Swami Vivekananda on troubles and tribulations

This is an excerpt from a letter  written by Swamiji to Deewan Sahibji in May 1893.

Often and often, we see that the very best of men even are troubled and visited with tribulations in this world; it may be inexplicable; but it is also the experience of my life that the heart and core of everything here is good, that whatever may be the surface waves, deep down and underlying everything, there is an infinite basis of goodness and love; and so long as we do not reach that basis, we are troubled; but having once reached that zone of calmness, let winds howl and tempests rage. The house which is built on a rock of ages cannot shake.

Ramakrishna's practice of Christianity and Islam

 At a time when the nineteenth century was just seeing the rise of “comparative study of religions” in the modern sense, Ramakrishna ventured into verifying the major religions of the world with the touchstone of experience. He embarked upon experiencing God in and through the paths laid down in the different religions. From now on for more than a decade he was to pass through many a fiery ordeals. He had earlier realized Rama as an incarnation of God. Now he underwent the difficult Tantric disciplines and realized the Divine Mother; then through the path of knowledge he attained the acme of Vedantic realization, a state in which he remained absorbed for almost six months; then he realized God through the path of Islam, and also vindicated the path of Christianity by having a vision of Jesus and realizing him to be an incarnation of God. He would take up one path, remodel himself according to its needs, and see s end; and then he would take up the next, and so on; one after the other lie experientially researched the different paths to God. Finally, his more- than-a-decade long trailblazing experiential researches in religion made him declare, “As many faiths, so many paths.” He pronounced. (Western Disciples of Sri Ramakrishna)

Merry Christmas : Swami Vivekananda on Jesus and Christianity

The Messenger came to show the path: that the spirit is not in forms, that it is not through all sorts of vexations and knotty problems of philosophy that you know the spirit. Better that you had no learning, better that you never read a book in your life.
These are not at all necessary for salvation--neither wealth, nor position nor power, not even learning; but what is necessary is that one thing, purity.

"Blessed are the pure in heart," for the spirit in its own nature is pure. How can it be otherwise? It is of God, it has come from God. In the language of the Bible, "It is the breath of God." In the language of the Koran, "It is the soul of God." Do you mean to say that the Spirit of God can ever be impure?
But, alas, it has been, as it were, covered over with the dust and dirt of ages, through our own actions, good and evil. Various works which were not correct, which were not true, have covered the same spirit with the dust and dirt of the ignorance of ages.

It is only necessary to clear away the dust and dirt, and then the spirit shines immediately. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." "The Kingdom of Heaven is within you." Where goest thou to seek for the Kingdom of God, asks Jesus of Nazareth, when it is there, within you? Cleanse the spirit, and it is there. It is already yours. How can you get what is not yours? It is yours by right. You are the heirs of immortality, sons of the Eternal Father.
(Christ the Messenger: Delivered at Los Angeles, California on January 7, 1900)

Godliness in worldliness

I tell you the truth: there is nothing wrong in your being in the world. But you must direct your mind toward God; otherwise you will not succeed. Do your duty with one hand and with the other hold to God. After the duty is over you will hold to God with both hands. - Sri Ramakrishna

Mooji on relationship with a true master

A relationship with a true master or guru is not an easy one, but every day it becomes sweeter and more beautiful as your heart and mind open up to truth. I remember when I met my master, Papaji, there was also some fear coming up inside me, but I knew it was a healthy kind of fear.
There is always a part of the mind that wants to tame people or win them over so they don’t threaten you. You play to be nice, sexy, clever or entertaining. You try everything to be loved and accepted. We are both attracted to and intimidated by the sense of 'other' but the master is not an 'other', he is the pure reflection of one’s own real being. He doesn’t allow any room for your mind-play. Suddenly, in his presence, you feel like you are the ‘other’—a stranger to what is natural and true. The shallowness of ego comes up involuntarily and you will feel out of your depth. In that moment, the pain of not being who you truly are becomes unbearable.
Now the old tricks, the old currency doesn't work here.
It is like having a pocketful of Euros in the middle of the Sahara desert. There is no value for it here and something feels deeply uncomfortable.
This, in fact, is the greatness of the real master.
A defining moment: You must either run away with your loot of fool’s gold or choose freedom.
A true seeker feels that deep energetic discomfort within, but recognises it to be a great opportunity, a chance for freedom from the tyranny of the false. Though they may be trembling in their socks, they say ‘yes’ with trust and courage and enter the master’s presence and grace.
There is nothing to be afraid of really. In fact, the master is not the cause of your discomfort. Such presence only exposes the disharmonies of the ego and invites the seeker to choose liberation.

~ Mooji

www.mooji.org

Swami Vivekananda: The Christ and Buddha Within

Christs and Buddhas are simply occasions upon which to objectify our own inner powers. We really answer our own prayers.

It is blasphemy to think that if Jesus had never been born, humanity would not have been saved. It is horrible to forget thus the divinity in human nature, a divinity that must come out. Never forget the glory of human nature. We are the greatest God that ever was or ever will be.
Christs and Buddhas are but waves on the boundless ocean which I am. Bow down to nothing but your own higher Self. Until you know that you are that very God of gods, there will never be any freedom for you.
(Recorded by a disciple Miss S.E.  Waldo, Complete Works, Volume 7, Inspired Talks)

Ramakrishna on Meditation

Repeat God’s name and sing His glories, and keep holy company; and now and then visit God’s devotees and holy men. The mind cannot dwell on God if it is immersed day and night in worldliness, in worldly duties and responsibilities; it is most necessary to go into solitude now and then and think of God. To fix the mind on God is very difficult, in the beginning, unless one practices meditation in solitude. When a tree is young it should be fenced all around; otherwise it may be destroyed by cattle. 

- Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

Osho on understanding fear

“The question is not of getting rid of anything; the question is only of understanding. Understand fear, what it is, and don’t try to get rid of it, because the moment you start trying to get rid of anything, you are not ready to understand it – because the mind which thinks to get rid of is already closed. It is not open to understand, it is not sympathetic. It cannot contemplate quietly; it has already decided. Now the fear has become the evil, the sin, so get rid of it. Don’t try to get rid of anything.
“Try to understand what fear is. And if you have fear, then accept it. It is there. Don’t try to hide it. Don’t try to create the opposite. If you have fear, then you have fear. Accept it as part of your being. If you can accept it, it has disappeared already. Through acceptance, fear disappears; through denial, fear increases.”

Osho, The Book of Secrets, Talk #60
www.OSHO.com

J Krishnamurthi on fear

Fear Is Non-acceptance of What Is:

Fear finds various escapes. The common variety is identification, is it not?,identification with country, with society, with an idea. Haven't you noticed how you respond when you see a procession, a military procession or a religious procession, or when the country is in danger of being invaded? You then identify yourself with the country, with a being, with an ideology.There are other times when you identify yourself with your child, with your wife, with a particular form of action, or inaction. Identification is a process of self-forgetfulness.So long as I am conscious of the "me" I know there is pain, there is struggle, there is constant fear. But if I can identify myself with something greater, with something worthwhile, with beauty, with life, with truth, with belief, with knowledge, at least temporarily, there is an escape from the "me", is there not? If I talk about "my country" I forget myself temporarily, do I not? If I can say something about God, I forget myself. If I can identify myself with my family, with a group, with a particular party, with a certain ideology, then there is a temporary escape.

Do we now know what fear is? Is it not the non-acceptance of what is? We must understand the word acceptance. I am not using that word as meaning the effort made to accept. There is no question of accepting when I perceive what is. When I do not see clearly what is, then I bring in the process of acceptance. Therefore, fear is the non-acceptance of what is.

- J. Krishnamurti, The Book of Life