The Top-Most Height

This morning's email contained this quote:

Those who, relying upon themselves only, not looking for assistance to anyone besides themselves, it is they who will reach the top-most height.

-- Buddha

Hog wash!  Those who know me know I've studied Buddhism extensively and have learned much from it.  But I don't think Buddha was very enlightened when he made this statement.  Perhaps he, like Yertle the Turtle, had climbed high enough to convince himself there was nothing higher; but he was pitifully mistaken.   Let me repeat, as this quote stands it is utter hogwash!

You might cite examples of rich tycoons who've made it to the top of their game by themselves by stepping on and climbing over everyone and everything that stood in their way.  And they may actually be rich and sit in lofty towers of pride and accomplishment, but these have fallen way short of the top-most height.

The top-most height bears no similarity to the ivory towers of materialism, or the halls of fame of the popular world, or the majestic castles of the politically powerful, or the lofty cathedrals of the sectarianism.

The top-most height is not reachable by a single individual alone.  It is completely unattainable by relying upon one's self.  There is zero competition in the process of experiencing the top-most height.  It is a group project and "all who run may win the prize."  Neither is the top-most height an exclusive vantage point granted to only a few.  It will not be lonely at the top.

So what has this to do with old friends?

Last night I spent some quality time with an old friend.  Our friendship spans 46 years of mortality.  We both would agree that it spanned eons prior to mortality.  It is one of those friendships that can withstand weeks, even months of busily operating in completely separate circles; yet can be taken up immediately, right where we left off.  Our lives have wobbled to and fro, near and far, up and down; but through it all has been a thread, a theme, of lifting, reaching, inspiring one another to loftier heights.  Should I ever reach the top-most height it will be because of this dear friend and a multitude of others.  Each of these friends has pointed me toward reliance upon the greatest old friend of all.

That friend is my elder Brother, Jesus Christ.  If I reach the top-most height it will be upon His merits not my own.  There is no other way.  He is the way.

That is what I always found lacking in Buddhism.  It lacks a Redeemer.  It lacks a way to cross from flawed and filthy humanity to heavenly majestic purity.  It cannot be done alone; even if we were given an infinite number of lifetimes to attempt it.