Transcendence - 4
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Let me share some pearls of wisdom from a book.
Transcendence
My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swamiji
by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
with Arun Tiwari.
This is not a book review.
This article is just like
'key take away points' for me.
The book is divided in 4 parts. This article covers 4th part of the book.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 4 Evolution of Creative Leadership
25
Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers,
but to be fearless in facing them,
Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain, but
for the heart to conquer it.
Six basic fears in the order of their most common appearance :
1. fear of poverty
2. fear of criticism
3. fear of ill health
4. fear of loss of someone
5. fear of old age and
6. fear of death.
26
Moral excellence was more a matter of divine bequest
Body has five senses: touch, smell, taste, sight and hearing.
Soul has five qualities: intuition, peace, foresight, trust and empathy.
Self-giving to God's Will
Is without fail,
A slow-ripening
But most delicious fruit
27
The noble man, he says, will help others even with his bones, whereas the ignoble, governed by fear and greed, is completely worthless, and in a crisis will only sell himself
How could anyone wish to fatten himself by eating fat of other beings? Butchering is disgrace; and eating meat is senseless
Liquor does not differ from poison
Ethics, virtues, righteousness and purity indeed make a human different from the beast
We must be pure. I do not speak merely of the purity of senses. We must observe great purity in our wills, in our intentions - in all our actions.
The light of love, the purity of grace,
The mind, the Music breathing from (his) face,
The heart whose softness harmonized the whole -
And, oh! that eye was in itself a Soul !
Transcendence
My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swamiji
by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
with Arun Tiwari.
This is not a book review.
This article is just like
'key take away points' for me.
The book is divided in 4 parts. This article covers 4th part of the book.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 4 Evolution of Creative Leadership
25
Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers,
but to be fearless in facing them,
Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain, but
for the heart to conquer it.
Six basic fears in the order of their most common appearance :
1. fear of poverty
2. fear of criticism
3. fear of ill health
4. fear of loss of someone
5. fear of old age and
6. fear of death.
- Napoleon Hill (from his classic book 'Think and Grow Rich' 1937)
Man can create nothing which he does not first conceive in the form of an impulse of thought.
Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because the dawn has come.
- Rabindranath Tagore
May we be fearless, from friends and enemies, from known and unknown.
From night and day, may all the direction be our allies.
- From Atharva Veda (XIX, 15:6)
26
Moral excellence was more a matter of divine bequest
- Socrates
Body has five senses: touch, smell, taste, sight and hearing.
Soul has five qualities: intuition, peace, foresight, trust and empathy.
Self-giving to God's Will
Is without fail,
A slow-ripening
But most delicious fruit
27
The noble man, he says, will help others even with his bones, whereas the ignoble, governed by fear and greed, is completely worthless, and in a crisis will only sell himself
- Thiruvalluvar - A Tamil poet and philosopher. From book Thirukkural 1080
How could anyone wish to fatten himself by eating fat of other beings? Butchering is disgrace; and eating meat is senseless
- Thiruvalluvar - A Tamil poet and philosopher. From book Thirukkural 254
Liquor does not differ from poison
- Thiruvalluvar - A Tamil poet and philosopher. From book Thirukkural 926
Ethics, virtues, righteousness and purity indeed make a human different from the beast
We must be pure. I do not speak merely of the purity of senses. We must observe great purity in our wills, in our intentions - in all our actions.
- HDH Pramukh Swami Maharaj
The light of love, the purity of grace,
The mind, the Music breathing from (his) face,
The heart whose softness harmonized the whole -
And, oh! that eye was in itself a Soul !
- Lord Byron (English Poet)
There is more than enough good to go around. There are more than enough create ideas. There is more than enough power, love, joy.
28
Access to higher consciousness is the purpose of human evolution, and non-violence is the means to access the higher consciousness.
Eight measures of self realization
1. Smyak gyan: Appropriate knowledge
2. Smyak darshan: Appropriate philosophy
3. Smyak charitra: Appropriate conduct
Five great vows for appropriate conduct
4. Ahimsa: non-violence
5. Satya: truthfulness
6. Asteya: not stealing
7. Bhramacharya: abstinence
8. Aprigriha: No possessions
Forgiveness is ultimately gift to ourselves. Only through forgiveness can wounds heal.
The truth is, unless you let go - unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over - you cannot move forwards
30
The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others.
28
Access to higher consciousness is the purpose of human evolution, and non-violence is the means to access the higher consciousness.
Eight measures of self realization
1. Smyak gyan: Appropriate knowledge
2. Smyak darshan: Appropriate philosophy
3. Smyak charitra: Appropriate conduct
Five great vows for appropriate conduct
4. Ahimsa: non-violence
5. Satya: truthfulness
6. Asteya: not stealing
7. Bhramacharya: abstinence
8. Aprigriha: No possessions
- Vardhman Mahaveer (Jainism)
- English: One world family
- Sanskrit: Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
- Tamil: Every country is my own and all the people are my kinsman. Purananuru Tamil poem in 300-100 BC
- Unity (tawhid) has 3 categories: Unity of God, Unity of religion and Unity of mankind, in Ahmadiya Muslim community
- "The earth is one country, and mankind its citizens" - Baha'ullah (founder og Bahai faith) in book "Tablet of Maqsud"
- Ubuntu - prominent philosophy of South Africa means 'humanness' 'humanity towards other' ' the belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity'
Everything is connected and non-violence is an expression of this interconnection.
29
As I walked out of the door towards the gate that would lead to my freedom, I know if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison.
- Dr. Nelson Mandela (while coming out prison after 27 years)
Great peacemakers are all people of integrity, of honesty, and of humility.
- Dr. Nelson Mandela
The weak can never forgive, Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong
- Mahatma Gandhi
Forgiveness is ultimately gift to ourselves. Only through forgiveness can wounds heal.
The truth is, unless you let go - unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over - you cannot move forwards
30
The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others.
- Albert Schweitzer
If you are serious about your health, think and take most concern for your peace of mind.
- Dalai Lama
Compassion has three components
1. cognitive: I understand you
2. affective: I feel for you
3. motivational: I want to help you
- Thupten Jinpa (eminent Tibetan scholar and translator of Dalai Lama)
True renewal relies on three key elements
1. Mindfulness
2. Hope
3. Compassion
i have just three things to teach
1. simplicity
2. patience
3. compassion
These three are your greatest treasures.
1. Mindfulness
2. Hope
3. Compassion
i have just three things to teach
1. simplicity
2. patience
3. compassion
These three are your greatest treasures.
- HDH Pramukh Swami Maharaj
31
Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this motion: the potential for greatness lives within each of us.
- Wilma Rudolph (African-American sprinter)
Vision without action is merely a dream
Action without vision just passes the time;
but vision with action can change the world.
32
We must reprogramme ourselves to understand that cooperation is a higher principle than competition.
The senses are not always reliable. Infinite intelligence does not err.
Quite time spent in reflection, a life of rigour and austerity; simple service does at any place to help the poor, the deprived, the disadvantaged and the disabled - and aiding animals and the environment - are method by which infinite intelligence may be most readily contacted.
Let us make our planet more liveable!
Epilogue
What a dream I had! I thought.
Or is this the dream into which I have not woken?
0 comments:
Post a Comment