Peace. Bahá í Devotional Readings

Transcription

1 Peace Bahá í Devotional Readings 1

2 Thou seest, O my God, how the wrongs committed by such of Thy creatures as have turned their backs to Thee have come in between Him in Whom Thy Godhead is manifest and Thy servants. Send down upon them, O my Lord, what will cause them to be busied with each others concerns. Let, then, their violence be confined to their own selves, that the land and they that dwell therein may find peace. One of Thy handmaidens, O my Lord, hath sought Thy face, and soared in the atmosphere of Thy pleasure. Withhold not from her, O my Lord, the things Thou didst ordain for the chosen ones among Thy handmaidens. Enable her, then, to be so attracted by Thine utterances that she will celebrate Thy praise amongst them. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. No God is there but Thee, the Almighty, Whose help is implored by all men. The Bahá í Faith - Prayers and Meditations by Bahá u lláh, p. 196 May wise submission conquer disobedience within this house, and may peace triumph over discord here, and generous giving over avarice, reverence over contempt, speech with truthful words over lying utterance. May the Righteous Order gain the victory over the lie. Zoroasterianism - Avesta-Yasnae Every time they kindle the fire of war, Allah doth extinguish it; but they (ever) strive to do mischief on earth. And Allah loveth not those who do mischief. Islam - The Qur an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 5 2

3 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? Christianity - The Bible, James 4:10-12 All fear violence. All fear death. One should compare oneself to others, and should neither kill nor cause to kill nor cause to be killed. All fear violence. All love life. One should compare oneself to others, and should neither kill nor cause to be killed. Whoever harms another being, seeking his own happiness, will find no happiness hereafter, but whoever, seeking happiness, harms no other being will find happiness hereafter... He who harms the harmless and defenseless, soon will come to no good: He will suffer... And after death, this foolish man will be reborn in hell. Buddhism - Dhammapada Our Father, it is thy universe, it is thy will: Let us be at peace, let the souls of the people be cool. Thou art our Father, remove all evil from our path. African Traditional Religion Nuer Prayer (Sudan) 3

4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Christianity The Bible; Matthew 5:4-9 In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful Mankind was but one people; and God sent prophets to announce glad tidings and to warn; and He sent down with them the Book of Truth, that it might decide the disputes of men... It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces towards east or west; but it is righteousness to believe in God... and the Book and the Messengers... Islam The Qur an Surih 2:209 4

5 ... it is evident that ignorance and misunderstanding have caused so much warfare and strife between Christians and Muhammadans. If both should investigate the underlying truth of their religious beliefs, the outcome would be unity and agreement; strife and bitterness would pass away forever and the world of humanity find peace and composure... How much blood has flowed in their wars; how many nations have been destroyed; how many children have been made fatherless; how many fathers and mothers have mourned the loss of dear ones! All this has been due to prejudice, misunderstanding... without investigation of the reality. If the Holy Books were rightly understood none of this discord and distress would have existed, but love and fellowship would have prevailed instead. This is true with all the other religions as well. The essential purpose of the religion of God is to establish unity among mankind. The divine Manifestations were founders of the means of fellowship and love. They did not come to create discord, strife and hatred in the world. The religion of God is the cause of love... The Bahá í Faith - Compilations, Bahá í Scriptures, p. 334 The commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not covet, and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Christianity The Bible; Romans 13:9-10 5

6 All this is full. All that is full. From fullness, fullness comes. When fullness is taken from fullness, Fullness still remains. Peace, peace, peace. Hinduism Isha Upanishad This is peace, this is the excellent, namely the calm of all the impulses, the casting out of all (conditions), the extinction of craving, dispassion, stopping, Nirvana. Buddhism Anguttara Nikaya, 322 The purpose of religion as revealed from the heaven of God s holy Will is to establish unity and concord amongst the peoples of the world; make it not the cause of dissension and strife. The religion of God and His divine law are the most potent instruments and the surest of all means for the dawning of the light of unity amongst men. The progress of the world, the development of nations, the tranquillity of peoples, and the peace of all who dwell on earth are among the principles and ordinances of God. Religion bestoweth upon man the most precious of all gifts, offereth the cup of prosperity, imparteth eternal life, and showereth imperishable benefits upon mankind. The Bahá í Faith - Tablets of Bahá u lláh, p

7 Were men to meditate upon the lives of the Prophets of old, so easily would they come to know and understand the ways of these Prophets that they would cease to be veiled by such deeds and words as are contrary to their own worldly desires, and thus consume every intervening veil with the fire burning in the Bush of divine knowledge, and abide secure upon the throne of peace and certitude. The Bahá í Faith - Bahá u lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 53 Should anyone be victim of great anxiety, his body racked with maladies, beset with problems of home and family, With pleasure and pain alternating, wandering in all four directions without peace or rest Should he then contemplate the Supreme Being, Peaceful shall his mind and body become. Sikhism - Sri Raga O SON OF SPIRIT! With the joyful tidings of light I hail thee: rejoice! To the court of holiness I summon thee; abide therein that thou mayest live in peace for evermore. The Bahá í Faith - Bahá u lláh, The Arabic Hidden Words Men do not mirror themselves in running water they mirror themselves in still water. Only what is still can still the stillness of other things. Taoism - Chuang Tzu 5 7

8 The Lord lives in the heart of every creature.... Take refuge utterly in Him. By His grace you will find supreme peace, and the state which is beyond all change. Hinduism Bahagavad Gita 18:61-62 Turn thy sight unto thyself, that thou mayest find Me standing within thee, mighty, powerful and self-subsisting. The Bahá í Faith - Bahá u lláh, The Arabic Hidden Words, 13 He it is who sent down peace of reassurance into the hearts of the believers, that they might add faith to their faith... O tranquil soul, return to your Lord so pleasant and well-pleased! Enter among My servents and enter My garden! Islam Qur an 48:4, 89:27-30 This is the Day in which God s most excellent favors have been poured out upon men, the Day in which His most mighty grace hath been infused into all created things. It is incumbent upon all the peoples of the world to reconcile their differences, and, with perfect unity and peace, abide beneath the shadow of the Tree of His care and loving-kindness. It behoveth them to cleave to whatsoever will, in this Day, be conducive to the exaltation of their stations, and to the promotion of their best interests. The Bahá í Faith - Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá u lláh, p. 6 8

9 O SON OF MY HANDMAID! Guidance hath ever been given by words, and now it is given by deeds. Every one must show forth deeds that are pure and holy, for words are the property of all alike, whereas such deeds as these belong only to Our loved ones. Strive then with heart and soul to distinguish yourselves by your deeds. In this wise We counsel you in this holy and resplendent tablet. The Baha i Faith - Bahá u lláh, The Persian Hidden Words O true companions! All humankind are as children in a school, and the Dawning-Points of Light, the Sources of divine revelation, are the teachers, wondrous and without peer. In the school of realities they educate these sons and daughters, according to teachings from God, and foster them in the bosom of grace, so that they may develop along every line, show forth the excellent gifts and blessings of the Lord, and combine human perfections; that they may advance in all aspects of human endeavour, whether outward or inward, hidden or visible, material or spiritual, until they make of this mortal world a widespread mirror, to reflect that other world which dieth not. Wherefore, O loved ones of God! Make ye a mighty effort till you yourselves betoken this advancement and all these confirmations, and become focal centres of God s blessings, daysprings of the light of His unity, promoters of the gifts and graces of civilized life.... The Bahá í Faith - Selections from the Writings of Abdu l-bahá, p

10 In safety and in bliss, may creatures all be of a peaceful heart. Whatever living things there are; whether weak or strong with none excepted. Great or small, seen or unseen, dwelling far or near, born or awaiting birth may all be blessed with peace. Let no one work another one s undoing, or show contempt in any place. Let no one wish another harm, through provocation or resentful thought. Just as a mother with her life protects her child, her only child, let all-embracing thoughts for all that lives be yours. An all-embracing love for all the universe, in all its height and depth and breadth. Buddhism The Sutta Nipata Fearless, pure of heart, cultivating spiritual knowledge; charitable, self controlled, performing sacrifice; studying the Scriptures, austere and upright; non-violent, truthful, free from anger; renouncing all, tranquil, averse to fault-finding, compassionate towards all beings, free from covetousness, gentle, modest, steadfast... ardent, patient, enduring, pure, and free from malice and pride such are the virtues of one who is born for heaven. Hindusim Bhagavad Gita It is towards the inmost essence of these Prophets, therefore, that the eye of every man of discernment must be directed, inasmuch as their one and only purpose hath always been to guide the erring, and give peace to the afflicted.... These are not days of prosperity and triumph. The whole of mankind is in the grip of manifold ills. Strive, therefore, to save its life through the wholesome medicine which the almighty hand of the unerring Physician hath prepared. The Bahá í Faith - Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá u lláh, p

11 O Thou kind Lord! Thou hast created all humanity from the same stock. Thou hast decreed that all shall belong to the same household. In Thy Holy Presence they are all Thy servants, and all mankind are sheltered beneath Thy Tabernacle; all have gathered together at Thy Table of Bounty; all are illumined through the light of Thy Providence. O God! Thou art kind to all, Thou hast provided for all, dost shelter all, conferrest life upon all. Thou hast endowed each and all with talents and faculties, and all are submerged in the Ocean of Thy Mercy. O Thou kind Lord! Unite all. Let the religions agree and make the nations one, so that they may see each other as one family and the whole earth as one home. May they all live together in perfect harmony. O God! Raise aloft the banner of the oneness of mankind. O God! Establish the Most Great Peace. Cement Thou, O God, the hearts together. O Thou kind Father, God! Gladden our hearts through the fragrance of Thy love. Brighten our eyes through the Light of Thy Guidance. Delight our ears with the melody of Thy Word, and shelter us all in the Stronghold of Thy Providence. Thou art the Mighty and Powerful, Thou art the Forgiving and Thou art the One Who overlooketh the shortcomings of all mankind. The Bahá í Faith - Abdu l-bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p