killing, stealing, obsession with sensual desires, dishonesty, prejudice, hatred, greed, intoxication with drugs or alcohol, etc., diminish the wholeness of the human mind and are immoral and thus will lead to more suffering.

Religions hold different theologies and reflect the different cultural and historical backgrounds in which they are born.  But while these theologies, as well as the ceremonial practices, may mean a lot to the followers of the respective traditions, their differences do not undermine the commonality of the spiritual teachings about humility and respect for Life.  Multi faith spiritual practice respects the different theologies of the different religions and condemns disputes among religions over theology as divisive and diminishing of the human spirit.  Multi faith spiritual practice emphasizes the imperative of working on the human mind to cleanse it of the biases and the obsessions which have been the source of much human suffering through history.

A Universal Charter for Respect for Life and Spiritual Practice

� All religions must take as their mission the promotion of peace, including inner peace and peace between nations, races, and different cultures.
� The different theologies of the different religions owe their origins to their different historical and cultural backgrounds.  Such different theologies do not affect the commonality of their teachings in terms of spiritual practice. 
� True spiritual practice requires a respect and reverence for Life.
� Different religions offer different routes, or even identical though differently labelled routes, to the same destination.  The world’s religions may be considered as adaptations of the spiritual teachings to suit different peoples in different cultures.   As such, each religion has its unique historical and contextual mission and deserves full respect and not merely “tolerance.”  
� Substance is important, not labels.  Regardless of the label, all religious practices that promote the cause of peace and liberate the mind from the enslavement of greed, lust, anger, hatred, ill will, and unforgivingness are true and laudable spiritual practices.  “Teachings” that preach the glory of war, unrestrained indulgence in sensory pleasures, or spread hatred and ill will, are false teachings.

 (Drafted by Lok Sang Ho)