Wisdom of the Masters

Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) was a Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer and painter. He reshaped Bengali literature and music as well as Indian art with Contextual Modernism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Author of the "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful" poetry of Gitanjali, he became in 1913 the first non-European...

This is a reading for contemplation of the Kalama Sutta. The instructions to the Kalamas  is renowned for its encouragement of free inquiry; the spirit of the sutta signifies a teaching that is exempt from fanaticism, bigotry, dogmatism, and intolerance. As Thanisarro says, "The reasonableness of the Dhamma, the Buddha's teaching, is chiefly evident in its welcoming careful examination at all...

A selection of direct and powerful teachings on Love by Sri Nisargadatta taken from various sources.  Nisargadatta Maharaj (17 April 1897 – 8 September 1981), born Maruti Shivrampant Kambli, was an Indian guru of nondualism, belonging to the Inchagiri Sampradaya, a lineage of teachers from the Navnath Sampradaya and Lingayat Shaivism.  Music: Suni-Ai (Listening Meditation) - Snatam Kaur...

Chuang Tzu (Zhuangzi) was a Taoist sage, living sometime before 250 B.C. He is credited with writing- in part or in whole - a work known by his name, the Zhuangzi, which is one of the foundational texts of Taoism. The text is ranked among the greatest of literary and philosophical masterpieces that China has produced.  Its style is complex—mythical, poetic, narrative, humorous, indirect, and...

These pith and profound pointers were spoken by Ani la - Abbess of Gebchak Nunnery, Eastern Tibet. For more information about the inspiring Gebchak nuns and how to support them, please see these links:   https://gebchakgonpa.org/about/ https://gebchakgonpa.org/donate/ 🔆 These podcasts are not monetized. If you benefit from these podcasts and would like to support our nun's hermitage, there a...

A reading for meditation of the 24 Gurus of Dattatreya - translated by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait.  Dattatreya is considered to be the incarnation of the Trinity- Brahma, Vishnu and Siva – a Trimurti Avatar. The Philosophy propounded by Lord Dattatreya is found in the ‘Avadhuta Gita’ which is a Vedantic text expounding non-dualism. Dattatreya, in the eleventh chapter of Srimad Bhagavata lists hi...

This is a guided meditation on the soft butter method introspective meditation as detailed by Zen Master Hakuin. It was taught to Hakuin as he was suffering from "Zen sickness" (exhaustion) caused by over-exertion and extreme austerities. 🔆 These podcasts are not monetized. If you benefit from these podcasts and would like to support our nun's hermitage, there are two options to donate - via Payp...

This is meditation on the Nature of the Mind by Lama Shabkar taken from the text, "The Flight of the Garuda" - translated by Keith Dowman.   Shabkar Tsokdruk Rangdrol  (1781-1851) was a Tibetan Buddhist yogi and poet from Amdo. Shabkar's yogic and poetic skill is considered second only to Milarepa.  Shabkar begin his spiritual practice early, completing a one-year retreat at the age...

A reading for meditation of Ajahn Buddhadasa's teaching on the immanence of Nibbana - translated by Santikaro.  Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu (Servant of the Buddha) went forth as a bhikkhu (Buddhist monk) in 1926, at the age of twenty. After a few years of study in Bangkok, which convinced him “purity is not to be found in the big city,” he was inspired to live intimately with nature in order to invest...

Esther (Etty) Hillesum (15 January 1914 – 30 November 1943) was the Dutch author of confessional letters and diaries which describe both her religious awakening and the persecutions of Jewish people in Amsterdam during the German occupation. In 1943, she was deported and murdered in Auschwitz concentration camp.  Hillesum’s approach to spirituality was not about striving for ecstasy. Rather,...

This is a reading for meditation of the Vajra Song of Drubwang Tsoknyi Rinpoche.   Drubwang Tsoknyi (the first), Padma Drimé Özer  (1828/49-1904)  was born in Nangchen, Eastern Tibet, in the first half of the 19th century and was a contemporary of the three great lamas of the time: Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, Jamgön Kongtrul and Chokgyur Lingpa. He fully mastered the practices of the S...

This sublime and profound teaching on the nature of reality by the great master, Longchenpa is taken from the Finding Rest in Illusion trilogy . It is suitable for those practitioners who have a in-depth understanding and insight into Dzogchen's concepts and paradigm. Translated by the Padmakara Translation Group.  Longchenpa, also known as Longchen Rabjam , ‘Infinite, Vast Expanse of Space’,...

A reading of Bodhidharma's formative teaching "Outline of Practice" which describes the four all-inclusive habits that lead to enlightenment. Translated by Red Pine.  Bodhidharma is considered the founder of Zen Buddhism in China and regarded as its first Chinese patriarch. He brought the Buddha's teachings to China from India in 520 AD. While much of his biography may be the stuff of legend...

A selection of some key pointers for meditation from Simone Weil taken from various texts and sources.   Simone Adolphine Weil (1909 -1943) was a French philosopher, mystic, and political activist.  Weil received spiritual direction from a Dominican friar and learned much from the Catholic author Gustave Thibon. She was especially rooted in Neoplatonic thinking in her spiritual writings....

This is a guided Yoga Nidra of 35 minute duration with bird and nature sounds for relaxation and sleep. 🔆 These podcasts are not monetized. If you benefit from these podcasts and would like to support our nun's hermitage, there are two options to donate - via Paypal using this email address: vivekahermitage@gmail.com with PayPal or using this direct link: https://paypal.me/VivekaHermitage or beco...

This is a selection of key pointers from Siddharameshwar. Siddharameshwar Maharaj is one of the greatest unknown saints of the age who attained the highest abode of Eternal peace. He was born in August 1888 in the small village of Pathri, in the district Sholapur of India. From 1925 until 1936, he taught many disciples and helped dozens attain Self-realisation. His teachings were further spread ar...

The Prayer of Kuntuzangpo is a famous Dzogchen aspiration prayer from the Gongpa Zangthal. It is the prayer of the Primordial Buddha and also a prayer of aspiration on the path of awakening to our true Buddha Nature. This powerful prayer helps us to understand that it is only our deluded thinking and lack of understanding that makes things appear as other than they really are.  This aspiratio...

This is a reading for meditation of core couplets from the Yoga Vasistha Sara (Essence).  The Yoga Vasishta is a work of about 32,000 Sanskrit couplets, traditionally attributed to Valmiki, the author of Srimad Ramayana. It is a dialogue between Sage Vasishta and Sri Rama, during which Advaita (the doctrine of non-duality) in its pure form of ajatavada (theory of non-origination) is expounded...

This remarkable and profound teaching on modes of contemplation by Thomas Merton, is from the chapter, Pure Love from the text "Seeds of Contemplation."   Thomas Merton  (January 31, 1915 – December 10, 1968) was an American Trappist monk, writer, theologian, mystic, poet, social activist, and scholar of comparative religion. On May 26, 1949, he was ordained to the priesthood and gi...

This is a reading of a talk given to a group of lay practitioners on the topic of samadhi at Hampstead Vihara, London in the late 1970s. It is designed to be listened to as a guided meditation.  The Pali/Sanskrit word samādhi, usually translated as “concentration,” is made up of three parts, a verbal root and two prefixes (sam+ā+dhi). The last part, dhi, is a noun form derived from the verb...

This is guided meditation on the five (5) elements of the body that can help us understand with insight the true, impersonal nature of this elemental phenomena. It can also assist in  loosening our attachments and identifications to this material form as 'me',  'mine, and 'myself'. 🔆 These podcasts are not monetized. If you benefit from these podcasts and would like to support our nun's...

This is a reading for meditation of some powerful teachings by Nisargadatta. Nisargadatta Maharaj (17 April 1897 – 8 September 1981), born Maruti Shivrampant Kambli, was an Indian guru of nondualism, belonging to the Inchagiri Sampradaya, a lineage of teachers from the Navnath Sampradaya and Lingayat Shaivism.  The publication in 1973 of I Am That, an English translation of his talks in Marat...

A reading for meditation of the famous text on lojong practice, meaning to ;transform the mind', by Geshe Langri Tangpa. The first seven verses of the Eight Verses for Training the Mind deal with the practices associated with cultivating the method aspect of the path such as compassion, altruism, aspiration to attain Buddhahood, and so on. The eighth verse deals with the practices that are directe...

A 30 minute guided yoga nidra session to help you relax and sleep. Gentle music by Swami Madhuram. 🔆 These podcasts are not monetized. If you benefit from these podcasts and would like to support our nun's hermitage, there are two options to donate - via Paypal using this email address: vivekahermitage@gmail.com with PayPal or using this direct link: https://paypal.me/VivekaHermitage or become at...

A reading for contemplation/meditation of some profound and beautiful reflections from Einstein on the nature of Reality. Music/sounds: NASA Space Sounds  Tchaikovsky - Hymn of the Cherubim 🔆 These podcasts are not monetized. If you benefit from these podcasts and would like to support our nun's hermitage, there are two options to donate - via Paypal using this email address: vivekahermitage...