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Thursday, October 23, 2025

Who Created the Nag Hammadi Library? Where the Nag Hammadi Gnostic Scriptures Came From, by James Bean


Who Created the Nag Hammadi Library? Where the Nag Hammadi Gnostic Scriptures Came From, by James Bean




I suspect the monasteries of Saint Pachomius in Egypt during the 4th century was home to many gnostics, thus all the copying of Nag Hammadi books and other gnostic writings.


The Nag Hammadi scriptures were translated from Greek manuscripts into the Coptic language used in Egypt.


From the Preface of, The Nag Hammadi Scriptures, by Marvin Meyer:


"Since most of the tractates are Gnostic, it is assumed that there must have been a sympathetic community in the region that collected, cherished, and then buried its library. The cartonnage — the discarded papyrus used to thicken the inside of the leather covers—contains references to the region near where they were discovered and dates on receipts just before and in the middle of the fourth century. Thus, the time and place of the production of the codices coincides with the emergence of the Pachomian monastic order, with which there may be some association. In fact, fragments of a Coptic letter from a Papnoute to a certain Pahome may be from Papnoutios, the “business manager” of the nearby monastery, to its founder, Pachomius.


"In 367, Athanasius, the orthodox patriarch of Alexandria, wrote an Easter letter to be read in all the monasteries of Egypt, calling upon them to eliminate from their libraries apocryphal writings; in the letter he listed those books that were to be included as acceptable—the oldest extant list of the twenty-seven books in the New Testament. It has been suggested that the Nag Hammadi codices were among the books that had to be excluded but were buried for safekeeping in a sealed jar by those who valued them."


There are notes from monks in the Nag Hammadi itself. Scholars have been rather mindful of the fact the monks are known for copying texts. Also, the location of the discovery site of the Nag Hammadi Library was near a couple of Pachomian monasteries that existed during the same period that the books were copied. Thus we have scholars mentioning Pachomian monks as the most likely source for the Nag Hammadi codices. If we do key-word searches of "Pachomian", "Pachomius", and "monk" we will find much discussion about this in, The Nag Hammadi Library in English, edited by James M. Robinson. For instance, this on page 16:


"Dates found in such cartonnage of Codex VII are 333, 341, 346, and 348 C.E. This indicates that the cover of Codex VII was manufactured after these dates. The cursive scribal hand of some of this discarded papyrus used to line the cover of the same codex may be dated as late as 360 C.E. A document found in the cartonnage of Codex I mentions "Chenoboskeia’’ and “Dio: [polis Parva].” Other locations in.the same general region also occur in the cartonnage of other covers. Personal names, titles, forms of address, and the like that are present in the cartonnage tend to indicate it came from the Pachomian monasteries founded in this region up and down the Nile during the first half of the fourth century. In fact the cartonnage in the cover of Codex VII seems to have belonged to a monk named Sansnos who was in charge of the cattle of a monastery, which would no doubt account for his close relationship to the manufacture of the leather covers. The headquarters monastery of the Pachomian order at Pabau, where the Basilica of Saint Pachomius was located, as well as the third Pachomian monastery at Chenoboskeia, where Pachomius himself began his Christian life as a hermit, are only 8.7 and 5.3 kilometers (5.4 and 3.3 miles) respectively from the place where the library was buried." (page 16) https://archive.org/details/naghammadilibrar0000unse_d5b8


What's especially intriguing are references to Saint Pachomius using a code for secret communications. Seems a bit subversive. That's mentioned by Robinson in his Nag Hammadi Library in English.


These folks were doing their own thing out in the desert, and their library had lots of gnostic texts in it.


One can see the appeal in joining such an intentional spiritual community. Mighty sweet deal for the young monk into mystical Christianity looking for a home. Have read that the Pachomian monasteries, though claimed by Orthodoxy, were not so orthodox.


I bet many of the monks had a Valentinian background and brought Greek copies of various books with them when they joined the community.


It would have been a very sad day indeed when their leadership eventually got taken over by conservative orthodox bishop types during the fifth century. Bishopricks!







Wednesday, October 22, 2025

We Are Souls From Above

 

We Are Souls From Above




Photo: Baba Ram Singh. In the background is a black and white photo of Baba Somanath. The guru lineage of Baba Ram Singh: Soami Ji Maharaj to Baba Jaimal Singh to Hazur Baba Sawan Singh to Baba Somanath to Baba Ram Singh. Also, Baba Ram Singh was closely associated with Santji (Ajaib Singh), a successor of Kirpal Singh Ji, also one of the successors of Hazur Baba Sawan Singh.


Ram Singh Ji: "Saint; known as “Babaji” currently in residence at Guddella Ashram in Andhra Pradesh; Gurumukh disciple of Somanath Baba Ji Maharaj and Ajaib Singh Ji Maharaj." (Sant Mat Glossary, 2023)


SomAjaib: "Term coined by Baba Ram Singh Ji to acknowledge the Supreme Grace of the two great Sant Mat Masters — Somanath Baba Ji Maharaj and Ajaib Singh Ji Maharaj — Who formed and shaped His life on the Path of Surat Shabd Yoga and to Whom He gives all credit for the success of His mission and ongoing Seva." (Sant Mat Glossary, 2023)




Ajaib Singh Ji: "Param Sant Satguru; (1926-1997); known informally as “Sant Ji”; successor to Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj; provided meditation retreats to thousands of initiates who came from abroad to His Ashrams in Rajasthan; and beginning in 1978, after the passing of Baba Ram Singh Ji’s Guru, Baba Somanath Ji Maharaj, He came every year to Bombay for the benefit of the disciples of Baba Somanath in South India; Baba Ram Singh Ji brought about one thousand souls to get initiated by Ajaib Singh Ji Who gave him so much Grace that Ram Singh considers Him his second Guru; the term “SomAjaib”, which Baba Ram Singh uses routinely to acknowledge His love, gratitude and devotion to two Great Saints of Sant Mat is a combination of the names “Som” and “Ajaib” and provides the name for His ashram in Guddella India, “Som Ajaib Ashram”. (Sant Mat Glossary 2023)




Kirpal Singh Ji: "Param Sant Satguru; (1894-1974); founded Ruhani Satsang; President of the World Fellowship of Religions from 1957-1971; one of Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj’s successors." (Sant Mat Glossary, 2023)




Sawan Singh Ji: "Param Sant Satguru; (1858-1948); successor to Jaimal Singh Ji Maharaj; Guru of Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj, Somanath Baba Ji Maharaj, and Mastana Ji."  (Sant Mat Glossary, 2023)




Somanath Baba Ji: "Param Sant Satguru; (1885-1976); one of Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj's successors; from childhood, he was a brahmcharya (celibate) and at a young age he took a vow of sannyasa and became a Nath Panth yogi; he performed rigorous austerities and mastered Kundalini Yoga practices through pranayamas, attaining many supernatural powers, but he did not find peace of mind; finally, he came to the feet of Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj and obtained initiation into Surat Shabd Yoga; with the Grace of his Master, he became a perfect Gurumukh disciple and was entrusted with spreading the Teachings of Sant Mat in the south of India; in 1974, as a Satguru, He gave the Naam Daan initiation to BabaRam Singh Ji." (Sant Mat Glossary, 2023)


We Are Souls From Above


Excerpted from, The Lord Becomes Your Friend and Helper, by Baba Somanath


"Wherever you worship the Lord, there He becomes

your friend and helper.

By Guru’s Grace, the Lord comes to dwell in your

mind; He cannot be obtained in any other way."


This is the bani of Guru Ram Das, the fourth Guru of the Sikhs. He says that the Lord’s help and grace flow to us according to the purpose, the concentration, and the love with which we offer our worship. What does Guru Ram Das tell us further? If anyone does the devotion with some ulterior motive, they will gain nothing. Once we are put on the True Path by the Guru, and when we worship the Lord with full faith and love, then:


"Wherever I look, I see the Merciful Lord

who is compassionate on the poor ones."


The Lord dwells within your heart, and wherever you may choose to sit in His remembrance, He will shower His grace upon you. You do not need to go to the jungles or other secluded places to find the Lord; He is the very support of this body. He is the Power that supports the entire creation.


So where should you look for Him? As long as you have the idea that you must go in search of Him, as long as you think He is something other than yourself, you will go on seeking Him and will remain separate from Him. As long as the feeling of duality is present, there can be no meeting between you and the Almighty Lord. The Guru unites you with Oneness. When He connects you with the one Sat Naam, He tells you how to do the contemplation; He explains all the practices to you. When you adopt this method, then you unite with the Shabd and become the form of Shabd. When you perform the meditation with faith, according to the Guru’s instruction, then, wherever you look, you will see only the Lord. (Your Name is Nectar, Volume One, Satsangs of Baba Somanath Ji)


The following is from Baba Ram Singh, excerpted from a January 9th, 2025 satsang discourse:


Up through Brahm *, we are all bound by our forms, by our bodies. Up through Brahm, there are bodies. We are not free till we are out of these bodies [the physical body and subtle body coverings]. And that can happen only if we go to Par Brahm **.


Here we have the physical form of five elements. In the astral, they have the astral body, and above that is the causal body.


The soul, when it came down from Sach Khand [*** True Eternal Timeless Spiritual Realm], was very pure. And when it came from Par Brahm inside, there was one covering cast upon it — one body— which is the causal body. Then when it came further down to the astral, the astral covering came upon it. Finally, from there, when it came in this world, the physical body covering came upon it. If we see a thousand-watt bulb, it has a very high degree of luminance. But then if we cover it with one sheet, that brightness reduces. Then we cover it with another sheet, the brightness will further reduce. After we cover it with a third sheet, finally it will become dark outside.


That is how the soul, when it came down through all of these planes, has reduced in its luminance, and it has now become dark. It is in this darkness. But as it progresses further up, as it ascends to go back to God Almighty, gradually the light starts emanating from it and it becomes brighter and brighter.


When the soul ascends up, it leaves the physical and goes into the astral. One body which was covering it is out — the physical. So, it starts its luminance. Then further, when it goes to Brahm, the astral body is also cast off. And above Brahm, when it goes to the Par Brahm, finally all these three bodies are cast off and it comes in its essence. It has the luminance of twelve suns. And there, when it goes to the Par Brahm, it is no longer a male and no longer a female. All the bodies, all the coverings it has, are shed off and it comes in its own true form.


So, only for the sake of karmas, the soul adorns these bodies as it comes into this world. Otherwise, it has no physical body or form.


The true form of the soul is that of Light and Sound. Likewise, the true form of the Satguru is also Light and Sound. And the true form of Sat Purush is also Light and Sound.


The soul is like a drop of water; and the Masters, are like the waves; and God Almighty is like the sea.


All these jivas are droplets of water from that ocean in Sach Khand. All have come from there.


The Masters say, "It is only out of that essence of God Almighty that all the souls have come in this world and have adorned this world." (Discourses of a Living Master, Volume 21)


______

NOTES


* Brahm, Brahmand: The Causal plane between And and Par Brahm; Lit. “Egg of Brahm” because of its egg-like shape;


** Par Brahm: First spiritual region above the three lower worlds of the Negative Power where the soul gets cleansed of all karmas and impressions by bathing in the Mansarovar, the Pool of Nectar; plane of true Self-Realization, recognizing the relationship of the soul with the Creator; the soul's light here equals twelve suns;


*** Sach Khand: Lit. “True and Imperishable Region”; the spiritual region above Bhanwar Gupha and below Alakh Lok, home of the Saints; also Sat Lok;










Monday, September 15, 2025

The Shape of the Soul - Light and Sound on The Path

 

The Shape of the Soul





Excerpted from a Satsang of Baba Ji [a spiritual discourse by Baba Ram Singh] "in which He spoke of the soul. He described it as spherical in shape, gesturing with His hands to show a sphere. He said of the color of the soul... Our soul is spherical in shape and pure white in color and has the light of twelve luminous suns. Through simran when we withdraw our focus from the body to the third eye we can experience the true power of the soul."


Long Version:


I had been emailing back and forth with Christopher before he went to India about a Satsang of Baba Ji in which He spoke of the soul. He described it as spherical in shape, gesturing with His hands to show a sphere. He then described the color of the soul. I thought He said blue. Christopher didn’t remember Baba Ji mentioning any color. I asked Christopher if he could ask Baba Ji about this when he went to see Him. He said I should tell Bernard my question about the color of the soul. He said he would give my question to Revati who would then ask Baba Ji.

Revati messaged Baba Ji’s answer to me. Her message isn’t in perfect English, but Baba Ji’s answer comes through clearly. This is what Revati wrote:


Dear David B.


I am Revati here. You have asked about the color of the soul to Bernard.

Our soul is spherical in shape and pure white in color and has the light of twelve luminous suns. Through simran when we withdraw our focus from the body to the third eye we can experience the true power of the soul. The soul's luminosity is reflected much like the moon's light in the outer world. By connecting with our soul we can help it into it's immense power.

Let me expand on this.


The Soul's Nature: Spherical Shape


The innocence and light completeness and infinity in the spiritual context.

Pure white color. White is often associated with purity and innocence and light. This could signify the souls' inherent purity and goodness, luminosity. Twelve suns might represent the soul's immense inner light power or spiritual energy.

Now I hope you might have been convinced about the color of the soul.

Radhaswamy with kind regards and love.






Saturday, September 13, 2025

Commentary on Gospel of Thomas Saying 27: True Sabbath Rest: The Heavenly Repose of Meditation

Commentary on Gospel of Thomas Saying 27: True Sabbath Rest: The Heavenly Repose of Meditation




27. Jesus said, “If you do not fast as regards the world, you will not find the Kingdom. If you do not observe the Sabbath as a Sabbath, you will not see the Father.” (translation from the OtherGospels dot com website)


I believe that particular Thomas saying might have been in the Q source of Jesus sayings, quoted in Thomas but not in Matthew and Luke. As I recall, Dr. Samuel Zinner suspects this also. It's a reference to the Saturday sabbath, a day of rest from all earthly labors. But here it may be more inclusive of spiritual rest. Terms like 'rest' and 'repose' are often used for the heavenly realms. My take is, make the Sabbath into a spiritual rest, a day of prayer, meditation, and communion with God in heavenly realms. Meditation is the true sabbath, heavenly repose, going beyond the world of the five senses. I do view meditation as "fasting from the world", the outer world of the five senses, a sensory deprivation technique for perceiving beyond the material realm to see what else is real, to explore the heavens. 


Meister Eckhart: "If the soul is to see God, then it must see no temporal thing, for as long as the soul is conscious of time or space, or of an idea, it cannot know God."





Monday, September 08, 2025

Mystic Verses of Sant Dadu Dayal of Rajasthan - Light and Sound on The Path

 

Mystic Verses of Sant Dadu Dayal of Rajasthan




Do the repetition of God [God's Name] and forget

Him not.

Fulfill the purpose of thy birth

by practicing concentration.

Be steadfast in the remembrance of God.

Practice meditation with love, and sing

the glory of God.

The human body is the door to salvation.

Do the repetitions of God, the Creator

of the universe.


Recognize the Path to your Beloved, O travelers and

take the route of the anguished lover in separation.

Keep the Master's grace in your thoughts, and reflect

upon his pure teachings. Develop love and devotion

with endearment, and keep the thought of the Creator

always before you. Try to merge yourself into God

like water and water. Fix your mind within by

following the Path of the Sound Current. A yearning

will arise; make then an intense and anguished call.

Repeat the Name of your Beloved, day and night,

again and again. With care in thought, word and deed,

you will cross to the other shore.


Nothing to Fear


The all-knowing, almighty Lord is always within us. 

He knows all our needs and is constantly taking care of us. 

With this realization and faith, lovers of 

God have no worries at all.


The perfect Fulfiller is close by;

He is not far off, O foolish one.

He knows all, O deluded one,

And prompt He is in giving.


God is concerned for us, O Dadu;

The Almighty One knows all.

Turn to God, O Dadu, and worry not.


That almighty Companion keeps company

with you

amidst danger and dread.

Hold steadfastly to that Beloved, O valiant mind,

and forsake Him not.


The Provider stands ready with provisions, 

And readily does He provide.

The perfect Fulfiller is close by, 

ever present within us.





Sunday, August 31, 2025

Abode of Light - Manzil-e-Noor



Let life enjoy eternal happiness,
Let the flame of wisdom and faith be lit in the soul,
Let God's Name flow in our veins,
Let each human being find relief from ego.
One who drinks from your cup and becomes oblivious
to one's self
Merges in God and becomes the Cupbearer.
(Sant Darshan Singh, Abode of Light - Manzil-e-Noor)




Abode of Light — Manzil-e-Noor is a collection of mystic poems reflecting upon the life and teachings of Guru Nanak composed by Darshan Singh.




Tuesday, August 26, 2025

Seeing Beyond the Material Realm Reuniting With the Supreme Being


Seeing Beyond the Material Realm Reuniting With the Supreme Being






"If we look at human life we shall have to admit that man has a limited scope of existence, limited power of thinking, limited bodily strength and intellect. With limited life, body and every thing limited it is difficult for him to know the Ultimate. Every individual knows his limitations and finds himself surrounded by forces which limit his activities. Such a helpless man is unable to know the Supreme Father. Looking at his limited resources, the Supreme father comes down on this planet and awakens the unlimited potentialities inherent in man. Man possesses the atom of spirit which has unlimited powers. Unfortunately there are too heavy coverings over it. Man is unaware of this potential power. The Supreme Father sends Saints and Seers for those who pine for awakening this power. The moment such an individual comes in to contact with messengers of God, his spirit power is ignited. With little effort from his side and with the help of the Master of the Time, he is able to cast aside the coverings over his soul. As the coverings go off, he feels lightness and develops power of penetration into the past and the future. When all the coverings are thrown off, he becomes one with Supreme Father. There is no difference between him and the Supreme Father. Attainment of this state is real salvation. Salvation is not attained in a dream or just before or after death. It is a process which takes place gradually.

"As the lids and coverings over the spirit are removed, the devotee is able to sense spiritual light within and enjoys spiritual bliss and happiness. Such experiences are constant and vivid. They generate in the devotee a firm faith in the Grace of the Supreme Father and about his spiritual development. This knowledge makes him fearless. He knows that the Supreme Father is watching him all the time as his Saviour and Guide. His attitude towards life changes. He does not while away his time. He cannot run after things material. Whatever he does, is in accordance with the will of the Supreme Father. Lives of Saints and Seers and Messengers of God bear testimony to this fact. Whatever they did was charged with spirituality. The result was elevation of the soul of the devotees, the recasting of their minds in the spiritual mould. Thus those who admit their helplessness are blessed. They have realised the truth about their existence. They will pray for help from the deepest corners of their hearts. Their sincere call, will never go unheard." 

-- Dayal Sahab, Dayalpuri Radhasoami Satsang, A Spiritual Seekers Guide (Recommended Reading For An Introduction to Sant Mat): https://archive.org/details/ASpiritualSeekersGuide/page/n1/mode/2up

सतगुरु दया करि पार लगाइहैं"

This translates to:

"With the mercy of the Satguru, one is ferried across."









Thursday, August 14, 2025

The Gnostic Gospels Community at Discord

 


The Gnostic Gospels Community at Discord




There is a Gnostic Gospels community, a forum at Discord with much content about Gnostic spirituality with access to all the key Gnostic texts and the world of apocryphal writings.


Invite Link to Join the Gnostic Gospels Server at Discord:

https://othergospels.com/discord


Gnostic Gospels is dedicated to the study and practice of books missing from the Bible. Join our community of heretics, mystics, and other spiritual wayfarers in our discussion of ancient texts!


Explore lost Gospels like Thomas, Nag Hammadi, the Apocrypha, and more!


Our focus centers squarely on scripture and the spiritual insights offered by extra-canonical sources. Become a "heretic" today!







Friday, August 08, 2025

The Lost Religion of Jesus, A Collection of Resources


 

The Lost Religion of Jesus, A Collection of Resources 





Christians have inherited a rather anachronistic interpretation of Christianity based on viewing the tradition solely through the "lens" of Paul. It is said or believed by some that Paul became a convert maybe between 34 and 36 A.D., roughly 4 to 7 years after the crucifixion of Jesus. The full canonical corpus of Paul's letters seems to burst upon the scene sometime well into the Second Century A.D., but certain letters are assigned by some dates of composition in the mid 50's and 60's of the First Century. It should be obvious that the Jesus movement doesn't begin with Paul. Paul arrives after the time of Jesus and the establishment of his spiritual successors, the first apostles, and that Jesus along with his disciples never had a "Pauline theology". This begs the question, what is salvation, the spiritual practice, and ethical code to be followed according to Jesus and his actual disciples? This original Jesus movement, sometimes called the Hebrew Christians, Ebionites, Nazoraeans, and by other terms, is the 'Christianity Before Paul'. Have always been quite curious about this Jesus Movement so marginalized in the canonical New Testament and seemingly edited out of the timeline.


Reconstructing an Ebionite or Nazorean Collection of Scriptures; Also What We Can Learn About Their History


Reconstructed Q Gospel found in, The Complete Gospels, by Robert J. Miller: 

https://archive.org/details/complete-gospels-ed.-robert-j.-miller/page/253/mode/2up


The Q Thomas Reader - The best and most readable one-volume introduction available to the Sayings Gospel Q and the Gospel of Thomas-the very earliest collections of the sayings and parables of Jesus: 

https://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Reader-English-Coptic/dp/0944344119

https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780944344118


Gospel of the Ebionites: https://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/gospelebionites-panarion.html


Gospel of the Hebrews:  

        https://othergospels.com/hebrews


Gospel of the Hebrews: https://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/gospelhebrews-throck.html


Gospel of the Hebrews: https://www.earlychristianwritings.com/gospelhebrews.html


The Gospel of the Nazoreans: https://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/nazoreans-ogg.html


The Gospel of the Nazoreans: https://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/gospelnazoreans.html


Surviving Quotes from the Jewish-Christian Gospels: Gospel of the Ebionites, Gospel of the Hebrews, and Gospel of the Nazoraeans: https://web.archive.org/web/20210223222109/http://www.textexcavation.com/jewishgospels.html


Hebrew Gospel of Matthew (Shem Tov’s Hebrew Matthew), George Howard: 

https://archive.org/details/Hebrew.Gospel.of.MatthewEvenBohanIbn.ShaprutHoward.1987/mode/1up


Another Copy:

https://archive.org/details/gospelofmatthewa0000unse/page/n5/mode/2up


Early Christian Psalms: The Book of the Odes (a.k.a. The Odes of "Solomon"): 

https://othergospels.com/odes

https://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/odes.html


The Didache [earliest sections: 1, 2, and 3]: 

https://othergospels.com/didache


Letter of James: 

https://othergospels.com/bible/james


Letter of Jude: 

https://othergospels.com/bible/jude


Acts and Teachings of the Ebionites: The Vast Treasure-Trove of the Clementine Literature


Epistle (Letter) of Peter to James:

https://compassionatespirit.com/Books/Homilies/Epistle-Peter-to-James.htm


Epistle (Letter) of Clement to James:

https://compassionatespirit.com/Books/Homilies/Epistle-Clement-to-James.htm


Also See: 

https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/080800.htm


Kerygmata Petrou (Preachings of Peter Reconstructed):

https://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/kerygmatapetrou.html


The Ascents of James: History and Theology of a Jewish-Christian Community, by Robert E. Van Voorst:  

https://archive.org/details/ascentsofjameshi0000vanv/mode/2up


The Clementine Homilies and The Clementine Recognitions (Ebionite Book of Acts)


Acts and Teachings of the Ebionites: The Recognitions of Clement, from the Greek and Latin Manuscripts: 

https://compassionatespirit.com/Books/Recognitions/Recognitions-TOC.htm


Acts and Teachings of the Ebionites: The Clementine Homilies, from the Greek and Latin Manuscripts:

https://compassionatespirit.com/Books/Homilies/Homilies-TOC.htm


The Clementine Homilies (English translation) Ante-Nicene Christian Library, Vol. XVII, T & T Clark, 1852: 

https://archive.org/details/clementinehomil00donagoog/page/n8/mode/2up?view=theater


History


I do agree with the scholar Robert Eisenman that finding the historic James the Just (brother and spiritual successor of Jesus) is the most logical way to locate a historic Jesus. 


The Research of Robert Eisenman


Robert Eisenman @ Amazon: “James the Brother of Jesus: The Key to Unlocking the Secrets of Early Christianity and the Dead Sea Scrolls”; also, “Dead Sea Scrolls & The First Christians”; and, “James the Just in the Habakkuk Pesher”: 

https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Eisenman/e/B000APV2U2


James The Brother Of Jesus And The Dead Sea Scrolls, by Robert Eisenman: 

https://archive.org/details/JamesTheBrotherOfJesusAndTheDeadSeaScrollsI/page/n14/mode/1up


The Research of Keith Akers


I highly recommend two books by Keith Akers on the original Jesus Movement (Christianity-Before-Paul), the Ebionites: "Disciples": 

https://www.amazon.com/Disciples-Jewish-Christianity-Shaped-Shattered-ebook/dp/B00J48GAJE/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=keith+akers&qid=1586786123&sr=8-1


And by Keith Akers..."The Lost Religion of Jesus": 

https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Religion-Jesus-Christianity-Non-Violence-ebook/dp/B003KTNBMM/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&qid=1586786168&refinements=p_27%3AKeith+Akers&s=digital-text&sr=1-1&text=Keith+Akers


Read for free online, The Lost Religion of Jesus: Simple Living and Nonviolence in Early Christianity, by Keith Akers: 

https://archive.org/details/lostreligionofje0000aker/mode/2up


The Research of James Tabor


Forgotten Christians: Who Were The Ebionites?

https://youtu.be/dBSuapNMQXU?si=6UnXILusW8w2rM6K


How James [Yaaqov] Beloved Brother of Jesus Was Written out of Early Christianity: 

https://youtu.be/2n5Qg_ekQ_E?si=AQz_H68TWVYpj7N8


The Jesus Dynasty: The Hidden History of Jesus, His Royal Family, and the Birth of Christianity, by James D. Tabor: 

https://archive.org/details/the-jesus-dynasty-james-d.-tabor_202301/mode/2up


The Fading of the Jesus Family--Phase One: 

https://youtu.be/FquOk6wpPr8?si=Cci8eP2bMMlUPbDj


The Fading of the Jesus Family: Phase Two:   https://youtu.be/FU8gF8VPH2Q?si=qXaeRYobgV5kIDiQ


Reclaiming Primitive Christianity Part 2: Exploring the Historical Jesus with Dr. James Tabor:  

https://youtu.be/WJNACLcWuLE?si=v3zURHTnrm7Dbfii


Were the Ebionites Heretics? Or Our Best Witness to the Jesus Movement? 

https://youtu.be/HLQ97erL1gc?si=eDWHzX0gQjIVVjKf


The Research of John Davidson 


The Gospel of Jesus: In Search of His Original Teachings, by John Davidson: 

https://archive.org/details/gospelofjesusins0000davi/mode/2up


The Research of Gerard P. Luttikhuizen

The Revelation of Elchasai, a scholarly book by Gerard P. Luttikhuizen, exploring the Elkesaites, a Jewish-Christian sect originating in the Transjordan, their connections to the Ebionites, Nazarenes, Gnosticism (Sethians, Mandaeans, Manichaeans and the Prophet Mani);


The Research of Dr. Samuel Zinner


Jewish-Christian Influences in Nascent Islam:  https://vimeo.com/182671329 


Evidence That Jesus and The Original Aramaic Christians Were Vegetarians, By James Bean (Veg Passages, Expanded, Updated): 

@ Medium: 

https://medium.com/sant-mat-meditation-and-spirituality/evidence-that-jesus-and-the-original-aramaic-christians-were-vegetarians-b8784ac42506

@ Blog: 

https://santmatradhasoami.blogspot.com/2019/04/evidence-that-jesus-and-original.html






Sunday, August 03, 2025

Selections from the Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry of Soami Ji Maharaj

 

Selections from the Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry of Soami Ji Maharaj




"You will not find any trace or sign of the Master in pilgrimages, fasts, rituals, or temples. The poet Rumi says: 'The mosques and temples are within the saints. That is where God resides.'"


"Seek the Beloved within yourself. If you are anxious to meet your Beloved, do not stray in the world."


"When your eye turns inward in the brain and you see the firmament within, and your spirit leaves the body and rises upward, you will see the Akash in which is located Sahas-dal-kanwal, the thousand petals of which perform the various functions pertaining to the three worlds. Its effulgence will exhilarate your spirit."


"Realize your real form within, and then proceed further with your Surat.*"  (* attention-faculty of the soul)


"My dear, listen to what I say. Turn within yourself and behold light."


"Behold the marvellous Jyoti (flame) within yourself. Radhasoami* has opened the spring of Bhakti."


"Shabd* is ringing within you. Hear it with rapt attention."   (* sound current)


"Listen to Anhad Shabd within, says Radhasoami."


"Slowly and gradually you will gain stability. There is no other remedy but to perform Bhakti*.  (* bhakti, love and devotion) 

One day your imperfect Bhakti will become perfect. Give up hypocrisy and engage in Bhakti.

Insincere Bhakti will not do. Perform true and sincere Bhakti, no matter if it is imperfect.

Radhasoami graciously declares that you should perform Bhakti in whatever manner you can."


"Therefore, perform Bhakti and make your life fruitful."


*Radhasoami (Radhaswami), The Lord of the Soul