Songs of Kabir
1914
Songs of Kabir is an anthology of mystical poetry by the 15th-century Indian poet Kabir, translated into English by Rabindranath Tagore and first published in 1914. The collection emphasizes Kabir's universal spirituality, advocating for a direct relationship with the divine that transcends religious boundaries. It features themes of love, unity, and the inherent divinity within all beings, making profound insights accessible through vivid imagery and straightforward language. The work is notable for bridging the gaps between Hinduism and Islam and has been translated into several languages, including Persian and Kurdish.
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X-Ray
“Always remember that when a new moment, a new insight, hovers around you, choose the new because the old has not done anything for you, so what is the point of going back? Even if the new proves wrong, then too, choose the new. At least it will be a new adventure; you will come to know something.””
— Kabir
“Have you not seen it? Whenever you choose happiness, you become the victim of unhappiness; whenever you want success, failure comes in; whenever you hope, frustration is waiting for you; whenever you cling to life, death comes and destroys. Have you not seen it happen every day, every moment? These are not opposites, they are together. When one sees them together, then what is there to choose? There is nothing to choose, one becomes choiceless.””
— Kabir
“This should be one of the basic attitudes”
— Kabir
“The attitude of Tao is of cooperation, not conflict. The attitude of Tao is not to be against nature but to be with it, to allow nature, to let it have its way, to cooperate with it, to go with it. The attitude of Tao is of great relaxation.””
— Kabir
“Taoism is the profoundest nonconformism that has ever been evolved anywhere in the world, at any time in history; essentially it is rebellion.””
— Kabir
“Who is a rebellious person? The rebellious person is one who does not bother about the society at all. He simply lives through his innermost core; he is one who follows his Tao.””
— Kabir
“You can be a Taoist if you simply live your life authentically, spontaneously, if you have the courage to go into the unknown on your own, individual, not leaning on anybody.””
— Kabir
“A Taoist is a man who does only that which is absolutely necessary. His life is almost like a telegram.””
— Kabir
“Taoists don’t have any maps.””
— Kabir
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