Philosophy Of Liberation Interfaith

Author(s): Paramhansa Maharaj, Donald Howard, Veena Howard
Publisher: USA Santmat Society of North America

Page 19

1. Stillness or steadiness is the essence of Santi or Shanti. (1)
2. He who has attained Shanti is a saint. (2)
3. Sant Mat encompasses the thoughts and way of saints.
4. The desire for attaining Shanti is natural in human
beings.
In the Upanishads (3) the formula for the attainment of Shanti is expounded by the seers and saints of these ancient works. Similar views have been expressed by the saints of all times, including such saints as Guru Nanak Sahib and Kabir Sahib who expounded
1. Shanti is a Sanskrit word with several English meanings: peace, tranquility, bliss, etc.... The peace which results from some degree of Divine communion is Shanti. 2. A saint in the Sant Mat tradition is one who experiences the mystical state; it is a title conferred because of yogic achievements. Unlike the Western definition of saint which may be one who is only morally correct, the saint of the Sant Mat tradition is one who has achieved realization of the Divine and subsequently his behavior is moral. Clearly, many Western saints also fall into the Sant Mat definition of saint. The words sant and saint are used interchangeably. 3. The Upanishads are ancient Vedic texts that define and categorize the philosophy of Yoga.