Plato’s works display truly great mastery in the art of literature as well as profound philosophical understanding. He wrote at least 30 dialogues in which His Master Socrates guides His students through illuminating question-and answer exchanges. In today’s episode, we present a glimpse of the engaging dialogue between Socrates and His disciples Cebes and Simmias about the connectedness between opposing natural processes, such as life and death, and how they are each generated from one another. “…He who passes unsanctified and uninitiated into the world [beyond] will live in a slough but he who arrives there after initiation and purification will dwell with the gods.”

Our prayer is a heart-search. It is a reminder to ourselves that we are helpless without His support. No effort is complete without prayer, without a definite recognition that the best human endeavor is of no effect if it has not God’s blessings behind it. These are moments when one reviews one’s immediate past, confesses one’s weaknesses, asks for forgiveness and strength to be and to do better. I believe that prayer is the very soul and essence of religion and therefore prayer must be the very core of the life of man… Begin, therefore, your day with prayer and make it so soulful that it may remain with you until evening. Close the day with prayer so that you may have a peaceful night free from dreams and nightmares.

Mahatma Gandhi Ji was a beloved spiritual teacher and visionary leader of the Indian independence movement. Mahatma Gandhi once called himself “a man of God disguised as a politician.” His lauded, courageous activities had deep moral and spiritual roots. The book “Pathway to God” is a collection of some of his writings that reveal his thoughtful approach to the Divine. His guiding principles of selflessness, humility, nonviolent resistance, and vegetarianism are still very relevant. Any Truth seeker will find much logic, insight, and solace from Gandhi Ji’s words.

However, if they have briefly heard the name of the Medicine Master Lapis Lazuli Light Tathagata when they were humans, although now they are reborn into the wretched destinies, if they can recall the Buddha’s name even briefly, they will immediately be free from these destinies and be reborn as human beings. They will remember their sojourn in the lower destinies, and, dreading their past sufferings, crease to wallow in worldly pleasures. They will gladly practice charity, praise others who do so, and will no longer be ungenerous. Gradually, they will even be able to donate parts of their bodies to those who need them, not to mention mere material possessions.

The Medicine Master Lapis Lazuli Light Tathagata is the Buddha of the Eastern Pure Land that is called Vaiḍūryanirbhāsa (meaning Pure Lapis Lazuli). He is commonly known as the Medicine Buddha and is venerated by many as the "King of Medicine and Doctor of Soul and Body." Renowned for His healing power and His ability to neutralize past bad karma, bringing good fortune to all, the Medicine Buddha is also known to assist beings to reach a spiritual turning point, "the aspiration to attain enlightenment," where the mundane life is cast aside for spiritual fulfillment. The Sutra on the Original Vows and Merits of the Medicine Master Lapis Lazuli Light Tathagata consists essentially of His Twelve Great Vows, His extensive merits, plus the various ways He will help the suffering.

It is so blissful in Heaven that there is nothing to remind us of spiritual practice. It is so agonizing in hell that it is impossible to practice spiritually there. In the secular world, we have suffering, joy, misunderstanding, ignorance, wisdom, enlightenment, the unenlightened, and lots of different situations. Therefore, we can learn quickly from various situations in life, and we can find sufficient material from which to experience and train ourselves. We have the chance to practice to become Buddhas, which we cannot find in other worlds. Therefore, the human body is very precious. We must cherish the chance to practice spiritually without delay.

Supreme Master Ching Hai has infinite love, concern and encouragement for those who wish to improve themselves spiritually. In Her book "Aphorisms II," a compilation of parts of Her lectures, She offers words of supreme wisdom, which deal with spiritual practice, life and philosophy, touch the very source of our being, bringing us enlightenment and Heavenly bliss. Life does not start here when we are born, or end when we are dead. And enlightenment is only the beginning. The journey will continue, full of wonder and miraculous encounters and discovery for those who truly want to know the miracle of life and the real love from the universe and from your heart.

Confucius said, “The noble man makes right the substance of his being; he carries it out with judgment and good sense; he speaks it with modesty; he attains it with sincerity. This is the noble man.” “The noble man should be distressed that he has no ability, not from lack of recognition.” “The noble man dislikes to die without having done anything to distinguish himself.” “The noble man seeks within himself. The fool seeks within others.” “The noble man is proud but not vain; he is sociable, but belongs to no party.” “The noble man never upholds a man because of what he says, nor does he discard what a man says because of the speaker’s character.”

Confucius is regarded as one of the most important and influential Masters in shaping human history. During His lifetime, Confucius traveled across many states of the Chinese kingdom and expounded on what would later become the basic tenets of Confucianism, namely, benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom and faith. The philosophy presents five virtues that all humans should follow every day to live a harmonious and wholesome life. Confucius said, "A gentleman with lofty ideals and a man of benevolence will never seek to live at the expense of injuring their virtue. They will even sacrifice their lives to preserve their virtue." "He who requires much from himself and little from others, will never have any enemies."

“And the earth was tohu and bohu,” that is , without form and void. That dispelled the darkness in which was the hidden and concealed fire that transformed the world from tohu into bohu, and from a state of chaos made it receptive of seeds and germs of life. In all the various phases of development from tohu (chaotic state) to bohu (purified state), through countless ages of silent, secret and ceaseless progression from lower to higher stages and states of being, the Divine has manifested Itself under many and different aspects or characters corresponding to and symbolic of them.

Kabbalah is the ancient mystical school of thought of Judaism. One of the most foundational of the Kabbalistic texts is the Sefer HaZohar, a Kabbalistic commentary on the Torah, which are the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. Today we present some of the fascinating excerpts from the Zohar about the very beginning of our Earth’s creation, and how life on the planet took place. “In the beginning, Alhim created”; or, as it should be rendered by Rushith, that is the primal Zohar (radiance), the origin of all words, “God created Alhim.”

A Hindu prayer for peace can be performed by simply chanting the Sanskrit word for peace three times: “Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.” Please enjoy the following selection of moving prayers of peace from the Hindu tradition. Prayer from the Atharva Veda. Supreme Lord, let there be peace in the sky and in the atmosphere. Let there be peace in the plant world and in the forests. Let the cosmic powers be peaceful. Let the Brahman, the true essence and source of life, be peaceful. Let there be undiluted and fulfilling peace everywhere.

In today's episode, we invite you to explore the connection between prayer and peace, through reading a selection of elevating prayers about both inner and outer peace, from the Christian tradition. Prayer for Peace by the Most Reverend Francis Paget, Bishop of Oxford, Church of England. Almighty God, from whom all thoughts of Truth and peace proceed, kindle in the hearts of all men the true love of peace, and guide with Your pure and peaceable wisdom those who make decisions for the nations of the earth; that in tranquillity Your kingdom may go forth, till the earth by filled with the knowledge of Your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

We welcome you to enjoy this interesting selection from Tolstoy's Short Story – The Three Hermits (continued). The three hermits running upon the water, all gleaming white, their grey beards shining, and quickly approaching the ship. All three as with one voice, began to say: "We have forgotten your teaching, servant of God. Teach us again." The Bishop crossed himself, and leaning over the ship's side, said: "Your own prayer will reach the Lord, men of God. It is not for me to teach you. Pray for us sinners." Then the Bishop bowed low before the old men; and they turned and went back across the sea. And a light shone until daybreak on the spot where they were lost to sight.

Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy was a master of realistic fiction who wrote the acclaimed novels. He won widespread praise for his exceptional understanding of human nature. His works and ideas about peace and fulfilment of God’s will, greatly influenced 20 th-century leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “The Three Hermits” is a short story written by Leo Tolstoy in 1885. A very interesting and funny legend about a Bishop who spends an entire day teaching three hermits how to say the “Lord’s Prayer,” only to discover that the three hermits have in fact gained....

There are two ways to avoid unpleasant outcomes: first, keep the Ten Commandments for the physical, and know God for the spiritual. If you know that God inside. Then, of course, Hes takes care of everything. And even if you have to go through some compensation, it will be minimized to the almost non-existent extent, or it might be like in a dream. There are dangers on the spiritual road as well as our worldly road. Therefore, we need a guide who has been traveling this road to lead us and to tell us where to avoid problems. If you follow all the instructions prescribed, we guarantee your safety back to the house of our Father.

In our practicing group, we have all kinds of nationalities, all kinds of religious believers, but we work together in peace and harmony, as if we have known each other for thousands of years, the instant we see each other for the first time. Why? It is because we speak the same inner language, and we understand each other at the level of higher consciousness. This (inner) Heavenly Music we can hear now while we are living, so that we can understand what God wants to teach us, what is the instruction from Heaven, what is God’s will, so that we cannot go wrong in this world. And then we will live our lives more in harmony with the mandate of Heaven.

And after contacting God, we find our lives full of miracles, and everything will happen like wonder; everything will be taken care of; everything will be so much in love, so much in harmony; and our souls will find such a peace that we have never known exists up to that moment. For that reason, since ancient times, many of our Saints and Sages have forsaken the whole world because the bliss inside of finding God satisfies Him or Her so much that They feel almost They don’t need anything else in this world. But that doesn’t mean that they cannot function in this world.

I am Keiku Sahashi, Head priest of Tsushoin Buddhist Temple, Jōdo-shū Buddhism The Tsushoin Buddhist Temple belongs to the Pure Land School of Japanese Buddhism. Our temple is known as the “Chanting Nembutsu (prayer to Amitabha Buddha) Temple.” We hope chanting Nembutsu makes your life mindful and happy. Today, I would like to introduce you to the daily sutra recitation of Jōdo-shū Buddhism. We wish that all the acts of merit we have performed in this chanting ceremony may be transferred equally to everyone. May this merit support each of us to establish the Bodhi-mid, which is necessary for taking the Buddhist path, and to be born together in the Pure Land. May all the people in this world be cheerful and peaceful without fighting, and live happily with smiles through this prayer! I pray to Amitabha Buddha from the bottom of my heart.

So, remember the following truth: there is not a greater thing in human life than prayer. No matter what people may tell you, do not forget the importance and vital necessity of praying, of inner communication with God. Neither knowledge, nor Love and Wisdom on Earth can be compared with praying, with one’s communion with the First Cause. When people pray and put all their virtues to work - that is the power of the prayer. A prayer, in which people do not put to use all of their virtues, is not real. Prayer should include the qualities of Love, Wisdom, Truth, Righteousness, Virtue, Compassion and a number of other virtues. The soul needs inner, spiritual food that can be provided only by praying.