A Calendar of Wisdom

There is something in the soul which cannot die, which cannot be affected by death.

He who defeats others is strong; he who defeats himself is powerful, and he who knows when he dies that he will not be destroyed is eternal.

People are born and live only as manifestations, or pieces of God; therefore they cannot be completely destroyed. They can disappear from before our eyes, but they cannot be destroyed. One person was within my sight for a long time; another went out of my sight very quickly; but I cannot say that the first person existed more and the second less. It doesn’t matter whether a man passes-by my window quickly or slowly. I know definitely that this man existed in the time before I saw him and that he will exist in the time after he has disappeared from my sight.

He who knows that the foundation of this life is spirit is out of danger. When he closes the gates of his senses at the end of his life, he has no troubles.

Real life exists outside time and space; therefore, death can change the manifestation of life in this world, but it cannot destroy life itself.

Try to live with the part of your soul which understands eternity, which is not afraid of death. And that part of your soul is love.

All material changes in our everyday life are small in comparison with those in our spiritual life. There could be a change in feelings and actions, there could be a change in thoughts and ideas. In order to change your thoughts and ideas, you should concentrate your conscious mind on your spiritual requirements.

Every thought a person dwells upon, whether he expresses it or not, either damages or improves his life.

To vanquish sin, you must accept that the root of each sin is in a bad thought. We are all only the consequences of what we think.

We regret losing a purse full of money, but a good thought which has come to us, which we’ve heard or read, a thought which we should have remembered and applied to our life, which could have improved the world - we lose this thought and promptly forget about it, and we do not regret it, though it is more precious than millions.

Suffering is the necessary condition for spiritual and physical growth.

Very often we say that we don’t like suffering, that we have too much suffering, but sufferings, all kinds of sufferings, are always good for us. Sometimes, we even see that it is useful to suffer: children suffer when they grow, or when it is necessary that they clean an injury filled with filth. We cannot see the usefulness of moral sufferings, but those sufferings, too, make us better and closer to God.

We grow thus: We come closer to God and God comes closer to us as our will becomes united with the will of God.

You should look in suffering for the seeds of your future spiritual growth, or the bitterness of suffering will be severe.

Intellect is the quality that makes us different from animals.

Buddha said: “In meditation, in speech, in life, in studies, I never forget about the most important thing: the requirements of the intellect.”

The moral and the intellectual are always in harmony. If a self-confident man talks to a wise man, he will not understand the truth, just as a spoon will not understand the truth when it gets into the mouth.

I cannot cause any improvement in anyone except with the help of the goodness and kindness which already is inherent in this person.

People spoil their life who neglect their intellect and say that it cannot guide them.

Intellect is the same in all people, and communication is based on intellect; therefore every man must correspond to its requirements.

When you make an effort not to blame other people, vour life becomes much easier, but very few people make this small effort.

In the lives of the saints, there is the story of the hermit who saw in his dream a monk who had died long ago, and who had been rather weak in his life. The monk was in an especially lovely and honored part of paradise. The hermit asked, "How were you granted this place, with all your weaknesses?” and the monk answered that it was because he had never blamed, not a single person in his life.

The more strictly and mercilessly you judge yourself, the more just and kind you will he in the judgment of others.

Do not glorify in blaming and despising other people. A kind person should hide the shame of others, even those who have harmed him. Do not remember one who repents his former sins.

Unless you yourself are sinless, do not say a single word about the sins of others, but be quiet. If you make it a habit not to blame others, you will feel the growth of the ability to love in your soul, and you will see the growth of goodness in your life.

To love God means to love the highest possible good which we can imagine in all things.

People often say, “I do not understand love of God; what is love of God?” It would be more exact to say, “cannot understand love in this world without love of God.”

Real love of God is a moral feeling based on a clear understanding of His high, superior being; love of God coincides with love of virtue, truth, and kindness.

A person who understands the law but who is far from the love of God is like a bank official who has keys for the inside of his building but not the key for the front door.

The commandments of God should be followed because of love of God, not because of fear of God.