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Silence is not the absence of sound, but the absence of self.

Anthony de Mello

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Anthony de Mello
Age: 55 †
Born: 1931
Born: September 4
Died: 1987
Died: June 2
Philosopher
Priest
Psychologist
Theologian
Writer
Bombay
Sound
Self
Absence
Silence

More quotes by Anthony de Mello

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The Master was exceedingly gracious to university dons who visited him, but he would never reply to their questions or be drawn into their theological speculations. To his disciples, who marveled at this, he said, Can one talk about the ocean to a frog in a well or about the divine to people who are restricted by their concepts?
Anthony de Mello
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Take away human beings from this planet and life would go on, nature would go on in all its loveliness and violence. Where would the problem be? No problem. You created the problem. You are the problem. You identified with me and that is the problem. The feeling is in you, not in reality.
Anthony de Mello
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When the eye is unobstructed, the result is sight. When the ear is unobstructed, the result is hearing. When the mind is unobstructed the result is truth. When the heart is unobstructed, the result is joy and love.
Anthony de Mello
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To a visitor who asked to become his disciple the Master said, You may live with me, but don't become my follower. Whom, then, shall I follow? No one. The day you follow someone you cease to follow Truth .
Anthony de Mello
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Life is easy, life is delightful. It's only hard on your illusions, your ambitions, your greed, your cravings.
Anthony de Mello
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When you get rid of your fear of failure, your tensions about succeeding... you can be yourself. Relaxed. You'll no longer be driving with your brakes on.
Anthony de Mello
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I have no fear of losing u, for you aren't an object of my property, or anyone else's. I love you as you are, without attachment, without fears, without conditions, without egoism, trying not to absorb you. I love you freely because I love your freedom, as well as mine.
Anthony de Mello
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You have to understand, my dears, that the shortest distance between truth and a human being is a story.
Anthony de Mello
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What is a loving heart? A loving heart is sensitive to the whole of life, to all persons a loving heart doesn't harden itself to any persons or things.
Anthony de Mello
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Perfect love casts out fear. Where there is love there are no demands, no expectations, no dependency. I do not demand that you make me happy my happiness does not lie in you. If you were to leave me, I will not feel sorry for myself I enjoy your company immensely, but I do not cling.
Anthony de Mello
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You do not have to change for God to love you.
Anthony de Mello
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These things will destroy the human race: politics without principle, progress without compassion, wealth without work, learning without silence, religion without fearlessness and worship without awareness.
Anthony de Mello
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All conflict comes from attachment.
Anthony de Mello
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As you identify less and less with the “me”, you will be more at ease with everybody and with everything. Do you know why? Because you are no longer afraid of being hurt or not liked. You no longer desire to impress anyone. Can you imagine the relief when you don't have to impress anybody anymore? Oh, what a relief. Happiness at last!
Anthony de Mello
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Has it ever occurred to you that you can only love when you are alone?
Anthony de Mello
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The only way someone can be of help to you is in challenging your ideas.
Anthony de Mello
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This truth I firmly hold, all evidence to the contrary notwithstanding my life has been a gift, a blessing to the world.
Anthony de Mello
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People who want to rise above a well-cooked meal and a well-tailored garment, are out of their spiritual minds.
Anthony de Mello
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You see persons and things not as they are but as you are.
Anthony de Mello
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Enlightenment is: absolute cooperation with the inevitable.
Anthony de Mello