Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.
-Ambrose Redmoon
***
The wise man should be generous in imparting his knowledge to others, for knowledge is not lessened in the giving.
- Solomon Ibn Gabirol
***
Considering your dharma, you should not vacillate. For a warrior, nothing is higher than a war against evil. The warrior confronted with such a war should be pleased, Arjuna, for it comes as an open gate to heaven. But if you do not participate in this battle against evil, you will incur sin, violating your dharma and your honor.
-Bhagavad Gita 2:31-33
Excerpted from The Bhagavad Gita
***
May God break my heart so completely that the whole world falls in.
-Mother Teresa
***
Abandoning gossip, he abstains from gossip; he speaks at the right time, speaks what is fact, speaks on what is good, speaks on the Dhamma and the Discipline; at the right time he speaks such words as are worth recording, reasonable, moderate, and beneficial.
-Majjhima-Nikaya
From "365 Buddha: Daily Meditations,"
***
Because of your humility God granted you the gift of insight. Go toward the peach tree, which has sprung to life. It has become lush green by the command "Be!" Beneath its shade all your needs will be fulfilled. Such is divine alchemy that the crooked become straight. As God revealed, "Its roots are firm in the earth, its branches in the sky."
-Rumi, "Mathnawi"
Translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed
Quote
-
Guest
A poor devotee points to the sky and says, "God is up there." An average devotee says, "God dwells in the heart as the Inner Master." The best devotee says, "God alone is and everything I perceive is a form of God."
-Ramakrishna
***
It’s not about us...It’s not about us being a part of a Christian bubble...It’s about us being a part of the real world.
-Rob Bell
***
“I am breathing in and liberating my mind. I am breathing out and liberating my mind.” One practices like this.
-The Sutra on Full Awareness of Breathing, translated by Thich Nhat Hanh
From "Teachings of the Buddha,"
***
Do not become the candle that gives light to others but itself remains in darkness. Do not follow the desires of your lower self. Should the Lord wish, He himself will pick you out and prompt you to be a source of guidance. He Himself shall endow you with the inner strength to endure the changes of fortune and will instill within you infinite wisdom.
-Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jillani, "Fayuz E Yazdani"
Translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed
***
-Ramakrishna
***
It’s not about us...It’s not about us being a part of a Christian bubble...It’s about us being a part of the real world.
-Rob Bell
***
“I am breathing in and liberating my mind. I am breathing out and liberating my mind.” One practices like this.
-The Sutra on Full Awareness of Breathing, translated by Thich Nhat Hanh
From "Teachings of the Buddha,"
***
Do not become the candle that gives light to others but itself remains in darkness. Do not follow the desires of your lower self. Should the Lord wish, He himself will pick you out and prompt you to be a source of guidance. He Himself shall endow you with the inner strength to endure the changes of fortune and will instill within you infinite wisdom.
-Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jillani, "Fayuz E Yazdani"
Translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed
***
-
Guest
One of the first things Christ says in the Gospel is this: "Happy the simple-hearted!" Yes, happy those who head towards simplicity, simplicity of heart and simplicity of life.
-Brother Roger of Taizé
***
Fields are spoiled by weeds;
people, by delusion.
So what's given to those
free of delusion
bears great fruit.
Fields are spoiled by weeds;
people, by longing.
So what's given to those
free of longing
bears great fruit.
-Dhammapada, 24, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
***
Each person behaves after his own manner, yet only your Lord knows who chose the best path to salvation.
-Qur'an, Al-Isra, Surah 17:84
Translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed.
-Brother Roger of Taizé
***
Fields are spoiled by weeds;
people, by delusion.
So what's given to those
free of delusion
bears great fruit.
Fields are spoiled by weeds;
people, by longing.
So what's given to those
free of longing
bears great fruit.
-Dhammapada, 24, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
***
Each person behaves after his own manner, yet only your Lord knows who chose the best path to salvation.
-Qur'an, Al-Isra, Surah 17:84
Translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed.
-
Guest
Greatness is always humble. But pettiness
is self-adorned with words of praise.
Greatness abides in the absence of arrogance.
Smallness proudly parades its haughtiness.
Greatness conceals through silence the weaknesses of others.
But pettiness proclaims such things to all.
-Tirukkural 98:978-980
Excerpted from the Tirukkural,
***
Be happy!
For you are joy, unbounded joy.
You are awareness itself.
Just as a coil of rope
Is mistaken for a snake,
So you are mistaken for the world.
-Ashtavakra Gita 1:10
From "The Heart of Awareness
***
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
-Matthew 5:6 (Revised Standard Version
***
Arouse your will, supreme and great,
Practice love, give joy and protection;
Let your giving be like space,
Without discrimination or limitation.
Do good things, not for your own sake
But for all the beings in the universe;
Save and make free everyone you encounter,
Help them attain the wisdom of the way.
-Prajnaparamita
From "The Pocket Buddha Reader
***
God now said to Muhammad: 'I gave my past messengers many wise words to convey to the people; and these words were written down to guide future generations. Each of these messengers knew that I would send a further messenger to confirm the message I had given them. Do you accept this? Will you take up this burden?'
Muhammad answered: 'I accept.'
-Ibn Ishaq, "The Life of Muhammad"
From "366 Readings From Islam
***
is self-adorned with words of praise.
Greatness abides in the absence of arrogance.
Smallness proudly parades its haughtiness.
Greatness conceals through silence the weaknesses of others.
But pettiness proclaims such things to all.
-Tirukkural 98:978-980
Excerpted from the Tirukkural,
***
Be happy!
For you are joy, unbounded joy.
You are awareness itself.
Just as a coil of rope
Is mistaken for a snake,
So you are mistaken for the world.
-Ashtavakra Gita 1:10
From "The Heart of Awareness
***
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
-Matthew 5:6 (Revised Standard Version
***
Arouse your will, supreme and great,
Practice love, give joy and protection;
Let your giving be like space,
Without discrimination or limitation.
Do good things, not for your own sake
But for all the beings in the universe;
Save and make free everyone you encounter,
Help them attain the wisdom of the way.
-Prajnaparamita
From "The Pocket Buddha Reader
***
God now said to Muhammad: 'I gave my past messengers many wise words to convey to the people; and these words were written down to guide future generations. Each of these messengers knew that I would send a further messenger to confirm the message I had given them. Do you accept this? Will you take up this burden?'
Muhammad answered: 'I accept.'
-Ibn Ishaq, "The Life of Muhammad"
From "366 Readings From Islam
***
-
Guest
Do not be wise in words - be wise in deeds.
- Jewish proverb
***
Even a sinner becomes holy when he worships me alone with firm resolve. Quickly his soul conforms to dharma and he attains to boundless peace. Never forget this, Arjuna: no one who is devoted to me will ever come to harm.
-Bhagavad Gita 9:30-31
Excerpted from The Bhagavad Gita
***
Don't strain. Don't force anything or make grand, exaggerated efforts. Meditation is not aggressive. There is no place or need for violent striving. Just let your effort be relaxed and steady.
-Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, "Mindfulness in Plain English"
Copyright Wisdom Publications 2001
***
The glory of Christianity is to conquer by forgiveness.
-William Blake
***
Everyone can see the effects of God's mercy. But who, except God himself, understands the essence of his mercy? Most people cannot understand the essence of any of God's attibutes; they only know his attributes through their effects -- and also through analogy. Only mystics have eyes to see the essence of God's attributes.
-Rumi, "Masnavi"
From "366 Readings From Islam,"
***
- Jewish proverb
***
Even a sinner becomes holy when he worships me alone with firm resolve. Quickly his soul conforms to dharma and he attains to boundless peace. Never forget this, Arjuna: no one who is devoted to me will ever come to harm.
-Bhagavad Gita 9:30-31
Excerpted from The Bhagavad Gita
***
Don't strain. Don't force anything or make grand, exaggerated efforts. Meditation is not aggressive. There is no place or need for violent striving. Just let your effort be relaxed and steady.
-Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, "Mindfulness in Plain English"
Copyright Wisdom Publications 2001
***
The glory of Christianity is to conquer by forgiveness.
-William Blake
***
Everyone can see the effects of God's mercy. But who, except God himself, understands the essence of his mercy? Most people cannot understand the essence of any of God's attibutes; they only know his attributes through their effects -- and also through analogy. Only mystics have eyes to see the essence of God's attributes.
-Rumi, "Masnavi"
From "366 Readings From Islam,"
***
-
Guest
If a person closes his eyes to avoid giving [any] charity, it is as if he committed idolatry.
- Babylonian Talmud, Ketubot 68a
***
Charity's merit cannot be measured by gifts given.
It is measured by measuring the receiver's merits.
-Tirukkural 9:87
Excerpted from the Tirukkural,
***
Blinded this world—
how few see clearly!
Just as birds who've escaped
from a net are
few, few
are the people
who make it to heaven.
-Dhammapada 13, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
***
Believers, uphold justice. Always bear true witness, even if it be against yourself, your parents, or your relatives—and regardless of whether the person against whom you are speaking is rich or poor. God is close to people regardless of their material circumstances. Do not be led by emotion, as this may cause you to swerve from the truth. If you distort your testimony, or refuse to testify, remember that God is aware of all your actions.
-Qur'an, An-Nisa, Surah 4:135
From "366 Readings From Islam
***
When we see men of worth, we should think of equaling them; when we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inward and examine ourselves.
-Confucius
- Babylonian Talmud, Ketubot 68a
***
Charity's merit cannot be measured by gifts given.
It is measured by measuring the receiver's merits.
-Tirukkural 9:87
Excerpted from the Tirukkural,
***
Blinded this world—
how few see clearly!
Just as birds who've escaped
from a net are
few, few
are the people
who make it to heaven.
-Dhammapada 13, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
***
Believers, uphold justice. Always bear true witness, even if it be against yourself, your parents, or your relatives—and regardless of whether the person against whom you are speaking is rich or poor. God is close to people regardless of their material circumstances. Do not be led by emotion, as this may cause you to swerve from the truth. If you distort your testimony, or refuse to testify, remember that God is aware of all your actions.
-Qur'an, An-Nisa, Surah 4:135
From "366 Readings From Islam
***
When we see men of worth, we should think of equaling them; when we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inward and examine ourselves.
-Confucius
-
Guest
When a child walks down the road, a company of angels goes before him proclaiming, "Make way for the image of the Holy One."
- Hasidic saying
***
Fire is his head, the sun and moon his eyes,
The heavens his ears, the scriptures his voice,
The air his breath, the universe his heart,
And the earth his footrest. The Lord of Love
Is the innermost Self of all.
-Mundaka Upanishad
Excerpted from The Upanishads
***
There is a hard law...When an injury is done to us, we never recover until we forgive.
-Alan Paton
***
As a tree with strong uninjured roots, though cut down, grows up again, so, when deep craving is not rooted out, suffering arises again and again.
-Dhammapada
From "The Pocket Buddha Reader,"
***
The wealth of this world consists of treasures to which there are keys. But blessed is the one whom the Almighty makes a key to the world of good, but a lock to contain evil.
-The Prophet Muhammad, as reported by Sahl bin Sa'ad
Hadith translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed
- Hasidic saying
***
Fire is his head, the sun and moon his eyes,
The heavens his ears, the scriptures his voice,
The air his breath, the universe his heart,
And the earth his footrest. The Lord of Love
Is the innermost Self of all.
-Mundaka Upanishad
Excerpted from The Upanishads
***
There is a hard law...When an injury is done to us, we never recover until we forgive.
-Alan Paton
***
As a tree with strong uninjured roots, though cut down, grows up again, so, when deep craving is not rooted out, suffering arises again and again.
-Dhammapada
From "The Pocket Buddha Reader,"
***
The wealth of this world consists of treasures to which there are keys. But blessed is the one whom the Almighty makes a key to the world of good, but a lock to contain evil.
-The Prophet Muhammad, as reported by Sahl bin Sa'ad
Hadith translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed
-
Guest
He that was born in the dark water of material wealth, how could he tell the freedom of open country from the dismal prison of the well? When you relinquish the ego for fear of God, the elixir of His fountain will arrive.
-Rumi, "Mathnawi"
Translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed
***
The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.
-Samuel Johnson (submitted by LiftHimUp)
***
I am the goal of life, the Lord and support of all, the inner witness, the abode of all. I am the only refuge, the one true friend; I am the beginning, the staying, and the end of creation; I am the womb and the eternal seed.
I am heat; I give and withhold the rain. I am immortality and I am death; I am what is and what is not.
-Bhagavad Gita 9:18-19
Excerpted from The Bhagavad Gita
***
Let go of your plans. The first hour of your morning belongs to God. Tackle the day's work that he charges you with, and he will give you the power to accomplish it.
-Edith Stein, St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross
***
Although there are countless teachings that instruct how to obtain enlightenment in a future life, almost all of them are nothing more than expedients. As the ultimate instruction there is simply no teaching that is superior to the true practice of the awakening to one's own nature.
-Hakuin, "Zen Master Hakuin"
From "365 Buddha: Daily Meditations,"
***
-Rumi, "Mathnawi"
Translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed
***
The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.
-Samuel Johnson (submitted by LiftHimUp)
***
I am the goal of life, the Lord and support of all, the inner witness, the abode of all. I am the only refuge, the one true friend; I am the beginning, the staying, and the end of creation; I am the womb and the eternal seed.
I am heat; I give and withhold the rain. I am immortality and I am death; I am what is and what is not.
-Bhagavad Gita 9:18-19
Excerpted from The Bhagavad Gita
***
Let go of your plans. The first hour of your morning belongs to God. Tackle the day's work that he charges you with, and he will give you the power to accomplish it.
-Edith Stein, St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross
***
Although there are countless teachings that instruct how to obtain enlightenment in a future life, almost all of them are nothing more than expedients. As the ultimate instruction there is simply no teaching that is superior to the true practice of the awakening to one's own nature.
-Hakuin, "Zen Master Hakuin"
From "365 Buddha: Daily Meditations,"
***
-
Guest
Life is a dream for the wise, a game for the fool, a comedy for the rich, a tragedy for the poor.
- Sholom Aleichem
***
Brahman is the Self hidden in everyone. He is only obvious to those who, minds focused one-pointedly on the Lord of Love, nurture intuitive knowledge. Meditation leads them deeper into consciousness, passing from the world to thoughts, and beyond thoughts to the wisdom of the Self.
-Katha Upanishad
Reprinted with permission from "The Wisdom of the Hindu Gurus,
***
When someone is driven by love in any way, he or she is driven by Christ.
-Eberhard Arnold
***
Consider movement stationary
and the stationary in motion,
both movement and rest disappear.
When such dualities cease to exist
Oneness itself cannot exist.
To this ultimate finality
no law or description applies.
-Seng-tsan, "Verses on the Faith Mind"
From "Teachings of the Buddha
***
God created the hearts of men to be the homes of His praise, but they have become the homes of lust; nothing but fear and a desire for goodness can purify them. When faith establishes itself within the heart, praise and contentment follow.
-Abu Muhammad bin Khubayq, "The Kashf al-Mahjub"
Translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed
***
- Sholom Aleichem
***
Brahman is the Self hidden in everyone. He is only obvious to those who, minds focused one-pointedly on the Lord of Love, nurture intuitive knowledge. Meditation leads them deeper into consciousness, passing from the world to thoughts, and beyond thoughts to the wisdom of the Self.
-Katha Upanishad
Reprinted with permission from "The Wisdom of the Hindu Gurus,
***
When someone is driven by love in any way, he or she is driven by Christ.
-Eberhard Arnold
***
Consider movement stationary
and the stationary in motion,
both movement and rest disappear.
When such dualities cease to exist
Oneness itself cannot exist.
To this ultimate finality
no law or description applies.
-Seng-tsan, "Verses on the Faith Mind"
From "Teachings of the Buddha
***
God created the hearts of men to be the homes of His praise, but they have become the homes of lust; nothing but fear and a desire for goodness can purify them. When faith establishes itself within the heart, praise and contentment follow.
-Abu Muhammad bin Khubayq, "The Kashf al-Mahjub"
Translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed
***
-
Guest
Excessive anger is a great harm, but greater still is
The unmindfulness born of excessive pleasure.
Just as perpetual poverty slowly slays one's knowledge,
So does frequent forgetfulness destroy one's prestige.
-Tirukkural 54: 531-532
Excerpted from the Tirukkural
***
Even if for a lifetime
the fool stays with the wise,
he knows nothing of the Dhamma--
as the ladle,
the taste of the soup.
Even if for a moment,
the perceptive person stays with the wise,
he immediately knows the Dhamma--
as the tongue,
the taste of the soup.
-Dhammapada, 5, translation by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
***
Give to your close relatives what they need, and also give generously to the destitute and to wayfarers. Do not squander your wealth; those who are wasteful are the brothers and sisters of Satan—and Satan is always ungrateful to his Lord. But if, while waiting for the Lord's bounty, you are unable to help your relatives, the destitute and wayfarers, then at least speak kindly to them.
-Qur'an, Al-Isra, Surah 17:26-28
From "366 Readings From Islam,"
***
The unmindfulness born of excessive pleasure.
Just as perpetual poverty slowly slays one's knowledge,
So does frequent forgetfulness destroy one's prestige.
-Tirukkural 54: 531-532
Excerpted from the Tirukkural
***
Even if for a lifetime
the fool stays with the wise,
he knows nothing of the Dhamma--
as the ladle,
the taste of the soup.
Even if for a moment,
the perceptive person stays with the wise,
he immediately knows the Dhamma--
as the tongue,
the taste of the soup.
-Dhammapada, 5, translation by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
***
Give to your close relatives what they need, and also give generously to the destitute and to wayfarers. Do not squander your wealth; those who are wasteful are the brothers and sisters of Satan—and Satan is always ungrateful to his Lord. But if, while waiting for the Lord's bounty, you are unable to help your relatives, the destitute and wayfarers, then at least speak kindly to them.
-Qur'an, Al-Isra, Surah 17:26-28
From "366 Readings From Islam,"
***
-
Guest
For have you not heard?
You are pure awareness,
And your beauty is infinite!
So why let lust mislead you?
-Ashtavakra Gita 3:4
From "The Heart of Awareness
***
As stars, a lamp, a fault of vision,
As dewdrops or a bubble,
A dream, a lightning flash, a cloud,
So one should see conditioned things.
-Diamond Sutra
From "The Pocket Buddha Reader
***
If anyone asks why Rabi'a is ranked equal with men, we reply that Muhammad, the chief of prophets, said, "God does not judge you by your outward forms. It is not outward form that matters, but inner intention." Moreover, since we derive much of our religion from Muhammad's wife Aisha, then it is right to take spiritual inspiration from a woman. When a woman is on the path of God, it is not appropriate to define her by her womanhood.
-Attar, "Rabi'a"
From "366 Readings From Islam,"
You are pure awareness,
And your beauty is infinite!
So why let lust mislead you?
-Ashtavakra Gita 3:4
From "The Heart of Awareness
***
As stars, a lamp, a fault of vision,
As dewdrops or a bubble,
A dream, a lightning flash, a cloud,
So one should see conditioned things.
-Diamond Sutra
From "The Pocket Buddha Reader
***
If anyone asks why Rabi'a is ranked equal with men, we reply that Muhammad, the chief of prophets, said, "God does not judge you by your outward forms. It is not outward form that matters, but inner intention." Moreover, since we derive much of our religion from Muhammad's wife Aisha, then it is right to take spiritual inspiration from a woman. When a woman is on the path of God, it is not appropriate to define her by her womanhood.
-Attar, "Rabi'a"
From "366 Readings From Islam,"
Attitude
Attitude
The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company..a church..a home.
The remarkable thing is, we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past...we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude...I'm convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it! - Anonymous
The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company..a church..a home.
The remarkable thing is, we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past...we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude...I'm convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it! - Anonymous
-
Guest
Make every act an offering to me (God); regard me as your only protector. Relying on interior discipline, meditate on me always. Remembering me, you shall overcome all difficulties through my grace. But if you will not heed me in your self-will, nothing will avail you.
-Bhagavad Gita 18:57-58
Excerpted from The Bhagavad Gita
***
The present moment is changing so fast that we often do not notice its existence at all. Every moment of mind is like a series of pictures passing through a projector. Some of the pictures come from sense impressions. Others come from memories of past experiences or from fantasies of the future.
Mindfulness helps us freeze the frame so that we can become aware of our sensations and experiences as they are, without the distorting coloration of socially conditioned responses or habitual reactions.
-Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, "Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness"
Copyright Wisdom Publications 2001.
***
Human beings are created from the dust of the earth; but do they resemble dust? Grapes come from vines; but do grapes look like vines? Does theft have the same shape as gallows? Does piety resemble eternal life? Nothing resembles its consequences. So the root of pain and torment is not evil.
-Rumi, "Masnavi"
From "366 Readings From Islam,"
***
-Bhagavad Gita 18:57-58
Excerpted from The Bhagavad Gita
***
The present moment is changing so fast that we often do not notice its existence at all. Every moment of mind is like a series of pictures passing through a projector. Some of the pictures come from sense impressions. Others come from memories of past experiences or from fantasies of the future.
Mindfulness helps us freeze the frame so that we can become aware of our sensations and experiences as they are, without the distorting coloration of socially conditioned responses or habitual reactions.
-Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, "Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness"
Copyright Wisdom Publications 2001.
***
Human beings are created from the dust of the earth; but do they resemble dust? Grapes come from vines; but do grapes look like vines? Does theft have the same shape as gallows? Does piety resemble eternal life? Nothing resembles its consequences. So the root of pain and torment is not evil.
-Rumi, "Masnavi"
From "366 Readings From Islam,"
***
-
Guest
He who has not attained the power yet wears the garb of saints
Is like a cow that grazes about wearing a tiger's skin.
He who conceals himself beneath saintly robes and commits sins
Is like the hunter who hides in the bushes to snare unwary birds.
-Tirukkural 28: 273-274
Excerpted from the Tirukkural, translated
***
Dwelling in kindness, a monk
with faith in the Awakened One's teaching,
would attain the good state,
the peaceful state:
stilling-of-fabrications ease.
Monk, bail out this boat.
It will take you lightly when bailed.
Having cut through passion, aversion,
you go from there to Unbinding.
-Dhammapada, 25, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
***
Truth, like surgery, may hurt, but it cures.
-Han Suyin
***
Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.
-Langston Hughes
Is like a cow that grazes about wearing a tiger's skin.
He who conceals himself beneath saintly robes and commits sins
Is like the hunter who hides in the bushes to snare unwary birds.
-Tirukkural 28: 273-274
Excerpted from the Tirukkural, translated
***
Dwelling in kindness, a monk
with faith in the Awakened One's teaching,
would attain the good state,
the peaceful state:
stilling-of-fabrications ease.
Monk, bail out this boat.
It will take you lightly when bailed.
Having cut through passion, aversion,
you go from there to Unbinding.
-Dhammapada, 25, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
***
Truth, like surgery, may hurt, but it cures.
-Han Suyin
***
Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.
-Langston Hughes
-
Guest
The entire purpose of our existence is to overcome our negative habits.
- Rabbi Eliyahu, the Gaon of Vilna (1720-1797)
***
If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one.
-Mother Teresa
***
Solitude is the place of purification.
- Martin Buber
***
From him come all the seas and the mountains,
The rivers and the plants that support life.
As the innermost Self of all, he dwells
Within the cavern of the heart.
-Mundaka Upanishad
Excerpted from The Upanishads
***
The fewer the words, the better the prayer.
-Martin Luther
***
Abandon wrongdoing. It can be done. If there were no likelihood, I would not ask you to do it. But since it is possible and since it brings blessing and happiness, I do ask of you: abandon wrongdoing.
Cultivate doing good. It can be done. If it brought deprivation and sorrow, I would not ask you to do it. But since it brings blessing and happiness, I do ask of you: cultivate doing good.
-Anguttara Nikaya
From "The Pocket Buddha Reader,"
***
Those admitted to Paradise shall experience true bliss. Never shall they know want, nor will they suffer old age.
-The Prophet Muhammad, as reported by Abu Hurairah
Hadith translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed
***
The reason so few people are successful is no one has yet found a way for someone to sit down and slide uphill.
-W. Clement Stone (submitted by Bluejay916)
***
When it is a question of God's almighty Spirit, never say, "I can't."
-Oswald Chambers
***
- Rabbi Eliyahu, the Gaon of Vilna (1720-1797)
***
If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one.
-Mother Teresa
***
Solitude is the place of purification.
- Martin Buber
***
From him come all the seas and the mountains,
The rivers and the plants that support life.
As the innermost Self of all, he dwells
Within the cavern of the heart.
-Mundaka Upanishad
Excerpted from The Upanishads
***
The fewer the words, the better the prayer.
-Martin Luther
***
Abandon wrongdoing. It can be done. If there were no likelihood, I would not ask you to do it. But since it is possible and since it brings blessing and happiness, I do ask of you: abandon wrongdoing.
Cultivate doing good. It can be done. If it brought deprivation and sorrow, I would not ask you to do it. But since it brings blessing and happiness, I do ask of you: cultivate doing good.
-Anguttara Nikaya
From "The Pocket Buddha Reader,"
***
Those admitted to Paradise shall experience true bliss. Never shall they know want, nor will they suffer old age.
-The Prophet Muhammad, as reported by Abu Hurairah
Hadith translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed
***
The reason so few people are successful is no one has yet found a way for someone to sit down and slide uphill.
-W. Clement Stone (submitted by Bluejay916)
***
When it is a question of God's almighty Spirit, never say, "I can't."
-Oswald Chambers
***
-
Guest
Pain nourishes courage. You can't be brave if you've only had wonderful things happen to you.
-Mary Tyler Moore
***
The beginning of wisdom is to desire it.
- Solomon Ibn Gabirol
***
Strive constantly to serve the welfare of the world; by devotion to selfless work one attains the supreme goal of life. Do your work with the welfare of others always in mind.
-Bhagavad Gita 3:19-20
Excerpted from The Bhagavad Gita,
***
Resolve to keep happy and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.
-Helen Keller
***
By amending our mistakes, we get wisdom.
By defending our faults, we betray an unsound mind.
-The Sutra of Hui Neng
From "365 Buddha: Daily Meditations,"
***
Do away with superfluous speech, and sacrifice what you hold dear, that His grace may utter praise of you and the heaven be envious of your exalted estate.
-Rumi, "Mathnawi"
Translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed.
***
-Mary Tyler Moore
***
The beginning of wisdom is to desire it.
- Solomon Ibn Gabirol
***
Strive constantly to serve the welfare of the world; by devotion to selfless work one attains the supreme goal of life. Do your work with the welfare of others always in mind.
-Bhagavad Gita 3:19-20
Excerpted from The Bhagavad Gita,
***
Resolve to keep happy and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.
-Helen Keller
***
By amending our mistakes, we get wisdom.
By defending our faults, we betray an unsound mind.
-The Sutra of Hui Neng
From "365 Buddha: Daily Meditations,"
***
Do away with superfluous speech, and sacrifice what you hold dear, that His grace may utter praise of you and the heaven be envious of your exalted estate.
-Rumi, "Mathnawi"
Translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed.
***
-
Guest
Fear is like a candle whose flame helps a person distinguish goodness from evil; and fear of God allows a person to turn away from evil. Those who fear mere creatures flee from them; but those who fear God flee to Him.
-Rabi'a, in "Rabi'a the Mystic"
Translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed
***
Luck is a dividend of sweat. The more you sweat, the luckier you get.
-Ray Kroc
***
To pull a friend from the mud, don’t hesitate to get dirty.
- Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer, the Ba'al Shem Tov
***
How can I accept or reject anything? Is there anything apart or distinct from Brahman? Now, finally and clearly, I know that I am the Atman, whose nature is eternal joy. I see nothing. I hear nothing. I know nothing that is separate from me.
-Sankara
Reprinted with permission from "The Wisdom of the Hindu Gurus,"
***
Father in Heaven! When the thought of thee wakes in our hearts let it not awaken like a frightened bird that flies about in dismay, but like a child waking from its sleep with a heavenly smile.
-Søren Kierkegaard
***
Happiness cannot come from hatred or anger. Nobody can say, "Today I am happy because this morning I was very angry." On the contrary, people feel uneasy and sad and say, "Today I am not happy because I lost my temper this morning." Through kindness, whether at our own level or at the national and international level, through mutual understanding and through mutual respect, we will get peace, we will get happiness, and we will get genuine satisfaction.
-His Holiness the Dalai Lama
From "The Pocket Dalai Lama
***
-Rabi'a, in "Rabi'a the Mystic"
Translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed
***
Luck is a dividend of sweat. The more you sweat, the luckier you get.
-Ray Kroc
***
To pull a friend from the mud, don’t hesitate to get dirty.
- Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer, the Ba'al Shem Tov
***
How can I accept or reject anything? Is there anything apart or distinct from Brahman? Now, finally and clearly, I know that I am the Atman, whose nature is eternal joy. I see nothing. I hear nothing. I know nothing that is separate from me.
-Sankara
Reprinted with permission from "The Wisdom of the Hindu Gurus,"
***
Father in Heaven! When the thought of thee wakes in our hearts let it not awaken like a frightened bird that flies about in dismay, but like a child waking from its sleep with a heavenly smile.
-Søren Kierkegaard
***
Happiness cannot come from hatred or anger. Nobody can say, "Today I am happy because this morning I was very angry." On the contrary, people feel uneasy and sad and say, "Today I am not happy because I lost my temper this morning." Through kindness, whether at our own level or at the national and international level, through mutual understanding and through mutual respect, we will get peace, we will get happiness, and we will get genuine satisfaction.
-His Holiness the Dalai Lama
From "The Pocket Dalai Lama
***
-
Guest
The right time to show your good character is when you are pestered by somebody weaker than you.
-Buddha
***
Nurture your mind with great thoughts. To believe in the heroic makes heroes.
- Benjamin Disraeli
***
If you return kindness for injuries received and forget both,
Those who harmed you will be punished by their own shame.
-Tirukkural 314
Excerpted from the Tirukkural
***
For whom, in name & form
in every way,
there's no sense of mine,
& who doesn't grieve
for what's not:
he's deservedly called
a monk.
-Dhammapada, 25, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
***
Ruthless trust ultimately comes down to this: faith in the person of Jesus and hope in his promise.
-Brennan Manning, “Ruthless Trust”
***
He created the heavens and the earth and all that exists between them in six days. Then He mounted the glorious Throne. Allah is the Most Gracious. Ask those who have knowledge concerning Him!
-Qur'an, Al-Furqan, Surah 25:59
Translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed
***
-Buddha
***
Nurture your mind with great thoughts. To believe in the heroic makes heroes.
- Benjamin Disraeli
***
If you return kindness for injuries received and forget both,
Those who harmed you will be punished by their own shame.
-Tirukkural 314
Excerpted from the Tirukkural
***
For whom, in name & form
in every way,
there's no sense of mine,
& who doesn't grieve
for what's not:
he's deservedly called
a monk.
-Dhammapada, 25, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
***
Ruthless trust ultimately comes down to this: faith in the person of Jesus and hope in his promise.
-Brennan Manning, “Ruthless Trust”
***
He created the heavens and the earth and all that exists between them in six days. Then He mounted the glorious Throne. Allah is the Most Gracious. Ask those who have knowledge concerning Him!
-Qur'an, Al-Furqan, Surah 25:59
Translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed
***
-
Guest
"There is nothing noble in being superior to some other person. True nobility is being superior to your former self." - Hindu Proverb
A certain amount of resignation is helpful in moving on through the stages of life. It gives us a realistic approach to dealing with other people in this world. Fighting with ourselves to prove that we are something that we are not, causes us emotional conflict and can leave us in a constant state of frustration. A good balance of humility and self-confidence is an ideal way to exist.
"It is equally a mistake to hold one's self too high, or to rate one's self too cheap." - Johann von Goethe (1749-1832)
Accepting that we made a mistake puts it behind us, and we can then quit pretending or wishing and wishing that it hadn't happened. We should realize that we have learned something from the experience and stop worrying.
"A man should never be ashamed to own he has been in the wrong, which is by saying, in other words, that he is wiser today than he was yesterday." - Alexander Pope (1688-1744)
"He that falls in love with himself will have no rivals." - Ben Franklin (1706-1790)
"When a man is wrapped up in himself, he makes a pretty small package." - John Ruskin (1819-1900)
A certain amount of resignation is helpful in moving on through the stages of life. It gives us a realistic approach to dealing with other people in this world. Fighting with ourselves to prove that we are something that we are not, causes us emotional conflict and can leave us in a constant state of frustration. A good balance of humility and self-confidence is an ideal way to exist.
"It is equally a mistake to hold one's self too high, or to rate one's self too cheap." - Johann von Goethe (1749-1832)
Accepting that we made a mistake puts it behind us, and we can then quit pretending or wishing and wishing that it hadn't happened. We should realize that we have learned something from the experience and stop worrying.
"A man should never be ashamed to own he has been in the wrong, which is by saying, in other words, that he is wiser today than he was yesterday." - Alexander Pope (1688-1744)
"He that falls in love with himself will have no rivals." - Ben Franklin (1706-1790)
"When a man is wrapped up in himself, he makes a pretty small package." - John Ruskin (1819-1900)
-
Guest
Life's a dance. Put on your dancing shoes.
-Steve Winwood (submitted by Charles Paul)
***
If heaven is willing to sing to us, it is little to ask that we be ready to listen.
- Nancy Gibbs,
“TIME,” December 27, 1993
***
There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.
- Elie Wiesel
***
He is still.
Without pleasure or pain,
Distraction or concentration,
Learning or ignorance.
His nature is free of conditions.
Win or lose,
It makes no difference to him.
Alone in the forest of out in the world,
A god in heaven or a simple beggar,
It makes no difference!
-Ashtavakra Gita 18:10-11
From "The Heart of Awareness
***
The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.
-Matthew 13: 33 (Revised Standard Version
***
Do not go after the past,
Nor lose yourself in the future.
For the past no longer exists,
And the future is not yet here.
By looking deeply at things just as they are,
In this moment, here and now,
The seeker lives calmly and freely.
You should be attentive today,
For waiting until tomorrow is too late.
Death can come and take us by surprise--
How can we gainsay it?
The one who knows
How to live attentively
Night and day
Is the one who knows
The best way to be independent.
-Bhaddekaratta Sutra
From "The Pocket Buddha Reader
***
God praises me, and I praise God. God worships me, and I worship God. In my existence, I confirm his existence; but insofar as I do not exist, I deny his existence. He knows me, and I know nothing of him; yet I also know and perceive him.
-Ibn Arabi, "Fusus al-hikam"
From "366 Readings From Islam
-Steve Winwood (submitted by Charles Paul)
***
If heaven is willing to sing to us, it is little to ask that we be ready to listen.
- Nancy Gibbs,
“TIME,” December 27, 1993
***
There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.
- Elie Wiesel
***
He is still.
Without pleasure or pain,
Distraction or concentration,
Learning or ignorance.
His nature is free of conditions.
Win or lose,
It makes no difference to him.
Alone in the forest of out in the world,
A god in heaven or a simple beggar,
It makes no difference!
-Ashtavakra Gita 18:10-11
From "The Heart of Awareness
***
The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.
-Matthew 13: 33 (Revised Standard Version
***
Do not go after the past,
Nor lose yourself in the future.
For the past no longer exists,
And the future is not yet here.
By looking deeply at things just as they are,
In this moment, here and now,
The seeker lives calmly and freely.
You should be attentive today,
For waiting until tomorrow is too late.
Death can come and take us by surprise--
How can we gainsay it?
The one who knows
How to live attentively
Night and day
Is the one who knows
The best way to be independent.
-Bhaddekaratta Sutra
From "The Pocket Buddha Reader
***
God praises me, and I praise God. God worships me, and I worship God. In my existence, I confirm his existence; but insofar as I do not exist, I deny his existence. He knows me, and I know nothing of him; yet I also know and perceive him.
-Ibn Arabi, "Fusus al-hikam"
From "366 Readings From Islam
-
Guest
All beginnings require that you unlock a new door.
-Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav
***
Don't let your brain interfere with your heart.
- Albert Einstein
***
The offering of wisdom is better than any material offering … for the goal of all work is spiritual wisdom.
-Bhagavad Gita 4:33
Excerpted from The Bhagavad Gita
***
An act of meditation is actually an act of faith--of faith in your spirit, in your own potential. Faith is the basis of meditation. Not of faith in something outside you--a metaphysical buddha, an unattainable ideal, or someone else's words. The faith is in yourself, in your own "buddha-nature." You too can be a buddha, an awakened being that lives and responds in a wise, creative, and compassionate way.
-Martine Batchelor, "Meditation for Life"
Copyright Wisdom Publications 2001
***
We cannot love God unless we love each other.
-Dorothy Day
***
If you have no eyes, do not walk blindly;
take a staff in your hand.
If you have no staff of insight,
do not walk without a guide.
-Rumi, "Mathnawi"
Translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed
-Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav
***
Don't let your brain interfere with your heart.
- Albert Einstein
***
The offering of wisdom is better than any material offering … for the goal of all work is spiritual wisdom.
-Bhagavad Gita 4:33
Excerpted from The Bhagavad Gita
***
An act of meditation is actually an act of faith--of faith in your spirit, in your own potential. Faith is the basis of meditation. Not of faith in something outside you--a metaphysical buddha, an unattainable ideal, or someone else's words. The faith is in yourself, in your own "buddha-nature." You too can be a buddha, an awakened being that lives and responds in a wise, creative, and compassionate way.
-Martine Batchelor, "Meditation for Life"
Copyright Wisdom Publications 2001
***
We cannot love God unless we love each other.
-Dorothy Day
***
If you have no eyes, do not walk blindly;
take a staff in your hand.
If you have no staff of insight,
do not walk without a guide.
-Rumi, "Mathnawi"
Translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed
-
Guest
He who loses wealth loses much; he who loses a friend loses more; but he who loses his courage loses all.
-Miguel de Cervantes
***
It is vital that people "count their blessings": to appreciate what they possess without having to undergo its actual loss.
- Abraham Maslow
***
Give to the poor and become praiseworthy.
Life offers no greater reward than this.
Those who expound will always praise
people who bestow alms on the imploring poor.
-Tirukkural 24: 231-232
Excerpted from the Tirukkural
***
The purposes of God point to one simple end—that we should be as he is, think the same thoughts, mean the same things, possess the same blessedness.
-George MacDonald
***
Having put aside violence
against beings fearful or firm,
he neither kills nor
gets others to kill:
he's what I call
a brahmin.
-Dhammapada 405, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
***
He said, "My Lord is aware of every word uttered in the heaven and the earth. He hears all, knows all."
-Qur'an, Al-Anbiya, Surah 21:4
Translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed.
-Miguel de Cervantes
***
It is vital that people "count their blessings": to appreciate what they possess without having to undergo its actual loss.
- Abraham Maslow
***
Give to the poor and become praiseworthy.
Life offers no greater reward than this.
Those who expound will always praise
people who bestow alms on the imploring poor.
-Tirukkural 24: 231-232
Excerpted from the Tirukkural
***
The purposes of God point to one simple end—that we should be as he is, think the same thoughts, mean the same things, possess the same blessedness.
-George MacDonald
***
Having put aside violence
against beings fearful or firm,
he neither kills nor
gets others to kill:
he's what I call
a brahmin.
-Dhammapada 405, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
***
He said, "My Lord is aware of every word uttered in the heaven and the earth. He hears all, knows all."
-Qur'an, Al-Anbiya, Surah 21:4
Translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed.
All of the experiences we’ve gone through in life have brought us to where we are right now. When we look at the lessons learned, we understand that it’s all part of the process. We can’t change the past, and we can’t control the future, but we can live in this moment, aware and grateful for the person we are today.
-L Coffey
-L Coffey
-
Guest
If you have made mistakes, even serious ones, there is always another chance for you. What we call failure is not the falling down, but the staying down.
-Mary Pickford
***
If I am not for myself, who will be for me?
And if I am only for myself, what am I?
And if not now, when?
- Rabbi Hillel
From Agape
***
He fills the cosmos, yet he transcends it.
Those who know him leave all separateness,
Sorrow, and death behind. Those who know him not
Live but to suffer.
The Lord of Love, omnipresent, dwelling
In the heart of every living creature,
All mercy, turns every face to himself.
He is the supreme Lord, who through his grace
Moves us to seek him in our own hearts.
He is the light that shines forever.
-Shvetashvatara Upanishad
Excerpted from The Upanishads
***
We have been given God in our souls and Christ in our flesh. We have the power to believe where others deny, to hope where others despair, to love where others hurt.
-Brennan Manning, “The Ragamuffin Gospel”
***
Empty and calm and devoid of self
Is the nature of all things.
No individual being
In reality exists.
There is no end or beginning,
Nor any middle course.
All is an illusion,
As in a vision or a dream.
All beings in the world
Are beyond the realm of words.
Their ultimate nature, pure and true,
Is like the infinity of space.
-Prajnaparamita
From "The Pocket Buddha Reader,"
***
The Almighty Allah says,
"When a servant thinks of Me, I am near.
When he invokes Me, I am with him.
If he reflects on Me in secret, I reply in secret,
And if he acknowledges Me in an assembly,
I acknowledge him in a far superior assembly."
-The Prophet Muhammad, as reported by Abu Hurairah
Hadith translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed
***
-Mary Pickford
***
If I am not for myself, who will be for me?
And if I am only for myself, what am I?
And if not now, when?
- Rabbi Hillel
From Agape
***
He fills the cosmos, yet he transcends it.
Those who know him leave all separateness,
Sorrow, and death behind. Those who know him not
Live but to suffer.
The Lord of Love, omnipresent, dwelling
In the heart of every living creature,
All mercy, turns every face to himself.
He is the supreme Lord, who through his grace
Moves us to seek him in our own hearts.
He is the light that shines forever.
-Shvetashvatara Upanishad
Excerpted from The Upanishads
***
We have been given God in our souls and Christ in our flesh. We have the power to believe where others deny, to hope where others despair, to love where others hurt.
-Brennan Manning, “The Ragamuffin Gospel”
***
Empty and calm and devoid of self
Is the nature of all things.
No individual being
In reality exists.
There is no end or beginning,
Nor any middle course.
All is an illusion,
As in a vision or a dream.
All beings in the world
Are beyond the realm of words.
Their ultimate nature, pure and true,
Is like the infinity of space.
-Prajnaparamita
From "The Pocket Buddha Reader,"
***
The Almighty Allah says,
"When a servant thinks of Me, I am near.
When he invokes Me, I am with him.
If he reflects on Me in secret, I reply in secret,
And if he acknowledges Me in an assembly,
I acknowledge him in a far superior assembly."
-The Prophet Muhammad, as reported by Abu Hurairah
Hadith translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed
***
-
Guest
People who fight fire with fire usually end up with ashes.
-Abigail Van Buren
***
The wise man questions the wisdom of others because he questions his own, the foolish man, because it is different from his own.
- Leo Stein
***
There is merit in studying the scriptures, in selfless service, austerity, and giving, but the practice of meditation carries you beyond all these to the supreme abode of the highest Lord.
-Bhagavad Gita 8:28
Excerpted from The Bhagavad Gita
***
Christians should never fail to sense the operation of an angelic glory. It forever eclipses the world of demonic powers, as the sun does a candle's light.
-Billy Graham
***
The Lord taught a holy life
Not based on tradition,
For restraint and abandoning,
Leading to and merging in Nibbana.
This is the path followed by the great,
Pursued by the lofty sages.
Those who enter that course
As taught by the Enlightened One,
Heeding the Teacher's instruction,
Will make an end of suffering.
-Itivuttaka
From "365 Buddha: Daily Meditations,"
***
Seek self-discipline with all your soul. Devote yourself to worship and save your soul. Be grateful that God gave you the gift of self-discipline, for you had no power over it. He inspired it within you with the command, "Be!"
-Rumi, "Mathnawi"
Translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed
***
-Abigail Van Buren
***
The wise man questions the wisdom of others because he questions his own, the foolish man, because it is different from his own.
- Leo Stein
***
There is merit in studying the scriptures, in selfless service, austerity, and giving, but the practice of meditation carries you beyond all these to the supreme abode of the highest Lord.
-Bhagavad Gita 8:28
Excerpted from The Bhagavad Gita
***
Christians should never fail to sense the operation of an angelic glory. It forever eclipses the world of demonic powers, as the sun does a candle's light.
-Billy Graham
***
The Lord taught a holy life
Not based on tradition,
For restraint and abandoning,
Leading to and merging in Nibbana.
This is the path followed by the great,
Pursued by the lofty sages.
Those who enter that course
As taught by the Enlightened One,
Heeding the Teacher's instruction,
Will make an end of suffering.
-Itivuttaka
From "365 Buddha: Daily Meditations,"
***
Seek self-discipline with all your soul. Devote yourself to worship and save your soul. Be grateful that God gave you the gift of self-discipline, for you had no power over it. He inspired it within you with the command, "Be!"
-Rumi, "Mathnawi"
Translated by Aneela Khalid Arshed
***