Shri Brhaamananda Sarasvati
(Rammurti S. Mishra M.D.)
"You are not the body and mind."
My greatest luck in life was to meet this great sage. He fanned my flame of inquiry by his remarkable insight into my true nature and I have never since doubted the efficacy of Yoga practice. He possessed remarkable siddhis (magical powers) that he used in a most humane and ethical way. The experience of these powers convinced me early on that they were not possible if we were merely corporeal beings. I highly recommend his Fundamentals of Yoga.
"I am fear to all fears and danger to all dangers."
My guru's Guru. The many stories that my guru told me about him were mind-blowing. Anyone can be part of that lineage if they practice conscientiously.
Ramana Maharshi
"The searcher is he who is in search of himself."
Ramana is considered the most highly realized saint of modern times and many books have written of his remarkable and inspiring life. Read more about him here.
Nisargadatta Maharaj
"Faith in oneself is, itself. the feet of the guru"
A man with little formal education, he spoke eloquently and directly to seekers from all over the world. Many consider his book I Am That: Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj to be the only book worth reading.
Swami Rama Tirtha
"One who would control nature must first obey her laws,"
Rama was a mathematician and poet. My guru pointed me to the writings of this wonderful sage when I was first with him. His book Pracical Vedanta is full of inspiring material.
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."
Of course everyone knows of this amazing saint and his exploits are legion. You can find material about him easily on the net. A true world liberator!
Roshi Philip Kapleau
"Zen is only about the attenuation of the ego."
My amazing Zen teacher. Author of The Three Pillars of Zen. He was immensely practical. When asked: "What is compassion?" he answered: "Not taking two parking spaces."
