For God’s Sake

Posted in Ongoing on August 7, 2008 by Brighter Day

“A man with a terrible voice was reciting the Qu’ran.  A religious man who was passing by said: ‘Whis is your salary?’

‘Nothing,’ the reciter said.

‘Why do you then give yourself all this trouble?’

‘No trouble.  I do it for God’s sake.’

‘For God’s sake don’t do it!’   from Sa’di

Wisdom

Posted in Ongoing with tags , , on August 5, 2008 by Brighter Day

“To neglect wisdom will lead to failure in life.  The teachings of all religions should center here, for without wisdom there is no reason.  This truth is not for the hermit alone; it concerns every human being, priest and layman alike.”  Buddha

Thus spoke Zoroaster

Posted in Ongoing with tags , , , , on August 4, 2008 by Brighter Day

“In the Name of God.  I praise good thoughts, good words, and good deeds and those that are to be thought, spoken, and done. I do accept all good thoughts, good words, and good deeds. I do renounce all evil thoughts, evil words, and evil deeds.”  Zoroaster, Avesta 1:4

What Remains?

Posted in 1, Ongoing with tags , , on July 28, 2008 by Brighter Day

“Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.  And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overchanged with surfeiting (indulgence of the appetite or senses), and drunkeness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.” Jesus, g. St. Luke

Solitude

Posted in Ongoing with tags , , on July 14, 2008 by Brighter Day

“It is when a man is alone, away from the influence of other men and their acts, that he can work on himself.  It is in solitude that he must correct his thoughts, driving out the bad and stimulating the good.”  Leo Tolstoy

Oneness of the Soul

Posted in 1, Ongoing on July 7, 2008 by Brighter Day

“Know ye why We have created you all from the same dust?  That no one should exalt himself over the other.  Ponder at all times in your hearts how ye were created.  Since we have created you all from one same substance it is incumbent on you to be even as one soul, to walk with the same feet, eat with the same mouth and dwell in the same land, that from your inmost being, by your deeds and actions, the signs of oneness and the essence of detachment may be made manifest Such is My cousel to you, O concourse of light!  Heed ye this counsel that ye may obtain the fruit of holiness from the tree of wondrous glory.” from the scriptures of the Baha’i Faith

A Serene Spirit

Posted in 1, Ongoing with tags , , , on July 5, 2008 by Brighter Day

“A serene spirit accepts pleasure and pain with an even mind, and is unmoved by either.  He alone is worthy of immprtality.”  Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita

Self Knowledge

Posted in 1, Ongoing with tags , , on July 4, 2008 by Brighter Day

“A bumptious man dismissed a dervish by shouting at him: ‘Nobody knows you here.’

‘But I know myself,’ the dervish replied.  ‘How sad it would be if the reverse were true.’ “  Rumi

True Faith

Posted in Ongoing with tags , , , on July 2, 2008 by Brighter Day

“True faith is not a fruit of security, it is the ability to blend mortal fragility with the inner strength of the spirit.  It does not shift with the changing shade of one’s thought.”  Helen Keller

A Pure Heart

Posted in 1, Ongoing with tags , , , on June 29, 2008 by Brighter Day

“A pure heart is as a mirror; cleanse it with the burnish of love and severence from all save God, that the true sun may shine within it and the eternal morning dawn.”  Baha’i Scripture

Beauty of the Soul

Posted in 1, Ongoing with tags , , , on June 28, 2008 by Brighter Day

“Give me beauty in the inward soul; and may the inner and the outer be at one.  May I consider wisdom to be wealth, and let me have only as much gold as a temperate man and only he can bear and carry.  This prayer, I think, is enough for me.”  Socrates

Free Will

Posted in Ongoing with tags , , , on June 27, 2008 by Brighter Day

Rumi on Free Will

“If a camel driver beats a camel, the animal goes after the driver’s life, not his stick.  So even a camel has a hint of man’s free will.”

Nearness to God

Posted in Ongoing with tags , , , on June 21, 2008 by Brighter Day

” He who dwells united with God, calm in mind, not grieving, not craving, regarding all men with equal acceptance: He loves me most dearly. ” Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita

Behavior

Posted in Ongoing with tags , , , on June 19, 2008 by Brighter Day

“Behavior is a mirror in which every one displays his image.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Speech

Posted in Ongoing with tags , , , on June 18, 2008 by Brighter Day

“Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.” Bible, Proverbs 17