The Eternal Wisdom
The final chapter of Hari Prasad Shastri’s imaginative portrayal of the life and teachings of the sages of ancient India. Human life is subject to certain laws which must be obeyed. The purpose of law is the welfare of the details, if that is commensurate with the welfare of the whole. The individual exists for…
Read MoreDharma
In its broadest sense, Dharma stands for the most subtle, fundamental law underlying the universe, well-known to sages and seers. Indeed, it is by trimming their sails to this law that they have discovered the way which, as the Upanishads say, ‘carries one beyond sorrow’—the way which is called Yoga. Increasing our knowledge of the…
Read MoreAn Introduction to the Avadhut Gita
From Hari Prasad Shastri’s translation of this Advaita Vedanta classic The word ‘Gita’ means a song. Many of the holy scriptures were written as songs, their theme being the non-dualistic philosophy of the Upanishads. Among these the least known are the Shiva Gita, Rama Gita, Vyadha Gita and Devi Gita, and the best known is…
Read MoreRealizing the Infinite Peace
He who holds Shanti (peace) in his heart, dwells in a sea of bliss. Tulsidas The state of eternal peace, the higher transcendental Truth, space-like am I. Avadhut Gita The infinite peace is with us right now, ever present, yet apparently hidden. Verses like those above, when held in the mind, revive our remembrance of…
Read MoreResolution
A pilgrim, dusty from travel, passed an aged countryman resting by the roadside. He asked: ‘How long will it take me to walk to the next village?’ The countryman remained silent, and the pilgrim felt: ‘Oh, well, not everyone is friendly’, and trundled on his way. No sooner had he taken about ten brisk paces,…
Read MoreMeditation Practice: that Infinite Reality
A session led by the Warden at Shanti Sadan If we deepen and develop the practice of meditation, it will lead us to an awareness of something of supreme value in our own being. This may be called the higher consciousness, or the eternal wisdom, or the light and being of the true Self. This…
Read MoreThe Secret of Inspiration
Everyone has an infinite world of beauty and goodness in his mind. The few who have recognised it call it ilaham or inspiration. Shri Dada of Aligarh We tend to think of inspiration in the spiritual sense as something special and beyond the reach of the ordinary person. Followers of the different religions of the…
Read MoreThe True Ideal of Life
Life has a past which is immeasurable. Its origin is shrouded in inscrutable mystery, which has baffled the audacious investigation of science. All that science has to say about the origin of life is: ‘We do not know.’ Another fact is that life has an almost infinite future. It transforms itself, renews itself in nature…
Read MoreAttar—Sufi Teachings on Higher Love
On Attar of Nishapur, the 12th century Persian mystical poet, best known in the West for his ‘Conference of the Birds’ The one great theme of Attar’s poetry is how to purify the heart so that one can see God everywhere. Though he has much to tell us on this theme, both from his own…
Read MoreBuddhism and Vedanta – The Parallels
One of the principles that prepares us for enlightenment is our recognition that great wisdom is to be found in the teachings of all true religions, and each merits our respect. In every scripture you will find statements—they may be plentiful or few—that remind us of the enlightened understanding revealed in the teachings of the…
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