I am an avid reader, and often come across wonderful
articles and quotes in my reading. I have collected some of my favorites
here:
Hinduism
Explanation of Hinduism by Sri Aurobindo. I really like how he captured
the spirit of Hindu philosophical and spiritual exploration here.
Moses
and the Shepherd
A wonderful poem by Jalaluddin Rumi, the great Sufi mystic. So many
things to say about this! But the basic ideas of sadhana bhakti and
sadhya bhakti are here, as well as the necessity of mumukshutva, and
the central realization that there is only God.
Practical Spirituality
Swami Vivekananda's lectures on practical vedanta. I appreciate the
beauty here so much more after having listened to Swamiji.
However, Swami Vivekananda's first essential point here is something
that I have always used as a guide in my quest to know the truth. He
says, for any religion to be useful as anything other than intellectual
gymnastics, it must be intensely practical. If it does not practically
apply to our lives, it is useless.
Quotes
from 6th Grade
My favorite list of quotes from when I was in sixth grade... I have
left it almost exactly as it was.
Prologue
to Anandamath
The prologue to Anandamath, by Bankim Chandra Chaterjee. This is the
book that Vande Mataram first appeared in. A stirring novel, with interesting
plot twists and ironies... but what stood out the most is the spirit
of fearless sacrifice. The prologue deals with the nature of what a
real sacrifice is.
Alchemy
An excerpt from The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho. So many aspects
of this book speak to what I have learned of the truth... this excerpt,
of the boy turning himself into the wind, is one of the more amazing...
I don't want to spoil it for those of you who haven't read it, so I
won't go into the Vedantic interpretation, but feel free to email me
if you have read it.
Excerpts
from the poetry of John Keats
Some
people say that though Shakespeare was perhaps the greatest english
poet, Keats most embodied the soul of poetry.
Excerpt
from Paradise Lost
The immortal
work of John Milton. This speech by Lucifer in Paradise Lost,
is perhaps one of the works of english literature I admire most. I memorized
it in 10th grade, and I've treasured it since. The line, 'the mind in
its own place, and in itself/can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven'
was long my favorite quote.
Wine
and Melting Snow
Two more poems by the Sufi master Jalaluddin Rumi. The first, The
Many Wines, deals with the different forms of happiness, but recommends
only the limitless, the bliss of God. How do we get it? Satsang - by
drinking from the prescence of the realized masters. The second poem,
Melting Snow, is an equally beautiful work, describing the foolishness
of searching for what is already with you. How beautifully he expresses
it though!
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