“When that time comes, what else can help but Holy Dharma? Though Dharma is the fount of victory. Those who aspire to it are rare. Scores of men are tangled in The miseries of Samsara (cycle of reincarnation); Into this misfortune born, They strive by plunder and theft for gain. He who talks on Dharma With elation is inspired, But when a task is set him, He is wrecked and lost. Dear patrons, do not talk too much, But practice the Holy Dharma.” “Do you not fear the miseries You experienced in the past? Surely you will feel much pain If misfortunes attack you? The woes of life succeed one another Like the sea’s incessant waves One has barely passed, before The next one takes its place. Until you are liberated, pain and pleasure come and go at random Like passersby encountered in the street. Pleasures are precarious, Like bathing in the sun; Transient, too, as snowstorms Which come without warning. Remembering these things, Why not practice the Dharma?”

Devote yourself to God, O mind. Just as birds come to perch in a tree for the night, So is all this marker spread out for a while, All will then go their own way. None is your kith or companion; Lose not your source, O mind. Don’t get lost by looking at worldly things; They are all flowers of the silk-cotton tree. The body is not yours, wealth is not yours, Why are you absorbed in them? Why do you sleep in comfort without God? Why not wake up and see? Cautions Dadu. Repeat the Name of God and forget Him not, Fulfil the purpose of your birth by practicing concentration. Be steadfast in the remembrance of God, Practice meditation with love And sing the glory of God. The human body is the door to salvation. Repeat the name of God, the Creator of the universe. So long as a dreadful disease has not come, So long as death has not consumed your body, So long as the Sound has not been withdrawn, Render service to the Lord.

One such great spiritual teacher is Sant (Saint) Dadu Dayal from the same tradition as Saint Kabir. He lived during the 16th century. “Dadu” means brother and“Dayal”is “the Compassionate One.” Instead, he concentrated on Japa (repetition of Divine Names) as well as remembrance of the original divine source and his inner connection and whole-hearted devotion to God. The group of Dadu's followers are known as the Dadu Panth and refrain from alcohol and uphold vegetarianism. “The world is a river of suffering, And God is the Ocean of Bliss. Forsake the worthless and go To the Ocean of Bliss, says Dadu. Having no desire for name or fame, let one serve the Lord. Abandoning everything else, take the true Name alone, says Dadu. Kal (time) is a fabrication; never go near him. So long as the heart is set on the Lord, life in this world is well lived. Living without the Lord is useless, O Dadu. If the Lord is obtained, all is obtained. Meeting with the Lord means meeting with all. If the Lord is there, all is there, Otherwise all is naught.”

“‘Subhuti, what do you think? If a person filled the billion worlds with the seven treasures for the purpose of charity, this person’s attainment of blessed deeds would become plentiful, no?’ Subhuti replied: ‘Incredibly plentiful, World Honored One. What is the reason? This blessed deed then would not, again, be of a blessed nature. This is the reason the Tathagata has said that the blessed deeds would become plentiful.’ ‘If again, there is a person who receives and keeps what is in this sermon, even just four lines of verse, and to another person expounds it, that person’s blessedness would overcome the other’s. What is the reason? Subhuti, every one of the Buddhas who reach the Buddhas’ Annuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi Dharma are all from this sermon produced. Subhuti, what is called the ‘Buddha’s Dharma,’ then, is not the Buddha’s Dharma.’”

The Diamond Sutra is also known as “Chin-Kang-Ching” or in Sanskrit “Vajracchedika-sutra” (“Diamond Cutter Sutra”). It is one of the most important historical scriptures in the Buddhist faith. This suta presents a collection of question-answer dialogs between the Buddha and His assembly of monks. Written with a spiritual goal, the Diamond Sutra is meant to alleviate suffering through the achievement of Wisdom. “‘Subhuti, as you have said, the Tathagata is skillfully mindful of the Bodhisattvas, and skillful in entrusting to the Bodhisattvas. If you now listen closely, I shall explain for you in what good sons and good daughters launching the Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi mind should thus abide, and how thus they should regulate their thoughts.’ ‘Subhuti, if a Bodhisattva has the view of a self, the view of a person, the view of beings, or the view of a soul; then he is not a Budhisattva.’ ‘Subhuti, the blessed virtue of a Bodhisattva not dwelling in the appearances of charity is also, again, thus: it cannot be calculated. Subhuti, Bodhisattvas should only thus in this teaching dwell.’”

“Popol Vuh” describes how humans were created from a mix of yellow and white corn. “They (the first four humans) were good people, handsome with looks of the male kind. Thoughts came into existence and they gazed; their vision came all at once. Perfectly they saw, perfectly then knew everything under the sky, whenever they looked. The moment they turned around and looked around in the sky, on the earth, everything was seen without any obstruction. They didn’t have to walk around before they could see what was under the sky; they just stayed where they were. …And they (the first four humans) saw everything under the sky perfectly. After that, they thanked the Maker, Modeler: ‘Truly now, double thanks, triple thanks that we’ve been formed, we’ve been given our mouths, our faces, we speak, we listen, we wonder, we move, our knowledge is good, we’ve understood what is far and near, and we’ve seen what is great and small under the sky, on the earth. Thanks to you we’ve been formed, we’ve come to be made and modeled, our grandmother, our grandfather…’”

The ancient Mayan civilization, known to be one of the most technologically advanced of its time, inhabited regions of Central America and southern Mexico several thousand years ago. It is with great awe that we invite you to explore some of the most important and profound insights our ancestors wanted to communicate to us through "Popol Vuh," one of the most important Mayan holy books. "Popol Vuh," or "Council Book," was written by a group of Mayan writers between 1554-1558. It encompasses the story of physical creation, and the history of Mayan people who once lived on the land called Quiché, in the highlands of Guatemala. “The Gods created this world so that it could be nurtured and appreciated. So, humans, according to the Great Plan, have the honored role of caring guardians rather than so-called owners. In the first attempt of such a great plan, animals were created but the results were not successful. However, the attempt shows us the ideal attributes that the Divine Creators wanted us to have: communication and guidance from our Heavenly Home.”

All that which we call ills, all sorrows – if we only understood them as we ought – improve our souls. The sufferings of irrational life lead us to acknowledge the need of rational life. Just as only the darkness of night reveals the heavenly lights, so only suffering reveals the true purpose of life. Great is God who enlightens us. Enlightens us with what? With the very sorrows from which we would flee and hide. In sorrow and suffering it is given to us to seek out the grains of wisdom that cannot be found in any book. If God gave us teachers of whom we knew for a certainty that they were sent of God Himself, we should obey them freely and gladly. But we have such instructors in necessity and in all the vicissitudes of life. Not only is every visitation of Providence profitable to every creature, but it is profitable at the very time when it is sent. The man who does not realize the beneficial nature of suffering has not commenced to live the life of reason, the true life. I pray God to free me from suffering which troubles me. But this suffering was sent to me by God to deliver me from evil.

“Everyone thinks of changing the world but no one thinks of changing himself.” This insightful saying by Leo Tolstoy is a good reminder for all of us to reflect inward. Yearning for more than success, fame, and wealth, Leo Tolstoy eventually established himself as a moral philosopher and spiritual leader during the last 30 years of his life. We would like to share an insightful excerpt from Volume Ⅱ of "The Pathway of Life," a collection of Tolstoy's philosophies on religion, life, death and more. The Ills of Life "All that which infringes upon the happiness of our bodily life we call ills. And yet the whole of our life is a gradual process of delivering our soul from that which constitutes the happiness of our body. Therefore, for him who comprehends life as it really is there are no ills." Ⅰ.That Which We Call Suffering is a Necessary. Ⅱ.Sufferings Stimulate Man's Spiritual Life.

“Get more enlightened and then you’ll be more loving. That’s the purpose of enlightenment. Enlightenment makes us more loving, more tolerant and more understanding. That’s the best outcome of spiritual cultivation.” “It’s not meditation that protects you. It’s the awakening of your own power within that protects you. It’s knowing that you’re God that protects you.” “The more people know God, the more people contact God directly and become happier, the more peaceful the world will be, the less war there will be, and the more we can bring Heaven onto Earth.” “Actually, everything takes care of itself in time. But meanwhile, we should try our best to make life better and always avoid violence. That’s the lesson of all the Shakyamuni Buddha stories – we have to surrender to God’s will and be tolerant and patient. When the time comes, everything will change.”

Supreme Master Ching Hai is a highly gifted, multi-talented and fully enlightened Master. Supreme Master Ching Hai teaches the Truth as did Shakyamuni Buddha, Lord Jesus Christ, Lao Tzu, Prophet Muhammad, (Peace Be Upon Him), Guru Nanak and many others. 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, touching the very source of our being, bringing us enlightenment and Heavenly bliss. Today we share with you the wise teachings of Supreme Master Ching Hai, with excerpts from the book “Aphorisms Ⅱ.” “We should rise to the noble position of a Saint. And to do that we must possess compassion, love, understanding and unselfish sacrifice at all times.” “When a Master comes to Earth not only are the disciples uplifted and shown wisdom, but the whole race of humankind is purified and uplifted to a certain higher level of consciousness.”

Today we’ll continue learning more about the different stages of the mystical life, as they were in the past and in our modern world. In the chapter titled “The Mystical Life” from his book “The Sanctuary of Self,” Frater Ralph M. Lewis elaborates on the importance of interconnectedness and balance across all levels of existence in one’s mystical life – from the material to the spiritual. “Traditional mysticism may be reduced to these fundamental principles: the soul is the spiritual self of man; the soul is part of a universal soul, a soul which permeates the entire universe. That soul is God. The material world and the physical body are the negative side of this positive, absolute soul, or God, which permeates the universe – a sort of imperfection, a falling off from the goodness; and when the soul is embodied in a physical form or body, man as a unity of both soul and body is not perfect. The body, the material, must be brought into harmony with the soul, the immaterial. Man will be confined to a body, in various lives, as long as he permits the temptations, the desires and appetites to dominate his nature. He must struggle to overcome them, to suppress them, to give himself over entirely to those spiritual urges within his own nature.”

“Have you ever stopped to realize what the real value or worth of tradition is? We should look upon traditions as signs of encouragement; We should take from tradition the best that it has to offer, and build upon it.” “In our considerations of the mystical life we must begin with man, simply because there is nothing more intimate, nothing to which you are more closely related, nothing that you can feel so strongly or analyze so carefully, as yourself.” “In each thing which has existence there is instilled its function, and, while it has that particular type of existence in its process of development, that function is natural to it and is not ungodly. So, when we approach the mystical life and begin with man, we look upon all things as Divine, because they emanate from the same source, and no being is ungodly unless we are in a position to point out that he has directed his will in opposition to what he knows is best and proper.”

The Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis, also known as the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC, is a worldwide cultural, educational, and philosophical organization that is perpetuating profound and practical teachings of the Rosicrucians. These teachings, as passed down and added to over the centuries from ancient Egypt to Europe and now all over the world, pertain to the mysteries of the universe, nature, and humans themselves. Today we will explore the process that could lead us to the mystical life according to the Rosicrucian Order, in Chapter 1 of the book “The Sanctuary of Self” by the late Rosicrucian leader Ralph M. Lewis. Chapter I THE MYSTICAL LIFE. “The mystical life provides the reason why we live. The mystical life determines the cause of our individual lives and the use to which we should put our bodies and our animal vitality and magnetism. The mystical life, like the physical life, requires certain preparation. If we must study the rules of diet, if we must study hygiene, if we must know the rudiments of good health to be healthy and physically normal, certainly we should give some thought and consideration to the mystical side of our existence as well.”

The gentle Prophet Muhammad peace be upon Him, was a beloved Master who led by His own shining example. His noble teachings live on in the hearts of people today, inspiring them toward a peaceful path to find the Most High. We now invite you to listen to excerpts from the Holy Qur’an: Surah 31 Luqman. “But for those who believe and do good works are Gardens of Bliss, where they shall live forever. The promise of Allah is the Truth; He is the Almighty, the Wise. He created the heavens without pillars that you see and cast on the earth firm mountains lest it should shake with you. We gave wisdom to Luqman (saying): ‘Give thanks to Allah. He who gives thanks, thanks only for himself, but whosoever is ungrateful, surely, Allah is the Rich, the Praised.’ Allah has knowledge of what is innermost in their hearts, But most of them do not have knowledge. To Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. So do not let the life of this present world delude you, nor let the deluder (satan) delude you concerning Allah.”

Today we’ll read the concluding part of Letter Ⅰ from Karl von Eckartshausen book “The Cloud upon the Sanctuary.” The author reveals how one could lift the veil before the Divine Sanctuary, or our innermost treasured Self. “With, however, its unfoldment, the curtain is all at once raised, the impenetrable veil is torn away, the cloud before the Sanctuary lifts, a new world suddenly exists for us, scales fall from the eyes, and we are at once transported from the phenomenal world to the regions of Truth. God alone is substance, absolute Truth; He alone is He who is, and we are what He has made us. For Him, all exists in Unity, for us, all exists in multiplicity. The great and true work of building the Temple consists solely in destroying the miserable Adamic hut and in erecting a Divine temple; this means, in other words, to develop in us the interior sensorium, or the organ to receive God. After this process, the metaphysical and incorruptible principle rules over the terrestrial, and man begins to live, not any longer in the principle of self-love, but in the Spirit and in the Truth, of which he is the Temple.”

We now continue reading the second selected part of Letter Ⅰ, from Karl von Eckartshausen’s book “The Cloud upon the Sanctuary.” The author expands more on some basic spiritual principles and the real Source of Truth and Union with the Divine. “The opening of this spiritual sensorium is the mystery of the New Man – the mystery of Regeneration, and of the vital union between God and man – it is the noblest object of religion on Earth, that religion whose sublime goal is none other than to unite men with God in Spirit and in Truth. As man has internally a spiritual organ and a sensorium to receive the true principle of Divine wisdom, or a true motive for the will or Divine love, he has also exteriorly a physical and material sensorium to receive the appearance of light and truth. As external nature can have no absolute truth, but only phenomenally relative, therefore, human reason cannot cognize pure truth, it can but apprehend through the appearance of phenomena, which excites the lust of the eye, and in this as a source of action consists the corruption of sensuous man and the degradation of nature.”

Karl von Eckartshausen was a 16th-century German Catholic mystic, philosopher, and prolific author, interested in alchemy, metaphysics, natural sciences, and theosophy. His most recognizable work is titled “The Cloud upon the Sanctuary,” a book on Christian mysticism. Today we’ll read a passage from Karl von Eckartshausen’s book “The Cloud upon the Sanctuary,” Letter Ⅰ, on the importance of developing our interior spiritual faculty in order to really recognize our unity with God. “If only natural man, that is, sensuous man, would only learn to see that the source of his intelligence and the incentive of his will are only his individuality, he would then seek interiorly for a higher source, and he would thereby approach that which alone can give this true element, because it is wisdom in its essential substance. Jesus Christ is that Wisdom, Truth and Love. He, as Wisdom, is the Principle of reason, and the Source of the purest intelligence. As love, He is the Principle of morality, the true and pure incentive of the will. Love and Wisdom beget the Spirit of Truth, interior Light; this Light illuminates us and makes supernatural things objective to us.”

In “The Astral City,” former medical doctor André Luiz speaks from the afterlife of his awakening and healing within a spiritual society near the Earth’s surface. This story describes not only the continuation of life beyond the physical body, but more importantly how Heaven cares for each and every human soul. The following excerpt from “The Astral City” describes how André Luiz was strengthened spiritually upon his rescue from the Lower Zones. “I felt a profound sense of veneration and awe as I gazed at the soft light streaming through my window. I realized that on Earth I had never looked up at the Sun and raised my thoughts to the One, Who in His infinite mercy, had given it to us to shine on our journey. I was like a blind man who, after living so long in darkness, was blessed with the ability to see the splendor of nature. The first collective prayer I had attended at the Astral City had worked a radical change in me. An unexpected peace filled my soul for the first time in many years of suffering, and my heart, so long empty, was once again filled with hope.”

Today we’ll read the rest of Chapter One from Alice Bailey’s book “The Reappearance of the Christ” in which a wonderful prediction is presented of great changes after Christ returns and a new time of peace on Earth as never known before. “When the Christ, the Avatar of Love, makes His reappearance then will the ‘Son’s of men who are now the Sons of God withdraw Their faces from the shining light and radiate that light upon the sons of men who know not yet they are the Sons of God.’ Then shall the Coming One appear, His footsteps hastened through the valley of the shadow by the One of [awe-inspiring] power Who stands upon the mountain top, breathing out love eternal, light supernal and peaceful, silent Will. ‘Then will the sons of men respond. Then will a newer light shine forth into the dismal, weary vale of Earth. Then will new life course through the veins of men, and then will their vision compass all the ways of what may be.’ ‘So peace will come again on Earth, but a peace unlike anything known before. Then will the will-to-good flower forth as understanding, and understanding blossom as goodwill in men.’”