BUDDHA STORY

MARIE LOISE A MONK TEACHES IDEALISTIC, THEISTIC PHILOSOPHY IN BROOKLYN ( New York Times  March 20, 1896) Strange career of a Former Parisienne, Who believes in Reincarnation, and Recognizes Only the Universe of Spirit – Speaks of “Christ the Man,” and Says All Suffer Purgation in This Life – Views on Woman Suffrage There is an elderly woman living in Brooklyn who is known as the Swami Abhayananda of the order of Sanyasin monks of India. Swami means monk, Abhaya means fearless, and nanda means bliss, The literal interpretation of her name is, therefore, the “Monk of Fearless Bliss”. A reporter for THE NEW-YORK TIMES interviewed the Swami at her home, 35 St. Felix Street, yesterday. She wore an ordinary dress of rough material, but when she goes out to lecture se wears a long yellow gown. The yellow is emblematic of the sun. “I became a monk last July,” the Swami said. “I was initiated at the Thousand Islands Park, by Swami Vivekananda, a Hindu monk. At that time I renounced the worl...

  THE TEACHER OF SPIRITUALITY Every soul is destined to be perfect, and every being, in the end, will attain to that state. Whatever we are now is the result of whatever we have been or thought in the past; and whatever we shall be in the future will be the result of what we do or think now. But this does not preclude our receiving help from outside; the possibilities of the soul are always quickened by some help from outside, so much so that in the vast majority of cases in the world, help from outside is almost absolutely necessary. Quickening influence comes from outside, and that works upon our own potentialities; and then the growth begins, spiritual life comes, and man becomes holy and perfect in the end. This quickening impulse which comes from outside cannot be received from books; the soul can receive impulse only from another soul, and from nothing else. We may study books all our lives, we may become very intellectual, but in the end we find we have not developed at all ...