Kabir

Indian mystic poet

Medieval influential 210 sayings

Sayings by Kabir

The river within can only be crossed when silence is deep enough.

15th Century — The necessity of profound inner stillness for spiritual journey, from his poetry (Dohas).
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Truth is not shouted, but found in the hush between breaths.

15th Century — Truth is subtle and found in stillness, not external noise, from his poetry (Dohas).
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If you seek the divine, notice the light in ordinary moments.

15th Century — The divine is present in everyday life, from his poetry (Dohas).
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The beloved is hidden where you refuse to look: in yourself.

15th Century — The divine is within, often overlooked, from his poetry (Dohas).
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Spiritual wisdom grows wild in the garden of surrender.

15th Century — Wisdom flourishes through surrender, not forced cultivation, from his poetry (Dohas).
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Words are the empty shells; listen for the song beneath them.

15th Century — Beyond literal meaning, seek deeper truth, from his poetry (Dohas).
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The lamp of awareness burns brightest when desire is forgotten.

15th Century — Clarity of awareness arises from detachment from desire, from his poetry (Dohas).
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Embrace the ache of not knowing; it opens secret doors.

15th Century — The value of humility and acceptance of ignorance in spiritual growth, from his poetry (Dohas).
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Trust the still pond inside; it reflects the real sky.

15th Century — Inner stillness provides true reflection of reality, from his poetry (Dohas).
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Those who chase shadows overlook the sun shining in their pocket.

15th Century — People seek external fulfillment while overlooking inner abundance, from his poetry (Dohas).
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The moon shines in my body, but my blind eyes cannot see it: The moon is within me, and so is the sun. The unstruck drum of Eternity is sounded within me; but my deaf ears cannot hear it.

15th Century — From 'One Hundred Poems of Kabir', emphasizing internal divine presence that is often unnoticed.
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The river and its waves are one surf: where is the difference between the river and its waves? When the wave rises, it is the water; and when it falls, it is the same water again. Tell me, Sir, where is the distinction? Because it has been named as wave, shall it no longer be considered as water?

15th Century — From 'One Hundred Poems of Kabir', illustrating the non-dual nature of creation and the creator.
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Between the poles of the conscious and the unconscious, there has the mind made a swing: Thereon hang all beings and all worlds, and that swing never ceases its sway.

15th Century — From 'One Hundred Poems of Kabir', describing the mind's role in creating reality.
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If I say, 'He is One,' it is a lie; if I say, 'He is two,' I am guilty of slander. Kabir knows Him as He is, but cannot express Him.

15th Century — Expressing the ineffable nature of the divine, from his poetry (Bijak).
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O scholars, you are mistaken; there's no creator or creation there [in the experience of Unity]. There's no radiant form, no time, no word, no flesh, or faith; no cause or effect, or even a thought of the Vedas. There's no Hari or Brahma, no Shiva or Shakti, no pilgrimages or rituals; There is no mother, no father, no Guru; think! Is it two or is It One? Kabir says: If you understand this, you are the teacher and I am the disciple.

15th Century — Challenging conventional religious and philosophical concepts in the context of ultimate unity, from…
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Take a pitcher full of water and set it down in the water-now it has water inside and water outside. We mustn't give it a name, lest silly people start talking again about the body and the soul.

15th Century — A metaphor for the non-duality of body and soul, and the divine, from his poetry (Dohas).
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When 'I' was, God was not; when God is, 'I' am not. All darkness vanished when the lamp of truth lit within.

15th Century — Explaining the dissolution of ego in the presence of the divine, from his poetry (Dohas).
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What's the use of being tall, like the date tree? It gives no shade to travelers, and its fruit is hard to reach.

15th Century — Criticizing empty pride and greatness without benefit to others, from his poetry (Dohas).
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The world dies reading endless books, but none becomes wise. He alone is truly learned who reads the two-and-a-half letters of Love.

15th Century — Challenging bookish knowledge and emphasizing the primacy of love for true wisdom, from his poetry (…
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I searched for the crooked man, but failed to find one. But when I searched within myself, I realized there was none more crooked than me!

15th Century — On introspection and self-awareness, acknowledging one's own flaws before judging others, from his p…
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