Harmful Addictions 

Indian wisdom. Sayings from fables, poems, treatises of ancient India

India is a country with a huge cultural heritage. Indian wisdom and culture has had (and continues to have) an impact not only on neighboring countries, but also on other states located far from it.

India is a country with a long history and rich culture. Probably, in no other country so many sages, philosophers and educators were born

Until now, India has a caste system of society, thanks to which Indian culture retains all its traditional values.


Unlike Western countries, where people strive for external achievements, the people of India direct all their energy to self-knowledge and self-development of the individual.

For example, Indian wisdom says:

  • "To conquer oneself is the best means of not being defeated"
  • “Great minds discuss ideas. Middle - discuss events. Small - people "
  • "The inconsolable is comforted by the past, the feeble-minded by the future, the wise by the present"
  • “Do not boast when you are about to leave, but boast on the way back”
  • “If danger cannot be avoided, what is the use of cowardice, which will not protect you anyway?”
  • “The fool fusses with might and main, having started a trifle; the smart one remains calm, undertaking great things "
  • “There is no trace of a bird in the air and a fish in the water - such is the path of the virtuous”

India is a real spiritual laboratory, where the mystery of life, the inner world and the subtle human soul have been studied for centuries.

Indian wisdom about relationships:

  • “To control yourself, use your head. To treat others, use your heart."
  • "Giving advice to a fool is only to anger him"
  • “If someone betrayed you once, it is their fault. If someone betrays you twice, it's your fault."
  • "Write grievances in the sand, carve good deeds in marble"
  • "The world is full of joy for one who looks at everyone without enmity and prejudice"
  • “Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to experience them all."

Indian wisdom about life:

"Truth is what people believe"
"A wise man evaluates according to his own judgment, a fool trusts rumors"

“A woman shines - the whole house shines, a woman is gloomy - the whole house is plunged into darkness”
“You can catch a tiger in the thicket, a bird in the sky, a fish in the depths of the waters, but you cannot catch the fickle heart of a woman”


"Women are scientists by nature, men are from books"
“A child is a guest in your home. Feed, learn and let go"

“When it comes to giving advice to others, everyone is a storehouse of wisdom. When you need to follow these tips yourself, then the wise man is no smarter than a fool.
“The decoration of a person is wisdom, the decoration of wisdom is calmness, the decoration of calmness is courage, the decoration of courage is gentleness”

“Happiness itself finds its way to a strong spirit”

She married early, barely graduating from college. She gave birth to one child, and a year later another. There was simply no time left for a career, own hobbies and hobbies. All the time in cooking, washing, cleaning ... And not to say that she did not like it or that the family was unhappy, no. The sons grew up healthy and joyful, because their mother took care of them. They became the meaning of life for her.

That's just the moment when the children grew up. One left to study in another country, and the other decided to build his own family and moved to live with a girl in a separate apartment. And at that very moment, her life collapsed. After all, she had nothing left. Bottom line: she is lonely, broken and her life has become empty, and in the heart of the children there is a constant feeling of guilt for her loneliness.

A little different story. She became pregnant by a man who did not need them and decided to raise this child for herself. The boy was always surrounded by care and love. Mom herself dragged everything on herself, trying to provide her son with a wonderful life, forgetting about herself, about her personal life and dreams.

She succeeded, he grew up a successful boy, only with a sense of indebtedness. Bottom line: He's 50, single, no kids, still living with his mom trying to pay off his debt. It just won't work.

And another one. Her life did not work out very well: her career did not go uphill (although she did not particularly strive), the prince did not meet, and the children, accordingly, did not appear. And the number in the passport was already approaching 40. So she decided to have a baby so that she would have at least something in her life. With the hands of her child, she wanted to realize all the plans that she herself could not bring to life.

She so wanted to become a pianist, but her own mother forbade her to do so. So from an early age she took the child to a music school and waited for him to get her an asterisk from the sky. But the child did not like the piano, he hated it with all his heart.

But she couldn't argue with her mother. After all, “mother put her whole life on you” and this was the reason for everything. As a result, the child never got the “star from the sky”, but rather, on the contrary, became an infantile adult without any ambitions. But he can play the piano.

How many such stories? How many times have parents sacrificed their lives for the sake of their children, for their bright future, and only made things worse for themselves and their children? You can't even count them, there are millions of them. And all because of the fact that parents make children - the meaning of life. This is just completely wrong...

Problems of parents and children

Indian wisdom says: "A child is a guest in your house". This must be remembered by every parent at all times. A child is not your property, he is a person who has his own life, his own hobbies, goals, dreams. The duty of the parents is to provide him with a happy childhood, to give him the essentials, and to let him go when the time is right. Child in the life of parents- not the center of the universe.


That's just to provide - it means to give what you can, and not to sacrifice everything, if only the child gets all the best. These sacrifices are not needed, the children do not need them. And if you do this, then the children should not even guess about it. After all, reproaching them for what you gave them, you nurture in them a sense of guilt, a sense of duty that they need to return.

That's just Do children owe parents? In my humble opinion, no, they shouldn't. We ourselves decide to have children. But why are we doing this? For them to implement what we failed to do? To take care of us in old age? Agree, it's pretty selfish. It seems to me that, first of all, all this is done in order to give a new life to this world, in order to experience the happiness of motherhood or fatherhood.

Pope Francis once said: “The parents of Jesus went to the temple to confirm that their son belongs to God and that they are only protectors of His life, not owners. It makes us think: all parents are protectors of children's lives, not owners."

And on the other side of all this is your life. Becoming a parent does not stop you from being a person. Your interests, your personal life and your dreams are no less important than caring for a child. Never forget about it.

You should not live only for the sake of children, you should not make them the meaning of life. Find the meaning of life in another. Love your soul mate, the children will leave, but you will stay together. It is not worth neglecting the family and the relationship between you and your chosen one.

Love yourself. When you were a child, what did you dream about? Now, remember this. Make your dreams come true, try to find what you like. After all, how else can you teach a child to love himself and achieve goals?

Please don't live for the kids. Of course, this is your choice, your business and no one has the right to tell you what is right. But think about it ... Now, when I see these children, to whom their parents gave everything and even more, it hurts me to look into their eyes. Guilt of those who cannot repay this irredeemable debt to their parents. The broken heart of those who decided to build their lives, but still cannot forgive themselves for leaving their parents.

And this should not be, children should not feel guilty for deciding to build their own life. After all, how else can they find their happiness? Nobody says that you should not love your children - love them with all your heart, give them happiness and joy, just remember that guardianship can be excessive. And also that children will grow up sooner or later and they will have to be released from this care.

As Cooper, the hero of my favorite sci-fi movie, said: "Parents become ghosts of their children's future". And I think every parent needs to think carefully about these words. What kind of ghost do you want to become for your children: a heavy burden or a bright memory?

What do you think about this? Share with us in the comments.

Quote message Great names of India

I really liked this article, I decided to take it for myself, now I know whose books I should focus on. I copied the article to myself, although the photos on the site were very small ... I had to collect from all over the Internet :)


1. Helena Blavatsky (1831-1891)

The founder and first president of the Theosophical Society, Helena Petrovna Blavatsky is one of the most mysterious women of the 19th century. A Russian noblewoman, traveler and medium, she had an irresistible interest in mysticism since childhood. Traveling from the age of 17 to different countries, including Tibet, she has been working since the beginning of the 70s on the creation of a universal theory that generalizes the existing esoteric teachings. In 1875, together with Colonel Henry Olcott, he created the World Theosophical Society, which has been located in Adyar (Madras) since 1879 to this day. She was the first to attempt to make a religious-philosophical synthesis of the spiritual teachings of all ages and peoples. She presented her ideas in the books Isis Unveiled (1875), The Secret Doctrine (1888) and others. On May 8, 1891, she left her body, having managed to convey her ideas to her successor, Annie Besant. At present, the Theosophical Society numbers up to 200 thousand people in more than 50 countries of the world.

“...H.P. Blavatsky, truly, our national pride, the Great Martyr for Light and Truth. Eternal glory to her! (E. Roerich)

2. Ramakrishna (1836-1886)

An outstanding thinker, mystic and sage of the 19th century, Sri Ramakrishna (Gadadhar Thakur) was born into a very poor Brahmin family. He was a pujari (priest) in the temple of Kali on the banks of the sacred Ganges in Dakshineswari (Bengal). Having repeatedly experienced the ecstatic states of samadhi and, having gone through numerous mysteries and trials, he came to the conclusion that all people are children of one Mother, and all spiritual traditions are paths to the one Truth, to one God.

This is how his “Universal Gospel” was born, with which he begins his preaching of a “universal religion”, which had a profound influence on the spiritual development of the West. Around 1874, having completed his cycle of religious experiences, Ramakrishna, in his words, acquired three miraculous fruits of knowledge: "Compassion, Piety and Self-denial." Since 1879, students began to appear with him. He is very strict in their choice, he demands from the disciples, first of all, to cleanse themselves of selfishness. His task is to kindle in their hearts true mercy - a love that extends to everyone and is not limited to anything. Ramakrishna is preparing his disciples to create an all-powerful society, a brotherhood... On Sunday, August 15, 1886, despite a painful sore throat, he talked to the last minute with his beloved disciple Vivekananda. He passed away with the name of Mother Kali. The Sage and the great Teacher passed away...

3. Annie Besant (1847-1933)

Irish by origin, Annie Besant went from a materialist to a Theosophist and later became the President of the Theosophical Society. The meeting in 1889 with Helena Petrovna Blavatsky completely changed her worldview. “I remember her with passionate gratitude and the reverence of a student,” she writes about Blavatsky. Traveling to India in 1891, she helped revive the work of the Theosophical Society, which became even more popular. After serving as president of the society for 26 years, she also heads the Indian National Congress from 1917 to 1923. Besant is the author of dozens of works, including "Ancient Wisdom", "The Path to Initiation", "Esoteric Christianity", "The Laws of Higher Life", "Lectures on Theosophy" and many others. Annie Besant left the earthly plane of being on September 20, 1933 in Adyar.

4. Shirdi Sai Baba (1852[?]-1918)

Where and when Sri Sai Baba was born, who were his parents, is shrouded in mystery. It is said that he first appeared as a 16-year-old boy who chose a place for himself at the foot of a sacred tree near the village of Shirdi (Maharashtra) and remained there meditating for three years. His fame as a yoga spread throughout the area, and after a while his followers recognized his divinity. He lived in a ruined mosque, which he called the "Dwarkamayi Mosque". Not only Hindus, but also Parsis, Sikhs, Muslims and even Christians came to him for help and blessing. Until now, many consider Sai Baba to be the reincarnation of Kabir and the incarnation of Daitatreya. He constantly maintained a burning fire (dhuni) and used to distribute ashes (vibhuti) to his devotees as a miraculous cure for diseases and a magical elixir for inner transformation. Shirdi Sai Baba, who left his body in 1918, remains a living spiritual force today, attracting people from all walks of life and from all corners of the world.

5. Vivekananda Swami (1863-1902)

An outstanding philosopher, educator and preacher of Hinduism in the West, Narendranath Dutt, who received the name Vivekananda, was born into an aristocratic family in Bengal. He received an excellent education at Calcutta University. At the age of seventeen, out of curiosity, he paid a visit to Ramakrishna, who immediately recognized him as his future spiritual son. The next time the Master touched Naren into a trance. But only four years later, having experienced a deep spiritual crisis, Vivekananda finally joins the Teacher. Once, during meditation, Narendranath experiences an ecstatic state of deep samadhi of great power, from which he brings out one of the brightest truths: "Every human soul is potentially divine and every Human can realize God in himself." After Ramakrishna's departure for mahasamadhi in 1886, 16 of his disciples decided to unite in a community, taking the names of Swami. Narendranath was named Swami Vivekananda. He founds the Ramakrishna Mission, leads and expands its influence through his skill as a leader and preacher. After some time, Vivekananda undertakes a walking pilgrimage through India, visiting holy places and temples. The idea of ​​future service is taking shape in his mind - to convey the spiritual ideas of the East to the rational West. In the spring of 1893, he went to America for the World Congress of Religions. He speaks there about the unification of all religions, about human brotherhood, calls for the unity of all mankind. Having traveled all over America with lectures, he gets acquainted with her life and, horrified, subjected to withering criticism the cruel and selfish way of Western life, the hypocrisy and hypocrisy of Christian leaders. In March 1896, he read his brilliant course "Philosophy of Vedanta" at Harvard University, where he was awarded the title of professor of philosophy. His life is expiring, the great work in the world is coming to an end. Ramakrishna and Vivekananda were the first to awaken Indian consciousness. He said: “If you want to serve God, serve man! What other God would you like to find? Why look for it far if it is spread all around? God is in people, in animals, in every trembling petal.” He passed away at the age of 39...

6. Helena Roerich (1869-1955)

Elena Shaposhnikova (daughter of architect Ivan Shaposhnikov and niece of composer Modest Mussorgsky), went down in history not only as a companion, inspirer and wife of Nicholas Roerich (since 1901), but also as a spiritual leader, ascetic and philosopher, co-author of "Living Ethics" . She was an extraordinarily gifted woman - a talented pianist and author of many books, including The Foundations of Buddhism and a translation of Blavatsky's The Secret Doctrine, possessed clairvoyance and clairaudience. From 1907 to 1909 The Roerichs are increasingly immersed in the study of India and Tibet, they are especially interested in the legend of Shambhala. In 1923 Elena Ivanovna and Nikolai Konstantinovich set off on a trans-Himalayan expedition, which lasted for 5 years and 25,000 km. During the expedition, rare manuscripts and manuscripts, collections of objects of religious cults were collected. The Roerichs create an institute called "Urusvati", which means "Light of the dawn". Elena Ivanovna becomes the honorary president of the Institute and its soul. Here she writes all the books of the Agni Yoga series, a teaching that combines the ancient wisdom of the East with the philosophical and scientific achievements of the West and provides a means of in-depth self-knowledge. Helena Ivanovna Roerich believed that peace on Earth was necessary for the continuous process of spiritual evolution and called on people to help achieve peace by finding a common language in the consciousness of Beauty and Truth. She left the earthly plane on October 5, 1955 in Kalimpong (Sikkim). Her body was cremated and her ashes were buried in a stupa facing Kanchenjunga, her favorite Himalayan peak.

7. Nicholas Roerich (1874-1947)

"Roerich" in translation from Old Norse means "rich in glory." An outstanding thinker, artist, scientist and traveler, Nikolai Roerich was born in St. Petersburg, where he received a law degree. However, he devoted his entire life to ethnography, philosophy and painting. His heritage as a philosopher is known as "Living Ethics", the esoteric symbol of which was the "Banner of Peace" - three circles: past, present and future in the ring of Eternity. His cultural heritage is hundreds of paintings reflecting the highest spiritual state of Man and the World, which adorn dozens of galleries in many countries. He spent the last 20 years of his life in the town of Naggar (Kullu Valley), where the Urusvati Himalayan Research Institute founded by the Roerichs still operates today.

8. Sri Aurobindo (1872-1950)

Arobindo Akroyd Ghosh, an outstanding yogi, revolutionary and public figure, poet and philosopher, was born in Calcutta in the family of a Bengali doctor. From the age of seven, he studied in England - first in Manchester, then in Cambridge - where by the age of twenty he had studied seven European languages. Returning to his homeland in 1893, he teaches at a college, writes poetry and, while studying the philosophical foundations and spiritual traditions of India, "finds God." From 1902, he was actively involved in the revolutionary struggle for the independence of India, for which in 1908 he was imprisoned. It is here that he experiences the state of samadhi - connection with the omnipresent. Realizing the importance of spiritual sadhana, he breaks with politics, leaves for Pondicherry and devotes himself entirely to yoga, which he would later call "Integral Yoga". The Ashram is founded here, the philosophical monthly Arya is published for six and a half years, and on November 24, 1926, Aurobindo achieves enlightenment and moves away from the outside world. The further life of Sri Aurobindo, up to the mahasamadhi on December 5, 1950, takes place in a grandiose spiritual work to prepare humanity for a conscious transformation. The leadership of the Ashram is entrusted to his associate - Mirra Alfassa, who later became known to the whole world as the Mother. The collection of Sri Aurobindo's works includes about thirty volumes, the most famous of which are "The Divine Life", "The Hour of God", "The Spiritual Evolution of Man", "The Synthesis of Yoga", the poem "Savitri", etc.


9. Mother (1878-1973)

Mother - Mirra Alfassa Richard - was born in Paris in the family of a banker. A talented musician and artist, when she was still a child, she involuntarily entered meditative states, in one of which she “saw” a stranger for the first time, subsequently recognizing Aurobindo in him. So Mirra, without suspecting it herself, began her spiritual practice from the age of five. In 1905 she left for Algeria, where she studied occultism for 2 years and deepened her spiritual experience. Returning to Paris, she marries the writer and publicist Paul Richard. Arriving in Pondicherry in 1914 and seeing Aurobindo, she recognizes in him her spiritual teacher, who appeared to her in childhood. In 1916-20. Mirra in Japan, where he studies the culture and traditions of the country. In 1920 she returned to Pondicherry and remained in India forever. Since 1926, the entire management of affairs and the Ashram falls on her shoulders. Seeing in her the embodiment of the divine Shakti, Sri Aurobindo gives her the name "Mother", by which she is now known all over the world. After the departure of the Teacher, she continues to embody his ideas. The Ashram is growing rapidly and gaining international fame, and in 1968. on the initiative of the Mother, under the auspices of UNESCO, the "City of the Future" - Auroville, is being laid, where the spiritual teachings of Sri Aurobindo should be realized in practice. Auroville is an international commune that welcomes people from all over the world who wish to dedicate themselves to the divine transformation of human consciousness and spirit. On November 17, 1973, at the age of 95, Mother left her body.

10. Ramana Maharshi (1879-1950)

“The most outstanding,” according to Paramahansa Yogananda, “saint of the 20th century,” ascetic, enlightened mystic and philosopher Venkataraman Aiyar was born in the vicinity of Madurai. At the age of 17, while studying at the Lyceum, he experienced an ecstatic state of his own death. Shortly thereafter (in 1896), an inner voice ordered him to leave everything and retire to a cave on the slope of the sacred mountain Arunachala, considered one of the first manifestations of Shiva on earth. Although he was very young, his mind was so open that he was soon recognized by the Teacher - Guru and named Maharshi (lit., "great sage"), and his disciples created an ashram. The Maharshi is certainly a representative of Advaita Vedanta. Its main method is meditative self-examination: reflection on the question “Who am I?”. In order to comprehend the Truth and manifest pure atma, the disciple must first of all calm his mind and give up attachments. There is nothing in the world that could exist on its own and everything is only a projection of the One “I”. Dying, Ramana told his friends: “You are too much associated with the body. They say that I'm dying, but I'm not going to leave. Where could I go? I am!". The Ashram of Sri Ramana Maharshi is located in Tiruvanamalai (230 km from Madras). Near the ashram is one of the largest temple complexes in India, dedicated to the divine couple, Shiva and Shakti.

11. Sivananda Swami (1887-1963)

One of the most famous modern yoga philosophers, a saint and a sage, was born on September 8, 1887 in a family descending from famous rishis and sadhus, one of whom was Appai Dikshita. An early intention to study the foundations and traditions of Vedanta, as well as compassion and a desire to serve all people, led him to receive a medical education. After a short period of work in Malaysia, he returned to India in 1924 and stayed in Rishikesh, a city of yogis located on the banks of the Holy Ganges. Sivananda (lit. "bliss of the Almighty") is aware of his mission as a service to man, full of self-denial and asceticism. In 1932 he founded the Ashram, in 1936 the Divine Life Society, and in 1948 the Forest Academy of Yoga and Vedanta. After taking action in 1950. brilliant journey through India and Sri Lanka, Sivananda convenes the "World Parliament of Religions". On July 14, 1963, Swami Sivananda entered Mahasamadhi, leaving behind over 300 books and hundreds of disciples of various nationalities, religions and beliefs. His Ashram is now run by Swami Chidananda and Swami Krishnananda.

12. Paramahansa Yogananda (1893-1952)

The world famous yogi, mystic and enlightened Master Mukunda Lal Ghosh was born in Gorakhpur. Since childhood, he experienced ecstatic states and mystical visions. At the age of 8, he fell ill with Asian cholera, and received healing and enlightenment by experiencing a trance while contemplating a photograph of Yogavatara - Lahiri Mahasaya. Sri Yukteswar becomes his teacher, who initiates the young man into kriya yoga - one of the methods of reuniting with divine reality. In 1915, after graduating from Calcutta University, he entered the ancient monastic order "Swami", where he received the name Yogananda (the second monastic title - Paramahansa (literally - "perfect swan" - the charioteer of Brahma the Creator) - bestows on him in 1935 Guru Sri Yukteswar). In 1917 Yogananda founded his school and ashram in Ranchi. At the age of 27, he received an invitation to take part in the International Religious Congress in Boston (USA). Here he remains for several years, giving public lectures and speaking to thousands of audiences in many major cities. His religion is the unity of all religions, his method is the internal transformation and expansion of the divine consciousness. Yogananda establishes the Self-Realization Society, which attracts tens of thousands of followers. He entered mahasamadhi on March 7, 1952. The incorruptibility of his body after death is proof of his realization and perfection. His “Autobiography of a Yogi”, published in many languages ​​in thousands of copies, became for many, as well as for the author of these lines, a kind of breakthrough into another reality, into a different worldview, into the world of the Divine Spirit.

13. Jidu Krishnamurti (1895-1986)

The fate of Krishnamurti is unique. Born into a poor Brahmin family in Madanapali, he spent his childhood in Adyar, near Madras, where in 1909 he was noticed by Charles Webster Leadbeater, one of the leaders of the Theosophical Center. Struck by the young man's abilities, he decides that Jidu is the new Teacher of the world, the Buddha of the future - Maitreya, and introduces him to the chairman of the society - Annie Besant. In 1911, Annie Besant, having decided to make Krishnamurti the Messiah, establishes the "Order of the Star of the East", determining its leader. In 1929, he dissolved the society, which by that time had tens of thousands of members, declaring that no organization is needed to realize the Truth, and the true task of a person is to free oneself from fears, attachments and ignorance, for which only inner Freedom is needed ...

It is very difficult to talk about Krishnamurti, you need to read it with empathy and feeling inside that humanity is united in its most complex and eternal problems, which must be solved in this life, solved here and now! The outstanding thinker and philosopher Jidu Krishnamurti left a huge number of lectures, conversations and lyrical improvisations, including on audio and video.

14. Swami Prabhupada (1896-1977)

The founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, philosopher and preacher Abhay Charan De, who received the name Prabhupada in 1933, was born in Calcutta. In 1947 he was given the title "Bhaktivedanta" in recognition of his learning and devotion to God. In 1959, Prabhupada takes the vow of a sannyasin, devotes himself to scientific knowledge and literary work. In 1965 he went to the USA, where he founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, which in a few years grew to a huge organization, including more than a hundred ashrams, temples and agricultural communities. Prabhupada's most monumental work is the Bhagavata Purana. The place of samadhi is Vrindavan.


15. Indra Devi (1899-2002)

The recently departed, world famous only woman who was given the status of yoga was our compatriot - Evgenia Vasilievna Labunskaya. The fate of this woman is amazing: fatal accidents, fantastic coincidences, amazing meetings - with Krishnamurti and Mahatma Gandhi, N. Roerich and Tagore ... She was born in 1899 in Riga. She was a student of Fyodor Komissarzhevsky and performed at the Blue Bird Theater in Berlin. Then, in 1929, he left for India, where he taught dancing, starred in the movie "Arab Knight" and stayed here for 25 years. It was then that she changed her name to Indian - Indra Devi (Indra - as the daughter of J. Nehru, and Devi - means "goddess"). She is studying yoga in Mysore under the eminent Master Shri Krishnamachari. In the late 1940s, he moved to Los Angeles, where he opened a yoga school in Hollywood. Movie stars Greta Garbo, Gloria Swanson, Jennifer Jones become her students... From her pen come the books Yoga: A Health and Happiness Technique, Yoga for All, Eternal Youth, Eternal Health, which become bestsellers and are translated into dozens of languages ​​... Speaking in 1990 with Molchanov in the “Before and after midnight” program, she ends the meeting with the words: “Say every one to yourself: I am light and love, I am peace and tranquility, a divine spark burns in my heart, and therefore I will give light and love to everyone I meet. And those who love me, and those who do not love me. May your will be done! Amen".

16. Mother Teresa (1910-1998)

Ranked as a saint, Nobel Peace Prize winner (1979) and founder of the Catholic monastic order "Mission of Mercy", Agnes Gonja Boyadzhiu was born in Skopje (the capital of Macedonia, Yugoslavia) in a wealthy family. After finishing school, she decided to go as a missionary to India. From 1929 to 1948 she taught geography and history at St. Mary's School in Calcutta, where she learned Hindi and Bengali. In May 1937, she took a monastic vow and took a new name, becoming Teresa. In 1946, on her way to Darjeeling, she had a mystical experience when she heard the words, "Go and live among the poor, and I will be with you." From that moment on, she decides to leave the monastery and turns to the Pope with a request to create an order of mercy. Having received permission, she opens the first home for the dying in Calcutta, Nirmal Hridaya - Pure Heart. Her path is the path of practical service to Christ, manifested in every person, her law is the Christian commandment "Love your neighbor as yourself." Over the 50 years of its existence, the nuns of the order have helped more than 70,000 people. On September 5, 1997, Mother Teresa's heart stopped.

17. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (b. 1911)

The creator of the TM technique and one of the most popular Gurus in the West, Mahesh Prasad Varma was born in Uttarkashi into a wealthy tax collector family. After receiving a master's degree in physics from Allahabad University in 1942, he is fond of ancient Indian literature, studies Sanskrit and becomes a student of Swami Brahmananda Saraswati in Kedarnath. For 13 years he has been studying and serving in the sacred temple of Shiva, located in the Himalayas at an altitude of 3600 m. Here he also develops his technique of transcendental meditation (TM). After two years of Himalayan hermitage, he returns to the world - first to Kerala, and then Mahesh, who by this time was called Maharishi - "the great sage", lectures in many cities of India, Singapore and Hawaii. In 1959 he went to the USA, where he founded an international society, and after a while, Maharishi University, which combined the mastery of TM with academic subjects. By the end of the 80s, he already had tens of thousands of student teachers and more than a million people mastering the TM technique. He himself, following the vows of a sannyasin, preaches the idea that Man himself is a source of creative energy, happiness and peace.

The most outstanding person who appeared on the Planet in the 2nd millennium - Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba was born on November 23, 1926 in the small village of Puttaparthi, in the state of Andhra Pradesh in southern India. His birth was accompanied by signs, and according to many scriptures and the prediction of astrologers, he was destined to become the savior of mankind. At birth, he was given the name Satya Narayana Raju. His childhood, full of extraordinary miracles, passed in front of many people. And now many of his peers testify to the extraordinary love and compassion of little Sathya for all living things. In May 1940, at the age of 14, it was revealed to him that he was the incarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi. Sai Baba of Shirdi lived the life of a Muslim saint and left his body in 1918, predicting that he would be reborn 8 years later. In October 1940, Sathya declared himself Sathya Sai Baba and announced that he was leaving his parents as devotees were waiting for him. The task and mission of Sai Baba is to revive in people the desire for spirituality, the desire to live in love and mutual assistance, instead of hatred and enmity. “The restoration and establishment of Righteousness (Dharma) is my goal, the unification of mankind into one family is my task,” says Sathya Sai Baba. He teaches that man must realize his divine nature and understand that God dwells in everyone's heart. In order to realize his divinity, a person must follow in his life universal human values: Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Love and Nonviolence. Love manifests itself in a person's life only when he destroys his ego - the feeling of "I", "me" and "mine". Until that happens, he remains self-centered and selfish. The path of spirituality is a movement from selfishness to self-giving. Swamiji says that he did not come to found a new religion, not to convert people to Hinduism or impose his teaching on them - no one needs to change their faith, because there is Truth in everyone, you just need to realize it! He calls on all people to break out of the material world that absorbs our souls and remember their high destiny. Sai Baba wants us to respond to the call of love, start our spiritual path and not stop until the goal is reached.

Sathya Sai Baba works tirelessly for the benefit of people. In India, under his leadership, free schools, colleges and universities were founded and operate, in which attention is paid not only to academic success, but also to the formation of character, the development of morality and spirituality. As a result of his concern for sick people, a modern hospital was built in Puttaparthi, and a cardiology center was built in Bangalore, where treatment is free. He is also in charge of a project to supply drinking water to about 700 communities in the arid regions of South India.

Ashram of Sai Baba bearing the name "Prashanti Nilayam" or "Place of the highest Peace", is located in Puttaparthi, 160 km north of Bangalore. On its territory there is the Sai Kulwant hall, where meetings with the Teacher take place and several temples, hotel complexes and canteens, the Museum of All Religions and a concert hall, a shopping complex and a clinic. Next to the Ashram are the University, the Sai institutes and schools, the stadium, the Jyoti Chaitanya Museum, the planetarium, the Meditation Tree, as well as a huge modern hospital and airport.

What is happening in the Ashram is difficult to describe in words. It can be said that a person’s heart opens here or the consciousness expands, and the divine spirit, which most people do not manifest most often, begins to wake up. In Puttaparthi, you can meet Japanese and Australians, Argentines and Estonians, or, for example, the Queen of Belgium and the Prime Minister of Greece, the King of Nepal and the wife of the President of Kazakhstan. , Ernst Muldashev, Boris Grebenshchikov and many, many others.

19. Satprem (b. 1923)

One of the first philosophical books about India to appear in Russian after years of stagnation were the books of Satprem. He was born in Paris and spent his childhood in Brittany, devoting all his free time to sailing along the coast. During World War II, he became a member of the French Resistance, was captured by the Gestapo and imprisoned in a concentration camp. At that time he was only 20 years old. He spent a year and a half in Buchenwald and Mauthausen, was released in 1945 ... During his imprisonment, he experienced deep emotions.

“Everything lost its value,” the author recalls, “there was absolutely nothing left, everything in me was destroyed, broken, destroyed ...”. In this atmosphere of “continuous, continuous horror”, “endless inner expanses” and “the strength that helped to survive” opened up to him.

Feeling “no reality” in everything that surrounded him in post-war life, not seeing any meaning in family, work, career, or business, “What else could the West offer me?” - he goes on a journey: first to Egypt, and then to India, where he first saw Sri Aurobindo, but did not stay in his ashram, "because," Satprem said, "then any walls seemed like a prison to me." He leaves for South America, where he spends a whole year in the jungles of Guiana (which served as material for writing his first novel, The Gold Digger), then goes to Brazil, and from there to Africa. In 1953, he returned to India and became a mendicant sannyasin (wandering monk) practicing Tantrism (the impressions and experiences of this time formed the basis of his second novel, The Body of the Earth). The meeting with the Mother, a collaborator of Sri Aurobindo, radically changed his life: “Mother conquered me,” the author recalls. He gives himself completely to the service of the Mother. He dedicates his first work, Sri Aurobindo, or the Journey of Consciousness, to Sri Aurobindo, and then his second book, written in the same spirit, Towards Superhumanity. For nineteen years he was close to the Mother (it was she who gave him the name Satprem, i.e. "one who knows how to truly love"), becoming her confidant and a witness to personal conversations recorded by him (later, an interesting document was compiled from them in 13 volumes - "Mother's Agenda. Chronicle of the supramental impact on the Earth"). Long-term communication with her gave impetus to writing a trilogy about the Mother (1. "Divine Materialism"; 2. "A New Kind"; 3. "Mutation of Death"), and then the fiction story "Gringo", which takes place in the jungle, and, finally, the last work: "The Mind of Cells", which presents the essence of the Mother's discovery: a change in the genetic program and a different, new vision of death.

At present, Satprem lives without active social contacts, does not engage in social and literary activities, devoting himself entirely to continuing the work begun by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother.

20. Sri Chinmoy (b. 1931)

The famous philosopher, musician, poet and artist was born in Bengal. From the age of 12, after the death of his parents, he was brought up in the ashram of Aurobindo. His life of spiritual practice included meditation for up to 14 hours a day, writing poems and songs, playing sports, and serving. In 1964 he moved to New York. Sri Chinmoy teaches that spirituality is not an escape from the world, but a means of transforming it, he emphasizes the non-religious nature of his doctrine and preaches the "Way of the Heart", which is the simplest path of spiritual development. Part of his selfless service are the Peace Meditations he has led since 1970 at the United Nations in New York. Known as the "ambassador of peace" Chinmoy is the initiator of the World Peace Runs (every two years since 1987). He has written hundreds of books (the most famous are "Meditation", "The Peak - Aspiration", "The Beyond Within"). He is the creator of several thousand mystical paintings, which he calls "Fountain Art". The master wrote more than a thousand spiritual songs and compositions for musical instruments. Sri Chinmoy Centers currently exist in over 50 countries around the world.


21. Osho Rajneesh (1934-1990)

Shri Rajneesh or Osho is one of the most controversial personalities of the 20th century. A professor of philosophy, a mystic and an enlightened Master for some, for others, a notorious destroyer of ancient traditions, a "spiritual terrorist" and a "sex guru". Chandra Mohan Rajneesh was born in Kushwad (Madhya Pradesh) into a wealthy Jain family. March 21, 1953, while studying at the Faculty of Philosophy of Jabalpur University, he experienced, in his words, "enlightenment." After completing his studies, he taught philosophy for nine years. Traveled extensively in India. Rajneesh saw the main mistake of religions and meditative practices in that they take a person away from earthly life, offering a certain spiritual world. The creator of his own mystical direction, Osho (literally, “dissolved in the ocean”), offers to overcome “earthly passions” through their intense experience. Through the power of his Love, Rajneesh inspires thousands of people to break out of their conditioned past and live freely, seeing life as a flow, as a game, lived fully and consciously. “My goal,” he says, “is to encourage you to look for the causes of your own unhappiness and to help you find the source of joy and divinity that is within you.” In 1974, he organized his own ashram in Pune, and in 1981, a commune in Origon (USA). After a series of lawsuits and a short prison sentence in 1987, he returned from America to Pune. A particular target of Osho's public disapproval is the idea of ​​total freedom that he allowed his students to go totally and deeply into all the experiences of life. Such freedom, especially in the consideration of sex, was the main reason for the opposition to Rajneesh in India. He also argues that the overcoming of life's passions cannot be achieved through their denial or suppression. A person must experience them, realize them, surpass them. At the same time, he imposes the strictest restriction on the passion for perfect freedom: "I give you total freedom to experience with only one condition - be vigilant, be observant, be conscious, control your feelings, passions and states." January 19, 1990 Osho leaves his body, but his Ashram in Pune and more than 300 thousand of his followers continue to implement the ideas of the Master today.

22. Dalai Lama XIV (b. 1935)

Lobsang Tenzin Gyatso is the current spiritual leader of the Buddhists of Tibet and the territories located in the zone of Tibetan civilization (Mongolia, Buryatia, Tuva, Kalmykia, Bhutan, etc.). He was born in 1935 in the town of Tengster, Amdo Province (Eastern Tibet) into a peasant family. At the age of two, in accordance with the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, he was recognized as the reincarnation of his predecessor the Dalai Lama XIII and, like all Dalai Lamas, the earthly incarnation of Avalokitesvara - the Buddha of Compassion. The title "Dalai Lama" is of Mongolian origin and translates as "Ocean of Wisdom". The Tibetans usually refer to their leader as Yeshe Norbu - "Jewel of Wishing" or Kundun - "Presence". Starting at the age of six, the Dalai Lama received a traditional Buddhist education and at the age of 25 was awarded the title of Geshe Lharamba (the highest degree of Doctor of Buddhist Philosophy). After China's invasion of Tibet (1949-1950), he took over all power in Tibet. After the suppression of a popular uprising in Lhasa in 1959, he emigrated to India, where he was granted political asylum. Since that time, he has been permanently located in Dharamasala (Himachal Pradesh), where the Tibetan government-in-exile is located. He actively participates in international political life, advocating the transformation of Tibet into a zone of ahimsa (non-violence) with the subsequent demilitarization of the region. Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize (1989), he is also the author of over 50 books on Tibetan Buddhism, including: My Land and My People (1962), Buddhism of Tibet (1991), Freedom in Exile » (1992).

23. Haidakhan Babaji (1970-1984)

Sri Haidakhan Vale Baba (Babaji), revered as another mahavatara of Shiva himself, miraculously, in the guise of an 18-year-old boy, appeared in 1970 at the foot of the Kumaon Mount Kailash. He appeared endowed with divine wisdom and power to restore Sanatana Dharma - the law of Truth and righteousness. For several years, he performed many “miracles”: he healed people, brought the dead back to life, satiated many with a small amount of food. During his mission, nine temples and several ashrams were built on earth, the main of which is located near Rainikhet. The doctrine he offered to his disciples is a life of truth, simplicity and love, the practice of karma yoga and concentration on the mantra "Om Namaha Shivaya".


24. Swami Vishwananda (b. 1978)

Spiritual Master Swami Vishwananda was born in 1978 on the island of Mauritius to an Indian family. From early childhood, he showed a desire for spirituality and an extraordinary interest in religious traditions. From childhood, he lived, consciously feeling the presence of God and the Saints. Over time, the unique personality of the Master began to attract many people who came to him in search of advice or blessings. After completing his studies, he fully devoted himself to the mission of a spiritual teacher and accepted invitations to visit various countries in Africa, Europe and other parts of the world.

A special love connects Swamiji with Jesus Christ and His teachings, imbued with humility and unconditional love. The natural ease with which Swami Vishwananda combines elements of Western religious tradition and the spirituality of Hinduism enables people to experience a very personal touch with the Divine, regardless of their culture, gender or age.

"We are all brothers and sisters, and we are all descended from the same God. Our true nature, hidden behind the emotions and worries of everyday life, is our soul, our own true Self. In order to achieve external unity with all our brothers and sisters, we must achieve unity within ourselves, the unity of body, mind and soul.We must accept and love ourselves as we are now, with our physical body, emotions and thoughts - and at the same time strive for our Soul "Humanity needs to remember that all people came from the same source, and that they will all return back to the same source."

Text:

http://ashram.ru/

http://www.bhaktimarga.ru/index.php

All photos from the Internet))

When you are happy, you want the whole world to know about it. However, happiness, as you know, grows well only in silence, away from envious eyes. No wonder there is such a Russian proverb: “What you boast about, you will remain without it.” Besides happiness, there are other things in life that are better left unsaid.

1. Your plans

No, this, of course, is not about the intention to buy a juicer or go to the cinema tomorrow (although sometimes it is better to leave such trifles out of the equation), but about more global things. Plans, especially far-reaching ones, should not be trumpeted until they have taken on more or less real features, and even better, until they have been realized. There are several reasons for this precaution: firstly, plans are often just ideas that easily perish under the pressure of someone else's criticism and skepticism, and secondly, having received a portion of approval, a person, most likely, will already put them into practice with less zeal.

2. Good deeds

In Christianity, all the good that you do must be done in secret. And then, according to the word of the apostle, "Your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly." This is absolutely true for the bearers of any other religion. A man who boasts on every corner of his patronage and help does not cause admiration, but contempt. Already, the good deeds themselves become for him just food for a self-satisfied “ego” and an occasion for posturing. Indian sages say that nothing kills charity like pride.

3. Asceticism

You should also be silent about how strict your lifestyle is. Abstinence in sleep, food, sexual life is a useful thing, but only if it is in alliance with the emotional component.

4. Courage and heroism

The inner trials we experience are no less valuable than the outer trials. However, the former are visible to people with the naked eye, while the latter remain secret. Why should they be silent about them? Here it is necessary to say especially. On the one hand, you already received a reward in the form of wisdom and experience, and on the other hand, this will protect you from excessive pride and bragging. It thunders, as they say, that which is empty from the inside.

5. Spiritual knowledge

What you can accommodate is not for everyone. You should not delude yourself. Your internal changes will already be reflected in your life, so whatever they are, keep everything inside.

6. Problems in the family

If you are a wife, keep silent about your husband's shortcomings in front of your friends and relatives. If you are a husband, do not say anything bad about your wife. You will not resolve conflicts in this way, but people will not have the highest opinion of your loved ones. That family is strong, where rubbish is not taken out of the hut.

7. About other people's misdeeds and negativity

You can stain your shoes, or you can stain your soul. The soul becomes dirty from gossip, from retelling someone's impartial actions, from condemnation, from ugly words. If you have witnessed something like this, let that negativity die in the silence of your soul. Don't spread this infection any further.

According to the expression of the classic, silence is good, safe and beautiful.

India is a true spiritual laboratory of mankind. Over the past four or five thousand years, she has directed all her enormous energy and ingenuity to the deepest and most subtle study of the inner life of man, and not to the expansion of external space.

Hindus talk about the law of Karma, the law of Cause and Effect. Every thing and phenomenon, everything that happens is a consequence of what was before, and the cause of what will be after. Indian philosophy also speaks of Dharman, the Law that governs the universe and all its inhabitants; it also teaches that there is Sadhana - the meaning of life and the predetermined path along which this meaning manifests itself.

The theme of reincarnation, or reincarnation, is revealed most clearly and definitely in India. This theory offers answers to questions that have always been of concern to man: will there be something after death? Will we live again?

To control yourself, use your head; To treat others, use your heart.

If someone betrayed you once, it is his fault; If someone betrays you twice, it's your fault.

God gives food to every bird, but He does not throw it into its beak.

He who loses money loses a lot; He who loses a friend loses more; Whoever loses faith loses everything.

The tongue weighs practically nothing, but very few people can hold it.

When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; When health is lost, something is lost; When reputation is lost, all is lost.

Learn from the mistakes of others. It is impossible to live long enough to experience them all for yourself.



When the last tree is cut down, when the last tree is poisoned
the last river, when the last bird is caught, only then
you will understand that money cannot be eaten.

In the first year of marriage, the newlyweds looked at each other and thought,
can they be happy. If not, they said goodbye and looked for themselves
new spouses. If they were forced to live together in
disagree, we would be as stupid as the white man.

You can't wake up a man who pretends
sleeping.


The Great Spirit is imperfect. He has a light side and a dark side.
Sometimes the dark side gives us more knowledge than the light side.


Look at me. I am poor and naked. But I am the leader of my people. We don't
wealth is needed. We just want to teach our children to be
right. We want peace and love.


Even your silence can be part of prayer.

The white man is greedy. In his pocket he carries a linen rag into which
blows his nose as if afraid he might blow his nose and
miss out on something very valuable.


We are poor because we are honest.


Knowledge is hidden in every thing. The world was once a library.


My son will never take up farming. The one who works for
earth, does not see dreams, and wisdom comes to us in dreams.

We don't want churches because they will teach us to argue about God.


When a person prays for one day and then sins for six, the Great Spirit
angry, and the Evil Spirit laughs.



Why do you take by force what you cannot take with love?


The old days were wonderful. Old men sat under the sun at the threshold
home and played with the children until the sun
them to sleep. The old people played with the children every day. And in some
moment they just did not wake up.


When the legend dies and the dream disappears, there is no
greatness.


What is a man without animals? If all animals are exterminated,
man will die of great loneliness of spirit. Everything that happens to
beasts, happens to man.


One “take” is better than two “I will give”.



Don't walk behind me, maybe I won't lead you. Don't go ahead
I may not follow you. Come along and we will
in one piece.