Monkhood Quotes

“Четете и знайте, за да не бивате подигравани и укорявани от други племена и народи. Твърде много обикнах българския род и отечество и много труд употребих да събирам от различни книги и истории, докато събрах и обединих историята на българския род в тая книжчица за ваша полза и похвала. Написах я за вас, които обичате своя род и българското отечество и обичате да знаете за своя род и език. Преписвайте тая историйца и платете, нека ви я препишат, които умеят да пишат, и пазете я да не изчезне!”
― Димитър Талев, Хилендарският монах

“I have shaped and nourished my mind for years to hail all women on earth as my sisters and their problems as my problems. When I am engaged in a conversation with one of my sisters anywhere in the world, my eyes are not subconsciously driven to take a quick peek down her blouse. I belong to all women, all men, everywhere, as a brother. And being a brother calls for the responsibility of thinking, feeling and behaving like a brother, instead of a potential mate-hunter. Here I am by no means insinuating that all men should see all women as sisters, rather I am pointing out that all civilized men should at the very least have the decency to see women as persons, and not as objects of sexual gratification or as potential mating partners, because only then we shall succeed as a conscientious species to give a safe and non-predatory environment to our children.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Lives to Serve Before I Sleep

“A Monk's life has to do with simplicity, curiosity and compassion - contrary to the popular notion, it has no direct relation to poverty and seclusion.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Monk Meets World

“Curiosity, humility and compassion, these are the fundamental pillars of monkhood, if you have these in your life, then you are a monk, regardless of your financial status and relationship status.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Monk Meets World

“The divinity that you keep seeking in the mountains, in the jungles, in the deserts, lies dormant within yourself.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Monk Meets World

“I don't need large mansions, give me a little corner in your heart and I'll spend eternity there - I don't need expensive cars, just give me your emotions, I'll travel the world in them.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Servitude is Sanctitude

“I am convinced that I could live my whole life as a monk, despite the sweet animal carnality with which I am endowed, and which I have always managed to summon up.”
― Fyodor Dostoevsky, Demons

“Златната корона той заменил с черно було, заповедничеството - с послушание, богатите трапези - с въздържание и пост, държавническия жезъл - с проста монашеска тояга и светския шум - с безмълвната монашеска килия.”
― Архимандрит Серафим (Алексиев), Житие на св. цар Борис, покръстител на българите

“Светостта се ражда в сблъсъците и борбата с изкушенията. Венеца на правдата получават победителите в тая борба, която често пъти е истинско мъченичество, същинска Голгота. Но колкото по-трагично е стълкновението на чувствата, толкова по-сияйна е светостта на победилия своите естествени привързаности в името на един висш идеал — благото на всички.”
― Архимандрит Серафим (Алексиев), Житие на св. цар Борис, покръстител на българите

“I once renounced my home in Calcutta, and roamed around the villages of Bengal as a monk. But after I attained the Absolute Divine state of Unification with the Universe, I realized that the purpose of life is not renunciation of anything, but the realization of the purpose itself.”
― Abhijit Naskar, The Film Testament

“Changing the family given name to a Sanskrit based name, doesn't make a person either free or holy - by doing so, one only exchanges one prison for another.”
― Abhijit Naskar

“A rich entrepreneur who lives a simple life with his family while helping as many people as he can, is more monk than a monk who lives a secluded life in a monastery meditating and begging.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Monk Meets World

“The divinity that you keep seeking in the mountains, in the jungles, in the deserts, lies dormant within yourself. So, it's not the place that makes you enlightened, rather it's your intention.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Monk Meets World

“If you are thinking of becoming a monk, in the conventional sense of the term, then let me tell you this, don’t waste your life force in being a hobo with a fancy uniform - put it to some good use instead.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Monk Meets World

“Defying evidence and blabbering mystical mumbo-jumbo don't make a person a sage or a monk, what does is a person's practical understanding of the world we live in, accompanied by a burning urge to bring that understanding into practice to lift humanity from the darkest pit of degradation.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Monk Meets World

“I am no intellectual, I am but a drunkard, I am drunk with love for the people of earth.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Servitude is Sanctitude

“Living a secluded life in a monastery, separated from society, is not holiness, it's hysteria. Seclusion doesn't make you holy, kindness does.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Heart Force One: Need No Gun to Defend Society

“Seclusion Won’t Do (The Sonnet)

Each of you must turn into a sufi saint,
Each of you must turn into a latin lover.
Each of you must turn into a shaolin monk,
Each of you must turn into a bengal tiger.
It won't do to seclude yourself in a monastery,
It won't do to seclude yourself behind a desk.
The monk must come down to the streets of life,
The scholar must till the soil with their sweat.
Service of humanity is the fulfillment of divinity,
Service of humanity is the right use of intellect.
Occasional seclusion is good, to charge up the mind,
But life-long seclusion from society is sheer waste.
Enlightenment that doesn't eliminate separation
is no enlightenment.
Intelligence that doesn't elevate the collective
is no intelligence.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Amantes Assemble: 100 Sonnets of Servant Sultans

“Humanhood is monkhood.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Monk Meets World