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Parables
It is commonly mentioned, "What the sword cannot do, a needle can."
At times when the subtle wisdom of the scriptures may seem to overpower us intellectually, parables are able to imbibe in us the same subtle ideas and concepts. The practical manner in which these stories are presented, make learning a more joyous experience. This book is a collection of parables as written by Swami Chinmayananda. Within each tale lies a fountain of wisdom to drink from and refresh ourselves. "
At times when the subtle wisdom of the scriptures may seem to overpower us intellectually, parables are able to imbibe in us the same subtle ideas and concepts. The practical manner in which these stories are presented, make learning a more joyous experience. This book is a collection of parables as written by Swami Chinmayananda. Within each tale lies a fountain of wisdom to drink from and refresh ourselves. "
138 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2014
3 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
About the author
Chinmayananda
386 books139 followersChinmayananda Saraswati, also known as Swami Chinmayananda and born Balakrishnan Menon, was an Indian spiritual leader and teacher who inspired the formation of Chinmaya Mission in 1953 to spread the message of Vedanta. The organization, which was founded by his disciples and led by him, has over 300 centres in India and internationally.
He was a disciple of Sivananda Saraswati at Rishikesh, who founded the Divine Life Society. He was later advised by Sivananda to study under Tapovan Maharaj in Uttarkashi in the Himalayas.
He was a disciple of Sivananda Saraswati at Rishikesh, who founded the Divine Life Society. He was later advised by Sivananda to study under Tapovan Maharaj in Uttarkashi in the Himalayas.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 14, 2015
Parables by Swami Chinmayananda is one of the greatest collection of parables that I’ve ever read, and except for Chuang Tzu’s parables no other collection of parables have been this impactful. Each tale has a powerful message to convey that has potential to change one’s life, forever, if one absorbs that message and live it.
Ignorance, by virtue of its nature, is hidden from us; though its presence is actually the absence of reason and lack of awareness. And it’s precisely this these parables are trying to show us. These parables are an attempt to make one understand – how one is responsible for his sufferings, and consequently for his happiness. These parables makes one understand the abstract teachings of Vedanta through simple stories. There is an attempt, in all the stories, to make one aware of his ignorance. Each parable shows a certain kind of human folly, and provides a glimpse of the solution. As ignorance can be of many types – delusion, attachment, greed, etc. – so are there as many parables.
Swami Chinmayananda has clearly brought out the essence of Vedanta through these simple, yet potent, parables. In its core, each parable is related to Advaita Vedanta. Each story is a gem among gems and depicts the basic human condition. The aim of each story is to convey the ignorant nature of human beings, through various metaphors. We humans are often ignorant, or rather, oblivious to our vices and shortcomings. We never pay much attention as to what is that which really cause us to suffer. And if someone asks a spiritual master this same question, his answer would be – it’s us who are the cause of suffering. But we never understand the gravity of that answer – because it’s so trivial and consequently we reject it entirely.
This book totally surprised me, and I’m glad that it did. I savored each story (and the message it conveyed), reading one or two at a time. And, to be honest, very few books have left me this much satisfied.
HIGHEST RECOMMENDATIONS!
Ignorance, by virtue of its nature, is hidden from us; though its presence is actually the absence of reason and lack of awareness. And it’s precisely this these parables are trying to show us. These parables are an attempt to make one understand – how one is responsible for his sufferings, and consequently for his happiness. These parables makes one understand the abstract teachings of Vedanta through simple stories. There is an attempt, in all the stories, to make one aware of his ignorance. Each parable shows a certain kind of human folly, and provides a glimpse of the solution. As ignorance can be of many types – delusion, attachment, greed, etc. – so are there as many parables.
Swami Chinmayananda has clearly brought out the essence of Vedanta through these simple, yet potent, parables. In its core, each parable is related to Advaita Vedanta. Each story is a gem among gems and depicts the basic human condition. The aim of each story is to convey the ignorant nature of human beings, through various metaphors. We humans are often ignorant, or rather, oblivious to our vices and shortcomings. We never pay much attention as to what is that which really cause us to suffer. And if someone asks a spiritual master this same question, his answer would be – it’s us who are the cause of suffering. But we never understand the gravity of that answer – because it’s so trivial and consequently we reject it entirely.
This book totally surprised me, and I’m glad that it did. I savored each story (and the message it conveyed), reading one or two at a time. And, to be honest, very few books have left me this much satisfied.
HIGHEST RECOMMENDATIONS!
December 13, 2016
The Hindu Dharma and Vedanta as illustrated from simple stories
The parables described in this book are simple, succinct, didactic stories narrated in prose style, which illustrates the basic concepts of Vedanta philosophy. The stories are simple but the teachings are profound precepts from Swami Chinmayananda. These parables inspire and remind us of the wisdom of Advaita Vedanta with the emphasis on the teachings Upanishads and Bhagavadgita. The stories teaches us to sow the seeds of self-discovery, and help it grow into a tree of self-knowledge culminating in self-realization and unification with the Brahman.
Parables are powerful means of teaching the message of God, and Jesus himself used them in his message about the kingdom of God. In this book the author describes 25 simple stories from which the principles of Vedanta is made apparent. For example, in the story of Mahanta (Chapter 3), Swami exemplifies the teachings of Bhagavadgita 16.13
Avibhaktam cha bhooteshu vibhaktamiva cha sthitam;
Bhootabhartru cha tajjneyam grasishnu prabhavishnu cha.
Translation: Without and within (all) beings, the unmoving and also the moving; because of His
Subtlety, unknowable; and near and far away is That.
In the story of Rama Sharma (Chapter 13), Swami Chinmayananda illustrates the teachings of Isavasya Upanishad verse 1.
Savasyam idam sarvam yat kim ca jagatyam jagat, tena tyaktena bhunjitha, ma gridhah kasyasvid dhanam in which it states that: "The entire universe is enveloped by the Supreme Being."
The author says that we must renounce the material aspects of nature first before we find peace.
Two most important stories from Upanishads are of course the much-celebrated story of Nachiketas. He was taught Self-knowledge and the separation of the Supreme Self from body by the god of Death Himself, Yama. Nachiketas is noted for his rejection of material desires which are ephemeral and for his single-minded pursuit of the path of realizing Brahman and the emancipation of the soul from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Another well-known story is that of Satyakama Jabala which appears in Chapter IV of Chandogya Upanishad. His teacher Sage Haridrumata Gautama sets him with task from which he learns the Nature of Brahman, The Ultimate Reality and Pure Consciousness.
The book is easy to read and the complexities of Vedanta is reduced. The message is illustrated in the form of simple stories. Recommended to readers interested in Vedanta.
The parables described in this book are simple, succinct, didactic stories narrated in prose style, which illustrates the basic concepts of Vedanta philosophy. The stories are simple but the teachings are profound precepts from Swami Chinmayananda. These parables inspire and remind us of the wisdom of Advaita Vedanta with the emphasis on the teachings Upanishads and Bhagavadgita. The stories teaches us to sow the seeds of self-discovery, and help it grow into a tree of self-knowledge culminating in self-realization and unification with the Brahman.
Parables are powerful means of teaching the message of God, and Jesus himself used them in his message about the kingdom of God. In this book the author describes 25 simple stories from which the principles of Vedanta is made apparent. For example, in the story of Mahanta (Chapter 3), Swami exemplifies the teachings of Bhagavadgita 16.13
Avibhaktam cha bhooteshu vibhaktamiva cha sthitam;
Bhootabhartru cha tajjneyam grasishnu prabhavishnu cha.
Translation: Without and within (all) beings, the unmoving and also the moving; because of His
Subtlety, unknowable; and near and far away is That.
In the story of Rama Sharma (Chapter 13), Swami Chinmayananda illustrates the teachings of Isavasya Upanishad verse 1.
Savasyam idam sarvam yat kim ca jagatyam jagat, tena tyaktena bhunjitha, ma gridhah kasyasvid dhanam in which it states that: "The entire universe is enveloped by the Supreme Being."
The author says that we must renounce the material aspects of nature first before we find peace.
Two most important stories from Upanishads are of course the much-celebrated story of Nachiketas. He was taught Self-knowledge and the separation of the Supreme Self from body by the god of Death Himself, Yama. Nachiketas is noted for his rejection of material desires which are ephemeral and for his single-minded pursuit of the path of realizing Brahman and the emancipation of the soul from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Another well-known story is that of Satyakama Jabala which appears in Chapter IV of Chandogya Upanishad. His teacher Sage Haridrumata Gautama sets him with task from which he learns the Nature of Brahman, The Ultimate Reality and Pure Consciousness.
The book is easy to read and the complexities of Vedanta is reduced. The message is illustrated in the form of simple stories. Recommended to readers interested in Vedanta.
July 3, 2016
Best short story(moral stories) collection.
The stories "Even this will pass away" and "The Genie and the Brahmin" are my favorite one.
Life needs these kind of stories to boost our day :)
The stories "Even this will pass away" and "The Genie and the Brahmin" are my favorite one.
Life needs these kind of stories to boost our day :)
June 18, 2019
Each parable - a masterpiece
December 4, 2019
The best way to explain certain important life morals
January 27, 2017
Could be edited better.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews