“Ram Dass, Krishna Dass, we all spoke through interpreters. There were good interpreters there, educated people in India speak English but Maharaji was the One, the Baba, Holy Man, mendicant, he didn't speak English. We talked to him and it was hard to know him, he was an ancient holy man and I was a 21 year old seeker. So I never knew what was going on, I mean I don't really know what's going on now, my guess work is a little better perhaps.” PeopleKnowsMenYearsMeanLittlesHardSpeakHolyIndiaAncientEducatedSpokesSeekersKrishnaBabaInterpreterSpeak EnglishRamsHoly Man Author:Surya Das
“I always thought he gave me that name because I have a kind of outgoing or sunny disposition. And in those days I was kinda blonde and bearded and had an afro and was bushy like a sun. So I don't know, he named me Surya Das but who knows.” KnowsKindNamesSunDispositionSunnyBlondeOutgoingAfrosSunny Disposition Author:Surya Das
“Why'd he name Ram Dass that? And Krishna Das that, instead of vice versa? Is Krishna Das more Krishna like and Ram Dass more Ram-like? Maybe... why not? We grow into our names. But why did my parents named me Jeffrey and my brother Michael? Who knows?” KnowsNamesGrowsParentBrotherVicesMy BrotherWhy NotVice VersaKrishnaRams Author:Surya Das
“Unlike some of my other dharma brothers who got names that were very long and obscure, and nobody could remember or pronounce, that they didn't like. They wanted to give their names back, but it wasn't like that, it wasn't transactional. He would name some people and say 'you're married', and then they were married, but you know it wasn't really transactional.” PeopleKnowsGivingLongWantedRememberNamesBrotherMarriedObscureDharma Author:Surya Das
“Well neither of us were "Buddhists" then because it was new to us. We were 60's people. Psychedelic relics, you know... whatever, right on, radicals and world changers, social peaceniks perhaps, with a Buddhist spiritual veneer.” PeopleKnowsWorldWellsSpiritualSocialBuddhistRadicalPsychedelicRelicsVeneer Author:Surya Das
“But you know, eventually that does kind of veneer, chemical veneers that you apply, they sink in. For better or for worse, so it's good to think about what kind of veneer you shellac yourself with. How superficial it may seep into your skin and into your blood stream and totally take over your heart, your brain, everything.” ThinkingKnowsHeartKindMayDoeBrainBloodSkinsStreamsOver YouChemicalsSuperficialVeneer Author:Surya Das
“Spiritual joy is devotion, it's like a virus you know? It's a benevolent virus, but it spreads. It's infectious. Ram Dass was like a mentor in those days.” KnowsSpiritualJoySpreadDevotionMentorVirusesBenevolentRamsSpiritual Joy Author:Surya Das
“But you know the difference between sex and love. And sex can be part of love, but what moves your heart, what's really intimate, that's the real spirit. And that's very personal, it's also transpersonal. It's not impersonal, it's beyond any of us, it's transcendent of any of us, yet imminent in dwelling, imminent to each of us.” KnowsHeartRealMovingSpiritSexDifferencesAnd LoveIntimateDwellingTranscendentSex And Love Author:Surya Das
“I think it's very important to really find the wheat amidst the chafe and not give into superficialities, to not get caught up the commercialism or the fads, you know, the "over-popularization" of some things that we might see today. That doesn't mean we have to throw out the Buddha with the bath water, it's not all bad.” ThinkingKnowsGivingMeanImportantMightTodayWaterCaughtCaught UpBathsWheatFadsSuperficialityCommercialism Author:Surya Das
“There's plenty going on that's substantial and transformative, beneficial and authentic. Just because somebody is in the media, it doesn't mean they're bad. It may mean they're the best, and occasionally you know the cream rises to the surface, but not always everything on the surface is cream.” KnowsMayMeanMediaSurfacePlentyCreamBeneficial Author:Surya Das
“Contributing to others, not converting others, but for those who are interested, going where invited, speaking when asked, teaching when asked and so on, not proselytizing and missionary-izing. Not shoving the truth down people's throats, as if we know what's good for them. But being open when asked, when appropriate, and being very inclusive and open minded.” PeopleIfsKnowsTeachingAppropriateThroatMissionaryInvitedOpen MindOpen MindedContributingConvertingProselytizing Author:Surya Das
“You have to go through the darkness to truly know the light. This may sound like a cliche, but it's true nonetheless. Often the greatest doubts occur just before a breakthrough.” KnowsMayLightSoundDarknessDoubtMoodDiscouragedBreakthroughClicheBad Mood Book:Awakening the Buddha Within: Eight Steps to Enlightenment : Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World Source: Awakening the Buddha Within: Eight Steps to Enlightenment : Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World
