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The sublime words of Sri Ra makrishna are defined by wisdom and humility - his guidance to the spiritual path to the divine is delivered in a simple, lucid and compassionate way. Born in 1836, Ramakrishna experienced unusual visions from a young age; attributing these to the divinity, he vowed to follow the life of a holy man, living an ascetic and simple life alongside a small community of followers, while writing the spiritual tenets that would lead to great renown in his native Bengal. These writings were referred to as the Gospel of Ramakrishna, as they proscribed a spiritual existence from the perspective a man who lived to walk the path to God. Many readers are amazed at the gentle, plain manner with which Ramakrishna dispenses his wisdom - there is very little dryness, or obscure citations of lore. Rather, we receive a practical and compassionate guide to living one's life and adjusting one's attitude to be considerate of others and of the divine forces which inhabit the heavens.

The visible phenomena of the universe are bound by the universal law of cause and effect. The effect is visible or perceptible, while the cause is invisible or imperceptible. The falling of an apple from a tree is the effect of a certain invisible force called gravitation. Although the force cannot be perceived by the senses, its expression is visible. All perceptible phenomena are but the various expressions of different forces which act as invisible agents upon the subtle and impercep-tible forms of matter. These invisible agents or forces together with the imperceptible particles of matter make up the subtle states of the phenomenal universe. When a subtle force becomes objectified, it appears as a gross object. Therefore, we can say, that every gross form is an expression of some subtle force acting upon the subtle particles of matter. The minute particles of hydrogen and oxygen when combined by chemical force, appear in the gross form of water. Water can never be separated from hydrogen and oxygen, which are its subtle component parts. Its existence depends upon that of its component parts, or in other words, upon its subtle form. If the subtle state changes, the gross manifestation will also change. The peculiarity in the gross form of a plant depends upon the peculiar nature of its subtle form, the seed.

This 1903 collection of the wisdom of the great sage logically arranges Ramakrishna's aphorisms to create a broad, practical, nonsectarian set of instructions about living a spiritual life. It inspired seekers after the divine a century ago, and it continues to do so today. Indian mystic SRI RAMAKRISHNA (1836-1886) was revered in the East for his keen, artistic intellect and his religious tolerance. He frequently worshipped alongside Muslims and Christians, which was unprecedented at the time. After he directed his disciple, Indian spiritualist SWAMI ABHEDANANDA (1866-1939), to travel the United States and Canada in the late 19th century to spread the teachings of Hindu Vedanta philosophy, he was soon beloved in the West as well.

This book (hardcover) is part of the TREDITION CLASSICS. It contains classical literature works from over two thousand years. Most of these titles have been out of print and off the bookstore shelves for decades. The book series is intended to preserve the cultural legacy and to promote the timeless works of classical literature. Readers of a TREDITION CLASSICS book support the mission to save many of the amazing works of world literature from oblivion. With this series, tredition intends to make thousands of international literature classics available in printed format again - worldwide.

THIS 22 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOK: Vedanta Philosophy: Five Lectures on Reincarnation, by Swami Abhedananda. To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 1564598861.

THIS 40 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOK: India and Her People, by Swami Abhedananda. To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 076610186X.

The sublime words of Sri Ra makrishna are defined by wisdom and humility - his guidance to the spiritual path to the divine is delivered in a simple, lucid and compassionate way. Born in 1836, Ramakrishna experienced unusual visions from a young age; attributing these to the divinity, he vowed to follow the life of a holy man, living an ascetic and simple life alongside a small community of followers, while writing the spiritual tenets that would lead to great renown in his native Bengal. These writings were referred to as the Gospel of Ramakrishna, as they proscribed a spiritual existence from the perspective a man who lived to walk the path to God. Many readers are amazed at the gentle, plain manner with which Ramakrishna dispenses his wisdom - there is very little dryness, or obscure citations of lore. Rather, we receive a practical and compassionate guide to living one's life and adjusting one's attitude to be considerate of others and of the divine forces which inhabit the heavens.