Simple Spirituality

Spirituality is simple. Spirituality is a personal, inner exploration of meaning and connection. Religion is mostly about collective belief and outward practices. Humans discovered the need for spirituality first. Religion came later. For long posts - simplespirituality.in 🙏🏼

Towards the end of the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna tells Arjuna that He explained knowledge more secret than all secrets. And He asks Arjuna to reflect upon that knowledge and act accordingly. Receiving knowledge is only one half. Contemplating on it is the more important part 🙏🏼

Our tenet of 'Athidi Devo Bhava' is also found in other religions. 2000 year old Letters to the Hebrews also teaches hospitality to strangers. It tells us that hospitality comes before recognition. We don't need to establish who that person is before treating them with care 🩵

Kena Upanishad from Samaveda is one of the principal texts of Hinduism. It tells us that real Brahman (God) is different from our 'idea of Brahman'. The Brahman is not what our mind can conceive but that by which the mind itself is known! Not what we worship as an object 🙏🏼

Ancient Chinese texts are full of great wisdom! Taoist text Liezi has a fable of a man who was so worried about heaven and earth collapsing that he abandoned food and sleep! Worrying about heaven and hell and next lives, we waste this life which has the potential to liberate us!

Amritabindu Upanishad has one of my favourite learnings. For spiritual growth, after having studied a text, the seeker should leave it behind and move on into application and contemplation. Getting caught up in collecting teachings endlessly will stall growth 🙏🏼

Viveka Chudamani warns seekers that eloquence may bring enjoyment but not liberation! It means that being able to speak eloquently is no mark of a great teacher! Torrents of words or skill in explaining are ok, but scholarly learning is not the same as true understanding 🙏🏼

Like the Bhagavad Gita and Quran from recent learnings, the Bible also frowns upon the devotee who says he loves God but hates people around him. He says the love of the unseen God cannot serve as an alibi for hatred on our seen brother. One cannot co-exist with the other 🙏🏼

Isha Upanishad has a contradicting statement - that even knowledge can lead into darkness! Shankara explains it beautifully in his commentary, saying that neither ritual action nor contemplation of deities will lead of liberation. That will happen only through self-knowledge 🙏🏼

Like Krishna's words from a few days ago, the Quran also calls out those who just pray to make a show of it. Such a prayer is considered by God to be hollow. Being seen as devout while refusing practical help to our fellow-being is frowned upon by Allah (and every other God)!

Chandogya Upanishad 7.1.3 has a stunning revelation by Narada; where he confides in Sanat Kumara that in spite of mastery over all sacred texts, he still finds himself bound by emotional suffering!! Knowledge of scripture is nice, but knowing the Self is much more important 🙏🏼

Krishna tells us in the Bhagavad Gita that showing restraint externally while mentally dwelling on a sense object is self-delusion and such a person is called to be a pretender. Change is always internal. Ignoring how it appears to the external world is a useful tool 🩵

Katha Upanishad is a fantastic text answering most difficult questions. 2.3.14 tells us that immortality / liberation isn't something to aspire for after death, but to be achieved in this life itself! A pure heart will lead to freedom and realisation of Brahman while alive 🙏🏼

Bhartrhari exposes a bargain that acquiring something comes with the fear of losing it. Pleasure brings fear of illness, lineage brings fear of decline, honour brings fear of humiliation, beauty brings fear of aging.... The only thing which is truly fearless is non-attachment 🩵

Dhammapada 50 has a word of caution against making others our spiritual project. Examining others - what they have done or left undone, and analysing it - will become a side project and derail our progress. Examining our own deeds as a constant practice will keep us on track 🙏🏼

Paul tells us in Corinthians 13:2 that having prophecy, understanding all the mysteries, having knowledge, and even great faith are nothing if we have no love. Extraordinary spiritual capacities do not substitute for true love; and without love, our journey is for nothing ♥️

Ashtavakra Gita is a fantastic text with incredible wisdom. 1.11 tells us that what we regard ourself to be becomes our identity, and creates bondage. If we think we are a 'struggling seeker', that becomes an identity we try to protect. He tells us regard ourselves as free! 🩵

There is a much-celebrated conversation between Yagnavalkya and Maitreyi in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 2.4.5. He says we don't love others for the sake of that person but for the sake of the Self. Knowing that the same Self is in everyone leads to immortality and realisation 🩵

Vimalakriti Sutra is a classic Mahayana Buddhist text. He tells us that unless sickness of all living beings ends, He continues to remain slightly sick. A beautiful expression to show that we are all connected, and self-centred attachment doesn't make us untouched by suffering 🙏🏼

In the Srimad Bhagavatam chapter 11, Sri Havir tells us of an important quality of a devotee. If we worship Hari faithfully, but don't show regard for His devotees, our devotion is considered immature. How beautiful would our world be if we follow this and respect everyone! 🙏🏼

In Vana Parva of the Mahabharata, Yudhisthira is asked by Yaksha to name the greatest wonder. Dharma Raja answers 'day after day, beings go to the abode of death. But those who remain seek permanence'. We are surrounded by impermanence and yet assume that we have more time!