The Child of God

You have heard it said*: "The Buddhist does not make it the purpose of his life to rise from the dead, gain the immortality of a mythical being known as self, to lay up treasure for the future, to expect some reward in Heaven ... he endeavors to actualize the glory of God in the world while he is alive -- the glory which he had before the world was -- and which is made manifest only by following the way of God, by practicing in thought as well as in person the doctrine of non-ego, the precept of lovingkindness."

But I say unto you: "The Child of God does not make it the purpose of her or his life to rise from the dead, to gain a form of immortality for a being known as the self.  The Child of God does not seek to lay up treasure for the future nor to expect some reward in a future Heaven.  Rather, the Child of God endeavors to actualize the Glory of God in the world while she or he is alive.  The Child of God recognizes that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand and that the Glory of God -- the Glory which God had before the World was -- is made manifest only by following the Way of God today in the Now, by practicing in thought as well as in person the doctrine of non-ego, the precept of lovingkindness."

*Soen Shaku