In simpler form, this is nothing unfamiliar to us. If I plant habanero seeds, the resultant bush will fruit with habanero peppers. Jalapeño seeds will produce a jalapeño bush…und so weite.
In engineering, we have a saying that goes something along the lines of “shit in = shit out.” If you use a bad plan (or no plan) in developing your software architecture, you will create bad software. If you put bad values into a formula, you’ll get crap data out of it. If you raise your children with violence and neglect, they will return this to you in due time. Same if you raise them with love. In the army this was said as “you’ll get out of it what you put into it.” Regardless of where you apply this, it’s true. On the surface that’s just because it’s so simple, but apply this simple law to complex ideas and the result is equally reliable.
In his As a Man Thinketh, James Allen said:
THE APHORISM, "As a man thinketh in his heart so is he," not only embraces the whole of a man's being, but is so comprehensive as to reach out to every condition and circumstance of his life. A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his
thoughts.
Here of course he is speaking of one particularly important application of this universal truth, but this truth applies effectively no matter where you use it.
The thoughts we allow, focus on, and nurture within our minds will eventually become desires, and the desires will eventually give birth to the fruit of action. Thoughts are seeds, action is fruit. Our own lives follow this rule, yet so many of us focus our minds on negativity, worrying, anger etc.
When Ghandi said to be the change you wish to see in the world, I think it was back to this universal law he was pointing. In this case, you become the seed, and plant yourself in the living world that your light might grow and spread.
| Column1 | Column2 |
|---|---|
| Bhagavad Gita (Hindu) | And, at the hour of death, He that hath meditated Me alone, In putting off his flesh, comes forth to Me, Enters into My Being—doubt thou not But, if he meditated otherwise At hour of death, in putting off the flesh, He goes to what he looked for, Kunti’s Son! Because the Soul is fashioned to its like. |
| Thich Nhat Hanh (Buddhist) | Our mind is a field, in which every kind of seed is sown—seeds of compassion, joy, and hope, seeds of sorrow, fear, and difficulties. |
| Proverb (Lakota Sioux) | There can never be peace among nations until it is first known that true peace is within the souls of men. |
| Gospel of Thomas (Christian) | (45) Jesus said, "Grapes are not harvested from thorns, nor are figs gathered from thistles, for they do not produce fruit. A good man brings forth good from his storehouse; an evil man brings forth evil things from his evil storehouse, which is in his heart, and says evil things. For out of the abundance of the heart he brings forth evil things." <\center> |
Krishna tells Arjuna, essentially, every man is in the process of becoming that which he cherishes most deeply; The soul is fashioned according to its like.
Thich Nhat Hanh goes on from this point to talk about our role inasmuch as it pertains to our freedom to choose which ones of these seeds we will nurture; The soul is fashioned according to its like.
The Lakota Sioux were clearly of the idea that we are the creators of the world around us, and that our most powerful tools for doing this great work are within ourselves. Sow the seeds of peace within to reap the harvest without. Sow the seeds of anger within and reap the harvest of war without; The soul is fashioned according to its like, and it impacts the world around it.
In this passage from the Gospel of Thomas, Jesus gives us a pretty literal version of the title track. What you plant, is what you will harvest; The soul is fashioned according to its like.
For me, this wide spread application is another indicator that the various doctrines of the world ultimately aim to educate man towards the same cosmic understanding. Next time, we’ll explore another fiber of the silver thread.
Do you know any other good examples of religious texts that exalt this simple but unbreakable truth? Let us know in the comments!
Disagree with my interpretation of something? Want to share a personal example or discuss this in greater depth? Let’s get into it!
Thanks for taking a look, I hope we get the chance to talk about it some and grow together!
I guess that’s it for today. Be wary friends, keep on the path, stay vigilant and strong. I love you. Seeker_8