Hasan then replied, “How did you come to know Him?”
Rabi’a al Adawiya said, “You know of the how but I know of the how-less.”
Rabi’a al Adawiya
Tag: God
aham brahmāsmi I am Brahman or …
aham brahmāsmi – “I am Brahman”, or “I am Divine”
Brhadaranyaka Upanishad 1.4.10 , Yajur Veda
A Mahâvâkya from the Yajurveda
Brhadâranyaka Upanisad 1.4.10
- brahma vâ idam agra âsît, tad âtmânam evâvet, aham brahmâsmi iti; tasmât tat sarvam abhavat.Olivelle (p. 15): “In the beginning this world was only brahman, and it knew only itself (âtman), thinking: ‘I am brahman.‘ As a result, it became the Whole.”
Hume (p. 83): “Verily, in the beginning this world was Brahma. It knew only itself (âtmânam): ‘I am Brahma!’ Therefore it became the All.”
Radhakrishnan (p. 168): “Brahman, indeed, was this in the beginning. It knew itself only as ‘I am Brahman.‘ Therefore it became all.”
A variant of this mahâvâkya is so ‘ham, “I am that,” which in its inverted form hamsa has connections with the goose used as a symbol of the Srngeri monastery founded by the nondualist master Sankara, and with the Paramahamsa line of ascetics tracing their lineage to him and including nondualist teachers such as Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.
ayam ātmā brahma This Self Atman is…
ayam ātmā brahma – “This Self (Atman) is Brahman”
Mandukya Upanishad 1.2, Atharva Veda
prajñānam brahma Prajña is Brahman or …
prajñānam brahma – “Prajña is Brahman”, or “Brahman is Prajña”
Prajñānam Brahma
Several translations, and word-orders of these translations, are possible:
Prajñānam:
jñā can be translated as “consciousness”, “knowledge”, or “understanding.”
Pra is an intensifier which could be translated as “higher”, “greater”, “supreme” or “premium”, or “being born or springing up”,referring to a spontaneous type of knowing.
Prajñānam as a whole means:
प्रज्ञान, “prajJAna”, Adjective: prudent, easily known, wise
Noun: discrimination, knowledge, wisdom, intelligence.
“Consciousness”
“Intelligence”
“Wisdom
Related terms are jnana, prajna and prajnam, “pure consciousness”.
Although the common translation of jnanam is “consciousness”, the term has a broader meaning of “knowing”; “becoming acquainted with”, “knowledge about anything”,”awareness”, “higher knowledge”.
Brahman:
“The Absolute”
“Infinite”
“The Highest truth”
Most interpretations state: “Prajñānam (noun) is Brahman (adjective)”.
Some translations give a reverse order, stating “Brahman is Prajñānam”, specifically “Brahman (noun) is Prajñānam (adjective)”.
“The Ultimate Reality is wisdom (or consciousness)”.
Aitareya Upanishad 3.3 of the Rig Veda
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Mahâvâkya from the Rgveda
Aitareya Upanisad 3.3
- sarvam tat prajñânetram prajñâne pratisthitam, prajñânetro lokah prajñâ pratisthâ, prajñânam brahma.
- Olivelle (p. 199): “Knowledge is the eye of all that, and on knowledge it is founded. Knowledge is the eye of the world, and knowledge, the foundation. Brahman is knowing.”
Hume (p. 301): “All this is guided by intelligence, is based on intelligence. The world is guided by intelligence. The basis is intelligence. Brahma is intelligence.”
Radhakrishnan (p. 523): “All this is guided by intelligence, is established in intelligence. The world is guided by intelligence. The support is intelligence. Brahma is intelligence.”
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What you will be
Source : http://www.godswork.org/enpoem178.htm
What You Will Be
As I gazed up at the mountains, I was awed by their majesty;
I bowed my head and asked myself, “Why should He care for me?
I am not great like the mountains that tower so high above,
What is there about me that God can find to love?”
“Father, I am not strong like the wind that makes your tall trees sway,
I cannot sing sweetly like your birds; will you love me anyway?
But most of all, I am simply me, and often have cause to fear,
In spite of all my weaknesses, do you promise to be near?”
With eyes closed tight against my tears, I wished He could hear me pray.
Then I felt His Spirit tell me, “Child, look up, I have something to say.
“You are simply you, the spirit I love, a part of my great plan.
I put you here to learn of life and to return to me again.”
“You are more beautiful to me than the loveliest mountain I made,
And your strength exceeds that of the wind’s, so do not be afraid.
I love you not for what you are, but for what I know you will be.
I am always beside you watching you grow, you are very special to me.”
A smile touched my lips – I knew it was true, my Father had always been there
Giving me comfort and blessings and love and my own special talents to share.
So I do my best to make Him proud. I am not afraid, for you see,
He loves me not for what I am, but for what He knows I will be.
Author Unknown