I bow down at the feet of Marpa Lho Draug. Oh, Father Guru! Pray grant me Your grace-wave and accomplishment. You, eight beauties of the Deva-realm, Have offered me white rice, the wondrous fruit of Dhyana (a state of deep meditation). Eating it my body is strengthened, and my mind enlivened. As a token of my gratitude, I sing this song of Dharma (True Teaching) to you. Now, lift up your ears, and listen to me carefully. Even though one reaches the highest Heaven of the white Devas, It has no permanent value and meaning! Lovable and touching are those flowers of youth in Heaven. But however pleasant it may seem to be, In the end comes separation. Although the bliss in Heaven seems to be very great, It is merely a deceitful mirage, a bewildering hallucination; In fact, it is the very cause of the return to suffering! Thinking of the miseries of the Six Realms in Samsara (migration and transmigration), I cannot help but have a feeling of disgust and aversion – A feeling of anguish and distressed emotion! Should you intend to practice the teaching of Buddha, You must take refuge in the Three Precious Ones and pray to them. Sentient beings in the Six Realms You should consider as your parents. Give to the poor, and offer to the Guru! For the benefit of all, dedicate your merits.

One of the renowned Masters of this religion is Milarepa. This most famous hero of Tibet lived from 1052 to 1135 and His story of personal redemption has continued to be an inspiration to many generations. Through songs called dohas, Milarepa imparted Divine teachings on spiritual devotion and wisdom. Today, we present to you an excerpt from the holy text of Tibetan Buddhism titled, “The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa,” Milarepa and the Pigeon. The nature of Mind is the (inner Heavenly) Light and the Void. By realizing the awareness of Light-Void, I merge myself in the original state of Non-effort. To good and bad experiences am I indifferent. With a mind of Non-effort, I feel happiness and joy.

The spiritual life of the Yezidis has been preserved primarily by oral tradition. Therefore, it is a living religion of the spirit which only recently has been recorded into texts. But there are guardians of the sacred textual tradition of Yezidism, and they are called the Qewwals, literally meaning “professionals of the world.” The Qewwals are the interpreters of the sacred textual tradition of Yezidism, touring the communities living some way away from Lalish in Iraq, which is the most sacred place to the Yezidis. In the presence of an image of the Peacock symbolizing the venerated deity Tawusi Melek, the Qewwals preach sermons and sing hymns while playing the holy instruments of Yezidism: the def (tambourine) and shibab (flute).

The Yezidi people are a unique ethno-religious group possessing an ancient and richly elaborate religious tradition. In fact, they believe that all the world’s religions originated from the same primeval faith. Some Yezidis maintain that "Yezidi" translates as "Followers of the true path." It is also very close to the Persian or Zoroastrian word Yazdan, meaning “God,” and Yazata, meaning “divine” or “angelic being.” The Yezidis believe their ancestors were the first people to be created in the Garden of Eden, a large area in present-day Lalish in Iraq.

Today we are able to see through and become monks, the “seeing through” is important. What exactly do we see through? We see through “the seven affections and five desires.” We do not desire the “appearance, sound, smell, taste, feeling and thought” within the basic necessities of life, and we see through all affections - affections from our parents, affections from our spouse, we have to put them all down! When we are practicing diligently, we have to put down our body and mind completely. Otherwise even if we appear to be sitting there quietly and solemnly, actually we are having all kinds of illusionary thoughts, and it’s difficult to keep focused on the right state of mind.

The Venerated Master Guang Qin was born into a humble family in 1892 in Fujian Province of southeastern China. He left home and became a renunciate after his foster parents passed away, which had made him realize the impermanence of the world. In 1947 at the age of 56, he went to Taiwan, also known as Formosa. There, for many more decades he served as a great inspiration for people who truly wanted to learn and practice the Buddhist Dharma. Master Guang Qin practiced asceticism as a way to be liberated from the cycle of life and death, finally leading to self-realization. He preferred to stay in caves for intensive retreats and meditation. Leading a simple life, he constantly encouraged his believers to become vegetarian like he was.

O most compassionate Heart of Mary, Queen of Heaven, watch over our minds and hearts and preserve them from the impurity which Thou didst lament so sorrowfully at Fatima. Assist us in imitating You in all things, especially purity. Help us to call down upon our country and upon the whole world the peace of God in justice and charity. O glorious and ever-blessed Virgin, comfort the heart of Thy suppliant, by obtaining for me the graces and the favours which I now most earnestly solicit.

The Blessed Virgin Mary was the Mother of Lord Jesus Christ. It is believed that She conceived the Son of God miraculously through the Holy Spirit, as before that She was visited by the angel Gabriel, who announced to Her she was selected to be the Mother of Jesus, Mother of God. Thus, she is an exceptional being of purity and innocence, goodness and virtues. In the Roman Catholic tradition, many prayers have been composed for devotees to recite in praise of and supplication to the Blessed Virgin Mary. But they all reflect the Catholic adherents, sincere faith in Her as a beloved comforter, the divine bridge between Lord Jesus Christ and themselves, between Heaven and our earthly existence.

“The point is, to love God even as the mother loves her child, the chaste wife [loves] her husband, and the worldly man [loves] his wealth. Add together these three forces of love, these three powers of attraction, and give it all to God. Then you will certainly see Him.” “From time to time he should live in the company of holy men, and from time to time go into solitude to meditate on God. Furthermore, he should practice discrimination and pray to God, ‘Give me faith and devotion.’ Once a person has faith he has achieved everything. There is nothing greater than faith.”

“You were talking of worshipping the clay image. Even if the image is made of clay, there is need for that sort of worship. God Himself has provided different forms of worship. He who is the Lord of the Universe has arranged all these forms to suit different men in different stages of knowledge.” “Repeat God’s name and sing His glories, and keep holy company; and now and then visit God’s devotees and holy men. The mind cannot dwell on God if it is immersed day and night in worldliness, in worldly duties and responsibilities; it is most necessary to go into solitude now and then and think of God.”

In one sense, these letters refer to the states of holiness. The first means "Free thyself from the promptings of self, then approach thy Lord." The second means "Purify thyself from all save Him, that thou mayest offer up thy life for His sake." The third means "Draw back from the threshold of the one true God if thou art still possessed of earthly attributes." The fourth means "Render thanks unto thy Lord on His Earth, that He may bless thee in His heaven, albeit in the realm of His unity His Heaven is the same as His Earth." The fifth means "Remove from thine eyes the veils of limitation, that thou mayest learn that which thou knew not of the stations of holiness."

O friend, the heart is the dwelling-place of eternal mysteries: Make it not the home of fleeting fancies. Waste not the treasure of thy precious life occupied with this swiftly passing world. Thou come from the world of holiness: Bind not thine heart to the earth. Thou art a dweller in the court of reunion: Choose not the homeland of the dust. “Nothing can befall us but what God hath destined for us.” Peace be upon him who follows the way of guidance! After scaling the high summits of wonderment, the wayfarer cometh to the Valley of True Poverty and Absolute Nothingness. “All on the Earth shall pass away, but the face of thy Lord. ”

Do not be among wine-guzzlers, among gluttonous eaters of meat, for the guzzler and the glutton will become impoverished, and slumber will clothe［you］with tatters. Do not look at wine when it is red; when he puts his eye on the cup, it goes smoothly. Ultimately, it will bite like a serpent, and sting like a viper. He who walks innocently will be saved, but he who is perverse in his way will fall in one. He who tills his soil will be sated with bread, but he who pursues vain things will be sated with poverty. Many seek the countenance of a ruler, but the judgment of a person is from the Lord. An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, and a person whose way is straight is an abomination to a wicked man.

Judaism’s history begins around 2000 BCE with the Covenant between God (Elohim) and Abraham. Over a thousand years later, as the Jewish faithful Believe, God’s (Elohim’s) laws and commandments were revealed to Prophet Moses on Mount Sinai, forming the Torah, which is the first part of the Hebrew Bible. The Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh, and the ancient writings of the Talmud, embody the beliefs and practices of Judaism. Present in every aspect of the religion is a single, omniscient, and compassionate God (Elohim). The Holy Tanakh’s Book of Mishlei (Proverbs) is the second book in Ketuvim (Writings), the third section of the holy Tanakh.

You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give. For what are your possessions but things you keep and guard for fear you may need them tomorrow? And tomorrow, what shall tomorrow bring to the over prudent dog burying bones in the trackless sand as he follows the pilgrims to the holy city? And what is fear of need but need itself? Is not dread of thirst when your well is full, the thirst that is unquenchable?

Born in 1883, Kahlil Gibran was an enlightened Lebanese philosopher, author, poet, and artist, who immigrated to the United States when he was young. As a writer, he inspired a transformation in Arabic literature with his simple and direct style, as well as the highly relatable themes he chose. But some of his best-known works were in English and won the popularity of a wider American audience. Kahlil Gibran’s most famous work is “The Prophet,” a book of 26 poetic essays that he began while still a youth in Lebanon and published in 1923.

He said, “Have you considered what you worship. You and your ancient ancestors? They are enemies to me, but not so the Lord of the Worlds. He who created me, and guides me. He who feeds me, and waters me. And when I get sick, He heals me. He who makes me die, and then revives me. He who, I hope, will forgive my sins on the Day of the Reckoning.” “My Lord! Grant me wisdom, and include me with the righteous. And give me a reputation of truth among the others. And make me of the inheritors of the Garden of Bliss.”

If the Saints were to convert people by performing miracles, the entire population would be after them because it would not be difficult at all for them to raise a dead man to life in one place, restore the sight of another in another place, etc. But no, that is not the way of the Saints; although it is true that wherever a perfumer stores or display his goods, the atmosphere is full of scent. (Wherever Saints live, even if they do not show miracles, people know there is something extraordinary about them.)

Gur Mat(Sant Mat) is above all religions. The ritualistic part of all religions is blind and misleading; no matter what the religion might be – whether our own or of other people. As to the good and bad things or the sin and the virtue, both becoming meaningless, that may be. When you leave the British Territory and pass into the land of the Pathans, who can ask you to account for your deeds? While you are here in the region of Kal, you have to account for all that you do. Once you cross over to the region of Dayal (Merciful), who can touch you? This applies only when you have actually crossed the boundary of Kal.

Oh, day! with toil, with wrong, with hatred rife; Oh, blessed night! with sober calmness sweet, The sad winds moaning through the ruined tower, The age-worn peasant, the sheep’s sad broken bleat – All nature groans oppressed with toil and care, And wearied craves for rest, and love, and prayer. At eve the babes with angels converse hold, While we to our strange pleasures make our way, Each with its little face upraised to heaven, With folded hands, barefoot kneels down to pray, At selfsame hour with selfsame words they call On God, the common Father of them all.