patterns in the sand

Every parent seeks to teach his or her children that they are important. We tell them how precious they are, how wonderful. But why? Why are they so important? If we tell our children they are important because they are good-looking, or smart, or talented, we are setting them up for trouble. Beca...

1780THE METAPHYSICAL ELEMENTS OF ETHICSby Immanuel Kanttranslated by Thomas Kingsmill Abbott     V. Explanation of these two Notions (talking about duty)                  A. OUR OWN PERFECTION  The...

  O My brother! When a true seeker determineth to take the step of search in the path leading unto the knowledge of the Ancient of Days, he must, before all else, cleanse his heart, which is the seat of the revelation of the inner mysteries of God, from the obscuring dust of all acquired&hel...

(Pages 1 to 6 of the manuscript, containing chapters 1 - 3, are lost.  The extant text starts on page 7...) . . . Will matter then be destroyed or not? 22) The Savior said, All nature, all formations, all creatures exist in and with one another, and they will be resolved again into their&hel...

O people of the world!       The dawn of the Sun of Reality is assuredly for the illumination of the world and for the manifestation of mercy.  In the assemblage of the family of Adam results and fruits are praiseworthy, and the holy bestowals of every bounty are abu...

"Does the soul progress more through sorrow or through the joy in this world?" `Abdu'l-Bahá. -- "The mind and spirit of man advance when he is tried by suffering. The more the ground is ploughed the better the seed will grow, the better the harvest will be. Just as the plough furrows the earth de...

(Haribhadra, 'samaradityakatha,' II, 55-88 paraphrased by M. Eliade in Primitives to Zen)   A certain man, much oppressed by the woes of poverty, Left his own home, and set out for another country. He passed through the land, with its villages, cities, and harbors, And after a few days he lo...

Sacred Texts  Judaism  Index  Previous  Next  CHAPTER XXI. CONCERNING THE BRIDE OF MICROPROSOPUS. 711. UNTO His back adhereth closely a Ray of most vehement Splendour, and it flameth forth and formeth a certain skull, concealed on every side. 712. And thus descendeth the ...

In the collections of works attributed to the Prophet Zoroaster (pre-Mosses y’al) there are two edition of the same prayer.  It is interesting to see the striking Christian traditions started even here 5000 years bce (or so) it is also interesting to my emerging theme of Evil. In one edition...

1.         Now will I speak to those who will hear of the things which the initiate should remember; The praises and prayer of the Good Mind to the Lord And the joy which you shall see in the light who has remembered them well.   2.   &n...