“They have been the consolation of my life, and will be the consolation of my death.” – Arthur Schopenhauer.
“Whoever meditates and gains this wisdom here in this Life lives at his highest and his best.” – the Chandogya.
“We can set aside the notion that the Upanishads are irrelevant curiosities. Because of the intense problems of our times, problems that seem to be created by specifically modern conditions, we naturally tend to think we have broken the thread of history. . . . But these problems arise from unresolved human difficulties that have been the same throughout recorded history.
One becomes like that which is in one’s mind – this is the everlasting secret.”
– Eknath Easwaran
“To know the Truth we have to come to grips with the medium of knowing [personal revelation] and the identity of the Knower [Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ].” – p. 210
“Take the example of the man who has everything: young, healthy, strong, good and cultured, with all the wealth the earth can offer; let us take that as one measure of joy. One hundred times that is the joy of . . . those who are illumined [have the Light of Christ].” – p. 14
“There is no joy in the finite; there is joy only in the Infinite.” – p. 16
“Truth is One, though the Wise call it by many names.” – p. 18
“The faculty of voluntarily bringing back a wandering attention over and over again is the very root of judgment, character and will.” – William James, p. 28
“In the end, all achievement is powered by desire.” – p. 33
“The Infinite – free, unbounded, full of joy – is our native state. We have fallen from that state and seek it everywhere; every human activity is an attempt to fill this void. Finite things can never appease an Infinite hunger.” – p. 41
“Treat the Universe with Reverence, for there is nothing in the world that is not God.” – p.43
“All experience is real. Confusion arises only when a dream experience is treated as reality after one awakes – or when Life is viewed as nothing but sensation, without wholeness, meaning, or goal.” – p. 44
“The fifth-century Greek writer we know as Dionysius the Areopagite once said that as he grew older and wiser his books got shorter and shorter.” – p.53
“Spiritual economics begins not from the assumed scarcity of matter but from the verifiable infinitude of consciousness. There is enough in this world for everyone’s need; there is not enough for everyone’s Greed.” – p. 55
“The Right questions are half the battle in Life. Nothing places the question ‘Who am I? in such stark relief as the fact of Death. Are we here merely to be torn away from everyone, and everyone from us? Most social life seems a conspiracy to discourage us from thinking of these questions.” – p. 63
[Answer: No. see Mormon Doctrine: Plan of Salvation: Who are we? Why are we here? Where are we going when we leave this “frail existence“? www.lds.org]
“Reject the rudimentary grace of ‘civilized existence’ by not holding your peace in the presence of hypocrisy. Take the demands of Religion seriously when the majority have long since allowed external observance to paper over Truth, making Religion a dead letter that no longer communicates anything about personal struggle.” – p. 65
“When one knows who he really is, all the knots that strangle the heart are loosened.” – p. 66
“In knowing who we are “Death shall be no more: Death, thou shalt die! Every moment we live, we face a steep choice between what will move us closer to that day and what will only postpone it – that is, between what is good and what is merely pleasant.” – Donne, p. 67
[Trump’s treatment of Zelensky:] “Far from Wise are those who are not hospitable. Treating such a guest they will lose all their hopes.” – p. 70
“All is well for those who choose the joy of the Spirit,
but they miss the goal of Life who prefer the pleasant.
Perennial joy or passing pleasure?
This is the Choice one is to make always.
Those who are wise recognize this, but not
the Ignorant.
The first welcome what leads
to abiding Joy
– though painful at the time.
The latter run,
goaded by their senses,
After what seems immediate pleasures.
Turn your back on the way of the World
That makes mankind forget the goal of Life.” – p. 75
“Far apart are Wisdom and Ignorance.
The first leads one to Self-realization;
The second makes one more and more
Estranged from one’s Real Self.
Ignorant of their ignorance, yet wise
in their own esteem, those deluded men
Proud of their vain learning go round and round
Like the blind leading the blind.
Far beyond their eyes,
Hypnotized by the world of carnal sense.” – p. 75
“Know that earthly treasures are transient,
And never can one reach the Eternal through them.” – p. 77
“The Self cannot be known by anyone
Who desists not from unrighteous ways,
Controls not the senses, stills not the Mind,
And practices not Meditation.” – p. 80
“The ego gropes in darkness,
While the Self lives in Light.” – p. 80
“When a person lacks discrimination
And his Mind is undisciplined, the senses
Run hither and thither like wild horses.
Those who lack discrimination,
with little control over their Thoughts
are far from Pure
And reach not the pure state of Immortality
But wander from death to Death.” – p 81
“The Hidden Self is revealed only to those
who keep their Minds one-pointed
On the Lord of Love and thus develop
A superconscious manner of knowing.
Meditation [prayer] enables them to go
Deeper and deeper into consciousness,
From the world of words to the world of thoughts,
Then beyond thoughts to Wisdom.” – p. 82
“The immature run after sense pleasures
And fall into the widespread net of Death.
But the Wise, knowing themselves as Deathless
Seek not the changeless in the world of change.” – p. 83
“We live not by the breath that flows in
And flows out,
But by Him who causes the breath
to flow in and flow out.” – p.87
Death:
“As a caterpillar having come to the end of one blade of grass,
draws itself together and reaches out for the next, so the Self,
having come to the end of one Life and, dispelled of all
Ignorance, gathers in his faculties and
reaches out from the old body to the new.” – p. 93
“Often it is this anguish of parting – the death of a loved one,
the breaking apart of a deep relationship,
Even the growing up of our children –
that propels us into the Search
for a Reality [Truth] that will never let us down.” – p. 96
“Be self-controlled, give, be compassionate.
This is the Self boiled down to its’ essence.” – p. 97
“No one can buy Immortality with money.” – p.99
“When a person dies,
it is only the physical body that dies.
That person lives on in a non-physical body,
which carries the impressions of his past Life.
It is these impressions that determine
his next Life.” – p. 109
“As a heavily laden cart creaks
as it moves along, the body
groans under its burden
when a person is about to die.
When the body grows weak
through old age or illness,
the Self separates himself
as a mango or fig
frees itself from the stalk,
and returns the way he came.” – p. 113
“When body and mind grow weak,
the Self gathers in all the powers of Life
and descends with them into the heart.
By the Light of the heart
the Self leaves the body
and when he leaves, with it
all the vital powers of the body.
He who is dying
merges in consciousness,
and thus consciousness
accompanies him
when he departs.” – p. 113
“As a person acts, so he becomes in Life.
Those who do good become good;
Those who do harm become bad.
Good deeds make one pure;
Bad deeds make one impure.
You are what your deep,
driving desire is.
As your desire is,
so is your Will.
As your Will is,
So is your deed.
As your deed is,
So is your Destiny.” – p. 114
“Those who realize
who they really are
enter into the Peace that
brings complete self-control
and perfect patience.” – p. 115
“Those who depart from this world
without knowing who they really are
or what they truly desire
have not Freedom here
or hereafter.
But those who leave here
knowing who they are
and what they truly desire
have Freedom everywhere,
both in this world
and in the next.” – p. viii.1.6
“The most significant human action
is the sacrifice of personal gain
for the sake of something
higher and holier.
This awareness leads
to profound Peace.” – p. 122
“Lead me from the unreal to the Real
Lead me from darkness to Light
Lead me from Death to Immortality.” – p. 124
“When death comes and the Self
departs from the body,
the body dies
but the Self dies not.” – p. 135
“It is the Infinite that
is the source of abiding Joy
because it is not subject to change.
Therefore, seek to know
the Infinite.” – p. 139
“In the world people think
they can attain glory by having
cows and horses,
elephants and gold,
family and servants,
fields and mansions.
But I do not call that glory,
for here one thing depends on another.
Utterly independent
is the Infinite.
One who understands the Infinite
lives in Freedom
and is at home wherever he goes.
But those who pursue the Finite
are blind to the Infinite
and live in bondage.” – p. 140
“Control the senses and purify the mind.
In a pure mind there is constant
awareness of who one is
[a literal, spiritual child of God].
Where there is constant awareness
of who one is,
Freedom ends bondage
and Joy ends sorrow.” – p. 141
“Those who depart this world
without knowing who they are
or what they truly desire
have no freedom
here or hereafter.” – p. 142
“Those who believe
that the body alone
is to be saved,
the body alone is
to be adored;
That whoever lives
for indulging the senses
will find joy in this world
and the next,
Those who think Self
is the body
will lose their way
In Life.
Even today
people are called godless
when they lack Faith,
Love, and Charity,
because that is the way
of the godless.” – p. 147
“Those who know
they are not just
the body
pass beyond pleasure
and pain
to live in abiding Joy.” – p.150
“All is change in the world
of the senses,
But changeless is the supreme
Lord of Love.
Know God and all fetters
will pass away.
Know Him to be enshrined
in your heart always
Truly there is nothing more
In Life to know.” – p. 161
“Great is the glory of the Lord of Life!
Infinite, omnipresent, all-Knowing.
He is known by the wise who meditate
And conserve their vital energy.
Hear, O children of Immortal bliss!
Ye are born to be united with the Lord!
Follow the Path of the illumined ones [prophets]
And be united with the Lord of Life!
In meditation
Bring your mind and breath
Under control.
Drink deep of Divine love
And you will attain the unitive state.
Dedicate yourself to the Lord of Life
Who is the cause of the cosmos
He will remove the cause
of all your suffering
And free you from
the bondage of [Life].” – p. 163
“Great is the glory of the Lord of Life,
Infinite, omnipresent, all-Knowing.
He is known by the Wise who meditate
And conserve their vital energy.
Hear, O children of immortal bliss!
Ye are born to be united with the Lord!
Follow the path of the illumined ones [prophets]
And be united with the Lord of Life..
Dedicate yourself to the Lord of Life,
Who is the cause of the Cosmos. He will
Remove the cause of all your suffering
And free you from the bondage of [Life].
“Train your senses to be obedient.
Regulate your activities to lead you
to the Goal. Hold the reins of your mind
As you hold the reins of restive horses.
He is the source of all powers in Life.
He is the Lord of all; the Great Seer
May he purify our consciousness!
O Lord, in whom alone we can find peace,
May we see your divine Self and be freed
From all impure thoughts and all fear.
He is the Supreme Lord,
Who through his Grace
Moves us to seek Him in our hearts
He is the Light that shines forever.” – p. 163
“Forgetting our Divine origin,
We become ensnared in the world of change
And bewail our helplessness. But when
We see the Lord of Love in all His glory,
Adored by all, we go beyond sorrow.” – p. 170
“Know Him to be the supreme God of gods
from Whom all the worlds draw the breath of Life.
He rules every creature from within
May He be worshipped by everyone!” – p. 171
“Know Him to be the Supreme Source of all
religions, ruler of the world of Light.
His Glory fill all worlds.” – p. 172
“As is the body, so is the gender.” – p. 174
“Love the Lord and be Free!
None but the pure in heart can realize Him.
“The ‘learned’ say Life is self-created;
Others say Life evolved from time.
In Truth, the Lord
brought the cosmos out of Himself.
Evolution takes place at His command.
Those who act without thought
of personal profit and lead
a well-disciplined Life,
Discover in course of time
the Divine Principle that
all forms of Life are one.
They work in the service
of the Lord, and
are freed from the Laws of [Nature].
Know Him to be the primal Source of Life.” – p. 175
“Know Him whose power makes all the planets revolve;
Who is both Law and Mercy
Know Him to be the supreme Lord of lords,
Kings of kings, God of gods, Ruler of All.” – p. 176
“Find the bliss He alone can give us
He grants all our prayers.
May we realize Him in our consciousness
And find the Freedom He alone
can give us.
Everything reflects the light of the Lord,”
May we realize Him in our consciousness
There is no other way to conquer Death.” – p. 177
“He who gave the sacred scriptures
at the Dawn of Time
The Source of purity and perfection
The bridge from Death to Immortality.” – p. 178
Modes of Knowing:
“Truth alone prevails, not unReality. (III.1.6)
There is a path to this Truth
and it has been taken by Saints
and sages [prophets]. who went before us.
We do not have to invent it – or go it alone.” – p. 181
“The world rests upon the bedrock of satya or Truth.
Asatya, meaning unTruth, also means non-existent,
and satya or Truth also means that which Is.
If unTruth does not so much as exist, its victory
is out of the question.
And Truth, being that which is,
can never be destroyed.” – p. 182.
“It is hard to imagine anything the modern world more needs to hear. We have surrounded ourselves with such a bleak picture of who we are and what the world is that unless we ourselves get on – on back on – this path pretty soon we hardly stand much of a chance of surviving our own culture. .
Only by turning away from unreality – from negativity and separateness – will we be begin to see and build a world that’s not only sustainable but nourishes and helps us to realize our deepest longings for Peace.” – p. 183
“Sages [prophets] ignored rituals
and went in search of higher knowledge.
Rituals are unsafe rafts for crossing.
Doomed to shipwreck are those who try to cross
the Sea of Truth on these poor rafts.
Ignorant of their ignorance,
yet wise in their own esteem,
these deluded men [paid clergy]
Proud of their vain learning
go round and round
Like the blind led by the blind.
Living in Darkness, immature, unaware,
of any higher good or Goal, they fall
again and again into the sea.
But those who are pure in heart,
who practice meditation and conquer their senses
and passions, shall attain [Exaltation].
Source of all Light and Source of all Life.
Action prompted by pleasure or profit
Cannot help anyone to cross this sea.” – p. 187
They take the Lunar path who live for sex;
But those who are self-controlled and Truthful [Faithful]
Will go to the bright regions of the sun [Son].” p. 227
“He who speaks an unTruth
perishes like a tree
without roots.” – p. 236
“Pleasure, which mainly comes from sense experience,
is transitory and actually quite limited.
Joy comes from being in harmony
with the the forces of the Universe,
with one’s own Destiny –
and is permanent – one of the reasons
we can tell it apart from pleasure –
and has no limits at all.” – p. 141
“Lord, may I grow in Wisdom,
May this be my Wealth,
May this be my Fame.” – p. 247
To the Householder:
“Practice right conduct, knowing and teaching
Be Truthful always, learning and teaching;
Master the passions, learning and teaching;
Strive for Peace always, learning and teaching;
Serve Humanity, learning and teaching:
Beget progeny, learning and teaching;
Be Truthful always;
Learning and Teaching are
necessary for Spiritual progress.
Speak the Truth, Do your Duty,
Neglect not the Scriptures.
Do not cut off the line of Progeny.
Swerve not from the Truth.
Swerve not from the Good.
Protect your Spiritual progress always.
Give your best in Learning and Teaching.
Never do what is Wrong.
Honor those who are worthy of Honor.
Give with Faith. Give with Love. Give with Joy.
If you are in doubt about Right Conduct,
Follow the example of the [Prophets]
Who know what is best for Spiritual growth.” – p. 251
“They who look upon Food as the Lord’s Gift
Shall never lack Life’s physical comforts.” – p. 252
“The Self in Man and in the [Son] are One.
Those who understand this see through the World.” p.256
“Drawing on the Lord’s resources within
Security, Wisdom, and Love in action
We conquer every enemy within
To be united with the Lord of Love.” – p.260
“Beneath you and external to you lies the entire created Universe.
Yes, even the sun, the moon, and the stars.
They are fixed above you, splendid in the firmament,
Yet they cannot be compared to your exalted dignity
as a Human Being. . .
There is nothing above you in Nature except God Himself.”
– p. 265, Cloud of the Unknowing
“May I realize the Truth of the Scriptures
And translate them into my daily Life.
May I proclaim the Truth of the Scriptures
May I speak the Truth. May it protect me.” – p. 268
“The Mind is a ‘wondrous Power.”
Our Destiny in Life is determined
what we do with that Power.
All that we are is the result
of what we have Thought.
If we neglect Mind,
the senses and lower forces
in our inherited Consciousness
take control of it;
If we train it carefully
we can utilize its Power
to Liberation –
To Immortality.” – p. 280
“Lead me from the unReal to the Real,
Lead me from Darkness to Light.
Lead me from Death to Immortality.” – p. 282
“[Peace] cannot be realized by those
Who are subject to greed, fear, and anger.
[Heaven] cannot be realized by those
Who are subject to the Pride of name and Fame
Or to the Vanity of scholarship.” – p. 284
“It is the Mind that frees us or enslaves,
Driven by the senses we become bound;
Master of the senses we become Free.
Those who seek Freedom must master their Senses.
When the Mind is detached from the senses,
One reaches the summit of Consciousness.
Mastery of the Mind leads to Wisdom.
Practice meditation [Prayer].” – p. 288
“When the veil falls, we see [who we really are].” – p. 289
“The aspirant who is seeking the Lord
Must free himself from selfish attachments
To people, money and possessions.” – p.292
“If we take the word pure to mean that [sacred scripture] consists of essentials and are not tangled up in the changing circumstances of the cultures that produced and recorded them, we will see why they are not only still revered . . . but have been discovered by individuals throughout the World as treasures of needed Wisdom. . . .
Our age seems to need this kind of guidance more than ever. We are passing through a spiritual crisis that has been brought about by a wrong message about human nature and human happiness – a message so pervasive that it makes up a global culture of its own.
We need to turn to sources of Wisdom wherever we can find them.” – p. 295
“The Universe is rigorously unforgiving in the sense that ignorance is its own punishment, and rigorously redemptive in that Wisdom is its own reward.” – p. 296
“God will rule the lives of all those who surrender themselves without reservation to Him. This is no question of hallucination. I have stated a simple, scientific law [personal Revelation] that can be verified by anyone who will carry out the necessary preparations. . . .” – Ghandi, p. 305
“When the senses are untrained they run wild, leading to a state of conditioning that is the opposite of Freedom.” – p. 318
“In this world, people do what they are told, becoming dependent on their country, or their piece of land, or the desires of another [politician], so their desires are not fulfilled and their works come to nothing – both in this world and in the next.
. . . but those who leave here knowing who they are and what they truly desire have freedom everywhere, both in this world and in the next.” – p.325
“The truly free man or woman is literally in full possession of one’s self. He or she exercises a spontaneous authority over others: not the authority tat debases others but that ennobles them.” – p. 325
*** “The ability to forget oneself in the welfare of others will come not by the acquisition of authority by a few, but by the acquisition of the capacity by all to resist authority when it is abused.” – Ghandi, p. 326
“Greed and alienation lie behind all forms of crime; war arises in the minds of men and persists when men and women shrink from the age-old task of learning to convert our inherited tendencies from problems into positive forces.
The nineteenth and twentieth centuries have come and gone, and have brought neither enlightenment nor open-mindedness.
The Soul has so shrunken from view that far from standing awestruck by its infinitude we have difficulty remembering that it exists. Indeed, why speak of Soul; Mind or consciousness play no role in the electromechanical image of the human being which popular imagination and some scientists today present unchallenged.” – p. 333
