Question asked
I am researching Hinduism, and the quote "all life is sacred, to be loved and revered" continuously appears. It would help greatly if the quote, or something along those lines, came directly from a sacred book or text. If you've any idea, please tell me where it can be found and try to be as specific as possible.
Answer given
This quote in English comes from an article written by http://www.himalayanacademy.com/basics/p... to highlight the nine beliefs of Hinduism.
It has since been used almost on every Hindu literatures and websites. But the idea of the nine beliefs and hence the quote come from the teachings within the Vedas and the Bhagvad Gita. It originates from the idea of Ahimsa –non-violence.
Here are some quotes from various ancient scriptures.
1]
SahanA vavathu
sahanou bhunakthu
saha vIryankaravAvahai
tEjaswi nAvadhIthamasthu mAvidvishAvahai
(Source: Taitreya Upanishad)
Meaning: Let us all grow together, enjoy together, perform heroic deeds together; let our strength of intellect come together, let the bright intellects shine, and let us live without any hatred.
2] “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" ---whole earth is my family
(Source: Maha Upanishad 6.71)
Treating your fellow-human as one in your family is a perfect example of broad-mindedness. We should throw away race, color, & creed, and create a society of oneness.
3] "Sarve bhavantu sukhinam".... may all be happy ...may all be enlightened
sarve bhavantu sukhinaḥ
sarve santu nirāmayāḥ
sarve bhadrāṇi paśyantu
mā kaścit duḥkha bhāgbhavet
Meaning:Happiness be unto all,Perfect health be unto all. May all see good in everyone, May all be free from suffering. This is a prayer for the prosperity and welfare of humanity. There is an adage that says we will be happy only if people around us are happy. Pray for welfare to all, and you will be blessed.
Ref: Wikipedia
4]
maitri-karuna-muditopeksanam
sukha-dukha-punyapunya-vishayanam
bhavanatas citta-prasadanam
(Source: Patanjali Yoga Sutra I. 33)
The essence:Friendship, mercy, gladness, and indifference, being thought of in regard to subjects that are happy, unhappy, good, and evil respectively, shall pacify the Chitta.
Meaning:With the cultivation of these sentiments of friendliness and loving kindness (maitri), mercy (karuna), joy and desire for the happiness of others (mudita), and equanimity (upeksanam) toward all beings and events, regardless if the events are auspicious or inauspicious (punya-apunya), or their conditional circumstances (visayanam), the underlying serenity and clarity of the citta (citta-prasadanam) is always cultivated and thus can manifest.
5] “Om Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu”Meaning: Let the whole world be happy.
6]Ajyeshthaso akanishthasaete sam bhrataro vavridhuh saubhagaya
Meaning “No one is superior (ajyeshthasah) or inferior (akanishthasah).
All are brothers (ete bhratarah). All should strive for the interest of all and should progress collectively (Saubhagaya sam vavridhuh)”.
Ref: Rig Veda
7] Here is the last mantra of Rigveda… A verse which is dedicated to the human world and is a prayer for harmony and peace among us.
samAnI va AkUtiH samAnA hRdayAni vaH
samAnamastu vomano yathA vaH susahAsati
(Source: Concluding part of Rigveda)
Meaning: Let there be oneness in your resolutions, hearts and minds. Let the strength to live with mutual co-operation be firm in you all. This mantra comes back to the simplicity of the fact of being human: a union of hearts and a oneness of spirit, the overcoming of isolating individualisms by harmonious living together, because Man as person is always society and yet not plural.
SOURCE of all Quotes
http://sanskritvoice.com/home/
My thoughts on Quotes
The wonderful thing about Hinduism is that you don’t have to rely on the teachings of ancient scriptures or find some one single quote from somewhere or someone who said this an that AND if we find it only then we can say its great or we should follow.
Christians and Muslims are always busily trying to find some quotes from their Bibles to justify their action today.
This is not the case with Hindus.
Messengers of GOD today are still preaching Hindus the Truth, the Light, the Way, and all that. So anyone who preaches today "all life is sacred, to be loved and revered" then that is good enough for us to take his Words of wisdom and good advice and try to live and learn from that.
Why does it matter that someone 5,000 years have had to say it?
Only then should we follow that advice?
Why does it even have to come from some god or prophet?
Your teacher, your parents are your first Gurus and you learn a lot from them so why is it hard to learn from some Guru of today?
Hindus tend to follow the teachings of their Gurus rather then trying to find some quotation from the Upanishads or Vedas or Bhagavad Gita or other scriptures.
• If Morari Bapu (a popular teacher today still alive and teaching) preaches this then you will find that his words will be authorities and respected.
• The follower of Swami Narayana will get quotes from their Swami [ http://www.baps.org/index.htm ].
• A follower of Gayatri parivar will quote from their Guru Shri Ram Sharma Acharya [ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gayatri_pa... ]
• A follower of Swadhyay Pariwar will follow the teachings of Pandurang Shastri Athavale [ http://www.swadhyay.org/ ]
• A follower of Mahatma Gandhi or Sri Prabhupada (Hare Krishna) etc etc will quote you his teachings.
Each teacher is respected and valued and their teachings are spread amongst all Hindus across India and the world.
Source(s):
http:// hinduism.iskcon.com/tradition/121...
http://sanskritvoice.com/home/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hinduinfo/
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Asker's Comment:
Extremely helpful, went above and beyond.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/?qid=20080317174511AAdKdkS
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