What do you think?
Rate this book
Sparks of the Truth: From the Dissertations of Meher Baba
Twenty powerful dissertations on the spiritual path, the nature of the soul and the meaning of life. Chaptersinclude The Ocean of Truth, Creeds and the Inner Path,The Market for God, The Give-and-Take of Impressions,Miracles, Reclaiming Lost Wayfarers, The Preparation, Special Train of the Master, The Truth-Individual, The Workof the Divine Hierarchy, Secrets of Divine Working, FromSuffering to Peace and 7 more dissertations.
95 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
2 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
Meher Baba
174 books77 followersMeher Baba was an Indian spiritual master who said he was the Avatar, God in human form.
From 10 July 1925 to the end of his life, Meher Baba maintained silence, communicating by means of an alphabet board or by unique hand gestures. With his mandali (circle of disciples), he spent long periods in seclusion, during which time he often fasted. He also traveled widely, held public gatherings and engaged in works of charity with lepers, the poor and the mentally ill.
In 1931, Meher Baba made the first of many visits to the West, where he attracted followers. Throughout most of the 1940s, Meher Baba worked with a category of spiritual aspirants called masts, who he said are entranced or spellbound by internal spiritual experiences. Starting in 1949, along with selected mandali, he traveled incognito about India in an enigmatic and still largely unexplained period he called the "New Life".
Meher Baba gave numerous teachings on the cause and purpose of life, including teaching reincarnation and that the phenomenal world is an illusion. He taught that the Universe is imagination, that God is what really exists, and that each soul is really God passing through imagination to realize individually His own divinity. In addition he gave practical advice for the aspirant who wishes to attain Self-realization and thereby escape the wheel of births and deaths. He also taught about the concept of Perfect Masters, the Avatar, and those on the various stages of the spiritual path that he called involution. His teachings are most importantly recorded in his principal books Discourses and God Speaks.
From 10 July 1925 to the end of his life, Meher Baba maintained silence, communicating by means of an alphabet board or by unique hand gestures. With his mandali (circle of disciples), he spent long periods in seclusion, during which time he often fasted. He also traveled widely, held public gatherings and engaged in works of charity with lepers, the poor and the mentally ill.
In 1931, Meher Baba made the first of many visits to the West, where he attracted followers. Throughout most of the 1940s, Meher Baba worked with a category of spiritual aspirants called masts, who he said are entranced or spellbound by internal spiritual experiences. Starting in 1949, along with selected mandali, he traveled incognito about India in an enigmatic and still largely unexplained period he called the "New Life".
Meher Baba gave numerous teachings on the cause and purpose of life, including teaching reincarnation and that the phenomenal world is an illusion. He taught that the Universe is imagination, that God is what really exists, and that each soul is really God passing through imagination to realize individually His own divinity. In addition he gave practical advice for the aspirant who wishes to attain Self-realization and thereby escape the wheel of births and deaths. He also taught about the concept of Perfect Masters, the Avatar, and those on the various stages of the spiritual path that he called involution. His teachings are most importantly recorded in his principal books Discourses and God Speaks.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 16, 2024
A COLLECTION OF SOME DISCOURSES BY THE FAMED SILENT "AVATAR"
Meher Baba (1894-1969) was an Indian spiritual master who said he was the Avatar---God in human form. From 1925 until the end of his life, he maintained silence, communicating by means of an alphabet board or by unique hand gestures interpreted by his disciples. (Some of whom were disappointed that, contrary to previous promises, he did NOT break his silence before his death.) His teachings are recorded in books such as 'God Speaks' and 'Discourses.'
The Introduction to this 1967 book states, "we have great pleasure in offering .... a book based on Beloved Baba's explanations on the Eternal Truth, delivered by Him from time to time to His disciples ... and recorded by them in the form of 'notes'... made available ... in July 1949."
He states, "Truth has nothing to do with the present organized religions. It is far beyond the limited dictates and bare doctrines of religions... Anybody can aspire for the Truth; and every one can attain it. Here there are no restrictions of caste or prejudices." (Pg. 9) He says, "to gain God, everything, including religion, may be sacrificed without any hesitation." (Pg. 18)
He asserts, "The soul is really God. To those, who are still caught up in the illusion that it is the body or the mind, this seems unthinkable... The soul cannot realise its own infinity as long as it is under the sway of ignorance. But nevertheless its being the same as God, is all the same, an irreversible fact." (Pg. 64)
He states, "Once you surrender yourself to a Perfect Master he HAS to do his duty towards you. He cannot escape that. The only thing which is required is that you should have unbounded and unswerving faith... So, take your Guru to be your God. And give unto him the surrendering of full faith and the ungrudging service of unfaltering love." (Pg. 10) He adds, "Utter submission to the orders of the Master means renunciation of all argument or questioning." (Pg. 87)
He argues, "Orthodoxy, whether it be Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Zoroastrian, Buddhist, or of any other faith, is tolerable only up to a certain point, and only in the earlier phases of the evolution of the masses, since it conserves certain dynamic values coming down through tradition. But it must be of the discriminative type and should not be allowed to degenerate into politics." (Pg. 89)
He adds, "Your own religion, if put into practice, is sufficient to bring salvation to you. It is a mistake to change one's religion for that of another. The surroundings and circumstances in which you find yourself are best suited to work out your destiny or to exhaust your past karma." (Pg. 91)
He also says, "There is no difference in the realization of Truth either by a Muslim, Hindu, Zoroastrian or a Christian. The difference is only of words and terms. Truth is not the monopoly of a particular race or religion." (Pg. 95)
This brief book is an accessible "introduction" to the teachings of this once-popular religious teacher (who is still remembered by many, however).
Meher Baba (1894-1969) was an Indian spiritual master who said he was the Avatar---God in human form. From 1925 until the end of his life, he maintained silence, communicating by means of an alphabet board or by unique hand gestures interpreted by his disciples. (Some of whom were disappointed that, contrary to previous promises, he did NOT break his silence before his death.) His teachings are recorded in books such as 'God Speaks' and 'Discourses.'
The Introduction to this 1967 book states, "we have great pleasure in offering .... a book based on Beloved Baba's explanations on the Eternal Truth, delivered by Him from time to time to His disciples ... and recorded by them in the form of 'notes'... made available ... in July 1949."
He states, "Truth has nothing to do with the present organized religions. It is far beyond the limited dictates and bare doctrines of religions... Anybody can aspire for the Truth; and every one can attain it. Here there are no restrictions of caste or prejudices." (Pg. 9) He says, "to gain God, everything, including religion, may be sacrificed without any hesitation." (Pg. 18)
He asserts, "The soul is really God. To those, who are still caught up in the illusion that it is the body or the mind, this seems unthinkable... The soul cannot realise its own infinity as long as it is under the sway of ignorance. But nevertheless its being the same as God, is all the same, an irreversible fact." (Pg. 64)
He states, "Once you surrender yourself to a Perfect Master he HAS to do his duty towards you. He cannot escape that. The only thing which is required is that you should have unbounded and unswerving faith... So, take your Guru to be your God. And give unto him the surrendering of full faith and the ungrudging service of unfaltering love." (Pg. 10) He adds, "Utter submission to the orders of the Master means renunciation of all argument or questioning." (Pg. 87)
He argues, "Orthodoxy, whether it be Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Zoroastrian, Buddhist, or of any other faith, is tolerable only up to a certain point, and only in the earlier phases of the evolution of the masses, since it conserves certain dynamic values coming down through tradition. But it must be of the discriminative type and should not be allowed to degenerate into politics." (Pg. 89)
He adds, "Your own religion, if put into practice, is sufficient to bring salvation to you. It is a mistake to change one's religion for that of another. The surroundings and circumstances in which you find yourself are best suited to work out your destiny or to exhaust your past karma." (Pg. 91)
He also says, "There is no difference in the realization of Truth either by a Muslim, Hindu, Zoroastrian or a Christian. The difference is only of words and terms. Truth is not the monopoly of a particular race or religion." (Pg. 95)
This brief book is an accessible "introduction" to the teachings of this once-popular religious teacher (who is still remembered by many, however).
November 28, 2022
As stated by a seer, wealth may be sacrificed for health; wealth and health for self-respect; and all three (wealth, health and self-respect) for one's own religion. But to gain God, everything, including religion, may be sacrificed without hesitation.
Unless you question, you can never learn. Let not the false sense of propriety or fear of blasphemy deter you from questioning the why and wherefore of your being. The answer to these questions will lead you to perfection. Do not expect the living saints to answer these questions for you. If they do give answers at all, they are of no avail to you. The answer must come from within your own self
May 24, 2021
Wow amazing book with great insights. Loved it
July 23, 2023
Similar to The Everything and Nothing. Gems of wisdom. Short and golden.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews