The Christian, Islamic, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu and Taoist
mysticism quotations on this page, taken together with the
profound quotations set out on our "Central" mysticism insights
pages, lead us to see, in ways, more realism in the expression
"complementary religion" than in the expression "comparative
religion".
Interfaith studies quotations menu
Please click on these links to be taken to quotations from
specific world faiths as indicated.
Christian quotations
Disinterestedness
...who love Jesus for Jesus' sake and not for any comfort of
their own, bless Him no less in tribulation and anguish of heart
than in the greatest consolation.
And if He should never give them his comfort, yet would they
always praise Him and give Him thanks.
Oh, how much is the pure love of Jesus able to do, when it is
not mixed with any self-interest or self-love!
Thomas a Kempis
Of the Imitation of Christ Bk. 2 Ch. 11 v. 2-3
...we have those who have been illumined by God and guided by the true Light. They
do not practice the ordered life in expectation of reward. They do not want to
acquire anything with the aid of reward, nor do they hope that they will some day
reap some reward because of it. No, they do what they do in the ordered life out of love.
They are not so concerned about the outcome, about how soon a particular behaviour will turn out,
how soon, and so on. Their concern is rather that things will work out well, in peace and inner ease.
And if sometimes some less important rules have to be neglected, they are not lost in despair.
They know, of course, that order and rectitude are better and nobler than the lack of it. So they
want to keep the rules, but they also know that their salvation and happiness are not dependent on the
observance of rules. Therefore they are not as anxious as others.
From the Theologia Germanica
Divine Edification
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to
all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
St. James
James 1:5
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find;
knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh
receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh
it shall be opened.
Jesus
Matthew 7:7-8
On a Contented Life
Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your
moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful
of nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God. And the
peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your
hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren,
whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just,
whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good
report; and if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise,
think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned,
and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace
shall be with you.
St. Paul
Phillipians 4:4-9
Learn to despise exterior things and to give thyself to the
interior, and thou shalt see that the kingdom of God will come
into thee.
Thomas a Kempis
Of the Imitation of Christ Bk. 2 Ch. 1 v. 1
The Golden Rule
And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
Luke 6:31
On Virtue v Respectability
When we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by
the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we
were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in
the oldness of the letter.
St. Paul
Romans 7:5-6
In truth, sublime words make not a man holy and just; but a
virtuous life maketh him dear to God.
I had rather feel compunction than know its definition.
If thou didst know the whole Bible by heart and the sayings of
all the philosophers, what would it profit it thee without the
love of God and His grace.
Thomas a Kempis
Of the Imitation of Christ Bk. 1 Ch. 1 v. 3
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Islamic quotations
Disinterestedness
"O God!, if I worship Thee in fear of Hell, burn me in Hell; and
if I worship Thee in hope of Paradise, exclude me from Paradise;
but if I worship Thee for Thine own sake, withold not Thine
everlasting Beauty!"
Rabi'a
Divine Edification
The knowledge of men of external sense is a muzzle
To stop them sucking milk of that sublime knowledge.
But God drops into the heart a single pearl-drop
Which is not bestowed on oceans or skies!
Masnavi
Book 1 Story 5
The Golden Rule
None of you [truly] believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.
Number 13 of "Imam Al-Nawawi's Forty Hadiths"
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Jewish quotations
Divine Edification
For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge
and understanding.
He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to
them that walk uprightly.
He keepeth the paths of judgement, and preserveth the way of the
saints.
Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgement, and
equity; yea, every good path.
When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant
to thy soul;
Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee.
Book of Proverbs 2:6-11
On a Contented Life
There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end
thereof are the ways of death.
Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that
mirth is heaviness.
The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a
good man shall be satisfied from himself.
Book of Proverbs 14:12-14
The Golden Rule
What is hateful to you, do not to your fellow man. This is the law: all the rest is commentary.
Talmud, Shabbat 31a
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Hindu quotations
Disinterestedness
A sacrifice which is offered without desire for gain and
according to rule, in saying, "Sacrifice must be done," with a
resolved mind, is "good". But the sacrifice which is offered for
the obtaining of reward and for ostentation, know, O best of
Bharatas! that this is of the nature of "passion".
Bhagavad Gita 17:11?
Divine Edification
Learn this (knowledge) by (becoming the disciples and ministers
of religious teachers). The wise, who see the truth, will teach
thee knowledge. When thou hast known it, thou wilt not come again
to this trouble ( of mind), O son of Pandu! for thou wilt see all
things, without exception, in thyself and then in Me.
Bhagavad Gita 4:34-36
On a Contented Life
The man who, having abandoned all desires, goes onward without
attachments, free from selfishness and vanity attains to peace.
This is the Brahma state, O son of Pritha! he who has attained it
is troubled no more.
Bhagavad Gita 2:71
The Golden Rule
This is the sum of duty: Do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you.
Mahabharata 5:1517
Human Existence
The entire universe is truly the Self. There exists nothing at all other than the Self. The enlightened person sees
everything in the world as his own Self, just as one views earthenware jars and pots as nothing but clay.
Shankara
Atma Bodha
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Buddhist quotations
On Virtue v Respectability
The dull, who delight in petty rules,
Who are greedily attached to mortality,
Who have not, under countless Buddhas,
Walked the profound and mystic way.
From The Lotus Gospel
The Golden Rule
Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.
Udana-Varga 5:18
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Sikh quotations
On a Contented Life
When the light of the soul blends with the Universal Light,
And the human mind commingles
With the mind of all things,
Then our petty being,
With its violence, doubt and sorrow disappears.
Through the grace of the Guru
Such spiritual union taketh place
Blessed are they in whose hearts resideth the Lord.
Sri Rag page 21
The Golden Rule
Don't create enmity with anyone as God is within everyone.
Guru Arjan Devji 259
On Virtue v Respectability
Pilgrimages, penances, compassion and almsgiving
Bring a little merit, the size of a sesame seed.
But he who hears and believes and loves the Name
Shall bathe and be made clean
In a place of pilgrimage within him.
From a hymn attributed to Guru Nanak
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Taoist quotations
Divine Edification
When water is still, it is like a mirror, reflecting the beard
and the eyebrows. It gives the accuracy of the water-level, and
the philosopher makes it his model. And if water thus derives
lucidity from stillness, how much more the faculties of the mind?
The mind of the Sage being in repose becomes the mirror of the
universe, the speculum of all creation.
Chuang Tzu
Chap 13
The universe is very beautiful, yet it says nothing. The four seasons abide by a fixed
law, yet they are not heard. All creation is based upon absolute principles, yet nothing
speaks.
And the true Sage, taking his stand upon the beauty of the universe, pierces the
principles of created things. Hence the saying that the perfect man does nothing, the
true Sage performs nothing, beyond gazing at the universe.
For man's intellect, however keen, face to face with the countless evolutions of
things, their death and birth, their squareness and roundness, can never reach the root.
There creation is, and there it has ever been.
Chuang Tzu
Chap 22
On a Contented Life
"Fishes," replied Confucius, "are born in water, Man is born in TAO. If fishes get
ponds to live in, they thrive. If man gets TAO to live in, he may live his life in peace."
Hence the saying "All that a fish wants is water; all that a man wants is TAO."
Chuang Tzu
Chap 6
Keep your body under proper control, your gaze concentrated upon ONE, - and the
peace of God will descend upon you. Keep back your knowledge, and concentrate
your thoughts upon ONE, and the holy spirit shall abide within you. Virtue shall
beautify you, TAO shall establish you, aimless as a new born calf which recks not
how it came into the world.
Chuang Tzu
Chap 22
The Golden Rule
Regard your neighbor's gain as your gain, and your neighbor's loss as your own loss.
Tai Shang Kan Yin P'ien
On Virtue v Respectability
Every addition to or deviation from nature belongs not to the
ultimate perfection of all. He who would attain to such
perfection never loses sight of the natural conditions of his
existence. With him the joined is not united, nor the separated
apart, nor the long in excess, nor the short wanting. For just as
a duck's legs, though short cannot be lengthened without pain to
the duck, and a crane's legs though long, cannot be shortened
without misery to the crane, so that which is long in man's moral
nature cannot be cut off, nor that which is short be lengthened.
All sorrow is thus avoided.
Chuang Tzu
Chap 8
"Ceremonial is the invention of man. Our original purity is given to us from God. It
is as it is, and cannot be changed. Wherefore the true Sage models himself upon God,
and holds his original purity in esteem. He is independent of human exigencies. Fools
however reverse this. They cannot model themselves upon God, and have to fall back
on man. They do not hold original purity in esteem. Consequently they are ever
suffering the vicissitudes of morality, and never reaching the goal. Alas! you, Sir,
were early steeped in deceit, and are late in hearing the great doctrine."
Chuang Tzu
Chap 31
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More quotations from the world religions are to be found on
our "Central" spiritual insights pages!!!
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