Freedom is union with the deathless – Gita Teachings

Freedom is union with the deathless; the Self is the essence of all things; its creative power, called action causes the whole world to be.

You are only to perform your duty without an eye on their fruits.

A man must elevate himself by his own mind, not degrade himself. The mind is friend of the conditioned soul, and his enemy as well.

When a man finds delight within himself and feels inner joy and contentment in himself, there is nothing more to be done.

Bhagavad Gita

Radha krishnan views on Rligion

The goal of life is communion with the Supreme. It is a life of realization, when man achieves absolute freedom and escapes from blind servitude to ordinary experience.

Intuition is not emotion but the claim to certain knowledge. It give us a sense of divine reality as a thing immediately certain and directly known.

The problem facing man is the conflict between the divine and the undivine in him. To overcome the conflict and integrate the personality is the aim of religion.

There are different recognized pathways by which the duality is overcome and perfection reached. In order to see in the world of spiritual reality, we must close our eyes to the world of nature.

Ishopanishad Mantra 1

   
ईशा वास्यमिदँ सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत् ।
 तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्यस्विद्धनम् ।। (यजुर्वेद ४०.१)                                                                                                                                              
                                                                   
                                                                                                                                          O Human! The entire world – static as well as dynamic – is pervaded by Ishwar – the Supreme Lord. Hence enjoy the pleasures in a detached manner. Do not be greedy. This wealth does not belong to anyone.

Isha – The Supreme Lord

Vasyam – Inhabits

Idam – This

Sarvam – Everything – every point, every location

Yat – Whatever

Kim Cha – And

Jagtyam – Dynamic world

Jagat – Living and Inanimate World

Tena – These

Tyaktena – With detachment

Bhunjitha – Enjoy

Maa – Do not

Gridhah – Be greedy

Kasyaswit – Whose is

Dhanam – This wealth?

Ishopanishad or the 40th Chapter of Yajurveda forms the foundation of all positive philosophies of the world. The very first mantra sets the tone. In few words, it provides the essence of life and living, structure of world and our ideal approach while we live. It states:

- There are three entities in the world – The world around us (Prakriti), Ishwar who resides everywhere and we – the soul (Atman)- who is being addressed in the mantra.

- We do not own the world around us. The owner – the Ishwar – pervades every point that He owns. Now since we do not own the world, the way we should use the facilities of the world should be without a sense of ownership.

- This does not mean we should refuse to use the facilities in the world. By all means, we should make best use of the facilities, but without considering it as our own personal property.

- Under any circumstance, we should not have any greed. Greed is the highest level of foolishness. Neither do we own the world around, nor can we take it with us after we die. Hence running after what eventually would be lost is indeed stupidity. In fact no one can own the world. Even Ishwar owns as a manager and not someone who extracts benefits from the world.

Hence, we should stop acting foolish and start enjoying the world in the true sense.

The mantra teaches another fundamental law of life – You cannot enjoy unless you are detached. The ONLY way to enjoy the world is by getting detached from it. This may seem counter-intuitive on surface but in fact it is not. If you think deeply, you would find that it the lust to own that causes all the worries. Worries start from the very desire of owning something:

- We worry about ways to obtain our desired object.

- Once obtained, we worry about its security and our continued association with it.

- And finally, when it is time to say goodbye, we regret because we now lose it.

In fact true ownership of anything except what you already have – your own self and Ishwar – can simply not happen. It is like chasing a shadow. Sometimes we come very close to it, but it again moves ahead. The only way to chase a shadow is to turn around and face the sun. Instead of chasing the shadow, chase the source of light. And shadow will fall behind.

I recall a joke I heard in childhood where a boy challenged Tees-Maar-Khan (TMK) to touch the red traffic light some distance away and come back while he measures the time. The next morning, TMK was furiously hunting for the boy in the neighborhood. When someone asked whats the matter, he angrily replied, “The boy made me run the entire city behind tail light of a bus!”

I laughed a lot when I first heard it. But gradually I realized this is the dark humor dominating the world today. We all keep chasing the elusive tail light. We glamorize and idolize all those who earned fame, earned wealth, earned power and aspire to be one of them. The hunger never ceases. We keep running for more and more. But we never feel as if we have achieved whatever we ran to achieve. And then suddenly lights go off in this mad race and the show ends. And when the show ends, we all are at same level. All the toys of the world that we collected – name, fame, wealth, power – which we never actually collected but we fooled ourselves to assume that we have collected, evaporate in a split-second. Thus, after all the drama, all the frustrations, all the sacrifices, all the compromises, all the complexities, all the troubles, all the madness, we are back to square one.

An Amitabh, or a Shahrukh, or an Obama, or a Sonia, or a Lalu, or a Pope, or a Zakir, or an Ambani, or an Osama, or a rich, or a poor, or a celebrity, or a non-entity – everyone would die equally rich or equally beggar. Some may argue: “But some of them would leave a legacy that would continue”. But lets be clear – even if legacy continues – no one would be there to even claim that ‘I’ left this legacy. Even the memory of this so-called legacy would wipe out. And then even those people who remember this legacy would also face the same destiny of blankness and forget all the legacies of theirs or their predecessors in one split-second defined as death or “The End” of the show.

In summary, nothing in the world ever belonged to us and nothing gonna go with us despite whatever efforts we may exert to acquire them.


So what are we supposed to do? Sit blankly like a morbid lunatic waiting aimlessly for the final ‘The End’? Well, many a philosophers may suggest so. Some may say that live in present and do not worry about future. Others would suggest that one should enjoy this life to maximum and face the future – death or whatever – when it comes and not bother about it now. Yet another group would advise that death is simply like a fantastic sleep so why worry about it.

But let us be honest, how many of these philosophers and their followers would enjoy their parties and fun when held at gun-point? These all are elusive ideologies that fear to address the core issue and provide only escapades. They are simply attention-distractions. Like a pain-balm which works by confusing the sensation of pain with a new sensation of skin irritation. But then, somewhere from some corner in this body, something raises an alarm – that soon “THE END” would come.

It is natural that all living beings fear and avoid death. If death were indeed so painless, why would there be a natural revulsion to death? Why does society consider murder as greatest crime? This is so intuitively built-in within us that we do not even need to explain this. This is implicit in all the actions we carry in our lives. And when we associate this fact of death with all the running around to gather temporary wealth that we indulge into, we clearly know that we are acting foolish. THIS CANNOT BE GOAL OF LIFE WHEN WE KNOW WE CAN NEVER ACQUIRE IT.

The very first mantra of Ishopanishad, very succinctly not only states that chasing the tail light of bus is simply a foolishness, but also offers a clue to what else should be done. It provides not a pain-balm but addresses the root cause of pain in the very first words of the mantra: That everything is inhabited by the Supreme Lord.

The solution is clear – instead of pursuing what we can never obtain, pursue what is already everywhere – within and outside you. Pursue the Ishwar. Since He is the manager of the entire world, since He alone would remain closest to you forever and wherever you go, so as a smart person, simply follow Him. Instead of chasing a desire that is technically impossible, pursue what is most achievable and most beneficial. Since He is already with and within us, to pursue Him implies understanding Him and conducting actions as per this knowledge.

Thus, the mantra changes the very approach towards life. Instead of being owners of anything including our relations, our body, our thoughts, our minds, our properties, our clothes, our degrees, our fame, our wealth etc etc, we are simply being employees of Ishwar.

- This world is our workplace or our office or company “World Inc”.

- Each thought, each word, each action is being appraised every moment by the CEO – Ishwar – and he keeps promoting or demoting us accordingly.

- We head the business unit called “Me and My World Inc” but Ishwar is the Supreme Head of all such business units.

- We have to work together to maximize profits not only for the Business Unit that we head but for entire organization.

- And we have to work here in same manner as we work in our professional life. The pen, the laptop, the chair, the table, the office facilities, the car that company provides, the flight in which we travel for business purpose etc are not OWNED by us. But we use them and use them with FULL enjoyment – for the sole purpose of the organization. Same goes for World Inc.

- Anyone who uses company resources for his personal gains is penalized in an ethically driven company as per Corporate Governance. In the “World Inc”, we are punished similarly for any cheating that we do against the code of world governance.

- In the mortal company, punishments and rewards are delayed. But in the perfect World Inc, everything is instantaneous. He is present everywhere to ensure this. And he ensures what we get is what we deserve – neither less nor more.

Thus the mantra asks us to enjoy the world and work in it as Business Heads who own ownership of actions and not the resources. All our actions should maximize the profits of entire company and we all should report only to the CEO – the Ishwar. Ishwar, being the smartest CEO, would provide us the resources that we need to fulfill our objectives. Our goal is not to maximize these resources in our business unit but to fulfill the objectives of entire organization.

With this professional business oriented approach towards life, there is no more any scope for fear, worry or aimlessness. Instead of trying in vain to enjoy life because we want to elude the ultimate “THE END”, we tend to proactively and truly start enjoying life with a passion to maximize our achievements before the “INTERVAL” so that we are provided even higher designations after the “INTERVAL”.

Suddenly we don’t feel the need to try being brave and daring in life. We instead feel that to be natural trait of ours. We don’t feel like either running away or indulging in the world. We instead feel like smart managers who UTILIZE the world and its resources for our ultimate objectives. We don’t feel the need to wasting time in enormous fluff of myriad philosophies that only an idle person has time to analyze. We instead feel extremely goal oriented who focus only on what needs to increase the profits. We don’t feel scared of losing any of the world’s resources because we don’t own them in first place. We instead focus every moment on what we have and what we need to acquire for the company goals. If there is a airplane to our destination, we feel no hitch nor any special pride in availing it. We simply use it, plan for next business target and enjoy the process. If there is no airplane, we still feel the same exhilaration pursuing our goals in the bullock cart or cycle or whatever.

We still aspire for wealth and riches and better facilities in world. We still aspire for fame and glory. But we aspire not for our own self. We aspire these only for the goals of this World Inc. We aspire only TO EXTENT THEY FULFILL goals of World Inc. Its no more ‘for me only’. It is for the mission of ‘Idanna Mama’ – ‘Not mine’. Thus instead of being beggars dreaming to be tycoons, we become most well-paid Business Heads of the company!

The mantra summarizes the essence of ‘Idanna Mama’ (Not mine) and ‘Swaha’ (for the larger goal alone) that form the bedrock of Vedic ideology. No wonder, the same values are honored in the most professional and respected of worldly organizations. And that is what makes them successful. When these can achieve so much success by scratching a very tiny surface of Vedic wisdom, just imagine the level of success that is waiting for us when we immerse into Vedas!

One who understands the crux of this mantra even partially would make himself a winner. Instead of wasting time collecting sand and pebbles that eventually will be snatched away from us, the smart follower of this mantra would utilize his stay to collect the jewels that would go with him when the show ends for others! And while others would face the consequences of being corrupt, the smart manager would win his next level of promotion. Further, even in this life, the fools waste life chasing elusive happiness that never comes to them and instead gather tremendous amount of emptiness, frustration, guilt, shame, regret, fear, tension beneath the false gimmick of outwardly bliss. The smart manager, all the while, gathers true bliss, true happiness and enjoys being promoted to further bliss in each moment of noble action.

One may ask, what these noble actions are and what are the goals of World Inc that we are expected to pursue. Now you don’t need any special prophet or incarnation or miracle to tell you that. You simply need to follow your inner voice of accepting the truth and rejecting the falsehood in every moment of life through thoughts, words and actions in most optimal manner. Everything else is derived from this core most inherent intuitive mission. Even need to master Vedas is a derivative of this core essence.

If we delve into this deeply, we would find that this in itself justifies why following the inspiration of Ishwar alone to achieve Ishwar alone through knowledge is the right and only way to achieve bliss. Vedas provide detailed explanations to this and increase our speed and effectiveness. Thus Vedas are the corporate policy guidelines of World Inc. Not only is the text available for reference, but for ease of all, the same has also been inherently copied in our own self a-priori. This is what intuitively keeps inspiring us to do good for the world, pursue happiness, spread knowledge, get into action etc.

We shall in course of more detailed understanding of Vedic Mantras, keep reviewing what these goals are and how are they to be applied as per the Policy guidelines of Vedas. But those willing to explore more details are requested to review http://agniveer.com/series/vedic-lessons/

O Ishwar, may my ignorance that leads me to ignoring You and chasing the world that was never mine be destroyed forever. I promise to put my best efforts for this. With Your blessings I promise to seek You and You alone because You alone are source of bliss! May this noble thought always prevail in me!

The 14 Worlds in Hindu Tradition as Mentioned in the Puranas

Those Worlds that are above earth are –

Bhuloka – Earth – the places that our feet touch
Bhuvarloka – This world is between earth and sun. Siddhas and Saints live here.
Swargaloka – Indra and other Devas live here
Maharloka – Hindu God Vishnu resides here
Janaloka – Dead souls reside here.
Tapaloka – Mahrishis reside
Satyaloka – Brahma resides here



The Worlds that are below earth are:

Athalam – Place associated with Yama
Vithalam – Place associated with Shiva
Suthala – King Bali resides here
Rasathala – Rakshasas reside here
Talathalam – Spot associated with Mayamayi
Mahathalam – Place associated with Serpents
Pathalam – Place associated with Yama and Nagas.

When the great cosmic dissolution takes place all the worlds, undergo transformation except for Maharloka the world of Vishnu.
Please note that there are few other such categories of the worlds. This is one among them.

Spiritual Importance of Navratri – Sri Sri Ravishankar

Sri Sri Ravishankar in this article explores the symbolic meaning and spiritual importance of Navratri.
What is the meaning of Navaratri? Ratri, "ra" means giving solace. Solace from three types of problems, that is "tri" - physical, ethereal and causal. Ratri relieves you and puts you to sleep. No animal needs to worry at night. Whether happy or unhappy everybody goes to sleep. In Sanskrit, words are connected to the meaning.
Navaratri has two meanings - “New Night” and “Nine Nights”. It takes nine months for a child to be born. The child rests in the womb during this period. Similarly in Navaratri you get back to the Self - self referral. Dip into yourself and then you come out with more creativity and be victorious. Negative forces - craving and aversion - get relief from all these. Go to the source of energy.

Craving and aversion are two asuras (demons) like "Madhu" and "Kaitabha". Then there is also "Raktabijasura", that which is in your genes. "Rakta" means blood, "bija" means seed. Raktabijasura is like gene in the blood. Sometimes your behaviour is not in your control - it's in your genes, Raktabijasura. Medication and meditation are required to tackle Raktabijasura. When such energy comes to you, transformation happens, the genes change.
Then there is "Mahishasura" - dullness. Dullness like a buffalo. You need "Shakti" (energy) to deal with this. When Shakti comes, inertia is lifted out. "Shumbha" and "Nishumbha" - doubting on everything. "Shumbha" means doubting oneself and "Nishumbha" means doubting others. Doubting at every step. These days people are so busy. Mind is so clogged, so occupied, no time to think of oneself. If someone insults you, don't think it as intentional.
"Chanda" and "Munda". Chanda means opposite head. Chanda will oppose anything you say. One who cannot agree with anything. "Munda" does not have a head at all. Whatever you tell them, it will all go in air. Then there is "Dhumralochana", "Dhumra" means smoke and "lochana" means eyes – smoky eyes. They see everything hazy.

All this is due to lack of Shakti. When you are full of energy and enthusiasm none of these rakshasas (demons) can come in you.
The nine days of Navratri are also an opportunity to rejoice in the three primordial qualities that make up the universe. The first three days of Navratri are attributed to tamo guna, the second three to rajo guna and the last three to sattva guna. Our consciousness sails through the tamo and rajo gunas and blossoms in the satva guna of the last three days. Whenever sattva dominates in life, victory follows. The essence of this knowledge is honoured by celebrating the tenth day as Vijaydashmi.

By worshipping the Mother Divine during Navratri, we harmonise the three gunas and elevate sattva in the atmosphere. Though Navratri is celebrated as the victory of good over evil, the actual fight is not between good and evil. From the Vedantic point of view, the victory is of the absolute reality over the apparent duality.
The Mother Divine or the pure consciousness itself pervades all the forms and has all the names. Recognising the one divinity in every form and every name is the celebration of Navratri. Hence, special pujas honouring all aspects of life and nature are performed during the last three days.

Hindu Blog: Modern Notions of Evolution and Ancient Hinduism

Hindu Blog: Modern Notions of Evolution and Ancient Hinduism:.

In an article titled ‘Ancient Hinduism enlightens modern notions of evolution’ in the Washington Post, Aseem Shukla, Co-founder, Hindu American Foundation, suggest that the concept of modern evolution is nothing new to Hinduism as the concept was detailed in Hindu scriptures.

Excerpts from the article

                 ...cosmology, science, and the ancient Vedas--Hinduism’s sacred scripture--are eerily complementary. Lord Brahma, the Lord of Creation, often depicted as one of the Hindu Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, is described as creating the universe in an unending cycle over each of his days and nights.
If the Big Bang theory is posited to have occurred 13 billion years ago, Hindus would have no trouble at all agreeing that an Intelligent Designer, Lord Brahma, indeed guides the creation of the universe. Even more, Swami Vivekananda, one of modern Hinduism’s intellectual giants wrote in the early 20th century, whether an intelligence made the material world, or whether, as some scientists believe, the material world led to the creation of intelligence, does not much matter. For in his words, “Indian philosophy, however, goes beyond both intelligence and matter, and finds a Purusha, or Self, which is beyond intelligence, of which intelligence is but the borrowed light.”


And as to evolution, more than 2,000 years before Darwin rocked Christendom with his heresy, the Hindu Puranas described the “Dasha Avataras”--the ten Avatars, or incarnations, of Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu is said to assume an avatar at various periods in history to guide creation and preserve its eternal dharma--meaning that which is necessary to sustain and uphold. And so God is described in the earliest of creation to have taken the avatar of a fish, followed by a tortoise (amphibian), boar, half man-half lion, short human (scientists only recently found that early humans were likely short-statured), and then a warrior with an axe. The latter incarnations are the well known avatars of Lord Rama, Lord Krishna, and Lord Buddha as the most recent.


The Hindu and Abrahamic conception of time, human origins, and creation, then, are diametrically divergent. Hindus conceive of creation as part of an ongoing cycle of creation and destruction, with our current universe forming several billions of years ago, and God manifesting along the spectrum of evolutionary speciation when necessary. 

Kabir das - pearls of wisdom

On the moonless day, give up longing.
Remember Ram who knows our innermost thoughts.
While living, find salvation’s door:
Perceive the real Word and Source of all things.

When you love Govind’s lotus feet,
Your heart becomes pure, by the grace of saints.

Stay awake day and night
And sing Hari’s praise.

The same soul dwells in beings everywhere,
How can it ever be affected by caste
Or by the accursed body formed of water and air?
For the soul is immortal and body does not last.

Saint Kabir

If we think divinity and sexuality are two different extremes, then we really don’t understand the beauty of our sages -Anandmurti Gurumaa

If we think divinity and sexuality are two different extremes, then we really don’t understand the beauty of our sages and we really need to delve more deeply into the subject. We wouldn’t have been born if our parents had not indulged in sex. If sex was wrong and sinful, then this means that our very existence is sinful and wrong.

At least in Bharat (India) – dharma, artha, kama and moksha are considered to be the four pillars of human life. Here, ‘kama’ means ‘kamana’ - kamana for food, kamana for money, kamana for sex, kamana for children and are not considered sinful.

The institution of marriage was designed by our sages firstly to satiate and experience and then come out of the primal urges of sex; the secondary objective was to procreate and to give birth to children who will take over their work and wisdom. And the next generation would be responsible for disseminating messages and great work of ancestors.

That is why in all marriages conducted in different religions, there is some kind of religious ritual involved. In Hindu marriages specially the woman is considered to be Lakshmi and the husband is considered to be Vishnu, as if they are the personification of Vishnu and Lakshmi. They take the vow of being honest and sincere to each other and of taking care of each other. And this whole institution was designed in such a way that the person lives these physical relationships, creates a home, a place where both man and woman are safe, secure and together and they can work upon their spiritual aspects.

Anandmurti Gurumaa
 

Swami Brahmananda – Pearls of Wisdom

The world is so constructed that if you wish to enjoy its pleasures, you must also enjoy its pains. Whether you like it or not, you cannot have one without the other.

It is a mistake to think that the sadhana cannot be practiced for lack of time. The real cause is agitation of the mind.

If you wish to work properly, you should never lose sight of two great principles: first, a profound respect for the work undertaken, and second, a complete indifference to its fruits. Thus only can you work with the proper attitude.

Swami Brahmananda

Before you hear the voice of cosmic Truth you must hear the voice of silence - Swami Rama Thoughts

Desire is the very root of all miseries. So you must become desireless by maintaining the Here and Now by constant awareness. Remember the center of consciousness within you. When you are able to lead your mind to this state of desirelessness, then it is considered to be real meditation.

Those who live for the welfare of all are sustained by the Self of all.

Before you hear the voice of cosmic Truth you must hear the voice of silence.

Best of men is he who lives in the world, but remains above.

Karma is our own making. What we experience today is the result of what we have created in our past. So, too, is our future of our own making.
 
Swami Rama

The Meaning of the Finger Pointing to the Moon

Hotei pointing with the finger to the moon

The nun Wu Jincang asked the Sixth Patriach Huineng, "I have studied the Mahaparinirvana sutra for many years, yet there are many areas i do not quite understand. Please enlighten me."

The patriach responded, "I am illiterate. Please read out the characters to me and perhaps I will be able to explain the meaning."

Said the nun, "You cannot even recognize the characters. How are you able then to understand the meaning?"

"Truth has nothing to do with words. Truth can be likened to the bright moon in the sky. Words, in this case, can be likened to a finger. The finger can point to the moon’s location. However, the finger is not the moon. To look at the moon, it is necessary to gaze beyond the finger, right?"

The finger pointing to the moon is not the moon is the essence here. But what does this mean on a deeper level? How does it relate to todays everyday life? How can we understand the meaning in an useful manner?

The laughing Buddha Hotei is pointing to the moon, who was a monk who lived during the Later Liang Dynasty (907–923 AD) of China. Contentment and happiness being his defining attributes, Hotei has a cheerful face and a big belly.
Analyzing the pointer is pointless

… said Eckhart Tolle, yet we tend to analyze the pointers without noticing it. If we are discussing about whether something is good for us or not or especially if we come to a philosophical debate, we are discussing the validity of models and concepts. We can also go out and experience something directly.

It’s the same with spirituality.

Spirituality is all about experiencing and the truth itself. So this post here is of course a finger pointing. The words are only pointing. So as long as we are pointing and discussing about the different pointers, we are not experiencing. The experience of something is the connection with something, the feeling one with something, without labeling.

What happens in philosophy and in religion again and again is the intense discussion about the pointers. How can it be that there is a discussion about one thing that is true? It is one thing right? It can only be because we represent something differently, which are different pointers. Then it is easy to discuss and disagree about them.

The map is not the territory

The map is not the territory is just another way to point to the same thing. The map is the concept of what we have in the mind about something. It’s a belief, an image or a thought-pattern. We use this map in the same way as we use a city-map to find a location. If the map is correct, we will find our location. If it is slightly incorrect, we have to correct it by new knowledge, optimize it. If it is completely incorrect or we move to another city, we have to replace the map altogether. What is happening is that we changed the map. And this is happening all the time.

Another map is the self-image or we may call it the ego. It is everything we saved about ourselves. It is the map of ourselves and we act from it. We want to improve our self-image and we use our intellectual abilities to do so: we get our desires and we set goals and work towards them. The map called the ego is a very useful map that we constantly create ourselves. But here is the important thing: it is still a map.
It’s nice to have a map, as long as you know it’s a map

Which means:

1. The map can change : which means our self-concept (the ego, who we think we are) can change and this is the basis of personal development. This changing map includes our thoughts, beliefs and actions: the whole world-view and the self-image.

2. The map is not the territory : I am not the ego, my self-image. You are not your self-image, or in other words: You and I are not who we think we are; think in the literally sense of the word: thoughts (and all other concepts) are the map, not the territory.

The important step to Spiritual Awakening is dropping the map and experiencing what is without the map.

But, (for me at least) this means not to remove the map for all time. I need the map to function in the world and to relate to everything. So I create maps and use maps in a very intense way, in the best way possible. But there is one difference: I dis-identified the map from the territory. So I know that my self-image is my self-image but not the self.

Ken Wilber called the process "Transcend and include". Or as Genpo Roshi put it: the reason we are able to transcent the ego but still use it as a human being is that we know the Being side of the Human Being as well as the Human Side: check my posting about Personal Power vs. The Power of Now for more.


This is a Zen story I found on the website Pointing To The Moon :

"When Zen Master Nan-chuan saw his student Ma-tsu diligently practicing meditation hour after hour, he sensed a certain effort and ambition in the young monk’s demeanor, so he sneaked up behind him and asked, "What are you doing?" "I’m trying to become a Buddha," Ma-tsu replied proudly. Nan-chuan then picked up a stone and began rubbing it against a spare tile from the monastery floor. Hearing the sound, Ma-tsu asked, "What are you doing?" Said Nan-chuan: "I’m trying to make a mirror." Ma-tsu had an awakening.

And it goes on:

Everything is just as it is! Ma-tsu is Ma-tsu, the tile is the tile, and you are you, just as you are. There’s no Buddha apart from this fundamental truth, and any attempt to achieve some special state of mind just leads you away from who and what you already are. In the direct approach to truth …, the direct recognition of your true nature is available in every instant, on or off the cushion, whether you meditate or not. You merely need to "take the backward step that turns your light inward to illuminate the Self," as Dogen Zenji said." – Stephan Bodian

Confucius Says:

Confucius, whose name literally means "Master Kong", lived 551-479 BCE. He was a Chinese thinker and philosopher, whose teachings have deeply influenced not only Asian thought and life. He presented himself as a "transmitter who invented nothing" and he really pointed out the importance of learning, which is one reason he is seen by Chinese people as "The Greatest Master".

One of the best known sources of Confucius are The Analects, a collection of his teachings, which was compiled many years after his death. A fountain of extremely mindful quotes springs from these ancient descriptions.

 Many of them are universal and timeless in their beautiful and simple truth and they are as valid today as on the day they left Confucius’ mouth. Here we take a look at 10 of the most inspiring quotes by Confucius.

1. "Never impose on others what you would not choose for yourself."


It’s the "Golden Rule" and the essence of real compassion . Not compassion as in looking down on someone and have pity for another, this is no real compassion. Compassion means seeing another person 100% equal to yourself (in value, not in differentials on the surface which ultimately do not matter). In fact it is seeing yourself in every other person. And therefore you cannot harm anyone without also harming yourself.

It doesn’t mean to lose individuality or self-worth, on the contrary – but the other person earns the same gift.

2. "Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance."

That’s my personal favorite quote since it expresses something very profound which also is very useful to know: Ignorance is a willful neglect or refusal to acquire knowledge. It is not widen one’s own perspective in order to see a broader truth. As an example it would be to have racist thoughts and not realizing that all men are equal.

The ultimate truth therefore is where there is absolutely no ignorance, meaning where the perspective or consciousness has become one with all that there is. In Buddhism ignorance (Avidyā) is seen as the primary cause of suffering. Liberation is Enlightenment. Another quote by Confucius here is "Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon and star."

3. "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand."

Those quotes are just perfect. What he is expressing here is that we have to experience something ourselves in order to really understand it. If we are hearing something it might be interesting. If we are seeing something it might be beautiful. But only if we feel in happening to ourselves we can really know how it is.

Picture something nice as winning an Olympic gold medal or picture something terrifying as the loss of a loved one. Can you know this by hearing it or by seeing it? Or do you have to do it and experience it yourself to really know it?

Along with this realization comes the awareness that you cannot understand someone or his actions from hearing or seeing it from the outside. You have to feel empathic compassion for him to really know what it is like. To know and not to do is really not to know. Only by applying our knowledge we can validate it’s harmony with reality, it’s truth.

4. "Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it."

Amazing. It calls for dropping the inner mask through which we constantly see and evaluate the world, distorted by our wants and belief-systems. Here we have to look at things as they are. Just like a newborn child would look at things. Then we are able to really see again, without instant labeling of what we see and therefore only really seeing our label. If we become able to do this – just for a second without judgment, we can see that everything in nature is as it should be. And in this natural perfection lies beauty.

5. "The Superior Man is aware of Righteousness, the inferior man is aware of advantage."

Another quote is "The object of the superior man is truth." It is the value of integrity: Do we act to our best knowledge of truth or do we bend ourselves and violate our integrity in order to gain an advantage? Do we play fair game or use perfidious tactics?

To be truthful to ourselves is also important to the development of (good) character. And it is the only straight way to liberation.

6. "Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart."

Whatever you do and whatever you commit to, do it fully, give your all – one hundred percent. It is the essence of Carpe Diem – Seizing the day and it’s surely the best way to be satisfied with what we do and get the best results.

7. "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in getting up every time we do."

There is no failure, there are only valuable learning experiences. Or as Thomas Edison about inventing the light bulb said: "I have not failed, I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work." The important thing is not giving up, but learning and then improving by using this feedback to get better and ultimately succeed.

A quote expressing the same principle is "A man who has committed a mistake and doesn’t correct it, is committing another mistake."

8. "He who learns but does not think, is lost. He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger."

Confucius explains the connection of learning and reflection. Reflection of that what we learned by thinking or of the results we get by applying the knowledge. "Study without reflection is a waste of time; reflection without study is dangerous" is a similar quote by Confucius. Learning is only useful if we connect the learning within our own minds, with what we already know and what is useful for us. This reflection of any knowledge also saves us from blindly following any knowledge without checking its truthfulness and validity to us.

I think everybody experienced learning when we really want this knowledge and interweave it with what we already know. If there is a need or problem we want to solve, the consume knowledge much more effective than it happens for students in many universities.

9. "He that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools."

This quote calls for planning and preparation. This includes getting and improving the personal skills we need to be successful. If we want to hold speeches we have to become good with communication skills. If we want to win a race we have to train for it. If we want to do a big project we need knowledge in project management. Steven Covey calls it Sharpening the saw, read about it here.

10. "If you look into your own heart, and you find nothing wrong there, what is there to worry about? What is there to fear?"

It shows that our primary work lies within ourselves: to work on ourselves and improve will automatically take care of the outside world if we use our abilities then. "When we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves." The solution to problems is not "out there". It is the Inside-Out approach: success and happiness can only be found by working on ourselves. It also entails the spiritual message to look inside and to discover ourselves fully.

Only by knowing the Self does on become immortal – Shvetashvatara Upanishad Teachings

The body of the individual self depends on food and drink for its birth and growth. Similarly, his thinking (sankalpa), physical contact (sparsha), and looking (drishti) at things produce his attachment (moha). This attachment determines his behavior, and his behavior ultimately results in his assumption of various forms. (Shvetashvatara Upanishad 5, 11)

There is nothing higher than or different from Him. Nothing is greater or minuter than Him. Seated in His own glory He stands like a tree, one without a second and immovable. By that Purusha (Supreme Being) the whole universe is filled (pervaded). (Shvetashvatara Upanishad 3, 9)
In this vast wheel of Brahman, which creates all things and in which all things rest, the living being flutters about, thinking – my silent self and the world are two different things. But in truth they are not different. Some wise people see them as one, and those people rest in evenness. They gain eternal happiness.
Just as a mirror shines bright once it has been cleaned of dust, so those who have seen the Self shine in mind and body. They are always and forever filled with happiness.
Only by knowing the Self does on become immortal. There is no other path.

Sri Ramakrishna on the concept of Neti Neti

In the concept of neti, neti – First the seeker tries to separate his individual self from all diversities by negating them as mere superimpositions of the deluded mind. Simultaneously he affirms that his individual self is the only reality and that it is the focus of the universal Self, the common Self of all beings and things.

First of all you must discriminate, following the method of “Neti, neti”: He is not the five elements, nor the sense-organs, nor the mind, nor the intelligence, nor the ego. He is beyond all these cosmic principles.” You want to climb to the roof; then you must eliminate and leave behind all the steps, one by one. The steps are by no means the roof. But after reaching the roof you find that the steps are made of the same materials—brick, lime, and brick-dust—as the roof. It is the Supreme
Brahman that has become the universe and its living beings and the twenty-four cosmic principles. That which is Atman has become the five elements.


Sri Ramakrishna

Sri Chinmoy – Pearls of Wisdom

If we know the divine art of concentration, if we know the divine art of meditation, if we know the divine art of contemplation, easily and consciously we can unite the inner world and the outer world.

There comes a time in the seeker’s life when he discovers that he is at once the lover and the beloved. The aspiring soul which he embodies is the lover in him. And the transcendental Self which he reveals from within is his Beloved.
Divine time means timeless time. When you are consciously thinking of something divine, immediately eternal time comes and shakes hands with you.


Sri Chinmoy

veda vyasa teachings

What is the enemy difficult to conquer? – Anger

What is the best of riches? – Knowledge.

What is the best happiness? – Contentment.

What is courage or bravery? – Being able to control the five senses.

By destroying ego and arrogance one become lovable.


Veda Vyasa

Kalidasa teachings

Everything is not good, merely because it is ancient. New innovations should not be looked down upon, because they are new. Wise persons accept ideas after due examination and consideration. Only the fool has his intellect influenced by others.

A fool is guided by the convictions of others.
A lover sees a reflection of his own fancies in the acts of his beloved.
A Self-willed person never listens to captious tongue.

Kalidasa

Sri Aurobindo quotes- calmness belongs to the strong

True quietude is a very great force, a very great strength.

Man becomes God and human activity reaches its highest and noblest when it succeeds in bringing body, heart and mind in touch with spirit.

Desire is the chief enemy of spiritual perfection.

Calmness belongs to the strong.

Man’s greatness is not in what he is but in what he makes possible.

To recognize one’s weakness and to move away from them is the step towards liberation.

 The language of the Veda itself is sruti, a rhythm not composed by the intellect but heard, a divine Word that same vibrating out of the Infinite to the inner audience of the man who had previously made himself fit fot the impersonal knowledge

.

Sri Aurobindo

Mata Amritanandamayi – Pearls of Wisdom

Turning away from a reality like that is like creating darkness by closing one’s own eyes.
By recognizing the Universal Truth that is God, and living in accordance with that Truth, we can have a trouble-free passage through life.
Knowing one’s own mind and its lower tendencies while constantly trying to transcend them should be the focus of a sincere sadhak or spiritual aspirant.
Life brings various experiences and situations to different people according to their past karma or actions and the way they live and act in the present.
Whoever you are or whatever material heights you gain, only living and thinking in a dharmic or righteous way will help you attain perfection and happiness in life.

Mata Amritanandamayi

Saint kabir das thoughts

No meditation equals truth,
Equal to falsehood there is no sin;

In whoever’s heart lies the truth,
Know it is that heart where God dwells in.

The sweeter a man speaks, the more
You should be careful of him
Since he first shows shallow waters
But later leads to sink in deep water

You are the cage
I, a little parrot of yours
How can that cat Yama
Harm me.

Kabir 

The Secret of Success - From the Bhagavad Gita by Swami Chinmayananda

A verse from the Bhagavad Gita discloses the secret by which success can be assured for spiritual seekers
‘To those who worship ME alone, thinking of me alone, thinking of no other, ever self-controlled, I secure that which is not already possessed (yoga) by them, preserve for them what they already possess (kshema)’ (IX:22).


If we consider this as a tip for the people who are sweating and toiling in the world, the verse yields a code of instructions by which they can assure for themselves complete success in their life.
If a person is capable of maintaining self-willed thought (sankalpa) consistently and with singleness of purpose, he is sure to succeed in any undertaking.


But unfortunately, the ordinary person is not capable of channelizing his thoughts. Therefore, his goal seems to be ever receding. Since his goal seems to be ever changing, his determination to achieve a particular goal constantly changes. To such a man of weak determination no progress is possible in any line of undertaking.


The greatest tragedy seems to be that we ignore the fact that thoughts alone create. Activities gain potency from the power of thought that feeds them. When the feeder is choked and dissipated, the executing power of the external activities becomes feeble. Thoughts from a single-pointed mind must flow steadily in full inspiration, enthusiasm and vigor towards the determined goal that the individual has chosen for himself in life.


Channelizing the thought power towards the goal is the first step for gaining success in one’s endeavors. But mere thinking is not sufficient. Many of today’s youths, though capable of consistently maintaining a goal, are not ready to enter the field and invoke the possibilities dormant in the situation. Hence the need to do Upasana (worship). Through worship we invoke the ‘deity,’ meaning ‘the potential in any given field.’ This should be a total effort for carving out one’s victories in one’s field of endeavor.
Swami Chinmayananda

C Rajagopalachari – Words of Wisdom

Woman is a source of trouble if you keep her at a distance, but if you come together, she is a source of joy.

We are imitative by nature.

Self pity is not a very good thing to indulge in.


Your life is your work.

Our body and here are the temple of God.

Godlessness leads to false ideas of progress
and civilization, exploitation and war.

C Rajagopalachari

We come nearest to the great when we are great in humility - Rabindranath Tagore Sayings

How beautiful is humble courtesy!

Depth of friendship does not depend upon length of acquaintance.

Higher than detachment is transforming what you want to get rid of.

We come nearest to the great when we are great in humility.

Faith is a bird that can see the light when it is dawn and starts singing in the dark.

People resent a joke if there is some truth in it.

Rabindranath Tagore

Man Reaps What He Has Sown – Wise words from Srimad Bhagavatam

Do not entertain uncharitable thoughts towards others; for man reaps what he has sown; the pain he has inflicted on others returns to him in due course. Retaliation perpetuates the vicious circle of cause and effect – wholehearted worship of the Lord wipes out sorrow from your heart in an instant. (Suniti’s advice to Dhruva)

Noble souls in this world bear no ill will at all towards their fellows. Ill will is an indication that one recognizes diversity, and diversity is born from wrong identification of the body with the self. (Vishnu advices King Pritu)
God is realized by him whose mind is purified by duties performed unselfishly. (Vishnu to King Pritu)
Of the four goals of life only liberation is of permanent value; righteousness, enjoyment of pleasure and acquisition of wealth are subject to termination. (Sanatkumara to Pritu)