Quadrant Model of Reality Book 1 Religion

CHAPTER   XXIV:  The Pattern of Four in Religion

Religion is the second square field of inquiry. Square one is science, Square two is religion, Square three is art, and Square four is philosophy.

The Templeton Prize Winner Ian Barbour describes four possibilities for the relationship between science and religion. They are

Square 1: autonomy

Square 2:dialogue

Square 3: conflict

Square 4: integration

I discussed that science is a first square field of inquiry and religion is a second square field of inquiry, and they possess these characteristics.

It has been suggested that religion in its original essence was the first science, based on the scientific method of inquiry in its search for truth.  Charles Sanders Pierce said that inquiry uses four methods, which fits the quadrant model pattern.

*Square one: The method of tenacity, a policy of sticking to initial belief, which brings comforts and decisiveness but leads to trying to ignore contrary information and other views--as if truth were intrinsically private, not public. It goes against the social impulse and easily falters since one may well notice when another's opinion is as good as one's own initial conclusion. Its initial successes are highly valued, but tend to be fragile.

*Square two: The method of authority, which overcomes disagreements, sometimes by the brute force of consensus-established and sustained social  pressure. Its successes can be majestic and long-lived, but it cannot operate thoroughly enough to suppress doubt indefinitely, especially when people are exposed to varying beliefs.

*Square three: The method of the a priori, which promotes conformity less  forcefully, but fosters pluralistic preferences and tastes, or  perspectives in terms of "what is agreeable to reason."  It depends on fashion and fickle fads. It is more intellectual and respectable but, like the first two methods, sustains accidental and capricious beliefs, leading many to remain doubtful.

*Square 4: The scientific method – the method wherein inquiry regards itself as fallible, under the assumption that “there is absolute truth but no one can know it absolutely” it purposely tests itself and criticizes, corrects, and improves itself.

The scientific method also fits the quadrant model pattern. The scientific method is as follows:

*Square one: Characteristics—including observations, definitions, measurements

*Square two:  Hypotheses—making theoretical, hypothetical explanations of measurements and observations, which forms a duality with the first

*Square three: Predictions—made from hypotheses or theories, which is the doing square

*Square four: Experiments—repeating the first three to test the veracity of theories and hypotheses, which is the square that includes but points beyond, transcending the first three.

George Polya, a mathematician, makes the claim that the  scientific method is analogous to the mathematical method.

*Square one: Understanding

*Square two: Analysis

*Square three: Synthesis

*Square four: Review/Extend

Religions often use the force of consensus-established social pressure to protect and promote a proprietary paraphrase of the real truth, providing comfort for those who are willing to believe and belong. Religion is the second square field of inquiry, which is about belonging. Science is not much better than religion. Science is esteemed as being objective. But science is very subjective. Social pressures have always shaped scientific findings, and old paradigms take a long time to shatter, and are held onto firmly. An example that science is not objective is in psychiatry. Medicine corporations fund and promote a lot of findings on their medications, and they shape and propagandize their findings and methodologies in order to make money. For instance, a lot of dangerous drugs are marketed to kids, and the scientists who study the drugs usually are paid by the drug companies that are selling them and making a profit off of them. Religion also is associated with trying to make money. Religion is more based on feeling than science. The second square is the most associated with feelings. The second quadrant is the faith quadrant.

Carl Jung, a maverick and courageous psychology scientist, considered the cross and the mandala (a circle divided into four sections) as the most important symbol in religion. He noted that most religions have four primary gods, which fits the principal of the quadrant model.  He thought that the idea of the trinity, developed in catholicism, was flawed because it was missing a fourth element. Jung proposed that the fourth should be Satan, who is related to death and sex--the fourth square. Another suggestion is that the fourth should be the Mother Mary. Some, like Providence Church, advocate that the holy spirit is female I think.  These suggestions point beyond the first three.

Mandala (Sanskrit Maṇḍala, 'circle') is a spiritual and ritual symbol in Indian religions, representing the universe.[1] In common use, mandala has become a generic term for any diagram, chart or geometric pattern that represents the cosmos metaphysically or symbolically; a microcosm of the universe. The basic form of most mandalas is a square with four gates containing a circle with a center point. Each gate is in the general shape of a T.[2][3] Mandalas often exhibit radial balance.[

Sociologists divide religions into four categories.

*Square one: Ecclesias/Churches--usually do not support competition, and have an overarching ideology. They also usually fit into the framework of the society in which they exist. Islam is a Church in places like Saudi Arabia, where it fits into the political and economic framework of the society.  The first square is very interested in doing what is good for the group rather than the individual.

*Square two: Denominations--when a Church loses its religious monopoly in a society it becomes a denomination, tending to remain  on good terms with the state, and relatively friendly with other denominations. They follow a fairly routinized ritualistic procedure, and are not full of spontaneous emotional expression. The second square reflects order and homeostasis. Denominations  are less involved in social and political issues than sects, but more involved than Ecclesias. Denominations also have a trained and professional clergy.  An example is the coptic Christians in Egypt where Islam is the dominant religion.   Coptics were forced by muslims to tattoo a cross on their wrists to signal that they were Christians; now they do this on their own volition.

*Square three: Sects--formed to protest their parent religion, usually a denomination. The third square is the doer, and typically considered bad or  destructive. The third square is also the thinker--sects question and break away from conformity to their parent religion. Early Christianity was a sect that broke away from Judaism; first Christians were all Jews.   Sects often decry things that they think are wrong in the parent religion.

*Square four: Cults--new religious movements, are like sects in that they form spontaneously, but not out of a parent religion. Campbell says that cults believe that humans contain divine elements, often attributing special divinity. to their leaders. Cults often do not advocate the return to pure religion, but are more into advocating something new.  Cults are different from the first three; this is always the nature of the third square. The first three are very connected. Churches turn into denominations denominations develop sects, and sects  become denominations. Cults spring up out of nowhere, and maintain no connections with the others.  They are separate, pointing beyond the previous three. They usually do not advocate questioning their laws but preach to stay within their confines. Cults tend to center around a charismatic figure who does not encourage inquiry but requires people to adhere to his beliefs.

Religious levels

Church	Sect
Denomination	Cult

The anti-cult movement might be divided into four classes:

secular counter-cult groups;

Christian evangelical counter-cult groups;

groups formed to counter a specific cult; and

organizations that offer some form of exit counseling

Jeffrey K. Hadden sees four distinct classes of opposition to "cults":

Square 1:Opposition grounded on Religion

Opposition usually defined in theological terms.

Cults considered heretical.

Endeavors to expose the heresy and correct the beliefs of those who have strayed from a truth.

Prefers metaphors of deception rather than possession.

Serves two important functions:

protects members (especially youth) from heresy, and

increases solidarity among the faithful.

Secular 2: Secular opposition

Regards individual autonomy as the manifest goal — achieved by getting people out of groups using mind control and deceptive proselytization.

Regards the struggle as an issue of control rather than theology.

Organizes around families of children currently or previously involved in a cult.

Has the unannounced goal of disabling or destroying NRMs organizationally.

Square 3: Apostates

Former members who consider themselves egregiously wronged by a cult, often with the coordination and encouragement of anti-cult groups.

Square 4: Entrepreneurial opposition

A few "entrepreneurs" who have made careers of organizing opposition groups.

Broadcasters, journalists, and lawyers who base a reputation or career on anti-cult activities

Stephen Hassan has developed the BITE model for cults. It is

The BITE Model

I. Behavior Control

II. Information Control

III. Thought Control

IV. Emotional Control

Behavior Control

1. Regulate individual’s physical reality

2. Dictate where, how, and with whom the member lives and associates or isolates

3. When, how and with whom the member has sex

4. Control types of clothing and hairstyles

5. Regulate diet - food and drink, hunger and/or fasting

6. Manipulation and deprivation of sleep

7. Financial exploitation, manipulation or dependence

8. Restrict leisure, entertainment, vacation time

9. Major time spent with group indoctrination and rituals and/or self indoctrination including the Internet

10. Permission required for major decisions

11. Thoughts, feelings, and activities (of self and others) reported to superiors

12. Rewards and punishments used to modify behaviors, both positive and negative

13. Discourage individualism, encourage group-think

14. Impose rigid rules and regulations

15. Instill dependency and obedience

Information Control

1. Deception:

a. Deliberately withhold information

b. Distort information to make it more acceptable

c. Systematically lie to the cult member

2. Minimize or discourage access to non-cult sources of information, including:

a. Internet, TV, radio, books, articles, newspapers, magazines, other media

b.Critical information

c. Former members

d. Keep members busy so they don’t have time to think and investigate

e. Control through cell phone with texting, calls, internet tracking

3. Compartmentalize information into Outsider vs. Insider doctrines

a. Ensure that information is not freely accessible

b.Control information at different levels and missions within group

c. Allow only leadership to decide who needs to know what and when

4. Encourage spying on other members

a. Impose a buddy system to monitor and control member

b.Report deviant thoughts, feelings and actions to leadership

c. Ensure that individual behavior is monitored by group

5. Extensive use of cult-generated information and propaganda, including:

a. Newsletters, magazines, journals, audiotapes, videotapes, YouTube, movies and other media

b.Misquoting statements or using them out of context from non-cult sources

6. Unethical use of confession

a. Information about sins used to disrupt and/or dissolve identity boundaries

b. Withholding forgiveness or absolution

c. Manipulation of memory, possible false memories

Thought Control

1. Require members to internalize the group’s doctrine as truth

a. Adopting the group's ‘map of reality’ as reality

b. Instill black and white thinking

c. Decide between good vs. evil

d. Organize people into us vs. them (insiders vs. outsiders)

2.Change person’s name and identity

3. Use of loaded language and clichés which constrict knowledge, stop critical thoughts and reduce complexities into platitudinous buzz words

4. Encourage only ‘good and proper’ thoughts

5. Hypnotic techniques are used to alter mental states, undermine critical thinking and even to age regress the member

6. Memories are manipulated and false memories are created

7. Teaching thought-stopping techniques which shut down reality testing by stopping negative thoughts and allowing only positive thoughts, including:

a. Denial, rationalization, justification, wishful thinking

b. Chanting

c. Meditating

d. Praying

e. Speaking in tongues

f. Singing or humming

8. Rejection of rational analysis, critical thinking, constructive criticism

9. Forbid critical questions about leader, doctrine, or policy allowed

10. Labeling alternative belief systems as illegitimate, evil, or not useful

Emotional Control

1. Manipulate and narrow the range of feelings – some emotions and/or needs are deemed as evil, wrong or selfish

2. Teach emotion-stopping techniques to block feelings of homesickness, anger, doubt

3. Make the person feel that problems are always their own fault, never the leader’s or the group’s fault

4. Promote feelings of guilt or unworthiness, such as

a. Identity guilt

b. You are not living up to your potential

c. Your family is deficient

d. Your past is suspect

e. Your affiliations are unwise

f. Your thoughts, feelings, actions are irrelevant or selfish

g. Social guilt

h. Historical guilt

5. Instill fear, such as fear of:

a. Thinking independently

b. The outside world

c. Enemies

d. Losing one’s salvation

e. Leaving or being shunned by the group

f. Other’s disapproval

6. Extremes of emotional highs and lows – love bombing and praise one moment and then declaring you are horrible sinner

7. Ritualistic and sometimes public confession of sins

8. Phobia indoctrination: inculcating irrational fears about leaving the group or questioning the leader’s authority

a. No happiness or fulfillment possible outside of the group

b. Terrible consequences if you leave: hell, demon possession, incurable diseases, accidents, suicide, insanity, 10,000 reincarnations, etc.

c. Shunning of those who leave; fear of being rejected by friends, peers, and family

d. Never a legitimate reason to leave; those who leave are weak, undisciplined, unspiritual, worldly, brainwashed by family or counselor, or seduced by money, sex, or rock and roll

e. Threats of harm to ex-member and family

Osho presented meditation not just as a practice but as a state of awareness to be maintained in every moment, a total awareness that awakens the individual from the sleep of mechanical responses conditioned by beliefs and expectations.[169][171] He employed Western psychotherapy in the preparatory stages of meditation to create awareness of mental and emotional patterns.[172]

He suggested more than a hundred meditation techniques in total.[172][173] His own "Active Meditation" techniques are characterised by stages of physical activity leading to silence.[172] The most famous of these remains Dynamic Meditation,[172][173] which has been described as a kind of microcosm of his outlook.[173] Performed with closed or blindfolded eyes, it comprises five stages, four of which are accompanied by music.[174] First the meditator engages in ten minutes of rapid breathing through the nose.[174] The second ten minutes are for catharsis: "Let whatever is happening happen. ... Laugh, shout, scream, jump, shake—whatever you feel to do, do it!"[172][174] Next, for ten minutes one jumps up and down with arms raised, shouting Hoo! each time one lands on the flat of the feet.[174][175] At the fourth, silent stage, the meditator stops moving suddenly and totally, remaining completely motionless for fifteen minutes, witnessing everything that is happening.[174][175] The last stage of the meditation consists of fifteen minutes of dancing and celebration

The fifth is ultra transcendent, not accompanied by music. The fourth is silence. The fourth is always transcendent and it seems like there is nothing there. The third stage involves laughing shouting jumping and shaking. The third square is the doing square. The first two stages are conservative, which is the nature of the first two squares.

There are four world religions. Some sociologists argue that there is a fifth; Judaism is sometimes considered the fifth, but is most often not included among the world religions  because it is an ethnic phenomenon that does not try to convert people. The recognized world religions are:

*Square one: Buddhism--associated with the first quadrant, it is stereotypically about sensation, perception, response, and awareness. It is focused on finding the real self, which is the nature of the first quadrant, and is known for meditation and other activities related to perception, and awareness. Idealists, the first square personality type are often attracted to Buddhism. The Buddha was an Indian priest of the Brahman class. He taught people to get married, have children, not commit adultery, not murder, and not steal. His teachings are very similar to the teachings of the Torah. Many Buddhists deify him often praying to the Buddha for selfish purposes.   Buddhists are taught that life is suffering, so they can be sad, an emotion of the first square. The buddha taught that people should seek nirvana, which is separation from the world, and from a destiny of rebirth. Buddhism is associated with asians which is the first square race. Buddhism is associated with non violence and peace which are idealist characteristics. Buddhists are vegetarians like idealists are more inclined to be.

*Square two: Christianity--associated with the second quadrant, is about belief, faith, behavior, and belonging. Messianic Jews teach that Jesus was an orthodox Jew who taught others to follow the Torah precisely. They teach that Paul was also an orthodox Jew who sought to bring the Torah back to the lost tribes of Israel, whom he called gentiles, because they had broken out of covenant--gentile means out of covenant. According to messianic Jews, Black Hebrew Israelites, and even Seventh Day Adventists, Jesus and his disciples taught that belief in Jesus entailed following the commandments of God; the second square focuses on order and homeostasis.   Christianity is second square oriented, and associated with the Guardian personality type—wanting to belong. Christianity is characterized a lot by trying to convert people and save people, which is associated with wanting to belong, and it is not known for being related to deep thinking, but more belief, which is characteristic of the second square. Christianity is associated with Europeans and is the second square race. Christians like to say they want a “relationship with Jesus”. The second square is about relationships.

*Square three: Islam--a third quadrant religion. Like Christianity, Islam considers itself an Abrahamic religion--descended from Abraham. The first three squares are always very connected. Many Muslims do not have problems with Buddhists, seeing Buddhists as monotheists. Arabs consider themselves descendants of Ishmael, a son of Abraham. The Israelites descend from Abraham's other son, Issac. Many rabbis think that Europeans are often descendants of Issac's son Esau; Israel descends from Issac's other son Jacob. The third quadrant is thinking, emotion, doing, and dreaming. Thinking challenges beliefs; Islam challenges the beliefs of Christianity, teaching that Jesus is not God, but is a messenger of God.  Thinking is considered to be destructive and bad for challenging and breaking down beliefs, and breaking Christians out of the comfort of their beliefs.  Islam means submission to God. Islam is often associated with Black people and arabs, which is the third square race. Also Islam is associated around the world as being violent, and the nature of the third square is it is more “destructive” or “bad” or evil. Islam is associated with terrorism and throughout history Arabs fought brutal wars including the massacring of Hindus and the attempt to force convert people. Islam has a lot of African followers but also has white and Asian followers. The third square encompasses the previous two.

*Square four: Hinduism--a “polytheistic” religion, Hindus tend to believe in more than one God, and worship different Hindu Gods. The fourth quadrant encompasses the previous three, while pointing beyond them. The fourth quadrant is contemplation, passion, flowing, and knowing. Hinduism is definitely the most contemplative of the world religions. Also Hinduism encompasses the other world religions, teaching that the messengers of other religions, like Jesus, and Muhammad, and the Buddha, are avatars usually of the Hindu God Vishnu or other Gods. So Hinduism is pluralistic. The fourth square always encompasses the previous three. Many Hindus believe that the ultimate awareness is that humans  are Gods. Hinduism is associated with karma sutra, which is a type of meditation based on sexual positions. The fourth quadrant is knowledge; knowledge is associated with sex.   Hinduism is associated with fear and surprise, which emerges out of contemplation, which  are fourth square emotions. Hinduism is associated with Brown people/Indians, which is the fourth square race. The fourth square is also known for being “bad”. Both Christians and Muslims tend to look down upon Hindus seeing them as polytheists, although there are Hindu sects that are considered monothesitic. Even Buddhists look down upon Hindus seeing them as not accepting the teachings of the Buddha. Hindus tend to say the Buddha was an incarnation of God, but that the Buddha did not contain full revelation and purposefully lead people astray. The Mormons, considered Christians, argue the bible is also polytheistic. Some Hindus reconcile all of the religions, saying that they believe in Allah as the only God Krishna, and believing that Krishna is the Father of Jesus, and that the Buddha was an incarnation of Krishna. Hindus have many creative ways of reconciling all of the religions. Hinduism is a national religion in India, but it has followers from all races. The forth always encompasses he previous three, although it is most associated with brown people. Brown is the forth square race.

The World Religions

Buddhism	Islam
Christianity	Hinduism

The mythologies of Buddhism fit the quadrant model pattern. Buddha was a Hindu Brahman prince. Brahmin priests tell the Buddha's father that his son will be either a great king or a religious, spiritual leader. The father tries to shelter the Buddha from suffering so rather than becoming a religious leader he should be a prince. But the Buddha leaves the palace, and is surprised by four realizations, called the four sights. The four are of:

*Square one: an old man

*Square two: a sick man. The old man and the sick man  are the duality. The first two squares are always a duality

*Square three: a corpse. This is bad, connoting utter destruction and death. The third square is always negative.

*Square four: an ascetic. An ascetic has renounced the world, pointing beyond. This is the nature of the forth square.

The Brahmin Indians simplified 4 by joining its four lines into a cross that looks like our modern plus sign. The Shunga would add a horizontal line on top of the numeral, and the Kshatrapa and Pallava evolved the numeral to a point where speed of writing was a secondary concern. The Arabs' 4 still had the early concept of the cross, but for the sake of efficiency, was made in one stroke by connecting the "western" end to the "northern" end; the "eastern" end was finished off with a curve. The Europeans dropped the finishing curve and gradually made the numeral less cursive, ending up with a glyph very close to the original Brahmin cross

The Four Sights

old man	corpse
sick man	ascetic

After the Buddha becomes aware of the four, he realizes that life is suffering, and decides to be an ascetic. This is the foundational story of Buddhism.

As an outgrowth of deep, inner searching the Buddha is able to identify the four noble truths, which are the four cornerstones of Buddhism.

*Square one: the truth of Dukkha, which  means suffering, anxiety, and unsatisfactoriness.  The first square religion is Buddhism. The first square is associated with the Idealists who describe feeling a sort of emptiness, which  leads to a desire to find themselves.  They often feel like they do not belong,  Idealists wish to be Guardians—they typically belong.

*Square two: The Truth of the Origin of Suffering--attachment. The second square is associated with relationships and belonging, which are attachments.   Guardians are associated with attachment.

*Square three: The Truth of Cessation of Dukkha--the end of suffering comes with ceasing attachment. The third square is the Artisan, the individualist, having broken out of belonging.   The third quadrant breaks away from attachments, which is often considered bad and destructive.

*Square four: The Truth of the Path leading to cessation of Dukkha. This is called the eightfold path.

The Four Noble Truths

The Truth of Dukkha	The Truth of the Cessation of Dukkha
The Truth of the Origin of Dukkha	The Truth of the Eightfold Path

The Buddha tells the parable of the four wives. The first three wives are similar. The fourth is different. The pattern of the quadrant model is the first three are similar and square four is transcendent.

Square 1. Wife one is the body and she does not go with you with death.

Square 2. Wife 2 is wealth and material possessions. Square 2 is always homeostasis and order. These do not go with you with death.

Square 3. Wife 3 is family and friends and acquaintances. These do not go with you with death.

Square 4. Wife 4 is the mind and the Buddha says wife 4 is different from the previous three and she goes with you with death.

There are four holy sites in Buddhism related to four important times in his life. They are

Square 1: Gumbini. The place of Siddharta Guatema’s birth.

Square 2: Bodhgaya. The place where the Buddha achieved enlightenment.

Square 3: Deer park in Samath. Here the Buddha met his five disciples and gave his first sermon.the third square is always related to doing.

Square 4: Kishinara. The Buddhas death. The fourth square is related to death

I have studied Buddhist texts and they are filled with the quadrant four, as well as even 16, and within the teachings is the pattern of the quadrant model. According to Buddhism there are four stages of enlightenment. The learning of these stages is central to Buddhism and was taught by the Buddha. The stages fit the quadrant model pattern. They are

Square 1: Sotapanna- A stream enterer is free from attachment to rites and rituals, identity view, and doubt about the teaching.

Square 2: Sakadagami- A once returner has greatly attenuated sensual desire, which keeps one mired in the ego body/self, and ill will, which is trying to make things happen through the ego.

Square 3: Anagami- A non returner has gotten rid of sensual desire and ill will.

square 4: Arahant- He is free from all of the five lower fetters and the five higher fetters, which are, craving for fine material existence, craving for existence on the level of formlessness, conceit, restlessness, and ignorance. This is the flow.

The four right assertions in buddhism are based off of two dichotomies. One is risen and unarisen. The other dichotomy is unskilled qualities and skilled qualities. This leaves

Square 1: abandon. Arisen and unskilled

Square 2: guard. Unarisen and unskilled

Square 3: arouse. Unarisen and skilled

Square 4: maintain. Arisen and skilled

Buddhist temporal cosmology describes how the universe comes into being and is dissolved. Like other Indian cosmologies, it assumes an infinite span of time and is cyclical. This does not mean that the same events occur in identical form with each cycle, but merely that, as with the cycles of day and night or summer and winter, certain natural events occur over and over to give some structure to time.

The basic unit of time measurement is the mahākalpa or "Great Eon" (Jpn: 大劫 daigō). The length of this time in human years is never defined exactly, but it is meant to be very long, to be measured in billions of years if not longer.

A mahākalpa is divided into four kalpas or "eons" (Jpn: 劫 kō), each distinguished from the others by the stage of evolution of the universe during that kalpa. The four kalpas are:

Vivartakalpa "Eon of evolution" – during this kalpa the universe comes into existence. The first square is always good and inspiring.

Vivartasthāyikalpa "Eon of evolution-duration" – during this kalpa the universe remains in existence in a steady state. The second square is homeostasis and order.

Saṃvartakalpa "Eon of dissolution" – during this kalpa the universe dissolves. The third square is destruction and is bad.

Saṃvartasthāyikalpa "Eon of dissolution

In Buddhist cosmology

Heavens[edit]

The following four worlds are bounded planes, each 80,000 yojanas square, which float in the air above the top of Mount Sumeru. Although all of the worlds inhabited by devas (that is, all the worlds down to the Cāturmahārājikakāyika world and sometimes including the Asuras) are sometimes called "heavens", in the western sense of the word the term best applies to the four worlds listed below:

Parinirmita-vaśavartin or Paranimmita-vasavatti (Tib: gzhan 'phrul dbang byed; Jpn: 他化自在天 Takejizai-ten) – The heaven of devas "with power over (others') creations". These devas do not create pleasing forms that they desire for themselves, but their desires are fulfilled by the acts of other devas who wish for their favor. The ruler of this world is called Vaśavartin (Pāli: Vasavatti), who has longer life, greater beauty, more power and happiness and more delightful sense-objects than the other devas of his world. This world is also the home of the devaputra (being of divine race) called Māra, who endeavors to keep all beings of the Kāmadhātu in the grip of sensual pleasures. Māra is also sometimes called Vaśavartin, but in general these two dwellers in this world are kept distinct. The beings of this world are 4,500 feet (1,400 m) tall and live for 9,216,000,000 years (Sarvāstivāda tradition). The height of this world is 1,280 yojanas above the Earth.

Nirmāṇarati or Nimmānaratī (Tib: 'phrul dga' ; Jpn: 化楽天 Keraku-ten)– The world of devas "delighting in their creations". The devas of this world are capable of making any appearance to please themselves. The lord of this world is called Sunirmita (Pāli Sunimmita); his wife is the rebirth of Visākhā, formerly the chief of the upāsikās (female lay devotees) of the Buddha. The beings of this world are 3,750 feet (1,140 m) tall and live for 2,304,000,000 years (Sarvāstivāda tradition). The height of this world is 640 yojanas above the Earth.

Tuṣita or Tusita (Tib: dga' ldan; Jpn: 兜率天 Tosotsu-ten) – The world of the "joyful" devas. This world is best known for being the world in which a Bodhisattva lives before being reborn in the world of humans. Until a few thousand years ago, the Bodhisattva of this world was Śvetaketu (Pāli: Setaketu), who was reborn as Siddhārtha, who would become the Buddha Śākyamuni; since then the Bodhisattva has been Nātha (or Nāthadeva) who will be reborn as Ajita and will become the Buddha Maitreya (Pāli Metteyya). While this Bodhisattva is the foremost of the dwellers in Tuṣita, the ruler of this world is another deva called Santuṣita (Pāli: Santusita). The beings of this world are 3,000 feet (910 m) tall and live for 576,000,000 years (Sarvāstivāda tradition). The height of this world is 320 yojanas above the Earth.

Yāma (Tib: 'thab bral; Jpn: 夜摩天 Yama-ten) – Sometimes called the "heaven without fighting", because it is the lowest of the heavens to be physically separated from the tumults of the earthly world. These devas live in the air, free of all difficulties. Its ruler is the deva Suyāma; according to some, his wife is the rebirth of Sirimā, a courtesan of Rājagṛha in the Buddha's time who was generous to the monks. The beings of this world are 2,250 feet (690 m) tall and live for 144,000,000 years (Sarvāstivāda tradition). The height of this world is 160 yojanas above the Earth.

In Buddhist cosmology

The Ārūpyadhātu (Sanskrit) or Arūpaloka (Pāli) (Tib: gzugs med pa'i khams; Jpn: 無色界 Mushiki-kai) or "Formless realm" would have no place in a purely physical cosmology, as none of the beings inhabiting it has either shape or location; and correspondingly, the realm has no location either. This realm belongs to those devas who attained and remained in the Four Formless Absorptions (catuḥ-samāpatti) of the arūpadhyānas in a previous life, and now enjoys the fruits (vipāka) of the good karma of that accomplishment. Bodhisattvas, however, are never born in the Ārūpyadhātu even when they have attained the arūpadhyānas.

There are four types of Ārūpyadhātu devas, corresponding to the four types of arūpadhyānas:

Arupa Bhumi (Arupachara Brahmalokas or Immaterial/Formless Brahma Realms)[edit]

Naivasaṃjñānāsaṃjñāyatana or Nevasaññānāsaññāyatana (Tib: 'du shes med 'du shes med min; Jpn: 非有想非無想処) "Sphere of neither perception nor non-perception". In this sphere the formless beings have gone beyond a mere negation of perception and have attained a liminal state where they do not engage in "perception" (saṃjñā, recognition of particulars by their marks) but are not wholly unconscious. This was the sphere reached by Udraka Rāmaputra (Pāli: Uddaka Rāmaputta), the second of the Buddha's two teachers, who considered it equivalent to enlightenment. Total life span on this realm in human years - 84,000 Maha Kalpa (Maha Kalpa = 4 Asankya Kalpa). Kalpa Vibhangaya This is realm is place 5,580,000 Yodun ( 1 Yoduna = 16 Miles) above the Plane of Nothingness(Akiknchaknkayatana). Sakwala Vibhangaya

Ākiṃcanyāyatana or Ākiñcaññāyatana (Tib: ci yang med; Jpn: 無所有処 musho u sho) "Sphere of Nothingness" (literally "lacking anything"). In this sphere formless beings dwell contemplating upon the thought that "there is no thing". This is considered a form of perception, though a very subtle one. This was the sphere reached by Ārāḍa Kālāma (Pāli: Āḷāra Kālāma), the first of the Buddha's two teachers; he considered it to be equivalent to enlightenment. Total life span on this realm in human years - 60,000 Maha Kalpa. This is realm is place 5,580,000 Yodun above the Plane of Infinite Consciousness(Viknknanaknchayathana).

Vijñānānantyāyatana or Viññāṇānañcāyatana or more commonly the contracted form Viññāṇañcāyatana (Tib: rnam shes mtha' yas; Jpn: 識無辺処 shiki mu hen jo) "Sphere of Infinite Consciousness". In this sphere formless beings dwell meditating on their consciousness (vijñāna) as infinitely pervasive. Total life span on this realm in human years - 40,000 Maha Kalpa. This is realm is place 5,580,000 Yodun above the Plane of Infinite Space(Akasanknayathanaya)

Ākāśānantyāyatana or Ākāsānañcāyatana (Tib: nam mkha' mtha' yas; Jpn: 空無辺処 kū mu hen jo) "Sphere of Infinite Space". In this sphere formless beings dwell meditating upon space or extension (ākāśa) as infinitely pervasive. Total life span on this realm in human years - 20,000 Maha Kalpa. This is realm is place 5,580,000 Yodun above the Akanita Brahma Loka — Highest plane of pure abodes.

At the beginning the universe was immersed in a beaten and shapeless kind of matter (chaos), sunk in silence. Later there were sounds indicating the movement of particles. With this movement, the light and the lightest particles rose but the particles were not as fast as the light and could not go higher. Thus, the light was at the top of the Universe, and below it, the particles formed first the clouds and then Heaven, which was to be called Takamagahara (高天原?, "High Plain of Heaven"). The rest of the particles that had not risen formed a huge mass, dense and dark, to be called Earth.[1]

When Takamagahara was formed, the first three gods of Japanese mythology appeared:

Amenominakanushi (天之御中主神?)

Taka-mi-musuhi-no-kami (高御産巣日神?) and

Kami-musuhi-no-kami (神産巣日神?).

Subsequently two gods emerged in Takamagahara from an object similar to a reed-shoot:

Umashi-ashi-kabi-hikoji-no-kami (宇摩志阿斯訶備比古遅神?) and

Ame-no-toko-tachi-no-kami (天之常立神?)

The nature of the quadrant model is the first three are always connected. The fourth is always different and is connected to the fifth.

Tibetan Buddhists believe that saying the mantra (prayer),

Square 1: Om

Square 2: Mani

Square 3: Padme

Square 4: Hum

out loud or silently to oneself, invokes the powerful benevolent attention and blessings of Chenrezig, the embodiment of compassion. Viewing the written form of the mantra is said to have the same effect -- it is often carved into stones, like the one pictured above, and placed where people can see them.

The mantra originated in India; as it moved from India into Tibet, the pronunciation changed because some of the sounds in the Indian Sanskrit language were hard for Tibetans to pronounce.

Another pronunciation that is supposed to be very powerful and a kind of secret pronunciation is Om Mani Padse Hum, but only if you are very advanced should you say se

According to the Buddha there are four types of friends. The Buddha says

"Young man, be aware of these four good-hearted friends: the helper, the friend who endures in good times and bad, the mentor, and the compassionate friend.

The helper can be identified by four things: by protecting you when you are vulnerable, and likewise your wealth, being a refuge when you are afraid, and in various tasks providing double what is requested.

The enduring friend can be identified by four things: by telling you secrets, guarding your own secrets closely, not abandoning you in misfortune, and even dying for you.

The mentor can be identified by four things: by restraining you from wrongdoing, guiding you towards good actions, telling you what you ought to know, and showing you the path to samsaric heavens.

The compassionate friend can be identified by four things: by not rejoicing in your misfortune, delighting in your good fortune, preventing others from speaking ill of you, and encouraging others who praise your good qualities."

In buddhism The Damba Tree of Life has four limbs and from its roots four sacred streams of Paradise that represent the the four boundless wishes of compassion, affection, love impartiality. It also represents the four directions of the heart as well.

There are “the Four Seals of Dharma.” in Buddhism. They are:

Square 1: All compounded things are impermanent.

Square 2: All emotions are painful. This is something that only Buddhists would talk about. Many religions worship things like love with celebration and songs. Buddhists think, “This is all suffering.”

Square 3: All phenomena are empty; they are without inherent existence. This is actually the ultimate view of Buddhism; the other three are grounded on this third seal.

Square 4: The fourth seal is that nirvana is beyond extremes.

In Buddhism, the Buddha spoke of four things that should not be contemplated for too long as they would sooner lead to derangement than to a sensible solution:

"There are these Four Imponderables that should not be pondered because to do so would cause one to become vexed and mentally unhinged.

Square 1: The range of [influence of] a buddha is imponderable and should not be pondered because to do so would cause one to become vexed and mentally unhinged. The first square is always mental.

Square 2: The range of jhana of a person immersed in meditative-absorption [the powers one is able to obtain by way of the absorptions]... The first two are about ranges. This is the duality.

Square 3: The [mysterious] working out of karma... . The third square is doing. This is the working of karma

Square 4: A first cause or origin of the world...

The four bases of power in buddhism are

Square 1: Will (chanda, S. chanda)

Square 2: Energy (viriya, S. virya)

Square 3:Consciousness (citta, S. citta)

Square 4:Examination (vīmaṁsa or vīmaŋsā, S. mimāṃsā)

There are eight jhānas in total, out of which the first four are rūpajhānas, meditations of form. All four rūpajhānas are characterized by ekaggatā (Skt: ekāgratā) which means one-pointedness, i.e. the mind focuses singularly on the material or mental object during meditation.

The four rūpajhānas are:

paṭhama-jhāna (Skt: prathamadhyāna, literally "first jhana")

dutiya-jhāna (Skt: dvitīyadhyāna, literally "second jhana")),

tatiya-jhāna (Skt: tṛtīyadhyāna,literally "third jhana"))

catuttha-jhāna (Skt: caturthadhyāna, literally "fourth jhana"))

In Buddhism, the arūpajhānas or "formless meditations" are four successive levels of meditation on non-material objects. These levels are higher than the rūpajhānas, and harder to attain. In themselves, they are believed to lead to rebirth as gods belonging to the realm of the same name.

While rupajhanas differ considering their characteristics, arupajhanas differ as their object is determined by the level of the jhana:

fifth jhāna: infinite space,

sixth jhāna: infinite consciousness,

seventh jhāna: infinite nothingness,

eighth jhāna: neither perception nor non-perception.

In buddhism four stations of Brahma (Brahma-vihara):

(1) unconditional kindness and goodwill (mettā)

(2) compassion (karuna)

(3) sympathetic joy over another's success (mudita)

(4) evenmindedness, equanimity (upekkha)

The brahmavihāras (sublime attitudes, lit. "abodes of brahma") are a series of four Buddhist virtues and the meditation practices made to cultivate them. They are also known as the four immeasurables (Sanskrit: apramāṇa, Pāli: appamaññā).

According to the Metta Sutta, Gautama Buddha held that cultivation of the four immeasurables has the power to cause the practitioner to be reborn into a "Brahmā realm" (Pāli: Brahmaloka).The meditator is instructed to radiate out to all beings in all directions the states of:

loving-kindness or benevolence

compassion

empathetic joy

equanimity

The four immeasurables are also found in the Yoga Sutras of Patañjali a text composed long after the beginning of Buddhism and substantially influenced by Buddhism.These virtues are also highly regarded by Buddhists as powerful antidotes to negative mental states (non-virtues) such as avarice, anger and pride.

The Tibetan term Ngöndro (Wylie: sngon 'gro,pronounced "ngöndro" and known in Sanskrit as pūrvakarefers to the preliminary, preparatory or foundational practices or disciplines (Sanskrit: sādhanā) common to all four schools of Tibetan Buddhism and also to Bon.

The preliminary practices establish the foundation for the more advanced and rarefied Vajrayana sādhanā which are held to engender realization and the embodiment of Dzogchen.

The common or ordinary preliminaries consists of a series of deep reflections or contemplations on the following four topics:

the freedoms and advantages of precious human rebirth

the truth of impermanence and change

the workings of karma

the suffering of living beings within samsara

The above four contemplations are sometimes referred to as "the four reminders" or "the four mind-changers"or "the four thoughts which turn the mind towards Dharma."

the Four Ordinary Foundations should not be conflated with the Satipatthana.

Satipaṭṭhāna is the Pāli word for the Buddhist concept of the establishment or foundations of mindfulness. The corresponding word in Sanskrit (Skt.) is smṛtyupasthāna and in Chinese it is ‘mindfulness-place’

The fourfold "establishment of mindfulness" (Pāli cattāro satipaṭṭhānā) is set out in the Satipatthana Sutta for attaining and maintaining moment-by-moment mindfulness or retention (Sati) of four domains, "constantly watching sensory experience in order to prevent the arising of cravings which would power future experience into rebirths."The four domains are:

mindfulness of the body;

mindfulness of feelings or sensations (vedanā);

mindfulness of mind or consciousness (citta);and

mindfulness of dhammās (the elements of the Buddhist teachings).

The Buddha referred to the fourfold establishment of mindfulness as a "direct" or "one-way path" for purification and the realisation of nirvana.

The Tibetan term Ngöndro (Wylie: sngon 'gro,pronounced "ngöndro" and known in Sanskrit as pūrvakarefers to the preliminary, preparatory or foundational practices or disciplines (Sanskrit: sādhanā) common to all four schools of Tibetan Buddhism and also to Bon.

The preliminary practices establish the foundation for the more advanced and rarefied Vajrayana sādhanā which are held to engender realization and the embodiment of Dzogchen.

The common or ordinary preliminaries consists of a series of deep reflections or contemplations on the following four topics:

Square 1: the freedoms and advantages of precious human rebirth

Square 2: the truth of impermanence and change

Square 3: the workings of karma

Square 4: the suffering of living beings within samsara

The above four contemplations are sometimes referred to as "the four reminders" or "the four mind-changers"or "the four thoughts which turn the mind towards Dharma."

the Four Ordinary Foundations should not be conflated with the Satipatthana.

Satipaṭṭhāna is the Pāli word for the Buddhist concept of the establishment or foundations of mindfulness. The corresponding word in Sanskrit (Skt.) is smṛtyupasthāna and in Chinese it is ‘mindfulness-place’

The fourfold "establishment of mindfulness" (Pāli cattāro satipaṭṭhānā) is set out in the Satipatthana Sutta for attaining and maintaining moment-by-moment mindfulness or retention (Sati) of four domains, "constantly watching sensory experience in order to prevent the arising of cravings which would power future experience into rebirths."The four domains are:

Square 1: mindfulness of the body;

Square 2: mindfulness of feelings or sensations (vedanā);

Square 3: mindfulness of mind or consciousness (citta);and

Square 4: mindfulness of dhammās (the elements of the Buddhist teachings).

The Buddha referred to the fourfold establishment of mindfulness as a "direct" or "one-way path" for purification and the realisation of nirvana

Classifications of tantra

The various Tantra-texts can be classified in various ways.

Fourfold division

The best-known classification is by the Gelug, Sakya, and Kagyu schools, the so-called Sarma or New Translation schools of Tibetan Buddhism. They divide the Tantras into four hierarchical categories:

Kriyayoga, action tantra, which emphasizes ritual;

Charyayoga, performance tantra, which emphasizes meditation;

Yogatantra, yoga tantra;

Anuttarayogatantra, highest yoga tantra, which is further divided into "mother", "father" and "non-dual" tantras.

In the generation stage of Deity Yoga, the practitioner visualizes the "Four Purities" (Tibetan: yongs su dag pa bzhi; yongs dag bzhi) which define the principal Tantric methodology of Deity Yoga that distinguishes it from the rest of Buddhism:

Square 1: Seeing one's body as the body of the deity

Square 2: Seeing one's environment as the pure land or mandala of the deity

Square 3: Perceiving one's enjoyments as bliss of the deity, free from attachment

Square 4: Performing one's actions only for the benefit of others (bodhichitta motivation, altruism)

The present kalpa is called the bhadrakalpa (Auspicious aeon). There have been four buddhas in the present kalpa, revealing the quadrant pattern. The fifth Buddha maitreya is expected tto come and bring enlightenment to the word like jesus in christianity or krishna in hinduism. The present kalpa is called the bhadrakalpa (Auspicious aeon). The five Buddhas of the present kalpa are:

Square 1: Kakusandha (the first Buddha of the bhadrakalpa)

Square 2: Koṇāgamana (the second Buddha of the bhadrakalpa)

Square 3: Kassapa (the third Buddha of the bhadrakalpa)

Square 4: Gautama (the fourth and present Buddha of the bhadrakalpa). Guatemala is the fourth transcendent one.

Square 5: Maitreya (the fifth and future Buddha of the bhadrakalpa)e according to Buddhists is the future Buddha who will bring the Truth to the world. The fifth is always ultra transcendent, and it is always questionable.

The four main schools (Wyl. chos lugs chen po bzhi) of Tibetan Buddhism are:

Square 1: Nyingma (Wyl. rnying ma)

Square 2: Sakya (Wyl. sa skya)

Square 3: Kagyü (Wyl. bka' brgyud)

Square 4: Gelug (Wyl. dge lugs)

Commentary

As His Holiness the Dalai Lama explains:

Four major traditions—Nyingma, Kagyü, Sakya and Gelug—emerged as a result of the earlier and later dissemination of the Buddhist teachings in Tibet, and also because of the emphasis placed by great masters of the past on different scriptures, techniques of meditation and, in some cases, terms used to express particular experiences.

What is common to all the four major traditions of Tibetan Buddhism is their emphasis on the practice of the entire structure of the Buddhist path, which comprises the essence of not only the Vajrayana teachings.

These were the genesis of Tibetan Buddhism.

The Abhidhamma and post-canonical Pali texts create a meta-scheme for the Sutta Pitaka's conceptions of aggregates, sense bases and dhattus (elements). This meta-scheme is known as the four paramatthas or four ultimate realities.

Ultimate realities

There are four paramatthas; three conditioned, one unconditioned. The first three squares of the quadrant model are always different from the fourth. The fourth is always transcendent.

Square 1: Material phenomena (rūpa, form)

Square 2: Mind or Consciousness (Citta)

Square 3: Mental factors (Cetasikas: the nama-factors sensation, perception and formation)

Square 4Nibbāna

Notice how Buddhism is a lot about sensation and perception and the mind. That is because Buddhism is the first square religion, and the first square is mental

Christianity is associated a lot with the cross., although all religions see the cross as a sacred symbol, because it is the Form of Existence. The cross is the quadrant.

The Christian Cross, seen as a representation of the instrument of the crucifixion of Jesus, is the best-known symbol of Christianity. It is related to the crucifix (a cross that includes a usually three-dimensional representation of Jesus' body) and to the more general family of cross symbols.

The standard, four-pointed Latin crucifix consists of an upright post or stipes and a single crosspiece to which the sufferer's arms were nailed.

The basic forms of the cross are the Latin cross (✝) and the Greek cross, with numerous variants used heraldry and in various confessional contexts.

The cross-shaped sign, represented in its simplest form by a crossing of two lines at right angles, greatly predates, in both East and West, the introduction of Christianity. It goes back to a very remote period of human civilization. It is supposed to have been used not just for its ornamental value, but also with religious significance. It has been argued to have have represented the apparatus used in kindling fire, and thus as the symbol of sacred fire or as a symbol of the sun, denoting its daily rotation. It has also been interpreted as the mystic representation of lightning or of the god of the tempest, or the emblem of the Aryan pantheon and the primitive Aryan civilization.

Another associated symbol is the ansated cross (ankh or crux ansata) of the ancient Egyptians, often depicted in the hands of the goddess Sekhet, and as a hieroglyphic sign of life or of the living. Egyptian Christians (Copts) adopted it as the emblem of the cross.[2] In his book, The Worship of the Dead, Colonel J. Garnier wrote: "The cross in the form of the 'Crux Ansata' ... was carried in the hands of the Egyptian priests and Pontiff kings as the symbol of their authority as priests of the Sun god and was called 'the Sign of Life'."

Another Egyptian symbol is the Ndj (Cross-ndj_(hieroglyph))

- Uses for the hieroglyph: 1— "to protect, guard, avenge", and "protector, advocate, avenger" 2— "homage to thee", (a form of salutation to gods) 3— "discuss a matter with someone", "to converse", "to take counsel". And yet another Egyptian symbol is the nfr- meaning: beauty or perfect

In the Bronze Age a representation of the cross as conceived in Christian art appeared, and the form was popularised. The more precise characterization coincided with a corresponding general change in customs and beliefs. The cross then came into use in various forms on many objects: fibulas, cinctures, earthenware fragments, and on the bottom of drinking vessels. De Mortillet believed that such use of the sign was not merely ornamental, but rather a symbol of consecration, especially in the case of objects pertaining to burial. In the proto-Etruscan cemetery of Golasecca every tomb has a vase with a cross engraved on it. True crosses of more or less artistic design have been found in Tiryns, at Mycenæ, in Crete, and on a fibula from Vulci.

According to Swami Vivekananda the Christian cross is nothing but the Shivalinga converted into two across. The cross is the basis of existence, and the Shivalinga in Hinduism is seen to be that which is the basis of exitence.

According to W. E. Vine, the cross was used by worshipers of Tammuz, an Ancient Near East deity of Babylonian origin who had the cross-shaped taw (tau) as his symbol. Tammuz was seen to be a God who died and resurrected like Jesus.

A cross necklace is any necklace featuring a Christian cross or crucifix worn by Christians and others. They are often purchased at stores,or received as gifts for rites such as baptism and confirmation.

Crosses are often worn as an indication of commitment to the Christian faith. In addition, some Christians believe that the wearing of a cross offers the wearer protection from evil. Individuals, including Christians and some non-Christians, may also wear cross necklaces as a fashion accessory. For adherents of some Christian denominations, such as the Eastern Orthodox Church, cross necklaces are always worn and never removed.

Cassie Ventura wearing a cross necklace.

Most adherents of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church will wear a cross attached to either a chain or a matäb, a silk cord. The matäb is tied about the neck at the time of baptism, and the recipient is expected to wear the matäb at all times. Women will often affix a cross or other pendant to the matäb, but this is not considered essential.

In some nations, such as the People's Socialist Republic of Albania, an atheist state, the wearing of cross necklaces was historically banned. Many Christian bishops of several denominations, such as the Anglican Church, wear the pectoral cross as a sign of their order.

In two highly publicised British cases, nurse Shirley Chaplin and British Airways flight attendant Nadia Eweida were both forbidden to wear a cross necklace at work and, as a result, took their cases to the European Court of Human Rights.[18][19][20] In light of such cases, in 2012 the former Archbishop of Canterbury of the Anglican Communion, Lord Carey, and then head of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, have urged all Christians to wear cross necklaces regularly.

The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, commonly referred to as the Foursquare Church, is a Protestant evangelical Pentecostal Christian denomination founded in 1923 by preacher Aimee Semple McPherson. As of 2000, it had a worldwide membership of over 8,000,000, with almost 60,000 churches in 144 countries. In 2006, membership in the United States was 353,995 in 1,875 churches. While congregations are concentrated along the West Coast, the denomination is well distributed across the United States. The states with the highest membership rates are Oregon, Hawaii, Montana, Washington, and California. The church maintains its headquarters in Los Angeles, California.

The church's name refers to the four-fold ministry of Jesus Christ as Savior, Baptizer with the Holy Spirit, Healer, and Soon-coming King.

The True Cross is the name for physical remnants which, by a Christian tradition, are believed to be from the cross upon which Jesus was crucified.[1]

According to post-Nicene historians such as Socrates Scholasticus, the Empress Helena, mother of Constantine, the first Christian Emperor of Rome, travelled to the Holy Land in 326–28, founding churches and establishing relief agencies for the poor. Historians Gelasius of Caesarea and Rufinus claimed that she discovered the hiding place of three crosses that were believed to be used at the crucifixion of Jesus and of two thieves, St. Dismas and Gestas, executed with him, and that a miracle revealed which of the three was the True Cross.

Many churches possess fragmentary remains that are by tradition alleged to be those of the True Cross. Their authenticity is not accepted universally by those of the Christian faith and the accuracy of the reports surrounding the discovery of the True Cross is questioned by some Christians.[2] The acceptance and belief of that part of the tradition that pertains to the Early Christian Church is generally restricted to the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. The medieval legends that developed concerning its provenance differ between Catholic and Orthodox tradition. These churches honour Helena as a saint, as does also the Anglican Communion.

A pectoral cross or pectorale (from the Latin pectoralis, "of the chest") is a cross that is worn on the chest, usually suspended from the neck by a cord or chain. In ancient and medieval times pectoral crosses were worn by both clergy and laity, but by the end of the Middle Ages the pectoral cross came to be a special indicator of position worn by bishops, and the wearing of a pectoral cross is now restricted to popes, cardinals, bishops and abbots.[1] The modern pectoral cross is relatively large, and is different from the small crosses worn on necklaces by many Christians. Most pectoral crosses are made of precious metals (platinum, gold or silver) and some contain precious or semi-precious gems. Some contain a corpus like a crucifix while others use stylized designs and religious symbols.

In many Christian denominations, it is a sign that the person wearing it is a member of the clergy and it may signify that the wearer is a member of the higher or senior clergy; however, in many Western churches there are an increasing number of laypeople who choose to wear some form of a cross around their neck.

While many Christians, both clergy and laity, wear crosses, the pectoral cross is distinguished by both its size (up to six inches across) and that it is worn in the center of the chest below the heart (as opposed to just below the collarbones).

Throughout the centuries, many pectoral crosses have been made in the form of reliquaries which contain alleged fragments of the True Cross or relics of saints. Some such reliquary pectorals are hinged so that they open to reveal the relic, or the relic may be visible from the front through glass.

Christianity is based on the Bible, the organization of which can be characterized as fitting the quadrant model pattern.  The Old Testament portion of the Bible contains the four books of Moses, called the Torah, the ordering of which fits the pattern.

*Square one: Genesis—myth and legend stories that precede the beginnings of Israel, including the stories of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, the Noah flood, Tower of Babel, the stories of Abraham and Issac, the stories of Jacob and the birth of his sons, who are the twelve tribes of Israel. The first square always has a quality of being weird. They have a supernatural and spiritual quality to them, the nature of the first square.  Myth is a truth poetically expressed,  a legend is a summary narrative  of a historical event.

*Square two: Exodus--about the family of Israel, and its escape from Egypt. The second square, the cultural square, is always associated with family and belonging. The second quadrant is belief, faith, behavior, and belonging. In the story of Exodus, Moses is told by God, in the setting of a burning bush, that he must help lead Israel out of Egypt. Israel is the descendants of the family of Jacob, who went to Egypt during a famine to survive.   They were made slaves, and stopped living by the Law of God. Moses led the family out of Egypt to the promised land, Cannan, which became the land of Israel. The second square is always about family, homeostasis, and belonging; Exodus is about the family of Israel and its struggle to get out of Egypt, which represents enslavement to sin.

*Square three: Leviticus--delineates the law of God. The third square is always about doing; Leviticus tells Israel what it must do, defining actions to be taken in order to maintain their covenant with God. The third square is always about physical action. The third quadrant is thinking emotion, doing, and dreaming. It is made clear that Israel often does not follow the law of God, which leads to destruction and death.

*Square four: Numbers—an expansion, pointing beyond Leviticus. Numbers expands on the law, and is more philosophical and poetic. The nature of the fourth is that it expands on the third, but it has a more abstract quality to it. The fourth quadrant is contemplation, passion, flowing, and knowing.

*Square five: Deuteronomy--an even more abstract and poetic document. The fourth always points to and indicates the nature of the fifth. Numbers points to Deuteronomy, which expands the law, but has an even more philosophical and poetic quality to it.  The documentary hypothesis, called the Wellhausen hypothesis, named after its founder Wellhausen, proposes that the pentateuch, the first five books of Moses, also called the Torah, was the product a  compilation of four sources. These sources are labelled source J, source E source P, and source D.

The Torah

Genesis	Leviticus
Exodus	Numbers

Deuteronomy

Augustine demarcated four ways of examining the Bible, or the four senses. These were used for biblical exegesis. They were

Square 1:the (historical) fact. This approach is based on an empirical approach to reality, where visible aspect counts. The first quadrant is sensation and perception.

Square 2:the deeper meaning. This approach is to find the deeper meaning based on allegory

Square 3:the moral meaning. This is to find values so that it can teach you how to behave. The third square is the doing square.

Square 4: the higher meaning. The fourth square is transcendent

In ‘De Doctrina Christiana’ and the ‘Sermones’, St. Augustine, articulates four aspects of charity and delineates them with separate parts of the cross. The crossbeam stands for the good works of charity. The upper vertical part of the cross gives hope for the reward. The lower part of the cross reflects longanimity and perseverance. Finally, the foundation of the cross stands for the depth of grace.

In the version of Engaged theory developed by an Australian-based group of writers, analysis moves from the most concrete form of analysis – empirical generalization – to more abstract modes of analysis. Each subsequent mode of analysis is more abstract than the previous one moving across the following themes: 1. doing, 2. acting, 3. relating, 4. being.