(Mignon McLaughlin - American journalist and author, 1913-1983)
“We sometimes encounter people, even perfect strangers, who begin to interest us at first sight, somehow suddenly, all at once, before a word has been spoken.”
(Fydor Dostoevsky - Russian writer, 1821–1881)
(Fydor Dostoevsky - Russian writer, 1821–1881)
“And again, Subhuti, suppose a woman or a man were to renounce all their belongings as many times as there are grains of sand in the river Ganges ; and suppose that someone else, after taking from this discourse on dharma but one stanza of four lines.”
(Buddha, Hindu Prince Gautama Siddharta, founder of Buddhism, 563-483 B.C.)
(Buddha, Hindu Prince Gautama Siddharta, founder of Buddhism, 563-483 B.C.)
"Hope for Him"
"O friend! hope for Him whilst you live, know whilst you live, understand whilst you live: for in life deliverance abides.
If your bonds be not broken whilst living, what hope of deliverance in death?
It is but an empty dream, that the soul shall have union with Him because it has passed from the body:
If He is found now, He is found then,
If not, we do but go to dwell in the City of Death.
If you have union now, you shall have it hereafter.
Bathe in the truth, know the true Guru, have faith in the true Name!
Kabîr says: "It is the Spirit of the quest which helps; I am the slave of this Spirit of the quest."
("Hope for Him", a poem by Kabīr - mystic poet and saint of India, 1440-1518)
"O friend! hope for Him whilst you live, know whilst you live, understand whilst you live: for in life deliverance abides.
If your bonds be not broken whilst living, what hope of deliverance in death?
It is but an empty dream, that the soul shall have union with Him because it has passed from the body:
If He is found now, He is found then,
If not, we do but go to dwell in the City of Death.
If you have union now, you shall have it hereafter.
Bathe in the truth, know the true Guru, have faith in the true Name!
Kabîr says: "It is the Spirit of the quest which helps; I am the slave of this Spirit of the quest."
("Hope for Him", a poem by Kabīr - mystic poet and saint of India, 1440-1518)
"A Dreamer Among the Humblest"
“I prefer to be a dreamer among the humblest, with visions to be realized, than lord among those without dreams and desires.”
(Kahlil Gibran - Lebanese American artist, poet, and writer, 1883 – 1931)
“I prefer to be a dreamer among the humblest, with visions to be realized, than lord among those without dreams and desires.”
(Kahlil Gibran - Lebanese American artist, poet, and writer, 1883 – 1931)
“Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence”
(Aristotle - Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scientist and Physician, 384 BC-322 BC)
(Aristotle - Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scientist and Physician, 384 BC-322 BC)
“Let your life lightly dance on the edges of Time like dew on the tip of a leaf.”
(Rabindranath Tagore - Indian Poet, Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913, 1861-1941)
“I prefer to be a dreamer among the humblest, with visions to be realized, than lord among those without dreams and desires.”
(Kahlil Gibran - Lebanese American artist, poet, and writer, 1883 – 1931)
“In every ascetic morality man worships a part of himself as God and for that he needs to diabolize the other part.”
(Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, German philosopher and classical philologist, 1844 –1900)
The songs of Ramprasad Sen were often sung by India's great Mystic, Saint Sri Ramakrishna.
Ramakrishna admired Ramprasad's devotion to the Divine Mother.
"A Country Fair" by Ramprasad Sen
Drive me out of my mind, O Mother!
What use is esoteric knowledge
Or philosophical knowledge
Transport me totally with the burning wine
Of your all-embracing love.
Mother of mystery, who imbues with mystery
The hearts of those who love you,
Immerse me irretrievably
In the stormy ocean without boundary,
Pure love, pure love, pure love.
A poem by Sri Chinmoy (from Thirteen Teardrops):
"Lifeless Is The Seed Of Time In Me"
Lifeless is the seed of Time in me.
Goalless is my eyeless journey's start.
Although I cry, although I sigh,
Within, without looms large death-dart.
“Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us.”
(Samuel Smiles - Scottish author, 1812-1904)
“When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.”
(Kahlil Gibran - Lebanese American artist, poet, and writer, 1883 – 1931)
"You are the Veil"
“All these things have you said of beauty.
Yet in truth you spoke not of her but of needs unsatisfied,
And beauty is not a need but an ecstasy.
It is not a mouth thirsting nor an empty hand stretched forth,
But rather a heart enflamed and a soul enchanted.
It is not the image you would see nor the song you would hear,
But rather an image you see though you close your eyes and a song you hear though you shut your ears.
It is not the sap within the furrowed bark, nor a wing attached to a claw,
But rather a garden for ever in bloom and a flock of angels for ever in flight.
People of Orphalese, beauty is life when life unveils her holy face.
But you are life and you are the veil.
Beauty is eternity gazing at itself in a mirror.
But you are eternity and your are the mirror.”
(Kahlil Gibran - Lebanese born American philosophical Essayist, Novelist and Poet. 1883-1931)
“All these things have you said of beauty.
Yet in truth you spoke not of her but of needs unsatisfied,
And beauty is not a need but an ecstasy.
It is not a mouth thirsting nor an empty hand stretched forth,
But rather a heart enflamed and a soul enchanted.
It is not the image you would see nor the song you would hear,
But rather an image you see though you close your eyes and a song you hear though you shut your ears.
It is not the sap within the furrowed bark, nor a wing attached to a claw,
But rather a garden for ever in bloom and a flock of angels for ever in flight.
People of Orphalese, beauty is life when life unveils her holy face.
But you are life and you are the veil.
Beauty is eternity gazing at itself in a mirror.
But you are eternity and your are the mirror.”
(Kahlil Gibran - Lebanese born American philosophical Essayist, Novelist and Poet. 1883-1931)
“There is no end of craving. Hence contentment alone is the best way to happiness. Therefore, acquire contentment.”
(Swami Shivananda - Indian Yoga master, Physician, Monk and Founder of The Divine Life Society, 1887-1963)
“The life of our city is rich in poetic and marvelous subjects.
We are enveloped and steeped as though in an atmosphere of the marvelous; but we do not notice it.”
(Charles Baudelaire - French poet, 1821-1867)
"Come oh come ye tea-thirsty restless ones - the kettle boils, bubbles and sings, musically"
(Rabindranath Tagore - Indian Poet, Playwright and Essayist, Won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913, 1861-1941)
“I have more memories than if I were a thousand years old.”
(Charles Baudelaire - French poet, 1821-1867)
Out of the sky, the birds, the parrots, the bells, silk, cloth, and drums, out of Sundays dancing, children's words and love words, out of love for the little fists of children, I will build a world, my world with round shoulders.
(Aimé Césaire - French poet, author and politician, 19132008)
