What Philosophy Books Teach Us
Over the past few years, I've read philosophical literature and books from different cultures, of various parts and times of the world. Here are my top three universal lessons from across cultures.
Deep within, we are all searching for answers to life’s deepest questions.
We want to know why we suffer.
We want to know what the purpose of life is.
We want to know what will make us happy.
We want to know why we have certain thoughts about the world and those that inhabit it.
We want to know why things are the way they are.
I believe that it’s through philosophy that we can answer these deepest questions surrounding life. History tied in with philosophy teaches us the greatest lessons that we need in order to live the good life.
It was a few years ago when my interest in philosophy first sparked, and the first book that I picked up was the Vachanamrut. It’s not just a book, it is a scripture. After getting my copy blessed by my guru, I began diving deep within this scripture, which is believed to be the essence of all Vedic teachings, consolidated with the discourses of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. This was the perfect place to start.
My obsession with philosophy continued from there… I began to read bits and pieces of various ancient, philosophical literature and scriptures. I read books from different cultures of the world, including the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, Meditations, Tao te Ching. I was hooked by the similarities in ideas and concepts from all parts of the world. They changed my perspective on reality and life. My satisfaction and peace of mind dramatically increased the more I dived deeper into philosophy.
Today I want to share with you the best life lessons I’ve picked up from all the philosophy books, from the East and the West, and also what I’ve learnt and how it has impacted me.