The whole life lies in the verb seeing.
The Hindu religions gave me the impression of a vast well into which one plunges in order to grasp the reflection of the sun.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that exploring Hindu religions allows one to connect with deeper truths, akin to seeing sunlight reflected in a well.
Pierre Teilhard De Chardin uses the metaphor of a vast well to describe the exploration of Hindu religions, where the water represents the spiritual knowledge and depth found within. This reflection of the sun symbolizes the ultimate truths or divine wisdom that one can uncover through such exploration. It emphasizes the idea that spiritual journeys involve diving deep into the complexities of belief to achieve enlightenment and understanding.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a lecture on spirituality, I could use this quote to emphasize the importance of deep exploration in understanding various religious philosophies.
More from Pierre Teilhard De Chardin
All quotes βReligion and science are the two conjugated faces or phases of one and the same complete act of knowledge - the only one which can embrace the past and future of evolution and so contemplate, measure and fulfil them.
The mineral world is a much more supple and mobile world than could be imagined by the science of the ancients. Vaguely analogous to the metamorphoses of living creatures, there occurs in the most solid rocks, as we now know, perpetual transformation of a mineral species.
We may, perhaps, imagine that the creation was finished long ago. But that would be quite wrong. It continues still more magnificently, and at the highest levels of the world.
Love alone is capable of uniting living beings in such a way as to complete and fulfill them, for it alone takes them and joins them by what is deepest in themselves. All we need is to imagine our ability to love developing until it embraces the totality of men and the earth.
If there is one thing I fear less than everything else, it is, I believe, persecution for my opinions. There are a good many points about which I may be diffident, but when it comes to questions of Truth and intellectual independence, there is no holding me - I can envisage no finer end than to sacrifice oneself for a conviction.
Similar quotes
I ask you only to stop imagining that you were born, have parents, are a body, will die and so on. Just try, make a beginning-it is not as hard as you think.
Above all, do not attempt to use science (I mean, the real sciences) as a defence against Christianity. They will positively encourage him to think about realities he canβt touch and see.
I feel most alive, most electric with faith, breath, and courage, when I think of God as a current that runs through all that is. Not by will or by choice. Not as a benediction but because there are laws even God must obey.
A written discourse on any subject is bound to contain much that is fanciful.
For if we allow that human life is always guided by reason, we destroy the premise that life is possible at all.
Under socialism all will govern in turn and will soon become accustomed to no one governing.