Beyond Compare
St. Francis de Sales and Sri Vedanta Desika on Loving Surrender to God
Publication Year: 2008
Published by: Georgetown University Press
Cover
Title Page, Copyright Page
Contents
Preface
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pp. xi-xiii
This book seeks to be a commentary on two works rooted in different traditions: the Essence of the Three Auspicious Mysteries by Śrī Vedānta Deśika and the Treatise on the Love of God by St. Francis de Sales. Several of the personal things that I might say in a preface are in chapter 1, specifically with respect to this book’s genesis in my earlier writing, in questions...
1. Two Spiritual Classics and the Possibilities They Present
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pp. 1-31
Perhaps the ideal reader can be described as someone who reads like a prapanna—like someone who does prapatti, who surrenders completely, somewhat desperately, having run out of strategies and plans: surrendering to the text and its meaning after attempting and abandoning every skillful strategy by which...
2. Thinking, Writing, Reading: Finding a Path to Loving Surrender
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pp. 32-82
The book which de Sales composed about divine love is a masterpiece admired by those capable of judging it; but it is certain that in order to know its value, one must necessarily be very devout and very learned; these are two qualities rare enough when separate, and still more rare when conjoined...
3. Awakening: Reading and Learning on the Way to God
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pp. 83-141
Such is the devout soul in meditation. She passes from mystery to mystery, not at random, or only to solace herself in viewing the admirable beauty of those divine objects, but deliberately and of set purpose, to find out motives of love or of some heavenly affection; and having found them she draws them to her, she...
4. Loving Surrender: Insight, Drama, and Ecstasy
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pp. 142-188
I have been wandering about this world from time without beginning, doing what does not please You, my God. From this day forward, I must do what pleases You, and I must cease what displeases You. But my hands are empty, I cannot attain You, my God; I see that You alone are the way. You must be my way! Hereafter, in the...
5. As We Become Ourselves: On the Ethics of Loving Surrender and of Persistence in Reading
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pp. 189-212
One of the qualifications for taking refuge is grief before taking refuge. If a person has no grief before taking refuge, he will be lacking a necessary qualification for performing it since, by the principle “No cause, no effect,” his means will be ineffective. Similarly, when he reflects upon himself after taking refuge, if...
Notes
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pp. 213-247
Bibliography
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pp. 249-253
Index
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pp. 255-271
E-ISBN-13: 9781589016507
E-ISBN-10: 1589016505
Print-ISBN-13: 9781589012110
Print-ISBN-10: 1589012119
Page Count: 288
Publication Year: 2008
Series Editor Byline:
