My last post was more about asking questions than answers. So instead of answering those questions, let’s intensify the question in the hopes of finding further clarity.

Jesus addressed the subject in the Sermon on the Mount, but what he says is truly baffling, even with over 2000 years of tradition attempting to explain it. How can we make sense of what he says? This is Matthew 5:38-45, in the NIV:

³⁸ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ ³⁹ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. ⁴⁰ And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. ⁴¹ If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. ⁴² Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven.

The “natural” reaction to injury or injustice was codified in ancient Hebrew law. “Eye for eye, tooth for tooth” is a simple restatement of Exodus 21:24. But Jesus offers another, deliberately provocative code of ethics. Let mean people slap me twice? Pray for those who persecute you? Let someone who is suing me take more? In Roman times, officials could force people to carry official notices or documents. Instead of going as far as necessary, go a bit extra? Give to the one who asks you, just because they asked? Jesus is deliberately going against our long-held ideas of self-preservation, of appropriate boundaries. Is he exaggerating to make a point? What is his point? In fact, these sayings by design make no sense to the small, egoic self. What comes next seems quite logical, but is still perplexing. Here are verses 45-48:

He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

People find themselves in situations both good and bad regardless of their moral character. We often cannot control our outward situation, any more than we can affect the weather or the rotation of the Earth. Our reaction to our situation, even when unpleasant and difficult, is what is important. The “reward” Jesus talks about here I believe is karmic. There is little to no karmic value in loving those who love you. The real karmic payoff is in loving those who hate you, and in reacting open-heartedly in difficult situations. But why the seemingly impossible command to “be perfect” by becoming like God? How does that follow? Loving those who hate you is a tall order!

We have to look beyond the perspective of the small self to understand the code Jesus uses. Jesus deeply knew his connection to the divine, to his essence, to the unborn, undying, and unconditioned. He called this divinity his Heavenly Father. From this perspective, generosity makes no sense – there is no self, no other, no giver, no receiver, everything is One. Yet Jesus also was born of a physical, flesh and blood mother. He had deep roots in both planes of existence, the conditioned, mundane, physical world, and the unconditioned, divine, supramundane world. Yet as a fully enlightened being he knew the non-separation of the human and the divine. Both are manifestations of the One. We too can be in this place of non-duality, of moving our perception with effortless ease between heaven and earth, seeing both. This awareness is what he means when he talks about being “children of your Father in Heaven.” Jesus comes from a place of deep interconnection, where self and other are one. But he also deeply understands the illusory separation of self and other. We can learn to live from this perspective also. This is the “perfection” of the heavenly Father.

• Let’s go back to these difficult sayings about generosity, and look at them from the perspective of a child of the Heavenly Father. To review from my last post, generosity is giving freely and with wholesome intent a gift that is valuable but unearned. Each of these sayings has an aggressor initially taking something from you, causing you pain, or coercing you: taking your shirt, slapping you, persecuting you, making you deliver mail. But then you offer more of what they have taken. So now, instead of them simply taking more, by not resisting, you are freely giving them a gift. That gift clearly has value – the aggressor demonstrated that value by taking it from you in the first place. That gift is also unearned, because the aggressor’s actions are clearly unjust. Just one more condition is left for your actions to qualify as being generous. You, as a child of the Heavenly Father, must be able to give what is needed to the evil person, or your persecutor, or the coercive mailman with wholesome intent. But how can our intent be pure in such a difficult situation? Is this even possible?

From the right perspective, yes, it is. Jeshua knows himself as the one out of which both self and other arise. This perspective allows him to see through the illusory (but still painful) roles of victim and aggressor into the deepest needs of the human condition. This perspective offers a more nuanced and balanced view. The situations in these sayings are unpleasant, painful, or inconvenient for the would-be victim, but none are life-threatening. From a wider perspective, offering what the aggressor wants might be a balanced, wholesome reaction to the situation.

Of more immediate importance are the benefits to the giver. For a person consciously on the spiritual path, generosity upends the ego’s normal habits and perspective. If you can remain openhearted and generous even in a difficult situation, you might prevent further unwholesome karmic consequences from your reaction. You might also find the space and light to respond more creatively and appropriately. If you can turn the other cheek with these truths in mind, your intent is wholesome. Through your generosity, you benefit yourself, you benefit your persecutor, and you begin to understand that you are no different from them. You both are acting in a play on a stage. Eventually, with repeated giving from the open heart, you truly become a child of the Heavenly Father. Generosity rightly understood is a need of the spiritual aspirant, something that leads to happiness, both relatively and ultimately. From that perspective, giving sometimes is the sanest, most appropriate response, even in difficult situations.

When the ego is less involved in any particular situation, even difficult ones, then we can:

1. Before we act, assess the needs of all parties involved – self and others;
2. Act freely, creatively, and appropriately, and
3. Not be attached to any particular outcome, but instead tend to the consequences of our act.

Living up to the provocative ideals expressed in the Sermon on the Mount is a difficult task. Perhaps our attitude needs to be closer to the Buddha’s five precepts for laypeople. They all start with the formula, depending on the translation “For the sake of training, I undertake the precept to…” This is a beautiful way of saying “I will try, to the best of my ability, because it is good for me.”