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"It came to me as an intuition - does it matter what you call it? - as a message deeply felt but inexplicable by outward evidences.
"The prophets lay down certain rules and regulations to help the masses lead better lives and to incline them towards God. Gradually these rules become the tenets of an organized religion, but the idealistic spirit and motive
force which prevail during the founder's lifetime, disappear gradually after his death. That is why organizations cannot bring spiritual truth nearer and why true religion is always a personal concern.
Whoever desires to grasp this treasure - let him search for it. That is the only way, but it is the right way.
"Animals know how to rest themselves, but not many men have this knowledge.
This is because animals are guided by instinct, which is the voice of Nature,
while men are guided by thei...
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"God is everywhere. How can one limit Him to one's own self? He supports the entire universe."
Practise meditation regularly; contemplate the higher things with love in your heart; think often of the soul and that will help to bring you to it. The best time to practise is the hour of waking; the next best time is the hour of twilight.
I perceive with sudden clarity that the intellect creates its own problems and then makes itself miserable trying to solve them.
"There is only one thing to be done. Look into your own self. Do this in the right way and you shall find the answer to all your problems."
"Why should you trouble yourself about the future?" demands the sage. " You do not even properly know about the present! Take care of the present; the future will then take care of itself."
First, find out the truth behind yourself; then you will be in a better position to understand the truth behind the world, of which yourself is a part."
"You have to ask yourself the question, Who am I? This investigation will lead in the end to the discovery of something within you which is behind the mind. Solve that great problem, and you will solve all other problems thereby."
"Man's real nature is happiness. Happiness is inborn in the true self. His search for happiness is an unconscious search for his true self. The true self is imperishable; therefore, when a man finds it, he finds a happiness which does not come to an end."
"The sense of ' I' pertains to the person, the body and brain," replies the Maharishee calmly. " When a man knows his true self for the first time, something else arises from the depths of his being and takes possession of him. That something is behind the mind; it is infinite, divine, eternal. Some people call it the kingdom of heaven, others call it the soul, still others name it Nirvana, and we Hindus call it Liberation; you may give it what name you wish. When this happens a man has not really lost himself; rather, he has found himself."
"Unless and until a man embarks upon this quest of the true self, doubt and uncertainty will follow his footsteps throughout life. The greatest kings and statesmen try to rule others, when in their heart of hearts they know that they cannot rule themselves. Yet the greatest power is at the command of the man who has penetrated to his inmost depth.
be protected throughout their troubles and even saved from great dangers." "And how does one obtain such protection?" "By prayer, by keeping a child-like nature when one turns towards the Almighty, and by remembering Him not on one's lips, but in one's heart, especially before one begins any action.
"Exactly. We Hindus talk glibly of religion in order to cover up a lot of things which have nothing to do with religion.
The trouble is that for the first fifty years or so a religion is pure and vital. Later it degenerates into a mere philosophy; its followers become talkers - not religiously-living men. Finally it descends, for its last and longest phase, into the arms of hypocritical priests. In the end, hypocrisy becomes accepted as religion." I gasp at ,such straightforward admissions.
The greatest error of a man is to think that he is weak by nature, evil by nature. Every man is divine and strong in his real nature. What are weak and evil are his habits, his desires and thoughts, but not himself."
"Pursue the enquiry 'Who am I ? ' relentlessly. Analyse your entire personality. Try to find out where the I-thought begins. Go on with your meditations. Keep turning your attention within. One day the wheel of thought will slow down and an intuition will mysteriously arise. Follow that intuition, let your thinking stop, and it will eventually lead you to the goal."
