One God Notes Archives
2006
#239. 2006/01/01.

 

Every breath is going through
brings life to body and joy to soul.
 
Saadi (1207-1291).
 

#240. 2006/01/08.

 

Give me ecstasy, give me naked wonder, O my Creator!
Give birth to the Beloved in me, and let this Lover die!
Let a thousand wrangling desires become one Love!
(...)
The years of repentance are over, a new year has come
That shatters and destroys a thousand regrets a day!
If you never knew this vertigo, this mad Spring will make you totter!
O Love, You are the universal soul, crown, and jail all at once;
At once the Prophet's call and our lack of belief.
Love, You have created us with thirsty hearts,
You have bound us to the Source of Splendor.
For You my thorns have blossomed, my atoms embraced the worlds.
(...)

Rumi, Give Me Ecstasy, quoted in: Helminski, Kabir (2000). The Rumi Collection. P.23.
 

#241. 2006/01/15.

 

If I can unite in myself, in my own spiritual life, the thought of the East and the West, of the Greek and Latin Fathers, I will create in myself a reunion of the divided Church, and from that unity in myself can come the exterior and visible unity of the Church. For, if we want to bring together East and West, we cannot do it by imposing one upon the other. We must contain both in ourselves and transcend them both in Christ.

Thomas Merton, A Search for Solitude, Vol 3, P.87. Quoted after Jonathan Montaldo - "The Witness of Thomas Merton's Inner Work" - address to the Parliament of the World Religions, Cape Town, South Africa, December 1999.

#242. 2006/01/22.

 

It's good for you to go through difficult times now and again, and to have your will thwarted; the effect is often to make a man think - make him realize that he is living in exile, and it is no use relying upon any earthly support.

 

Thomas A Kempis, The Imitation of Christ, I.12.1
 

#243. 2006/01/29.

 

Colors blind the eye. Sounds deafen the ear, flavors numb the taste. Thoughts weaken the mind. Desires wither the heart. The Master observes the world but trusts his inner vision. He allows things to come and go. His heart is open as the sky.
 
Tao Te Ching 12, quoted after Novak Philip, The World's Wisdom, P.150.
 

#244. 2006/02/05.

 

Riches are not from abundance of worldly goods, but from a contented mind. (...) God loveth those who are content.

 

Hadith, quoted after: Novak Philip, The World's Wisdom, P.320.

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#245. 2006/02/12.

God also decreed and ordained that when an individual utters His Name, divine Illumination and Influence are bestowed upon him. This is what God meant when He said, "In every place where I allow My Name to be mentioned, I will come to you and bless you" (Exodus 20:21).

Rabbi Nahman of Bratslav (1772-1811). Quoted after: Miriam Bokser Caravella, The Holy Name. P.134.

#246. 2006/02/19.

God's name is more powerful than a thousand atomic and hydrogen bombs. Help yourself by repeating the Lord's name. All you know that God's name is the highest thing. Why do you attach your minds to the transitory things in this world? Why do you not spend your time in meditation and repeating the Lord's name? Attach yourself to God.

Haidakhan Babaji (1970-1984).Teachings of Babaji, P.43.

 

#247. 2006/02/26.

Austerity of the body consists of offering worship to the Supreme Lord, to brahmans, to the spiritual master and to the superiors like the father and mother. Cleanliness, simplicity, celibacy and nonviolence are also austerities of the body. Austerity in relation to the tongue consists of saying what is dear and truthful, not agitating others, and engaging in the study of the Vedas. Austerity in relation to the mind consists of satisfaction, simplicity, gravity, purity and control.

Gita 17:14-16

 

#248. 2006/03/05.

Pray for me so I could become a good renunciate, able to hear the words of God and to respond to them like a human. This is what it is all about: to stand on your own feet before the Father and to respond to Him in Spirit. And to "respond to Him in Spirit" may sound like a boastful talk, but this is not what I have in mind. "In  Spirit," in all circumstances known to me, means with your face to the ground. And how you can at the same time stand on your own feet and lie with your face to the ground - this is the secret, to which I will have to find a practical solution. 

Thomas Merton - Prayer to Mary Luke Tobin, from Dialogues with Silence. Translation from Polish edition: Merton, T. (2001). Rozmowy z milczeniem. Krakow, PL: Wydawnictwo M. P.187.

 

#249. 2006/03/12.
 
Therefore be amazed, you great and small who fear God, and you men of God, eloquent speakers, listen and contemplate. Who was it summoned me, a fool, from the midst of those who appear wise and learned in the law and powerful in rhetoric and in all things? Me, truly wretched in this world, he inspired before others that I could be-- if I would-- such a one who, with fear and reverence, and faithfully, without complaint, would come to the people to whom the love of Christ brought me and gave me in my lifetime, if I should be worthy, to serve them truly and with humility.
 
St. Patrick, Confessions, #13. Quoted after: http://www.robotwisdom.com/jaj/patrick.html

 

#250. 2006/03/20.

The first Ishraq (Splendour)

When the Daystar of Wisdom rose above the horizon of God's Holy Dispensation it voiced this all-glorious utterance: They that are possessed of wealth and invested with authority and power must show the profoundest regard for religion. In truth, religion is a radiant light and an impregnable stronghold for the protection and welfare of the peoples of the world, for the fear of God impelleth man to hold fast to that which is good, and shun all evil. Should the lamp of religion be obscured, chaos and confusion will ensue, and the lights of fairness and justice, of tranquility and peace cease to shine. Unto this will bear witness every man of true understanding.

 
Baha'u'llah, Building a Spiritual Civilization. Quoted after: http://info.bahai.org/article-1-3-2-22.html

 

#251. 2006/03/26.
 

YASNA 1.

 
1. I announce (and) carry out (this Yasna) for the creator Ahura Mazda, the radiant and glorious, the greatest and the best, the most beautiful (...), the most firm, the wisest, and the one of all whose body is the most perfect, who attains His ends the most infallibly, because of his Asha, to him who disposes our minds aright, who sends His joy-creating grace afar; who made us, and has fashioned us, and who has nourished and protected us, who is the most bounteous Spirit!
 

Zarathustra: Avesta: Yasna (sacred liturgy). Translated by L. H. Mills (from Sacred Books of the East, American Edition, 1898). Quoted after: http://www.avesta.org

#252. 2006/04/02.

"Here is that exquisite bow, oh, Brahman, which is held as a time-honoured bow by the lineage of Janaka kings, and with which even the highly forceful kings are rendered inefficient to take aim with it, previously." (...) Upon the word of the great sage Vishvamitra, Rama on unclosing the lid of that strongbox, wherein that bow is ensconced (...). While many thousands of men are witnessing that right-minded Rama (...) stringed the bow effortlessly. Further, that dextrous one has stringed that bow with bowstring and started to stretch it up to his ear to examine its tautness, but that glorious one who is foremost among men, Rama, broke that bow medially. Then there bechanced an explosive explosion when the bow is broken, like the explosiveness of down plunging thunder, and the earth is tremulously tremulous, as it happens when a mountain is exploding.

The story of breaking Shiva's bow as narrated in Ramayana. Quoted after: http://www.valmikiramayan.net/bala/sarga67/bala_67_prose.htm

 

#253. 2006/04/09.

 

(...) The category of divine pathos leads to the basic affirmation that God is interested in human history, that every deed and event in the world concerns Him and arouses His reaction. (..) That God takes man seriously is shown by his concern for human existence. It finds its deepest expression in the fact that God can actually suffer. (...).

Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907-1972), quoted after: Novak Philip, The World's Wisdom, P.221.  

 

The scandal of the Cross remains the key to the interpretation of the great mystery of suffering, which is so much a part of the history of mankind. (...) God places Himself on the side of man. (..) "He emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross" (Phil 2:7-8).

 

John Paul II (1920-2005), Crossing the Threshold of Hope, P.63.

 

#254. 2006/04/16.

 

The Resurrection is the revelation of life, which is affirmed as present beyond the boundary of death. (...) His Resurrection, His victory over death, embraces every man.

John Paul II (1920-2005), Crossing the Threshold of Hope, P.72.

 

#255. 2006/04/23.

 

"The world now is in the state of turmoil. It is suffering from three kinds of pain - physical, mental, spiritual - and there is only one way of being cured from these. We have to root out inhumanity and replace it with humanity. (...) There are people in this world who, when they see someone else's house is burning, are happy. There are people who want to live in comfort at the expense of the labour of others. There is only one God, who created all men in His image. This is why we have to re-establish humanity."

Haidakhan Babaji (1970-1984), The Teachings of Babaji, (1983-09-23)(P.92).

 

#256. 2006/05/01.

 

You work that you may keep pace with the earth and the soul of the earth. For to be idle is to become a stranger unto the seasons, and to step out of life's procession (…).

 

Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet, P.25.

 

#257. 2006/05/07.

 

I am always glad if someone derives benefit from adopting Buddhist practices. However, when it actually comes to people changing their religion, I usually advise them to think the matter through very carefully. Rushing into a new religion can give rise to mental conflict and is nearly always difficult. (...)

Religion should never become a source of conflict, a further factor of division within the human community. For my own part, I have even, on the basis of my deep respect for the contribution that other faiths can make toward human happiness, participated in the ceremonies of other religions. And, following the example of a great many Tibetan lamas both ancient and modern, I continue to take teachings from as many different traditions as possible. For whilst it is true that some schools of thought felt it desirable for a practitioner to stay within his or her own tradition, people have always been free to do as they think fit. (...)

As for my own religious practice, I try to live my life pursuing what I call the Bodhisattva ideal. According to Buddhist thought, a Bodhisattva is someone on the path to Buddhahood who dedicates themselves entirely to helping all sentient beings towards release from suffering. The word Bodhisattva can best be understood by translating the Bodhi and Sattva separately: Bodhi means the understanding or wisdom of the ultimate nature of reality, and Sattva is someone who is motivated by universal compassion. The Bodhisattva ideal is thus the aspiration to practice infinite compassion with infinite wisdom. As a means of helping myself in this quest, I choose to be a Buddhist monk. (...)

 

Freedom in Exile. The Autobiography of the Dalai Lama. (1991). HarperPerennial, P.204-5.

 

#258. 2006/05/14.

 

"One day I was torn with intolerable anguish. (...). I was racked with pain. A terrible frenzy seized me at the thought that I might never be granted the blessing of this Divine vision. I thought if that were so, then enough of this life! A sword was hanging in the sanctuary of Kali. My eyes fell upon it and an idea flashed through the brain like a flash of lightening. 'The sword! It will help me to end it.' I rushed up to it, and seized it like a madman (...).

And lo! the whole scene, doors, windows, the temple itself vanished (...). It seemed as if nothing existed any more. Instead I saw an ocean of the Spirit, boundless, dazzling. In whatever direction I turned, great luminous waves were rising. They bore down upon me with a loud roar, as if to swallow me up. In an instant they were upon me. They broke over me, they engulfed me. I was suffocated. I lost all natural consciousness and I fell.(...)

How I passed that day and the next I know not. Round me rolled an ocean of ineffable joy. And in the depths of my being I was conscious of the presence of the Divine Mother."

Ramakrishna. Quoted in: Rolland, Romain. (1994). The Life of Ramakrishna. P.33.

 

#259. 2006/05/23.
 
"How wonderful! Most excellent protector,
Buddha of Limitless Light, Great Compassionate One,
Powerful Diamond in hand, I and all sentient beings
call upon you with one-pointed concentration. Give me your inspiration
so that I accomplish the profound path of Phowa!
Give me your inspiration so that,
when time comes for us to die, I and all sentient beings
will transfer our consciousness to the Pure Land of Great Joy."
 
Quoted from: Phowa. (2000). Wuppertal:Impressum. P. 22-3.

 

#260. 2006/05/28.
 
When you have an impulse to befriend others, it is the presence of God that you feel. Friendship is a divine impulse. (...) He comes as friends to give us opportunities to express unconditional love from our hearts.
 
Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.156.

 

#261. 2006/06/04.
 
The Spirit, without moving, is swifter than the mind; the senses cannot reach Him: He is ever beyond them. Standing still He overtakes those who run. To the ocean of his being, the spirit of life leads the streams of action.
 
Iso Upanishad, quoted after: Novak Philip, The World Wisdom, P.9.

 

#262. 2006/06/11.

 

God makes the rivers to flow. They tire not, nor do they cease from flowing. May the river of my life flows into the sea of love that is the Lord. May I overcome my impediments in my course. May the thread of my song be not cut before my life merges in the sea of love. Guard me against all danger, O Lord. Accept me graciously, O King of Kings. Release me from my sorrows, which hold me as ropes hold a calf. I cannot open my eyes without the power of your love. Guard us against the grief that haunts the life of the selfish. Lead us from darkness into light. We will sing of your love as it was sung of old. Your laws change not, but stand like mountains. Forgive me all the mistakes I have committed. Many mornings will dawn upon as again. Guide us through them all, O Lord of love.

 

Rig Veda, II, 28:4-9
 
#263. 2006/06/18.

 

Those times that you are occupied with material things, no matter how good in themselves, you must realize that you are occupied with that which is exterior to you and beneath you in the hierarchy of nature. At other times you will be introspectively absorbed in the subtle variations of your consciousness. (...) At such times you are involved with what is interior to you and on a par with you as man. But there will come times when your mind is free of involvement with anything material or spiritual and totally taken up with the being of God Himself. (...) at such times you transcend yourself, becoming almost divine, though you remain beneath God. (...) you have gained by grace what is impossible to you by nature, for this union with God in spirit, in love, and in oneness of desire is the gift of grace.

 

The Cloud of Unknowing, P.134-135.

 

#264. 2006/06/26.
 
There is no place for fear; people must work fearlessly in the world.(...) when a man is fearless, no man can stand against him in battle - either a battle in material life or in spiritual life. He is victorious in all the battles of life.
 
Haidakhan Babaji (1970-1984). Teachings of Babaji, P.99.

 

#265. 2006/07/02.
 
I am an American jew who proudly recalls that on the Independence Bell is inscribed the words from the Hebrew Bible, "And you shall proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants..." So I shall live and labor to the end that all be set free, and that this spirit rule over all sons and daughters of humanity.
 
Stephen Wise (1874-1949, USA), As I See It, quoted in: Michael Shire, The Jewish Prophet, P.105.

 

#266. 2006/07/09.

Contemplative prayer will go through various stages and vicissitudes. You may have experiences that will leave you in confusion. The Lord will bring help to you through a book, a person, or your own patience. Sometimes it is God's will to leave you alone without any help. You may have to learn to live with impossible situations. People who can live peacefully in impossible situations will make great headway in the spiritual journey.  You will come up against loneliness and existential dread. You may feel as if nobody in the world understands you or could help you and that God is a billion light-years away.  All these things are part of the preparation process.

Keating, Thomas. Open Mind, Open Heart. P.106

 

#267. 2006/07/16.

The real spiritual person - everywhere - is broad minded. His love forces him to be so. They to whom religion is a trade are forced to become narrow minded and mischievous by their very introduction into religion of the competitive, fighting, selfish methods of the world.

Vivekananda, quoted in: Nikhilananda, "Vivekananda, A Biography," P.90.

 

#268. 2006/07/23.

 

One evening, soon after the Buddha's enlightenment, a man named Dona was walking down a rural road in northern India when he saw the Buddha walking toward him. Dona knew nothing about the Buddha but was nevertheless struck by the radiance surrounding this individual. I've never seen a mortal being look so joyful and serene, he thought, so when the Buddha came close enough to converse, Dona couldn't resist asking, "Are you, by chance, a spirit?" 
"No," said the Buddha.
"Then are you an angel?" asked Dona.
"No," said the Buddha.
"Are you, perhaps, a god?" asked Dona.
"No," said the Buddha.
"Well, what are you?" asked Dona.
The Buddha replied. "I am awake."

 

Quoted in: Jack Maguire. (2001). Essential Buddhism. A Complete Guide to Beliefs and Practices. N.Y.: Pocket Books. P.1-2.

 

#269. 2006/07/30.

 

Words cannot describe the joy of the soul whose impurities are cleansed in deep contemplation - who is one with his Atman, his own Spirit. Only those who feel this joy know what it is.

 

Maitri Upanishad, quoted after: Novak Philip, The World Wisdom, P.20.

 

#270. 2006/08/07.

 

(...) There is only one way for mankind to be saved and that is by changing the hearts of all people. (...) As long as there is no change of heart, humanity is in great danger.

Haidakhan Babaji (1970-1984). Teachings of Babaji, P.99.

Only spiritual consciousness - realization of God's presence in oneself and in every other living being - can save the world. I see no chance for peace without it. Begin with yourself.

 

Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.110.

 

#271. 2006/08/13.

 

(...) in the act of invocation of the Name, its literal repetition ought not to be continuous. The Name pronounced may be extended and prolonged in seconds or minutes of silent rest and attention. The repetition of the Name may be likened to the beating of wings by which a bird rises into the air. It must never be laboured and forced, or hurried, or in the nature of a flapping. It must be gentle, easy, and - let us give to this word its deepest meaning - graceful. When the bird has reached the desired height it glides in its flight, and only beats its wing from time to time in order to stay in the air. So the soul, having attained to the thought of Jesus and filled herself with the memory of him may discontinue the repetition of the Name and rest in Our Lord. 

 

Lev Gillet, quoted in: Garvey, John (ed.)(1985). Modern Spirituality: an Anthology. Springfield, IL.: Templegate Publishers, P.79.

 

#272. 2006/08/20.

 

Recognize all humankind as one. The Creator and the Merciful, the Provider and the Gracious are the same God. Do not, in error or doubt, accept any other. All serve the One. He is the One Divine Teacher of all, there is but One Form, let us understand Him to be the same Light.

 

Dasam Granth Sahib.

 

#273. 2006/08/27.

 

"Acquire inward peace," said St. Seraphim, "and a multitude of men around you will find their salvation." Such is the role of spiritual fatherhood. Establish yourself in God; then you can bring others to His presence. A man must learn to be alone, he must listen in the stillness of his own heart to the wordless speech of the Spirit, and so discover the truth about himself and God. Then his work to others will be a word of power, because it is a word out of silence. (...) Shaped by the encounter with God in solitude, the starets ("old man," or "elder" - P.R.) is able to heal by his very presence. 

 

Kallistos Ware: The Spiritual Father in Orthodox Christianity. [in:] John Garvey (ed.)(1985). Modern Spirituality: An Anthology. Springfield, IL: Templegate Publishers. P.43

 

#274. 2006/09/03.

 

At this present time in this world, Karma Yoga is greatly needed. The fact is, due to the progress of science and technology, people are becoming lazy. For example, computers have been invented and all calculations is done by computers and many people are not using their minds and bodies.(...) Science has made great progress in this world. Where we used to engage a thousand men to work, now a bulldozer does the work in seconds. But that makes a thousand people useless and unemployed. While unemployment is increasing in this world, people have lost their peace of mind. The reason for this is because man has ceased to work. Due to this inaction, all kinds of pains and sicknesses are increasing in the world. I want you to take the energy of the machines into yourselves and work like machines! (...) We must follow a Path which will strengthen us, so we must not be dependent on machines. (...) That is why it is very essential to be active and hard-working. (...) This is the best Path for all. (...) This is the eternal, unshakable way. (...)

Haidakhan Babaji (1970-1984). Teachings of Babaji, P.105.

 

#275. 2006/09/10.
 
Zarathushtra gives a joyful orientation to bodily life. He preaches a robust faith in living. The world may not come up to the individual's expectations, yet he has to live in such a wise as to get maximum good out of life. Man finds that sometimes life glides peacefully like the moon that sails across the heavens; on other occasions it runs a rough and ruffled course. Zarathushtra teaches man to adjust himself to the diverse ways of life. Man has to accept life on its own terms, take it as he finds it, make as much of it as he can, rejoice in it, and glory in it. He has to be a radiating centre of cheer and happiness to all with whom he comes in contact. (...)

The rich and poor, high and low alike can feast their eyes on the wealth of natural beauty and the marvels of natural phenomena. (...) New life is blossoming all around and nature throbs with joy. The dawn has her charms reserved for those who rise early. The poor are astir at dawn and begin their day by enjoying the marvellous beauties of nature. They witness the rays of the rising sun driving away the morning mists. They have no diamonds to decorate their bodies, but there are no diamonds to compare with the sparkling beads of dew that they see on the leaves of the trees around them, when the virgin rays of the rising sun throw their lustre upon these. The poorest can inhale in deep draughts the fresh breeze coming from fields which are being mown, (...) Often do we long for calm and it gives us soothing calm to sit in the fields with nothing but the rustle of dry leaves to break the stillness. (...) . Nature delights us in her multifarious phases. It gives us untold joy and pleasure to be with her for our company. Our hearts beat in unison with the mighty heart of nature.

 

M.N. Dhalla: History of Zoroastrianism (1938), part 2. Chapter IX - Life is a Blessing. Quoted after: http://www.avesta.org/dhalla/history2.htm . This electronic edition copyright 2003 by Joseph H. Peterson.

 

#276. 2006/09/17.
 
Existentialism (...) maintains that in man - and in man only - existence precedes essence. (...) This simply means that man first is, and only subsequently is this or that. In a word, man must create his own essence: it is in throwing himself into the world, suffering there, struggling there, that he gradually defines himself. And the definition always remains open ended: we cannot say what this man is before he dies, or what mankind is before it has disappeared.
 
Jean-Paul Sartre, A More Precise Characterization of Existentialism. In: Contat, M., Rybalka, R. (Eds). (1974). The Writings of Jean-Paul Sartre. Vol.2. Selected Prose. Evanston: Northwestern University Press. P.157.

 

#277. 2006/09/24.
 
Say: "Servants of Allah, you that have sinned against your souls, do not despair of Allah's mercy, for He forgives all sins. He is the Forgiving One, the Merciful. Turn in repentance to your Lord and surrender yourself to Him (...)."
 
The Koran, 39:53.

 

#278. 2006/10/01.

The limit of happiness is the presence of God, which completely fills the whole soul with His whole incorporeal and eternal light. And the limit of misery is His passing on the way (...) for the soul to be separated from the contemplation of the Existent One is the most complete of evils.

Philo, a Jewish mystic of the I-st century. Quoted after: Miriam Bokser Caravella, The Holy Name. P.117.

 

#279. 2006/10/08.
 
Bariona: "To have a child is to approve of creation from the bottom of one's heart; it's to say to the God who is tormenting us: 'Lord, all's right with the world and I offer thanks to thee for having created it.'" (...)
 
Balthazar: "He (the Christ - P.R.) has come to tell you, let your child be born. He will suffer, it's true. But that isn't any of your business. Don't pity his suffering; you have no right to. It will be his business alone, and he'll make exactly what he wants of it, because he will be free. Even if he is lame, even if he has to go to war and lose his arms or legs there, even if the woman he loves betrays him seven times, he is free, free to rejoice eternally in his existence. (...)"
 
Jean-Paul Sartre, Bariona, or the Son of Thunder. In: Contat, M., Rybalka, R. (Eds). (1974). The Writings of Jean-Paul Sartre. Vol.2. Selected Prose. Evanston: Northwestern University Press. P.90, 130.

 

#280. 2006/10/17.
 
Ek Onkar Sat Nam Siri Wahe Guru - There is One God whose name is Truth. Praise the ever greater, ever more wondrous God.
 
Baba Virsa Singh Ji (2006) - "Words of Wisdom." Gobind Sadan Society for Interfaith Understanding:Gadaipur, Mehrauli. P.8

 

#281. 2006/10/22.
 
God does not love the arrogant and boastful men, (...) who conceal the riches which God of His bounty has bestowed upon them (...) and who spend their wealth for the sake of ostentation (...). The righteous (...) give sustenance to the poor man, the orphan, and the captive, saying: "We feed you for God's sake only; we seek of you neither recompense nor thanks."
 
Quran, quoted after: Novak Philip, The World's Wisdom, P.302.

 

#282. 2006/10/29.
 
The Lord says: "The saints always reside in my heart and I am in the heart of the saint. The saint knows Me alone, thinks of Me alone and I know him alone who is truly devoted to me." Guru Nanak, who appeared in Punjab, was such a saint. Whatever he did, he did for the sake of humanity. The actions of great saints like Guru Nanak are aimed exclusively at the welfare of mankind as a whole - to lead men to the true goal of life.
 
Haidakhan Babaji (1970-1984).Teachings of Babaji, P. 56.

 

#283. 2006/11/05.
 
When the channel of the human soul is cleansed of all worldly and impeding attachments, it will unfailingly perceive the breath of the Beloved across immeasurable distances, and will, led by its perfume, attain and enter the City of Certitude.
 
Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Íqan, 3d ed. (Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1982), pp. 199-200. Quoted after: http://info.bahai.org/bahaullah-manifestation-of-god.html

 

#284. 2006/11/12.
 
To live is foresee in the short run and muddle through with the means at hand. (...) the human condition makes us choose in ignorance; it is ignorance that makes morality possible. If we knew all the conditioning factors, if we were gambling on a sure thing, risk would disappear, but along with risk courage and fear, expectation, effort and ultimately joy. We would be languishing gods, but certainly not men.
 
Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980). In: Contat, M., Rybalka, R. (Eds). (1974). The Writings of Jean-Paul Sartre. Vol.2. Selected Prose. Evanston: Northwestern University Press. P.175.

 

#285. 2006/11/19.
 
Guru  Tegh  Bahadur  (1621 - 1675)
 
O dear friend, know this in your mind.
The world is entangled in its own pleasures;
No one is for anyone else!
 
In good times, many come and sit together,
Surrounding you on all four sides.
But when hard times come, they all leave,
And no one comes near you.
 
This is the way they act  -
Those whom we love so much!
At the very last moment, O Nanak,
Nobody to help at all, except the Dear Lord.
 
Guru Granth Sahib, p. 634. Submitted by Dr. Teja Singh.

 

#286. 2006/11/26.
 
The true master understands that enlightenment is not the end but the means. Realizing that virtue is her goal, she accepts the long and often ardous cultivation that is necessary to attain it. She doesn't scheme to become a leader, but quietly shoulders whatever responsibilities fall to her. Unattached to her accomplishments, taking credit for nothing at all, she guides the whole world by guiding the individuals who come to her. She shares her divine energy with her students, encouraging them, creating trials to strengthen them, directing the streams of their lives toward the infinite ocean of the Tao.

Hua Hu Ching 80, quoted after: Novak Philip, The World's Wisdom. P.174.

 

#287. 2006/12/03.
 
Freedom is about raising above your conditions, about becoming a sovereign, about gaining autonomy. Conscience in a way is talking freedom.

Tischner, Jozef. (1999). Przekonac Pana Boga. [To Convince God. Interviews with Jozef Tischner by Dorota Zanko and Jaroslaw Gowin]. Znak, Krakow. (Text in Polish). P.100.

 

#288. 2006/12/10.
 
O Son of Spirit! I created thee rich, why dost thou bring thyself down to poverty? Noble I made thee, wherewith dost thou abase thyself? Out of the essence of knowledge I gave thee being, why seekest thou enlightment from anyone beside Me? Out of the clay of love I created thee, how dost thou busy thyself, with another? Turn thy sight unto thyself, that thou mayest find Me standing within thee, mighty, powerful and self-subsisting.

Baha'u'llah, The Hidden Words, 13.

 

#289. 2006/12/17.
 
When it is granted to man to hear the song of the herbs - how every herb speaks its song to God without any alien will or thought - how beautiful and sweet it is to hear their singing. And therefore it is very good to serve God in the midst of solitary walks over the field among the plants of the earth and pour out one's speech before God in truthfulness. All the speech of the field then goes into your speech and heightens its power. With every breath you drink the air of paradise (...).

Hasidic text, quoted in: Buber, Martin. (1909, 1985). Ecstatic Confessions. Harper & Row, San Francisco. P.149. 

 

#290. 2006/12/24.
 
"The Virgin is pale and she's looking at the child. What you ought to paint on her face is an anxious amazement which has been seen only one time on a human face. Because Christ is her child, the flesh of her flesh and the fruit of her bowels. She carried him nine months and she'll give him her breast and her milk will become God's blood. And at times the temptation is so great she forgets that he is God. She hugs him in her arms and says, My little baby! (...) But no other child has been more cruelly and quickly torn from his mother, because he is God and he far surpasses anything she can imagine. (...) And no woman has had her God just for herself that way. A tiny little God you can take in your arms and cover with kisses, a God all warm and smiling and breathing, a God you can touch, who's alive."
 
Jean-Paul Sartre - "Bariona, or the Son of Thunder." [In:] Contat, M., Rybalka, R. (Eds.) (1974). The Writings of Jean-Paul Sartre. Vol.2. Selected Prose. Evanston: Northwestern University Press. P.121.

 

#291. 2006/12/31. (Not so serious, end of the year note)
 
Movement in the sexual organs was given to us by the Creator for procreation and the continuation of the species, not for unchastity; while incensive power was planted in us for our salvation, so that we could manifest it against wickedness, but not so that we could act like wild beasts towards our fellow men. Even if we make bad use of these passions, nature itself is not therefore sinful, nor should we blame the Creator.
 
St. John Cassian (360-435), quoted in: The Philokalia, Vol. I., P.78.

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