O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
— Francis of Assisi
Interesting Spiritual Masters quotations
"Why is everyone here so happy except me?" "Because they have learned to see goodness and beauty everywhere," said the Master. "Why don't I see goodness and beauty everywhere?" "Because you cannot see outside of you what you fail to see inside."
The things of nature are the Lord's silent ministers, given to us to teach us spiritual truths. They speak to us of the love of God and declare the wisdom of the great Master Artist.
When a pure devotee or spiritual master speak, what he says should be accepted as having been directly spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the Parampara System.
The experiences are so innumerable and varied, that the journey appears to be interminable and the Destination is ever out of sight. But the wonder of it is, when at last you reach your Destination you find that you had never travelled at all! It was a journey from here to Here.
The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool. If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority.
A monk asks:Is there anything more miraculous than the wonders of nature?The master answers:Yes, your awareness of the wonders of nature.
You are made in the image of what you desire.
There was a famous Zen master whom people would seek out to become enlightened.
He was strict and would occupy people with things having nothing to do with seeking enlightenment. You see, that is the only way to achieve enlightenment; by not focusing on achieving it. Then, one day it will just come to you.
Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master.
Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.
A life is either all spiritual or not spiritual at all.
No man can serve two masters. Your life is shaped by the end you live for. You are made in the image of what you desire.
If you went to live in the Himalayas and everyone was lovely there, I'm sure it would be fairly easy to be a spiritual master.
Meditation is not a means to an end. It is both the means and the end.
Your duty is to Be, and not to be this or that.
We can become the masters of our own destinies by practicing self-discipline and by setting worthy goals that will lead to higher ground so that we can become what our heavenly father wants us to become.
What I know of the divine sciences and Holy Scriptures, I learned in woods and fields. I have no other masters than the beeches and the oaks.
A soul mates purpose is to shake you up, tear apart your ego a little bit, show you your obstacles and addictions, break your heart open so new light can get in, make you so desperate and out of control that you have to transform your life, then introduce you to your spiritual master.
On the path of Love we are neither masters nor the owners of our lives.
We are only a brush in the hand of the Master Painter.
Since ancient times, spiritual masters of all traditions have pointed to the Now as the key to the spiritual dimension. Despite this, it seems to have remained a secret.
How can one know who his spiritual teacher is?.
..His heart looks at the spiritual Masters and makes the choice. When the heart sees a spiritual Master, if it is overwhelmed with joy, then there is every probability that that spiritual Master is the right one for the seeker.
I have lived with several Zen masters -- all of them cats.
First birth is from your parents, but real birth, real life, begins when one accepts a bona fide spiritual master and renders service unto him. Then the path is open for going back to home, back to Godhead, to live eternally in full knowledge and full bliss and in association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, Lord Krishna.
Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life.
Although the spirit be not master of that which it creates through music, yet it is blessed in this creation, which, like every creation of art, is mightier than the artist.
A disciple serves the spiritual master with the sole purpose of getting instructions from him.
If we take shelter of the lotus feet of the spiritual master, we can become free from illusion, fear and distress. If we wholeheartedly beg for his mercy without any deceit then the spiritual master bestows all auspiciousness upon us.
If anyone makes himself his own master in the spiritual life, he makes himself scholar to a fool.
I didn't want a guru or a kung fu master or a spiritual director.
I didn't want to become a sorcerer or learn the zen of archery or meditate or align my chakras or uncover mast incarnations...I was after something else entirely, but it wasn't in the Yellow Pages or anywhere else that I could discover.
There is only one way of attaining liberation and of obtaining the omniscience of enlightenment: following an authentic spiritual master.
A bonafide spiritual master is non-different from Supreme Personality of Godhead. If one cannot say that the spiritual master is the personal manifestation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one will not be able to utter the holy name of the Lord.
Your duty is to be, and not to be this or that.
I Am That I Am sums up the whole truth; the method is summarized in Be Still.
It is dangerous for a spiritual master to accept almost any aspirant.
Although it is an aspect of mercy, it is dangerous. The danger also depends on the spiritual potency of the particular guru. Without sufficient potency, a few offensive or faithless disciples can lead to the guru's fall.
If after accepting the spiritual master and being initiated one does not follow the rules and regulations of devotional service, then he is again fallen.
When you come before spiritual master, be prepared to get chastised.
Spiritual Master's business is to do that. Shisya means who is ready is accept 'sashan' or ready dor getting chastisement.
There are only two words that will always lead you to success.
Those words are yes and no. Undoubtedly, you've mastered saying yes. So start practicing saying no. Your goals depend on it!
Our spiritual immutarity never shows up more than in our lack of praying, be it alone or in a church prayer meeting. Let 20% of the chior members fail to turn up for rehearsal and the chior master is offended. Let 20% of the church members turn up for a prayer meeting, and the pastor is elated.