Beyond Birth and Death

When God assumes human form and is behind you, before you and beside you, speaking to you and moving with you, and allowing you to cultivate attachment of various kinds with Him, you do not recognise Him. We should not be misled into the belief that He is just human and nothing more. We generally forget the Truth. The Divine proclaims, "I am not a mass of flesh and blood; I am not a bundle of desires which the mind is; I am not the heap of delusion which the imagination is; I am the Paramaathma (Supreme Soul), the Origin and the End. I am the urge within you, the knowledge that you seek as a result of the urge, of your own self.”

-       Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Non-Violence

Buddhism

All fear violence. All are afraid of death. Seeing the similarity to oneself, one should not use violence or have it used.

-          the Buddha

Christianity

Do not take revenge on someone who wrongs you. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

-          Matthew 5:39

Hinduism

Non-injury to others (physical and mental) is prescribed as virtue in personal conduct.

-         Bhagavad Gita 13:7

Jainism

Non-violence is the highest religion.

-          Lord Mahavir

Sikhism

If thou seekest thy God, break not the heart of another.

-          Farid

Devi Suktam (from the Devi Mahatmya)

‘Devi’ is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘Goddess’. The Devi Mahatmya is a Hindu text that literally translates as the ‘Glory of the Goddess’. It is the celebration of feminine aspect of Divinity as the all-pervasive force that manifests through forms tangible and subtle, the Creator inseparable from Creation.

Salutations to Devi, who abides in all beings as the Power of Lord Vishnu. Salutations to her, again and again.

Salutations to Devi, who abides in all beings as the Eternal Consciousness. Salutations to her, again and again.

Salutations to Devi, who abides in all beings as Intelligence. Salutations to her, again and again.

Salutations to Devi, who causes Sleep in all beings. Salutations to her, again and again.

Salutations to Devi, who causes Hunger in all beings. Salutations to her, again and again.

Salutations to Devi, who abides in all beings as their Shadow. Salutations to her, again and again.

Salutations to Devi, who manifests as Energy in all beings. Salutations to her, again and again.

Salutations to Devi, who causes Thirst in all beings. Salutations to her, again and again.

Salutations to Devi, who abides in all beings as Forgiveness. Salutations to her, again and again.

Salutations to Devi, who abides in all beings as Genus. Salutations to her, again and again.

Salutations to Devi, who abides in all beings as Modesty. Salutations to her, again and again.

Salutations to Devi, who abides in all beings as Peace. Salutations to her, again and again.

Salutations to Devi, who abides in all beings as Faith. Salutations to her, again and again.

Salutations to Devi, who abides in all beings as Beauty. Salutations to her, again and again.

Salutations to Devi, who abides in all beings as Wealth. Salutations to her, again and again.

Salutations to Devi, who abides in all beings as Activity. Salutations to her, again and again.

Salutations to Devi, who abides in all beings as Memory. Salutations to her, again and again.

Salutations to Devi, who abides in all beings as Compassion. Salutations to her, again and again.

Salutations to Devi, who abides in all beings as Contentment. Salutations to her, again and again.

Salutations to Devi, who abides in all beings as the Mother. Salutations to her, again and again.

Salutations to Devi, who abides in all beings as Delusion. Salutations to her, again and again.

Salutations to Devi, the Ruler of all the elements and all the senses. Salutations to her, again and again.

Salutations to Devi, who pervades the whole Universe, and abides in all beings as the animating Consciousness. Salutations to her, again and again.

Mothers

“When you are a mother you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.” - Sophia Loren

 “A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.” - Tenneva Jordan

“The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new.” - Osho

“God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers.” - Jewish Proverb

“A man loves his sweetheart the most, his wife the best, but his mother the longest.” - Irish Proverb

“Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother.” - Oprah Winfrey 

“It kills you to see them grow up. But I guess it would kill you quicker if they didn’t.” - Barbara Kingslover

“On Mother’s Day I’ve written a poem for you. In the interest of poetic economy and truth, I have succeeded in concentrating my deepest feelings and beliefs into two perfectly crafted lines: You’re my mother, I would have no other!” - Forest Houtenschil

International Academy of Kindness

The province of Cebu in the Philippines received an unusual gift – a bronze monument called ‘Dandelion’. The art piece was donated by a well-known Russian artist, Gregory Pototsky. He is also the head of the International Academy of Kindness that has installed over 60 monuments in various countries. The monument ‘symbolizes the fragility of friendship, love and kindness’. He had also given an earlier gift to Philippines in gratitude for President Elpidio Quirino’s aid to 6,000 Russian refugees in 1951.

The artist says that the academy was founded when he and some friends reached the conclusion that the only solution to many of life’s problems is simple kindness. He cites himself as living proof, recalling his days in Stalin’s GULAG, where people survived merely on the benevolence of one another. The mission of the IAK is to both promote solving conflict with compassion, and to support individuals and organizations that follow humanistic principles, because “only kindness and gratitude can save the world and make it a better place.”

The Dhammapada [Translation by Gil Fronsdal]

‘The Dhammapada’ is the principal spiritual scripture of the Theravada tradition. It’s an anthology of 423 verses that were originally written in Pali. These verses were compiled by the early disciples of the Buddha, who transcribed from memory the essence of their Master’s message – the path to liberation. Liberation in two senses - freedom from rebirth upon dying, as well as living in wisdom in the present life.

Gil Fronsdale has divided his translation of the Dhammapada into twenty-six chapters. Some excerpts:

“Irrigators guide water;

Fletchers shape arrows;

Carpenters fashion wood;

Sages tame themselves.”

(from ‘The Sage’)

“Through many births

I have wandered on and on,

Searching for, but never finding,

The builder of [this] house.

To be born again and again is suffering.

House-builder, you are seen!

You will not build a house again!

All the rafters are broken,

The ridgepole is destroyed;

The mind, gone to the Unconstructed.

Has reached the end of craving!”

(from ‘Old Age’)

Gil Fronsdale’s elegant translation of the Buddha’s doctrine evinces his training in the Zen tradition, as well his academic credentials. He is both a practitioner and teacher of Vipassana, who received his Ph.D in Buddhist Studies from Stanford University.