Words from the Masters to Illuminate the Spiritual Path

This book is one of those little strokes of genius that seem to be so obvious once it is actually done. There is nothing terribly original about the core idea, but the selection of short little passages from a variety of spiritual masters from all over the world and all time periods ensure that the book is simple and powerful in its appeal. There are just one hundred illuminating sayings gathered here, and they more or less cover most serious issues and questions that arise on the Path. More than anything else is illuminated the fact that differences in spiritual ways are merely accidents in culture and environment but the real gist of the matter is something intrinsically human and available to all mankind.

The selection of Spinoza and Emerson, even Rilke, may seem strange in a spiritual book but poets and writers practice a special sort of mysticism and their insights are not be disdained by any but the very foolish. The inclusion of Blake in such a compilation is long overdue. The poor man is too literary for the spiritual crowd and too mystical for the literary bunch. Fortunately his dogged originality survives both neglect and skepticism.
The old familiar Blake-isms are there but you also get a genuine overlooked gem like this one: Everything possible to be believed is an image of truth.

The great mystic Abu Yazid al-Bistami has this to offer: Anyone whose reward from God is deferred until tomorrow has not truly worshipped him today.

Rainer Maria Rilke has many entries but this one is really good: Don't be confused by surfaces; in the depths everything becomes law.

The great Ramana Maharshi makes a cross-cultural statement that exalts a culture other than his native one, proof, if any was ever needed, that the spirit does not suffer from the "measles of mankind - nationalism." - The whole of wisdom is contained in two Biblical statements: "I am that I Am" and "Be still and know that I am God."

The Buddha of ancient Greece, Heraclitus, is represented with typical 'dark riddles' as a too-rational Aristotle called his cryptic sayings: The way up and the way down are one and the same. Obviously, 'reasonable' people find much in such statements to tear their hair.

Confucius, who would have been more to Aristotle's liking, has this sound little statement to make: In the archer there is a resemblance to the mature person. When he misses the bullseye, he turns and seeks the reason for his failure in himself.

Franz Kafka is represented with a truly startling insight: The Messiah will come only when he is no longer necessary. As to what that says about the necessary moral effort from humans I would not like to think about for too long.

Dogen, Zen master supreme, is a fitting finale to such a collection: The place is here; the way leads everywhere.

This is a book to be unreservedly recommended.

Reviewed by Rohit Arya

• Title: The Essence of Wisdom
• Edited by: Stephen Mitchell
• Publisher: Broadway Books, New York