Thursday, March 8, 2007
Spiritual Buddha Quotes
You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection.
An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea.
However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you If you do not act on upon them?
Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it.
What we think, we become.
Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.
Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.
Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Infinite patience and smart Shopping
Another person knows he already owns God; he is not in a hurry for anything. Infinite patience comes up in him. Now what is “owning God”? Realizing that the Divinity and His entire creation already belong to you. Usually you shop in hurry at the supermarket and rush back home. But when the whole store is already in your home, you’re not in a rush to shop; you’re at ease. Your hurry to get something throws you off balance and makes you small. Have an “eternal wait”—infinite patience. Realize that God belongs to you. Through this awareness or through practice you will reach infinite patience.
Now “To develop patience, do we observe the impatience?”
Just observe the thoughts and feelings and don’t regret them. When you know you are part of the divine plan, you stop demanding. You know everything is being done for you. You are taken care of. Usually we hurry the mind and are slow in our action. Impatience means hurry in the mind; lethargy means slowness in action. It is better the other way around:
Patience in the mind and dynamism an action is the right formula.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Spiritual way to get rid of: SORROW
If you are unhappy, you better check if one or all of these is lacking:
Ø Penance
Ø Dispassion
Ø Surrender
Penance is agreeing with the moment, total acceptance of all pleasant or unpleasant situations. Dispassion means I want nothing and I am nothing. Surrender is I am here for you, for your joy. If you are grumbling, then these are lacking. When you accept the situation, when you take it as penance, you cannot grumble; when you come from a state of dispassion (I don’t want anything), you don’t grumble; and if you are surrendered, you will have no complaints.
If you don’t do it willingly, you will do it later in desperation. First you will say, “Nothing can be done.” Then later in anger and desperation you will say, “I give up, I want nothing, I have no choice—to hell with it!”
All these three—penance, dispassion, and surrender—they purify your mind and uplift you in joy.
-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Spiritual LOVE
There are three kinds of love: that which comes out of charm, that which comes out of familiarity, and Spiritual Love. Love that comes out of charm does not last long. Out of unfamiliarity you are attracted, then once you become familiar, you quickly lose the attraction and boredom sets in, like in most marriages. This type of love diminishes and brings fear, uncertainty, insecurity, and sadness.
Love that comes of familiarity grows. You feel more comfortable, for example, with an old familiar friend rather than with a new person. But this love has no thrill, no enthusiasm, no fire to it.
Spiritual Love supersedes both these. Spiritual Love is ever new. The closer you come, the more charm and depth is there. Spiritual Love has comfort, enthusiasm, and familiarity. There is never boredom, and everyone keeps on their toes.
Worldly love can be like an ocean, yet an ocean has a bottom. Spiritual love is like the sky-limitless, infinite. From the bottom of ocean, soar into the vast sky.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
The Little Monster In My Head: EGO
There is the problem of this ego. It is the little monster who lives in my head, crouched behind my good sense, waiting for the opportunity to cause trouble. It always wants to be right. It doesn’t matter if it is right or not; it will rationalize, it will justify, it will risk friends, family, and peace of mind-just to win, to be “better”.
Now, knowing this, I have the advantage. When this ego tries to convince me it is okay to manipulate others, or behave like a spoiled child, or be angry at someone for doing the same thing I do, I can look at the situation and say,” Hmmm, here is this little ego playing its games again.” But only if I choose to do so.
The key is that I do have a choice. This ego would like me to think otherwise-that life is a competition to be won or lost. It would like me to react to its endless tricks instead of laughing at its antics. It would like me to perpetuate its games. But when I use the knowledge, I observe and absolve rather than react and retaliate; then I sail through the situation I encounter, unaffected and unafraid.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
NON-VIOLENCE
When Rev. Prabhushree (Shri Sat-Chit-Atman, incarnation of God after Shri Ramakrishna) became aware of the immeasurable violence being performed in the entire, world, then His heart was greatly stirred with pity. Day and night, immersed in this worry, full of bewilderment He went on doing the literary work along with ‘Tapasya’ (penance). He used to say that “for human beings, the disaster may probably come, but for innocent, mute creatures, a ‘Daily-Disaster’ is in fact going on. This massacre of innocent mute creatures every day on a constant basis is indeed a ‘Daily-Disaster’. And who is there on their side to protect them? And that is why; the compassion of Rev. Prabhushri for these creatures inspired Him to perform more and more ‘Tapasya’ (penance). His body had become greatly emaciated due to fasting and the manifested form of compassion could be seen at the time of Arti at times through the constant flow of tears from His eyes.
He observed that all over the world violence to all harmless creatures is being performed for various purposes as given below
1. For food :
In the world, the violence to creatures is being mainly done for food of human beings. A great part of population of the earth is making the use of animals, birds and fish in their food.
2. For beauty-joy and enjoyment :
Men in order to manufacture cosmetic substances for their use and for getting enjoyment indulge in violence to mute creatures. For example, for the sake of fondness for garments made out of furs, the animals are hunted. Similarly, for getting enjoyment, flying birds are hunted and lion-shows are arranged.
3. For research work in medicine for prevention of diseases :
In the research work of medicines for various diseases, experiments are first performed on mute creatures and in this way innumerable animals are killed in the most inhuman way after subjecting them to a great torture. For example, after infesting and developing cancer in monkeys, experiments are performed on them. In this way, many medicines are manufactured by resorting to violence upon mute creatures.
4. Religious rites : In the name of religion, in the rites of sacrifice performed for gods and goddesses and through the custom of Kurbani innumerable creatures are killed. In fact, the Supreme Soul is compassionate by nature and He never demands any kind of Bhog (food offered to an idol). Hence, it is not proper to perform any such violent acts in the name of religion.
Meaning Of Brahm Mantra
(b) Word with oral expression of the qualified and non-qualified ‘Divine’ forms of ‘Brahm’.
Hrim = Capable of granting divine prosperity and capable of enthusing pure spiritual knowledge power of spiritual truth.
Rama = The most holy word ‘Rama’ having become synonymous with ‘Brahm’ being the divine name, the true incarnation of ‘Brahm’ the Supreme Lord Shri Rama being uttered thrice in this mantra whose meanings are in sequence as mentioned below:
(1) True incarnation of ‘Brahm’ –Shri Ramchandra with divine highest of the high personality or with truly-divine ‘Vibhuti’
(2) Attribute of non-qualified ‘Brahm’-‘Satya (truth)’
(3) Innate character of ‘Brahm’ –‘Adhyatma (spiritual)’