A central theme that the Humanics Institute and Humanics Sanctuary and Sculpture Park in particular will promote is that: the different religions in the world are analogous to different groups of people living around a large mountain. The view of the mountain for the people living in the North of the mountain is very different from the view seen by the people living in the South, and from the view seen by people living in the East and the West. But the mountain is the same mountain, and people living around each side of the mountain, may have their own path going up the mountain.
One can travel around the mountain, and become conscious of the fact that the mountain is still the same mountain, In effect this will be analogous to people in an open minded manner studying, reflecting upon and discovering that the essential values inherent in all religions are the same. But this in itself is not adequate for any individual to journey up the mountain. Undertaking the very challenging journey up the mountain, whatever path you may follow, invariably requires an individual’s personal commitment and determination, and whether one decides to journey up the mountain, individually or jointly with others. But eventually it is a journey one has to make by him or herself.
Also individuals that have journeyed up the mountain, whatever path they may follow will meet on the top of the mountain, when one gets there. Some may not have journeyed up to the very top of the mountain, but may have gone up to a certain point and has come back and shared their knowledge and experience of the path up the mountain, and the trials and challenges they faced traveling up the mountain.
So one’s best option of journeying up the mountain, would be to follow the path up the mountain, from your own side of the mountain, as there are many within your own community who may share their knowledge and experience of journeying up the mountain. It would also be so with respect to your journey up the mountain of spiritual fulfillment. At the same time, by visiting the other communities that live around the mountain, and learning from avatars or those who have been able to climb up to the upper reaches of the mountain; may also be very useful, as even though the path up the mountain from different sides of the mountain may be very different, the terrain and the environment, and the circumstances one has to face at different elevations of the mountain may be very similar. So by visiting communities that live around the mountain will not only enable you to get a more complete view of the mountain from different sides of the mountain but also, touching base with people who have journeyed up the mountain and living in other communities around the mountain, could be of immense value to get an appreciation of the environment, circumstances and challenges one face in travelling up the mountain.
What was just said above, is also true with respect to ones journey up the path to one’s spiritual fulfillment. The human beings who have lived practically and metaphorically on earth, as Prophets, Avatars, Saints, Bodhisattvas or Messengers of God of various religions, are analogous to people who have climbed up to the upper elevations of the mountain, and have come and shared their knowledge and consciousness of the how one needs to journey up the mountain of spiritual fulfillment. One do not always get the opportunity to actually physically meet with such people. In science one learns about the discoveries and teachings of the great scientist in the world through what they have written and what others have written about what they taught, and thus probably get a greater and a deeper appreciation of the truth about the material relative realm. Similarly, in an open-minded manner by dwelling into what very spiritual women and men, Saints, Avatars, Bodhisattvas, Prophets, Messengers of God of various religions in the world, have written or taught about the how one can reach higher levels of spiritual fulfillment, can help us in our journey towards the Omnipotent, Infinite, Absolute, Personal Being or Entity or Realm. To provide an opportunity for everyone to attempt such a journey is what the Humanics Institute intends to work on.
The author wishes to acknowledge and thank Fr. Mervyn Fernando of the Subodhi Institute Pilliyandala, Sri Lanka, an Asian Catholic theologian for sharing this perception of how different religions in the world perceive the Omnipotent, Infinite and Absolute Realm, Being or Entity, as being analogous to different communities living around a mountain, and that even though their view of the mountain they live around is different it, is still the same mountain.
