Meher Baba
(1894-1969)

Meher Baba was born Merwan Shehariarji Irani in India into a Zoroastrian family. In his life he was a philosopher to some, a spiritual guide to many and a messiah to yet others (he claimed to be an Avatar -- an incarnation of God).

He spent much of life exemplifying his motto of "mastery in servitude" by helping the poor, lepers and the mentally ill.

To Westerners, Meher Baba may seem like any other spiritual master from Asia, with much of his teachings being little more than reflections of ancient teachings.

Yet, there are significant differences that set him apart. His universal acceptance of all major religions as legitimate paths to salvation is paramount. He taught that it is not the dedication to a particular dogma and ritual that offers salvation, it is the absolute faith and devotion to God. To truly love God requires that we love and embrace everyone and everything as a dimension of God.

On July 10, 1925, he entered into silence to emphasize that all that needed to be said about God and religion had already been said. He remained silent for the 44 years until his death in 1969.

Although silent, he communicated laboriously. He wrote for a few years and then stopped writing completely, using an alphabet board. Nearly a decade after the silence began he gave up the alphabet board and used his own personal sign language, which was understood only by those closest to him.

Through this method he offered several "discourses" or teachings and many of these have been compiled into books written by him through others during his silence.

Meher Baba was very specific that we must live in the world; we must have jobs, families and be part of our communities in a manner that brings purpose to our faith.

He taught that while daily meditation and inner contemplation are useful in a spiritual quest, these can be detrimental if taken to an extreme as a lifestyle. There is no substitute for living in the world responsibly, honestly, devotedly and in-service.

Quotes

"Don't worry, be happy."

"No amount of prayer or meditation can do what helping others can do."

"Though the eye is small, the soul which sees through it is greater and vaster than all the things which it perceives. In fact, it is so great that it includes all objects, however large or numerous, within itself. For it is not so much that you are within the cosmos as that the cosmos is within you."

"All that lives is striving for happiness; yet a thousand-and-one pains and fears attend upon every pleasure which man seeks through the ignorance of exclusiveness."

" . . . the more a person becomes spiritually minded or advances towards God, the more tolerant he becomes and the less differentiation he sees."

"There is no difference in the realization of the Truth either by a Muslim, Hindu, Zoroastrian or a Christian. The difference is only in words and terms. Truth is not the monopoly of a particular race or religion."

"Give up all forms of parrotry. Start practicing whatever you truly feel to be true and justly to be just. Do not make a show of your faith and beliefs. You have not to give up your religion, but to give up clinging to the husk of mere ritual and ceremony. To get to the fundamental core of Truth underlying all religions, reach beyond religion."

"Love delights and glorifies in giving, not receiving."

Links

News and information on Meher Baba organizations, centers, mailing lists, photographs, quotes, music, poetry and art. http://www.avatarmeherbaba.org

Announcements of Meher Baba-related events and groups . . . includes links to the complete text of Bhau Kalchuri's 20-volume biography of Meher Baba (free): http://www.meherbaba.com

From the Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meher_Baba

A very good site from a group in Tampa, Florida: http://www.meherbabatampabay.org/meher-baba-links.php

Chenrezig = Compassion