Beautiful quote - Albert Einstein

[Guest guest]

I found it highly Advaitic so I hope I don't elicit a yellow card

 

 

" A human being is a part of the whole, called by us the " Universe, " a

part limited in time and space. He experiences himself,his thoughts

and feelings, as something separated from the rest — a kind of optical

delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for

us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few

persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this

prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living

creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. Nobody is able to

achieve this completely, but the striving for such achievement is in

itself a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security. "

 

Albert Einstein

letter dated 1950, quoted in H. Eves'

MATHEMATICAL CIRCLES ADIEU, 1977

[Guest guest]

Namaste.

 

That yellow card humour was unwarranted because yellow cards are

warranted in warranting situations.

 

Thanks for the Einstein quote. He is very close to advaita. I don't

know if he studied vedanta. Anandji, who had quoted him very aptly

in the past, can enlighten us here.

 

However, I wish Einstein had concluded his statement more

optimistically. While the last part of the quote is mumukshwatwam, I

am sure Einstein would have made the first part of the last sentence

positive had he associated with Indian sages or was convinced about

the message of advaita. He sure knew Mahatma Gandhi. Why then does

he say nobody is able to achieve complete freedom? It is baffling.

 

Thanks again and pranams.

 

Madathil Nair

______________

 

advaitin , " bhatnagar_shailendra "

<bhatnagar_shailendra wrote:

>

> I found it highly Advaitic so I hope I don't elicit a yellow card

>

>

> " A human being is a part of the whole, called by us the " Universe, "

a

> part limited in time and space. He experiences himself,his thoughts

> and feelings, as something separated from the rest — a kind of

optical

> delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison

for

> us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a

few

> persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this

> prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living

> creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. Nobody is able to

> achieve this completely, but the striving for such achievement is

in

> itself a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner

security. "

>

> Albert Einstein

> letter dated 1950, quoted in H. Eves'

> MATHEMATICAL CIRCLES ADIEU, 1977

>